Interview with Sarah Abo, The Today Show, Channel Nine

SARAH ABO, HOST:    Well, China’s number three leader will pay Canberra a visit today in Parliament House. Staffers are on strict orders to switch off their phones during his time in the building. Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth and Greens Leader Larissa Waters. Good to see you both this morning. Amanda, this seems like an extreme measure. If we can’t trust China, even when they’re on our turf, what does that say about our relationship with them?

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS:    Well, first I would say that actually having constructive and direct dialogue and engagement with China is very important to stabilise our relationship. A Chinese delegation has been invited by the presiding officers, and we have a lot of different delegations come to our Parliament, and it’s important for international engagement. In terms of, you know, security advice, you probably won’t be surprised, Sarah. I'm not going to go into security advice on the Today Show, but, you know, this visit, as many visits important in our constructive relationship.

SARAH ABO:    Well, we know about the security advice because we've got the document that says or directs everyone to do it. I mean, if you can't text, you can't search the internet, you can't do any of that in Canberra, Larissa, it's a bit concerning. I mean, have you turned your devices off or your staff as well?

LARISSA WATERS, GREENS LEADER:    I wasn't in the security briefing, but I did receive the email. And if one man walking through the building can bring us all to a halt, then I think our cyber security needs a bit of a look at. But if anyone looked at my phone, they're seeing pictures of my kids and plans to make people's bills cheaper and protect nature. So, there you go.

SARAH ABO:    Are you sure about that, Larissa? I'd like to do a deep dive on your search engine.

LARISSA WATERS:    So many screenshots. No one deserves that.

SARAH ABO:    Meanwhile, Amanda, this is interesting, because a China fearing Taiwan is asking to join AUKUS but of course Australia doesn't even formally recognise Taiwan as a sovereign state. Talk about fearing China. You can't possibly include them and risk inflaming tensions with Beijing, can you?

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Let's be really clear what AUKUS is. AUKUS is a partnership, of course, between the UK, US and Australia to lift our sovereign capability. It's an incredibly important partnership. I know Larissa might not agree with that, but for me in South Australia, I've met the workers already working on this project and this is going to be an exciting opportunity.

SARAH ABO:    We're not talking about the project itself, though, Amanda, but we're just talking about whether or not the Government would take Taiwan's request seriously here.

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Well, in terms of where we're focused on, it is with our partners, the UK and the US, to uplift our sovereign capability. That's where our focus is on, and that's what we intend to be actually delivering.

SARAH ABO:    That wasn't an answer, was it, Larissa? I just think that they're ignoring the elephant in the room about Taiwan.

LARISSA WATERS:    Well, I'm not sure why Taiwan would really want to be in AUKUS.

SARAH ABO:    Because they feel under threat from China.

LARISSA WATERS:    Look at the terms and conditions that we've got. You just funnel billions and billions into an overseas war machine that doesn't actually make you any safer and there's no guarantee that you'll ever receive a product. So I question why anyone would see that as a good deal and pretty clearly, it's a closed shop.

SARAH ABO:    Well it's going ahead and it's all because of China. I think we can all agree on that. Let's move on now though and I think the whole nation is worried about the uptick in youth violence we're seeing at our schools. The Herald Sun has this morning revealed a secret dossier of violence in Victorian state schools, citing more than 400 critical incidents. Amanda, reports of brandishing shears as weapons, threatening to slit the throats of other children. It is terrifying stuff. What's happening in our schools these days?

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Well, look, it is really concerning. And, you know, I'm saying the obvious here, but schools should be a place for learning, not being exposed to this sort of violence. And so, you know, what we need to do, of course, is, you know, ensure that Victoria and other states and territories are taking steps, I know that the Victorian Government is, to deal with this. It is a state and territory matter, but it is concerning. No one deserves, whether you're a teacher, a child, to be exposed to that type of violence. I know that states and territories are taking this very seriously and we'll support them in that work.

SARAH ABO:    Just very quickly, does it need to be- does there need to be more federal intervention here, Larissa? Because, I mean, as we saw just yesterday, there's an alleged stabbing murder of a teenager just outside a Sydney school.

LARISSA WATERS:    Yeah, and that's absolutely tragic and my hearts go out to that family and that person's friends and all of that community. It's pretty clear we've got a problem with violence and it's not just in schools. We've got a huge problem with violence against women right across the community and the Federal Government could and should be doing more on that. Investing in prevention, helping with that cultural change work, but importantly also making sure that people's daily needs are met. That's the best prevention that you can do. And we see those public schools, they're desperately underfunded. Those teachers are working so hard already and now more is being asked of them, Fund them properly and do the support work.

SARAH ABO:    Students and teachers, I think, need to feel safe but we're running out of time. I just wanted to get to this finally. Fresh after her, should we call it, outfit repeat in Parliament eight years on, Pauline Hanson has pulled off yet another stunt, twice in one day, cooking steak for her new best mate, Barnaby Joyce, on a sandwich press. Amanda, I mean, it wouldn't be a final week of Parliament without a couple of cheap stunts, hey?

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Well, I hope that's cooked well through otherwise it may end up in a poisoning incident in Parliament.

SARAH ABO:    Oh dear.

AMANDA RISHWORTH:    Unintended perhaps, but look, you know, it is the last week in Parliament, so there's a lot of shenanigans going on.

SARAH ABO:    Larissa, I mean, how can Barnaby not jump ship after a gourmet meal like that?

LARISSA WATERS:    Well, I don't know about the cooking techniques there, and I'm all for re-wearing outfits, but not when it's an outfit that's insulting to anyone of faith in the country. And insulting to anyone who wants Parliament to actually help people and fix the cost of living and bring down the cost of housing, not just focus on itself and just the pathetic stunts like that. It's shameless attention-seeking that doesn't actually help anyone or make anyone's lives better. It actually just fuels racism. It's dangerous and pathetic.

SARAH ABO:    And it is the final sitting week of Parliament. Let's see what else is in store for the rest of the week, guys. Thanks so much for joining me this morning. Appreciate it.

LARISSA WATERS:    Thanks, Sarah.