ABC Sydney Mornings with Hamish McDonald - 3 December 2025

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

 

Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 

Transcript

 

ABC Sydney Mornings with Hamish McDonald

 

Subject: Social media ban; Age verification and Digital ID; Offshore data centres and energy requirements for data centres in Australia; Labor’s plan for AI roll-out; Net Zero survey; Immigration survey;

E&OE …

 

Hamish McDonald

We've been talking in recent months to Melissa McIntosh a fair bit, Shadow Communications Minister, she's had a lot to say on the social media ban. Also Member for Lindsay, a federal seat in Western Sydney. Now, we've discussed a range of topics with Melissa recently, but she even revealed to us one day that she'd like to be the Leader of the party and ultimately the Prime Minister. But during one of those interviews in recent weeks, she invited me out to Penrith to talk to her constituents, particularly on the question of energy prices. This all came up in the discussion about net zero and what the Liberal Party might do next. I took her up on her offer yesterday afternoon.

Hamish McDonald

So, I'm walking down High Street in Penrith with the Shadow Communications Minister, Member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh. G’day.

Melissa McIntosh

How are you going?

Hamish McDonald

Very well, thanks. Do you want to tell me about where we are? This is your neck of the woods?

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, it is. I was born in Penrith, and this is the Penrith High Street. It's where a lot of our small businesses are, cafes and a bit of, a bit of everything on the High Street of Penrith. It's really good to still maintain a high street, I think. We've got Westfield around the corner, but this is where the real people of Penrith are.

Hamish McDonald

So, a couple of weeks ago, when you were talking to us on 702 mornings, you demanded almost that I come down to your electorate to hear from people about energy prices, the climate issues and the energy transition. Why do you think there's a different view in your electorate to what there might be in other electorates in Sydney? Certainly, the voting patterns would indicate that there's something different going on here.

Melissa McIntosh

I feel very much this is everyday Australians that are working really hard but not feeling like they're getting ahead, they're doing it tough.

Hamish McDonald

I've got to say, when we've spoken to you this year, particularly on the question of energy prices, because as the leadership issues have come up in the Coalition, as well as your energy policy, you've been on talking about your thoughts on this. And a lot of Sydney's reacted saying, look, this is exactly why the Liberals are being voted out of Sydney. Your confused positions, not yours individually, but your party's confused positions on this. You've been at war with each other for well over a decade over energy policy, in fact, dating right back to John Howard's time. Do you acknowledge, do you hear that view from Sydney as well?

Melissa McIntosh

But I didn't want to be confused on this issue, and that's why I asked my community how they felt. And I didn't only get Liberal voters coming back, it was everyone had an opportunity. The survey went out through the mail, through social media, through emails, because I wanted to have that conviction of my community going forward because of the very reason that you're discussing that, the perception of a confused energy policy. So, you know, I was pretty steadfast walking into that party room that day to say this is my, my people's views and ever since walking out of that party room, you know, people have been grateful for me taking that stance. And I can't say it's going to be completely representative.

Hamish McDonald

All right, you're going to go and chat to some people, I'm going to listen in. I might just talk, might independently interview some people as well.

[Walking]

Melissa McIntosh

Hello, how are you?

Person

Hey, how you going?

Melissa McIntosh

Good, how are you going?

Person

You Craig’s sister?

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, I am!

Person

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Melissa McIntosh

How’s business going?

Person

Yeah, really good! It’s pretty busy actually.

Hamish McDonald

Can I ask you, I've been talking to Melissa about energy policy, power bills, net zero. Do you have a view on all of those issues?

Person

Oh, look, with a young family, obviously energy consumption and pricing is going up. We just recently made the move to solar which has helped, but net zero, look, to be honest, so busy with everyday life. It's kind of not really at the top of my list. I think just affording things as a family is what's tough at the moment.

Hamish McDonald

And has the move to solar made a difference, or is it going to make a difference for you?

Person

Yeah, look, I've already seen the benefits, huge benefits. Our bill's been cut, you know, less than half. So, it's actually for our family it's really done the job. Bit skeptical at the start, but made the move, made the switch and yeah, haven't looked back. So, it's been good. Yeah, definitely it's been good.

Hamish McDonald

You said, ‘are you Craig’s sister’, how do you know Melissa?

Person

So, Craig works at the business I’m at, so yeah. So, Melissa came to one of our launches recently and that's how I met Melissa. But yeah, no, so it's a family affair. Yeah. It seems like every time you go to Penrith somebody knows somebody. So, it's a very close-knit family environment, you know what I mean? Community.

Hamish McDonald

Hi, what's your name?

Kevin Finlayson

My name's Kevin Finlayson.

Hamish McDonald

Do you know Melissa? How do you know each other?

Kevin Finlayson

Me and Melissa met about six years ago. We had a little conversation.

Melissa McIntosh

Yes.

Kevin Finlayson

When you first run for Parliament. I've always been a Labor man, but I'm a bit disgusted with what's been happening the last couple of years. It's not right.

Hamish McDonald

Anything in particular?

Kevin Finlayson

The affordability of electricity. I think it's ridiculous. Just the cost of living. People are battling. They're doing it really hard.

