SARAH ABO, HOST: Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and WA Senator Michaelia Cash. Good to see you both. Malarndirri, I'll start with you if I could. We've done a little comparison of our own and found that a bulk pack of thigh fillets at Woolies cost $5.66 more than it did two years ago. What was once considered a staple for Aussie homes, it seems, is becoming out of reach.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Well, we do understand, Sarah, that no doubt the high interest rates, as a direct result of the Reserve Bank, is creating pressure on Australian families across the country, and that's why we've been really trying to look at reducing the cost in so many other areas, like the $300 energy rebate on bills for Australians across the country. Certainly cheaper medicine, certainly assistance with childcare and trying to elevate incomes, especially for those in the care sector.
HOST: It's a tough one though, Michaelia, isn't it, because we're talking about chicken here. This is something that has been part of the Australian diet, you know, forever basically. It's our cheapest form of protein yet we aren't able to afford it. It's not just the supermarkets and we know efforts are being made there, but it's also takeaway.
MICHAELIA CASH, DEPUTY OPPOSITION SENATE LEADER: It's utterly devastating. And this shows that the cost of living crisis, the Albanese Government's cost of living crisis, is now affecting Australians in the most basic of ways. They cannot afford chicken. And I mean, it's devastating because for some families that Friday night takeaway is the one luxury they have to look forward to after a really tough week. That's been taken away from them because of the cost of living crisis of this government. But what's worse is people are now having to prioritise what they eat over I need a roof over my head. What I eat over I can't afford to pay my bills. And with all due respect to Malarndirri, telling people you understand and you feel for them, it's not enough. You're in government, you've got the levers, pull the right levers to ease the cost of living burden.
HOST: Can you do more Malarndirri?
McCARTHY: Sarah, can I just pick up on that. With the levers that we have been pushing in the Parliament, we've had no support whatsoever from the Coalition. In particular, we're trying to reduce these areas of cost of living by introducing the energy rebates, for example, by introducing the opportunity to reduce costs. We have not had that support, especially in the Senate.
HOST: I know we do need a bit of bipartisanship when it comes to cost of living, that's for sure. All right. Well, a war is brewing in Canberra with the Teals. Both major parties have been accused of misogyny by the Teal MPs. Malarndirri are they right?
McCARTHY: Well, I think what we're seeing here, really Sarah, is that we saw that the Teals came in because the Coalition weren't listening to them. We saw that they came in because they felt that women weren't being listened to. And this week in the Parliament, especially this fortnight, we certainly heard again from the Teals their views in the way they're being treated. And that's why we brought in the Commission to make sure, in terms of parliamentary behaviour, not only just parliamentarians but staff, that there is a much better way of doing business in the parliament. But clearly this is a problem for the Coalition and I'm sure Senator Cash has more of an insight into how difficult that is.
HOST: They are still asking for the Prime Minister to do more here Malarndirri. So I hear what you're saying but it's not just an opposition problem.
McCARTHY: Well, we are doing things. I think that's the important thing we've seen this week with Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women, working on this. We've seen the report that's gone through the Parliament in trying to change the standards and people's behaviour. I think the Commission that has been introduced, as part of legislation to the lower house, will make a very real difference going forward.
HOST: Michaelia, Malarndirri is right. It was the Opposition-held seats that were taken by the Teals at the last election. Now Peter Dutton is planning an all-out assault on those Teal held seats, particularly in New South Wales. Do you think you might be able to win them back or have you lost them forever?
CASH: Well, let's be real here. The Teals duped the voters. They masquerade as Teals. They are not Teals. They side with the Labor Party and the Australian Greens. In fact, there are some of them that are actually more green than the Greens. So the voters were totally duped. And I challenge anybody in relation to the Teals. Can you actually name one thing that your local Teal member has actually achieved for you? Because the answer is no. It's as simple as that. A vote for a Teal is a vote ultimately for an Albanese minority government with the Australian Greens. So for me, it's very clear at the next election, we're actually going to go after the Teals because they duped the voters. They masquerade as Teals. But quite frankly, they're as bad as the Greens.
All right. Watch this space. Just very quickly because we do have to go. How sweet was it to see Arisa Trew, our gold medallist, our youngest in history, finally get that duck she was after?
McCARTHY: That's lovely.
HOST: It's so sweet.
CASH: Oh look it brought a smile to my face. I'm an animal lover and I think you know what, 14 years of age, I win a gold medal and that's exactly what I would have wanted. Something small and fluffy, I love it. I think she's fantastic, but what an amazing role model for other young teenagers. You work hard, you train hard. Wow. You come home making a country proud with the gold medal, I love it.
HOST: We've got to help her name the thing, but I'm sure there's going to be an uptick now in ducks as pets right across the country. Thank you both so much for joining us.
McCARTHY: Absolutely.
HOST: Thank you both so much for joining us, appreciate it.