Transcript| Channel Seven Sunrise | 08 July 2026

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Natalie BARR: Anthony Albanese's trip to Fiji, where our two countries signed ahistoric defence pact this week. Hours after that was signed, of course,Beijing tested that nuclear-capable missile right on Australia's doorstep.Former Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo says the timing was a pretty bigcoincidence and our counter-intelligence protocols should be checked. For theirtake, let's bring in Amanda Rishworth, Employment Minister and James Paterson,Shadow Defence Minister. Good morning to both of you. Amanda, is the governmentconcerned that our intelligence protocols could be compromised?

Amanda RISHWORTH: Well look, firstly I would say, you know, the timing for China forthis testing is entirely questions for them, but we have put our concerns veryclearly to Beijing and to really emphasise that this type of actiondestabilises our region and we are calling for both transparency andreassurance when it comes to China's actions, and this sort of missile test inthe Pacific.

BARR: Well, I think what most people would be saying is that the timingof that test is not just questions for them, it's questions for us and MarkPezzullo, the former boss of Home Affairs is basically saying are they spyingon us, did they know?

RISHWORTH: Well, I can't answer what China is doing, but what I can say isthis treaty or this agreement with Fiji is a very significant one, it's a verysignificant one and one that we should all be very proud of and it highlightsthe really important work that Australia has been doing in the Pacific, whetherthat is with Papua New Guinea, whether that's with Fiji, whether that's withVanuatu. Of course, work continues with the Solomons. I mean, this is allreally important work that we're doing. In terms of China, we have raised ourconcerns very directly, and we will continue to be calling for bothtransparency and reassurance, because that is not what a significant powerdoes, is to take actions to destabilise the region.

BARR: Yeah we've heard the government raise concerns about it and itwould be concerning for most Australians I guess. James as Shadow DefenceMinister, what are your thoughts?

SENATOR JAMES PATERSON: Well China certainly is spying on us and they have a rapaciousappetite for intelligence about our relationship with the Pacific because oneof China's strategic objectives is to establish a military base in the Pacific,ideally a naval base, and one of the most important national securitypriorities of Australia is to stop them. And that's why the Opposition providesour unqualified bipartisan support for the government's attempts to strengthenour relationships with the Pacific. I think though it still is more likely thatit was a coincidence that the missile launch occurred during the PrimeMinister's visit because these take weeks if not months to plan. But it is muchmore in the context of China trying to send a strong message to the Pacificthat they have these capabilities and that people should think twice aboutco-operating with countries like Australia or others.

BARR: Okay, but James, would they have sort of planned it months aheadand then seen that it was there and thought, okay, we'll do it today?

PATERSON: Look, that's possible, but I think more likely they were alwaysplanning on doing it on this date for other reasons. I think their choice oflocation is very interesting though. They fired it deep into the South WestPacific, a very capable missile that can carry a nuclear warhead. That is avery clear message that they are intending to send. They want to intimidate usand it's critically important we demonstrate that we can't be intimidated.

BARR: How alarmed should we be when we saw how far that could go?

PATERSON: I'm very concerned about the lack of Australia's integrated airand missile defence. We don't have sufficient capabilities to interceptmissiles like this if they were launched towards Australia. We are notinvesting fast enough or moving quick enough to have those capabilities. And soI think this is another reminder, like the war in Ukraine and the war in Iran,that we need to really step up and spend more on defence, including oncapabilities to protect us from missiles and drones.

BARR: Yeah, well obviously we are spending more but there's adiscrepancy on what both of you think we should spend. Moving on, in the middleof a housing crisis it's been revealed overseas tradies are considered no moreimportant than actors, dancers, even animal trainers under the SkilledMigration Scheme. All of these occupations sit in the same priority tier.Amanda, should builders be moved up a tier and given higher priority? So allthe tradies seem to be on tier three. The first tier: nurses, health professionals,the second tier: teachers, and then the tradies. Do you agree with that?

