Tuesday, 2 December 2025

E&OE

Tuesday, 2 December 2025

David Campbell: Welcome back. Well, Acting PM Richard Marles has confirmed the ADF are closely monitoring Chinese warships lurking in the Philippine Sea. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth, and Shadow Minister for Small Business Tim Wilson. Good morning to both of you. Amanda, I'll go to you first. This is just eight months after another Chinese flotilla conducted those live fire drills that was off our coast. Clearly, Beijing didn't get the message then that we weren't happy.

Amanda Rishworth MP: Well look, obviously Australia is monitoring this activity as you would expect. I mean this is some way from Australia, but of course our defence forces will continue to monitor and you know, as needed really.

David Campbell: Okay, well while this unfolds, the government's announced the biggest overhaul of the defence in fifty years, Tim. We were talking about this, this morning. Marles is promising a bigger bang for our buck. Is this the right approach when we have something you know, we have these flotillas now, we've seen two of these happen in this last year?

Tim Wilson MP: What we need is a program that's focused on delivery, getting bang for buck as well as getting Australia's defence capability delivered. This so far as we've seen is only a plan for more bureaucracy, which isn't the pathway to getting more outcomes for the Australian Defence Force and our capability up. And you know, we don't want to use inflammatory language, but we're mindful of the fact that it's a contested region. We need to be ready for all things that may come at us.

David Campbell: What do you say to that, Amanda? I mean China is certainly escalating and showing that, you know, they've got the capabilities of doing, you know, a lot of stuff in this region. Is this the right time to be doing something like this?

Amanda Rishworth MP: Well we are absolutely focused on the defence of this country and deterrent is part of that. That is why we have committed over the next decade $70 billion. But we need to make sure that that we, defence is getting value for money, that it's effective and efficient spending and that's what this new, this new group is all about. This announcement that the Deputy Prime Minister's made is about focused on delivery and making sure that the money we're committing to defence is actually delivering importantly in the assets we need for some of the strategic challenges we have into the future.

David Campbell: In the meantime, we're still nine days away from the government's social media ban taking effect. But the kids out there they're already finding their way around it. Amanda, they're jumping on these new photo apps like Yope, which is a great name. That sounds just something like kids would discover. This didn't take long though, right? You know, you're only like under two weeks away. Is this concerning for the government?

Amanda Rishworth MP: Well firstly I would say I don't know what Yope is, so I'm not I'm not an expert on it. But I think it's a timely reminder...

David Campbell: Kids know all about it. They'll always find something.

Amanda Rishworth MP: That's right. They always do. But of course, well it's a timely reminder from the eSafety Commissioner that any app that meets the definition has the obligation to actually deactivate and not sign up users. The obligation is on the social media apps and they will get fines if they do not comply. I mean there's no silver bullet to this. Of course there will always be you know, people that try and get a way around it. But this is a really important framework and message that's about supporting parents and supporting young people really get out, off their phones and out into enjoying life.

David Campbell: But Tim, I mean what's the government gonna do here? Should they, you know, try and umbrella into these apps too, or are more just going to keep popping up like whack-a mole?

Tim Wilson MP: I'm not surprised Yope has discovered the government's 'Adopes'. It's not really a surprise at all that there'd be other platforms that would be developed to circumvent these laws. The government likes to talk big, but the reality is a very different thing when it comes to technology. The government went to the last election saying they wouldn't include YouTube under their social media ban. They've then included it. All we're going to see is a proliferation of companies that are going to try and circumvent these laws.

Amanda Rishworth MP: You supported these laws Tim, so, you don't support them now?

Tim Wilson MP: But that's not the point. Amanda, the problem is your implementation of these laws by your government is enormously problematic and you're going to continue to struggle to be able to get on with getting and implementing them. We support making sure that kids are protected from nefarious activity online, but we know full well that you haven't managed this and now we're seeing it played out real time on these platforms.

Amanda Rishworth MP: That is just absolutely not true.

David Campbell: Quickly before you go, guys, quickly before you go, because we're running out of time, the PM has just left for a five day honeymoon. Amanda, does the PM deserve this time off? People out there going, well now come on, he's had a holiday, he's had he's been he deserves a bit of a break.

Amanda Rishworth MP: Oh look, I think most Australians are very happy for our Prime Minister and Jodie. He's having a a very short honeymoon. Most of us had a little bit longer, but I wish them absolutely well, have a lovely little break because as we know our Prime Minister will be back to business in no time shortly.

David Campbell: Tim, love is love, where would you like the Prime Minister to go for his honeymoon? What's your recommendation?

Tim Wilson MP: Well of course I'd recommend somewhere nice and warm, which unfortunately say presently isn't Melbourne at the moment. So of course probably somewhere, maybe somewhere like Broome is nice, but I do wish the Prime Minister well on his marriage, not on many other things, but on his marriage I do and to Jodie. I genuinely do, because marriage is a wonderful institution. It's wonderful to be able to make bonds of commitment to somebody you love. And I really do wish them all the best.

David Campbell: Head north, PM, head north. All right, you two, thank you so much for your time this morning.

ENDS