Sky - First Edition with Peter Stefanovic - 10 December 2025

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

Wednesday, 10 December 2025

Transcript

Sky - First Edition with Peter Stefanovic

Subject: Communications Minister Anika Wells travel expenses; Social media ban; Triple Zero.

E&OE ....

Peter Stefanovic: Well, back to Canberra's social media ban for under 16s that is now underway. Joining us live this morning, the Shadow Communications Minister, Melissa McIntosh. Melissa, good to see you this morning. So, time will tell whether it's successful or not. There'll no doubt be teething issues, but where are you at with all of it this morning?

Melissa McIntosh: I would love to be super optimistic and say, go kids, get out on your bike and, you know, live your life, but I think that's being too simplistic here. You know that we support the ban, it was a Peter Dutton policy in the first place, and I've also spoken to you about my questions around the execution going into December 10, which is today, and risk to people's identification. Digital ID is a big issue, kids migrating across to other platforms; but today is the day. I think now I'll be just concentrating on ensuring that the Government does the right thing by Australian kids. I would like to see the PM get up and say that he will invest money in mental health services for young people. A lot of psychologists are now saying kids are going to have a tough time. Of course they are. You've got kids, it's going to be a hard time, particularly over Christmas. So, some investment into youth mental health service I think will be really important and I know I was a bit surprised to hear today, Pete, that the Prime Minister is being aired into every school across the country. That's a bit of an unusual step for the PM to be beaming across, you know, schools to announce this policy, but we'll keep holding the Government to account.

Peter Stefanovic: Right, so what are the chances of success here? I mean, there are workarounds; kids will find a way. I mean, I've been saying this all along, but something's better than nothing. I mean, can't they just get VPNs, doctor images, et cetera?

Melissa McIntosh: I'm just trying to be hopeful today because I've been accused of dog whistling. So, I actually agree with you, I want it to work. I just see so many gaps. Kids have already migrated across, the Minister herself, when she's actually made appearances over the last couple of weeks, has been loosening her language saying be patient, it's going to be messy, it's not going to work, we're going to do a review in two years. So, what actually does constitute success? I guess that's probably my next question is what is a successful policy outcome when it comes to banning kids? Are there less kids online? Are less kids getting bullied? We need to have a measurement in place.

Peter Stefanovic: Good question. We'll see how that ends up. Anyway, onto your opponent, Anika Wells. So, she self reported her expenses to the watchdog now. Does that just give herself political cover today as she gets out and sells her social media ban?

Melissa McIntosh: That would be a bit sceptical, wouldn't it? Of course it is. She's been hiding away for some time now and like we've all said, and I've been questioned on my own use of family reunion, which is fair enough, but it's when it's excessive. So, it's when it goes above and beyond what people would constitute as reuniting with your family.

Peter Stefanovic: Or leaving a comcar for 7 hours, is that excessive?

Melissa McIntosh: Leaving a comcar 7 hours while you're going and watching the tennis like that's, that's not acceptable; and going overseas and having an expensive dinner and then going oh, but I fell asleep like haha. Well, that's not acceptable either. So, I think she does need to, you can go through the process of the auditing, which is important, but she's done this multiple times. I think Prime Minister actually needs to take a stand on this.

Peter Stefanovic: Is anything going to come of this audit?

Melissa McIntosh: Well, do you think that the Labor party would allow her to have an audit if something was going to come of it? I don't know. Again, I'm being sceptical. I think there actually needs to be change. The Prime Minister was asked a question today about it and he sort of brushed it away and said but it's independent. Well things aren't going to change unless we make things change. So, I'm very up for having a look at family reunion. I'll be even as bolchy and I probably won't have any friends left in politics to say even maybe drop it and let's look at another way because we can't keep going through this where Australians go, we hate politicians because you're all just ripping us off. Well, when things like this happen that's pretty fair enough. So, let's look at the rules. The prime minister should come out and say that.

Peter Stefanovic: Well, I mean that's the point, isn't it? Where do you draw the line? Because we want families to stay together, you guys are so busy, you gotta see your kids, you gotta see your partners, you've gotta do that because that's just important. But you know, where's the line where you start taking the mickey?

Melissa McIntosh: Well, taking the mickey and the boundaries and when you say you're in the guidelines, they're so broad and the guidelines do allow things like, you know, Anika has done and going to the tennis and all those sorts of things. So, until the guidelines change, this is going to keep going and the Prime Minister ....

Peter Stefanovic: Yeah, sorry, Melissa. I mean, now you've got Greens, you've got Independents. Fatima Payman, she's racked up a $120,000 bill. Liberals, including yourself, who've been caught up in the dragnet that you just referred to. So, does this feel like it's a matter of urgency or do you think this just kind of goes away after Christmas?

Melissa McIntosh: Well, I don't want to boast myself, Pete, but pretty much most politicians are in hiding right now and I've been happy to be up front, in front of the camera and talk about my own expenses and then to question the process and to say, well, yeah, things do need to change. So, when you are seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent, when you are doing fairy dances in confetti at the football, this can't continue because we'll get to this time next year again and the media will be having some downtime, and we'll scroll through and we'll be here all over again. So, yes, it's time to do a proper review and the Prime Minister needs to accept that that needs to happen as well.

Peter Stefanovic: Do you agree that Anika Wells should stand aside whilst this audit is taking place?

Melissa McIntosh: I actually think that she's done multiple things that would constitute her standing aside. Her leaving her post during the Triple Zero crisis, yesterday we found out there was another death, her Chief of Staff, her staffer knew about it back in September and we only just found out about it yesterday, her going off to New York during that time, all these expenses. There's many things that I could critique the Minister for Communications on, and I think the Prime Minister really needs to answer that question because he's not showing much leadership in this space, unless that's how he accepts that all his ministers behave.

Peter Stefanovic: Right, but you still think she should stand aside while this happens?

Melissa McIntosh: Well, I think, as I said, she should stand aside for a number of reasons, not just this issue. I don't think she's a particularly good Minister. She's not caring for Australian people, she's not protecting them. The Triple Zero issue, I think, is the top one and people are dying and nothing is being done, so yeah, but for multiple reasons, not just this one.

Peter Stefanovic: Melissa McIntosh, it's good to see you, as always. We'll chat again soon.

[ENDS]