Transcript - 2GB Sydney Now - 7 October 2025

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

7 October 2025

Transcript

2GB Drive – Sydney Now with Clinton Maynard

Topics: Triple Zero outage; Triple Zero Custodian; Optus; ACMA; Andrew Hastie; immigration.

E&EO …

Clinton Maynard

Thank you for your time, Melissa.

Melissa McIntosh

Thanks, Clinton.

Clinton Maynard

Has Anika Wells pulled the right reign here today?

Melissa McIntosh

She's about a year and a half too late and she shouldn't have jumped on a plane to New York during the crisis. We've got to remember the reason why we are here on this issue. Four people died. There was an Optus outage impacting 600, people could not call Triple Zero and this is the first time it happened with Optus. It happened in 2023. People didn't die then, but recommendations were made to government in March 2024. The government sat on those recommendations to fix the Triple Zero network until this week, when we're being rushed through Parliament before the end of the year. So, if the legislation was so important, why did the Minister sit on it for so long? We have real questions of this Minister. She fronted the media just after the outage and then she jumped on an aeroplane to New York and the crisis continued to unfold for a week.

Clinton Maynard

But in fairness to her, though, Melissa, Parliament wasn't sitting at that point, so she wouldn't have been able to introduce this legislation then.

Melissa McIntosh

She's still the Minister responsible for telecommunications. The work that we do is not only just in Parliament.

Clinton Maynard

No, but we're talking about new legislation to make it mandatory for the telcos to follow these systems.

Melissa McIntosh

I received the legislation last night to be introduced today. It's very rare that you receive less than 24 hours’ notice. So, she could have been working on the legislation. It takes a bit of work. It's complex work. There's no way that she should have jumped on it. Could you imagine if we were in government and one of our ministers or the Prime Minister, in fact, you know, we know that happened, jumps on an aeroplane and goes overseas during a crisis, so Australians expect more and this was a crisis, people died. So, the greatest priority of a government is to its citizens. And when you're not in the country, it means that you're not prioritising them.

Clinton Maynard

What would you do differently if you were in charge?

Melissa McIntosh MP

I'd love to be in charge. We need to get our act together first.

Clinton Maynard

Very good point, Melissa, very good point.

Melissa McIntosh

We're working on it. I'm working on it. Putting some pressure on the government, showing their fault is a good way to do it. For me, I called for an independent investigation into the whole Triple Zero Network. I don't think ACMA, the regulator, should be investigating themselves. They found out about this outage on the Thursday. By law, Optus had to let them know. The Minister's saying she didn't find out until the Friday. So, either the Minister's not telling the truth or ACMA, the regulator, didn't inform her. So, in the first instance, it needs to be a thorough, independent investigation. On behalf of the Coalition, I’m also calling for a register. Every time that there is an outage, the public should know about it straight away. There should be transparency. We don't know how many outages aren't being recorded or the public just doesn't know. And I feel, and I know this is happening because I'm receiving emails, perhaps people making calls to you as well, that people are losing faith in the Triple Zero Network, our most important telecommunications service. And when that's happening, that's a real worry.

Clinton Maynard

It's critical. It's an essential service. So, I'll just, Melissa, if I just pull your point up there. You mentioned we have to get our act together, and Peter has just sent me a text message – it's going to be 10 years before you're back, do you have confidence, do you have confidence that Susan Ley is going to still be your leader in a year's time, at the next election, in two or three years time?

Melissa McIntosh

We need stability and Sussan's doing a really tough job, as I've said, and I'm not shy in saying it, just even telling you then is we are in a dismal state. We lost the election. People didn't vote for us. That's why we're here.

Clinton Maynard

And now you're all fighting amongst each other. That's not helping.

Melissa McIntosh

Well, it would be better if we're fighting Labor and holding them to account. And that's what I'm focused on with Optus, because I think being able to pick up the phone and call 000, every single one of your listeners should be able to call 000 in their time of need. But it's showing that they can't. There are faults in the system. So this should be our priority. The government should not be getting away with lacklustre efforts in protecting Australians.

Clinton Maynard

Are you disappointed that Andrew Hastie's moved to the backbench?

Melissa McIntosh

Of course I'm disappointed. He is a great colleague. He has done a lot for our country, both his service as a soldier and his service in Parliament. I do support him in his position as to why and he made it clear it was around the immigration stance, that he didn't have control of the immigration portfolio. And I share the same concerns as him. I'm in an outer metro seat in Western Sydney where we do have population growth and our communities are feeling the pressure. You just need to drive on the roads of Western Sydney or go into our hospitals and feel that pressure. And immigration, and I'm saying immigration, and I'm not talking about people that have come to Australia and become Australians, they're very proud Australians, they're two separate issues. Immigration is putting pressure on our communities.

Clinton Maynard

Well, if you're going to make any impact, the Coalition that is a lot of you, all of you on the front bench need to be talking about these issues. I know there's the issues of shadow cabinet solidarity, but immigration is probably one of the top issues that we need to confront. Thank you for being open. Thank you, Melissa.

Melissa McIntosh

Thank you so much, Melissa.