Media
|
Transcripts
August 24, 2026
Monday, 24 August 2026
Topics: Sydney Swans, One Nation’s migration shambles
E&OE…………………………………………………………………………………………
SYLVIA JEFFREYS: Welcome back. Emotions have boiled over at the SCG after the Sydney Swans defied an incredibly turbulent week to beat North Melbourne. But this morning the club is facing fresh scrutiny, The Age revealing one woman at the centre of Victoria's police investigation claims she was the victim of multiple sexual assaults. Joining us now to discuss today's headlines is Shadow Minister for Defence James Paterson and commentator Neil Mitchell. Morning to you both, and thanks for joining us. Neil, I'll go to you first on this. A lot of conflicting feelings at the SCG Doubleheader yesterday. Swans’ fans really grappling with how to respond to it all. What did you make of the scenes yesterday?
NEIL MITCHELL: Yeah, it's an emotional game, isn't it? I'd like to think we're coming towards the end of this. It'll be resolved one way or the other. We won't. This will be with us for another year, at least, regardless of what happens. I could understand the conflict yesterday. I mean, the men who were playing are not accused of anything. So the supporters, some of the supporters would say, well, let's go and stand with them. I love the gesture towards the female players who have been annoyed by this I'm sure very annoyed by the questions around the culture of the club and that's the real problem here there is a culture issue at the club somebody within that club approved the players to go out on the town after the game where all this happened, now they didn't approve what is alleged to have gone on and they've taken action since, but I was talking to an old Swans player the other day and he said, I can't believe it, in my day a few weeks out from the finals there's no way known you'd be allowed to go near a beer, let alone out on the town.
JEFFREYS: Well, you raise a really good point this morning, James. The Swans chairman says the club will be subject to a full cultural review. Does the top leadership team at the Swans have more questions to answer here?
SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: I certainly think so. I understand why Swans fans are so disappointed in their club because the club has made such a virtue in the past of their culture, and what this conduct has exposed is a big gap between what they say their culture is and what their culture actually is. And that ultimately comes back to leadership, and they've got to take responsibility here. These are really troubling further allegations in the media this morning. Like Neil, I hope they're resolved as quickly as possible and that the women involved have justice from the process.
JEFFREYS: OK, moving along, One Nation's signature immigration policy has been plunged into disarray after MP David Farley told ABC's Insiders that temporary workers and backpackers aren't included in their target of 130,000. James, another clean up in aisle five for Pauline Hanson over the weekend who moved very quickly to shoot down Farley's comments. By David Farley's estimates, One Nation's target is similar to Labor's now.
PATERSON: That's right. One Nation are all over the shop when it comes to migration. By my count, this is the fourth policy they've had in just the last couple of weeks on migration. First, Pauline Hanson said it was 130,000 permanent migration. Then she said it was 130,000 total visas. Then she said it was a 130,0000 net overseas migration. And now David Farley is saying actually it's more like 230,000, which is even more than Labor's target. It's very typical of One Nation. They talk a really big game when it comes to issues like migration, but they fall down on the details, and it is yet more evidence of why they're just not fit to govern.
JEFFREYS: So when will we get a firm target from the Coalition?
MITCHELL: Yeah, exactly.
PATERSON: Well, this is exactly why we're going through a deliberative, proper, thorough process so that we can produce a number that we stand behind. It'll be well below Labor's excessive migration over the last couple of years.
JEFFREYS: And when will we get it?
PATERSON: We'll link it to housing completion.
JEFFREYS: When will we get it?
PATERSON: Well, I'm not going to prejudge my colleagues today, but we're going to go through this proper process so that we arrive at a number and we can stick to it, unlike One Nation who flops all over the place, and unlike Labor who can't deliver it. They've promised to bring down migration, they've failed to do so. We're the opposition, we're going to go through a proper process, well before the next election you'll have a concrete number from us.
JEFFREYS: Well, meantime Neil, it's been nearly three weeks since Tony Burke pulled the pin on his press club address and we still don't know Labor's immigration plans.
MITCHELL: We've been talking about this for years, and now we're playing politics around it. Oh, One Nation's obviously got them a bit rattled here because both sides are going after this confusion in One Nation. What about some answers? For four or five years, the people of Australia have been saying, we've got an issue with immigration, we're not racist, can we please sort out the appropriate figure allowing for skilled migration, allowing for what's needed in regional areas and do it. Instead of that, the Coalition hasn't got an answer. Labor is ducking and dodging, and One Nation, as the Senator says, is all over the shop. But this is the frustration of people. This is why we're annoyed by politics. It's a huge issue in the electorate, and we will not talk about it. One Nation makes a stumble like this, and it's all political grandstanding rather than getting to the essence of it. Do we need those skilled migrants or not? Will you let them in or not? How do the regions survive without them? Let's just be frank with the people, please.
JEFFREYS: It's all as clear as mud at the moment, isn't it? James and Neil, we appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining us.
ENDS