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, and Kevin's a really strong advocate for disability services here in the community. You're always out helping people, hey.

Kevin Finlayson

Always out and about everywhere around Sydney.

Hamish McDonald

I hope you don't mind me saying, because this is for radio. You are in a wheelchair.

Kevin Finlayson

I am in a wheelchair, but I don't have a disability. That's how people perceive it.

Hamish McDonald

And for you, the issue of energy and power prices, why is that above and beyond the thing that you raise when you run into a politician?

Kevin Finlayson

Because I see people suffering. It's not on. I just can't believe the cost of energy and groceries and it's just ridiculous. It's just got totally out of hand. Something needs to be done. It needs to stop.

Hamish McDonald

And do you think by dumping net zero, which Melissa's supported, that you'll get cheaper power bills?

Kevin Finlayson

Well, hopefully, yes. Hopefully. I've been around a long time, and I have never seen the country in such a big mess as it is today. It's in a mess!

Hamish McDonald

Is that the challenge for you when people are saying this to you? It's difficult for you to say, actually, we'll give you cheaper power bills, because that's a tough promise for you to make. I don't think you even are promising that.

Melissa McIntosh

Well, I think we have to give people hope. People... and I've said to Hamish, Kevin, look at the people that are sleeping rough on the High Street.

Kevin Finlayson

Yes.

Hamish McDonald

I suppose my question is, though, is it false hope if you're saying by dumping that zero, you might have cheaper power bills, when it's actually to do with the price of gas on the international market?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, I know you think that's the only issue -

Hamish McDonald

No, I don't think it's the only one, but -

Melissa McIntosh

But the focus on renewables only is also causing higher power prices. So, if we can diversify and have, you know, we're technology agnostic and we do look at nuclear in the future. And that's why I said it's not just about the now. It's the short, medium, long term; we unlock gas. Look, I have very big question marks around the deal that Labor's done with the Greens, and this ensuring that we have enough gas supply to power our manufacturers in Western Sydney who have given this country so much.

Kevin Finlayson

I agree entirely with what Melissa just said. You've got to have a plan to get there.

Hamish McDonald

Kevin, really nice to meet you. Merry Christmas.

Kevin Finlayson

Meeting you too. Merry Christmas to both of yous.

Hamish McDonald

You paying this guy?

Melissa McIntosh

No! This is my community. They're wonderful, everyday Australians, that are working hard for themselves and for others.

Hamish McDonald

What's your name?

Josie

It’s Josie.

Hamish McDonald

And you run a cafe?

Josie

Yes.

Hamish McDonald

How do you know Melissa?

Josie

Oh, she's my regular customer. She's lovely, she's beautiful, she's just beautiful.

Hamish McDonald

And what about things like power prices? Are you struggling to pay the power bills?

Josie

Yes, it's really going through the roof.

Hamish McDonald

What else? What else is a challenge for you at the moment, business wise?

Josie

Oh, just a living cost in general. Wages... just cost is way too high.

[Walking]

Hamish McDonald

Where are we going? We're going to a particular shop, are we?

Melissa McIntosh

No, we're going to a food bank.

Hamish McDonald

How far away are we from this place?

Melissa McIntosh

We're around the corner. Here we are.

Hamish McDonald

Okay, so this is Mama Lana's.

Melissa McIntosh

Hello, how are you? You good?

Volunteer

Good, yeah, yeah.

Hamish McDonald

And are these patrons that are working, are they employed, are they unemployed? What's the situation?

Volunteer

It’s a whole range. So, there's the homeless, there's people with food insecurity, they're paying their mortgage or their rent or, you know, and just can't make ends meet. People that are recently released from institutions that haven't got, you know, money together, a whole range. People with jobs. We have a station master who comes, who's paying high rent, and he just can't afford food sometimes. So, it just gets them over the line. So, they get a hot meal at night, they'll get a sandwich. So, we make about 250 sandwiches a day as well. And they'll get some type of sweet, you know, biscuit or a cake or whatever I got. If we've got drinks, they get a drink as well. Yeah, no one should be going hungry.

Hamish McDonald

Listen, I'm going to get just a final thought from you. It's very clear that energy prices are a big issue for your constituents. I guess, you know, the question is, would you actually make them any cheaper, the power bills? And I don't think you can promise that, can you?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, I think the Leader has promised they won't go up, but I think we need to do better. I think we do need to get to a stage where we're putting out a plan for Australians that their energy prices won't continue to go up.

Hamish McDonald

The one bloke I've spoken to today that has had his prices come down is the bloke that just put solar in!

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, he must have a battery as well because when I met with the solar companies, we've got a couple here, as I said to you previously, we have a high solar uptake, but we don't have a high battery uptake because even with subsidies, people can't afford the batteries. So, you know, that's great. That's great news. If he's his power prices are coming down, but that's not the story of many people that have solar panels on their roofs.

Hamish McDonald

Melissa, great to see you. Thanks for having me.

Melissa McIntosh

Thank you, thanks very much. I’m going to put you to work, get some bread rolls Hamish!

[Ends]