RISHWORTH: Well obviously we get our advice around the professional list fromexperts but I would say that I do agree that we do need to see more skilledtradies in our country and that's exactly what our government's been doing.We've had a three times increase in the number of construction workers sincewe've come to government taking up those jobs but importantly we're also fasttracking the recognition of those skills. So not only can those constructionworkers come here, but they can actually work on construction sites. So we'vegot an extra 20,000 people that have had their skills approved because of thatfast tracking. So we are taking the issue of getting more construction workershere. They are a priority for the government. And that's why you've seen anincrease three times the amount come to our country since our government waselected.

BARR: Yeah, look, you're right, it's increased, but would you say thattradies should be on the same level as, say, animal handlers, animal trainersand economists, because every time I talk to one of your government ministers,they don't seem too keen on having more economists in the country.

RISHWORTH: Well, look, that is a matter for the process that gets underwayand recommendations to the government.

BARR: But what would you say? Do you want just as many economists comingin as tradies?

RISHWORTH: Well I want to see more tradies, I want to see more doctors, Iwant to see more nurses, people that we need, and of course what we've had isthe opposition play a very sneaky game of talking down our skilled migration,telling us that skilled migration isn't important, not being clear of who theycut, who would be able to come here et cetera and how they would do that.They've got a lot of questions to answer but we want to see more constructionworkers here, that's why we're fast-tracking them.

BARR: Yeah, but we've got the figures in front of us now, so would yousay that animal trainers, economists, actors and dancers should be the same aselectricians, plumbers, tilers, cabinet makers? Do you think that's a goodidea?

RISHWORTH: What I would say is that when it comes to making sure we've gotmore construction workers in the country I absolutely support that and I alsowant to see those skills recognised because we've gotta make sure those skillsare recognised so they can get to work quickly and that work is being underwayand in fact we've fast-tracked it as I've already said.

BARR: Okay, James, have we got a problem here or are you happy with howthat's being played out?

PATERSON: Look I mean no disrespect to economists or animal trainers oractors but only a Labor government which is beholden to corrupt unions like theCFMEU would think in the middle of our worst ever housing crisis that they areequally important to bring to Australia right now. We have an unprecedentedhousing crisis, we are not building enough homes and Labor thinks that weshould be bringing in as many economists and actors as we should be bringing insparkies and carpenters and plumbers and other critical trades. They'rebeholden to the CFMEU, they're beholden to the ETU and that's why they setmigration policy which discourages construction workers from coming toAustralia, which refuses to prioritise them, and thinks we need as manyeconomists as we...[Rishworth interjecting]

BARR: Is this what's happening Amanda, are the unions putting the heavyon you Amanda so that you don't bring enough tradies into the country?

RISHWORTH: Absolutely not, absolutely not, this is recommendations.

BARR: Well why are you bringing in just as many economists?

RISHWORTH: We're not, that is not correct.

BARR: Is that not right? They're on the third tier with the trade.

RISHWORTH: When we are talking about making sure that construction workerscome to this country, as I said, three times more than the previous government.But not only that, we need to make sure their skills are recognised and we havefast-tracked construction workers as a result.

BARR: So why don't you drop the others down a tier?

RISHWORTH: And we have more construction workers.

BARR: Would that work?

RISHWORTH: Well, quite frankly, we get expert recommendations. We getprofessional recommendations around this. It hasn't changed since the previousGovernment was in government.

BARR: Why not? We've got a housing crisis now, so why hasn't it changedin four years?

RISHWORTH: That's why we are getting more people coming in with construction.

BARR: Should it change? Are you saying that we haven't looked at this infour years? You just said it hadn't changed.

RISHWORTH: No, no, no. What I've said is we end up getting recommendationsand we continue the way it's done, continues to be the way we getrecommendations. But of course, of course we have accelerated our constructionworkers and we've got three times as many.

BARR: Okay. Thank you very much. We'll see you next week. Here's Sherbo.

ENDS