Interview with Karl Stefanovic - Today Show, Channel Nine

KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Minister for Employment, Amanda Rishworth, and Tasmanian Senator, Nick McKim, join us now to discuss. Amanda, you would have been up all night watching all of this. There is some important stuff, before we get to the K Rudd stuff. But there was hope a critical minerals deal might ease tariffs and the pressure. That seems unlikely now.

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Well look, I would say around the critical minerals and rare earths framework is this is win-win. It's win for the US but it's win for Australia. I mean, this allows for more investment, more jobs in Australia, and does help us about how we're going to make more things here, our Future Made in Australia agenda. So this is, I think, a really important framework. In addition, a number of priority projects were advanced. This is a really good outcome for both countries and will aid in our cooperation.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Nick, AUKUS is all but assured and we've done a deal on critical minerals. You Greens must be filthy.

NICK MCKIM, TASMANIAN SENATOR: Well, look, I wouldn't say filthy. I reckon, like, any time you walk out of a meeting that you've had with Donald Trump and you haven't been kind of bizarrely humiliated in some kind of performative political showpiece by Donald Trump, that's a good outcome and I reckon the PM would have been pretty happy with that. Look, in terms of AUKUS, we're not happy with AUKUS, of course we're not. If the Prime Minister was going to act in Australia's best interest, he would have informed President Trump that actually this $350 billion waste of money on nuclear submarines that is going to make Australia a more dangerous place was going to be terminated. It's unfortunate he didn't do that, and of course we would have liked to see him do that.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay, I'll get on to China in just a second and the threats that we may face. But first, before we do that, have you got your popcorn ready? Amanda, I'm not sure what you were doing at oh-dark-hundred this morning, but I was up watching all of this. In the right corner, Donald Trump. In the left of the left corner, K Rudd.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Amanda, your first reaction?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, my first reaction is that, quite frankly, our relationship is more than one person. We've got a strong relationship with the US, and of course Kevin Rudd has played a very important role in the US. He's acted with a huge amount of professionalism. The comments that the journalist was referring to were years ago. And so, look, I think the fact that we had such a productive meeting suggests that we've got strong relationships with the United States.

KARL STEFANOVIC: I don't know, Amanda. It's like, if the most powerful man in the world doesn't like the ambassador, do you not see that as some level of problem?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Have a look at the meeting, have a look at the productive discussions, have a look at the tangible outcomes, and even you've got to admit, Karl, it was a good meeting and a good outcome.

KARL STEFANOVIC: It was. So he's not going anywhere?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, Kevin Rudd is doing a great job in the United States. He's acting with professionalism. He’s doing a good job.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Nick, what did you make of that? I mean, you spoke of public humiliation at the hands of Donald Trump. Well, that was it.

NICK MCKIM: Well, that was aimed at Kevin Rudd, not Anthony Albanese. Look, I don't take too much notice of what comes out of Donald Trump's mouth. I mean, the guy says really random stuff, and he says really random stuff all the time. What I take notice of is what he does, and you know some of his actions including supporting the genocide in Gaza, some of his irrational behaviour, honestly, Australia should think twice about remaining joined at the hip with a dangerous demagogue like Donald Trump.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Alright I don't think that's going to happen. Finally, we're learning this morning about a Chinese military jet firing flares at close proximity to Australian aircraft over the South China Sea. Amanda, endangering the lives of our military over international waters is truly shocking. Do you still trust China?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, look the Australian Government has expressed its concerns to China. And, of course, we expect anyone from any country's military to behave in a professional and safe manner. So that's what we expected. That's what we've communicated.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Alright, Nick, finally.

NICK MCKIM: Well, of course, we should have communicated our concern, and it's good that we have this happened in international waters. But again, I can't help but compare our response to this event to when Australian citizens were kidnapped on the high seas by Israel just a few weeks ago and we never heard a peep out of the Australian Government about their rights in international waters when they were subjected to effectively an act of piracy and kidnapped by Israel. So let's be consistent and everyone should just take a chill pill, calm down and make sure that calm heads prevail.

KARL STEFANOVIC:    Okay, it would have been calm for everyone but those RAAF personnel on that plane. Thank you, guys.