Transcript - ABC Radio National Breakfast - 17 September 2025

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

17 September 2025

EO&E …

Interview

ABC Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara

Topics: UN Gaza report; net zero; social media age minimum; eSafety Commissioner.

Sally Sara

Joining me now is Melissa McIntosh, the Shadow Minister for Communications. Uh, welcome back to Radio National Breakfast. Thank you very much. Firstly, to the UN report, which has found, Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Should Australia take any new action against Israel in the wake of this report?

Melissa McIntosh

As you can understand, the report's only just been released, and I haven't had a chance to review it. What's happening in both Israel and Gaza is extremely sad and distressing and, you know, particularly when there's children involved, and we do on the Coalition's side. We stand firm on Israel's right to defend itself, but it must comply with international law and to minimize any harm to civilians. So throughout today, we'll look at the report and I'm sure you'll be able to get someone on like Michaelia Cash to delve into our thoughts about it further.

Sally Sara

One of the reports key authors, lawyer Chris Sidoti, has urged Australia to review its broader relationship with Israel and investigate citizens returning from serving in the Israeli military for possible war crimes. Should we?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, as I said to you, I haven't had a chance to look at the report. It's not my portfolio area, but we have to remember that the suffering of the people of Gaza will end if Hamas frees the remaining Israeli hostages. And unless, until I've had a chance to look at it, you know, that's, that's my position on it. I'm sure you'll get some feedback from the Foreign Minister shortly.

Sally Sara

Returning home now is the Coalition in crisis over climate change policy?

Melissa McIntosh

We have a really, robust, I guess, opportunity within the Coalition that's very distinct from the Labor Party. And if you're referring to Andrew Hastie and his declaration about net zero, he did this after consulting with his community. And in our great democracy, we can stand up for our communities and have a point of view, particularly when we don't have the policy setting yet, which is what Andrew has done. He's not going against any policy within the Coalition. And I'm going through that same process with my community, speaking to them about what they think. Right now, the biggest issue we are facing out here in Western Sydney is cost of living and people's energy bills going through the roof and they're really struggling, like they've never struggled before. And that's a real issue and that's reflective, I believe in why Andrew’s, brought out into the public. When I get the feedback from my community, I'll take it through the processes, through Shadow Cabinet, through our party room. We have a working group right now, an energy working group led by Dan Tehan, and I'm sure we'll have ample opportunity to get the settings right for all our communities.

Sally Sara

Would you be willing to leave the shadow front bench if the Coalition commits to a net zero 2050 target?

Melissa McIntosh

We have - going through the process of our climate policy of where we are going to take it. I actually have a real belief that we could be still looking at small nuclear modular nuclear to power our data centres to keep our data at home, which is a big issue. But all of these things need to be discussed. We've got experts coming in to inform our policy development. This is proper, old fashioned good policy making. You know, the pathways that we are going through right now - and I think it's too early to just to jump out at the shadows of what may bring the future.

Sally Sara

So, you were saying that Andrew Hastie consulted with his community and then made these remarks. How far away are you from completing that consultation on this issue with your community?

Melissa McIntosh

I am speaking with my community. We have a survey out into the community, and I'm doing a lot of street stalls and out and about. So, I'm gathering the information, gathering their perspectives, but as I said to you, the biggest issue is around cost of living, and they want this addressed and they're questioning how is the government's targets going to deal with the climate report that was released? And that's something - a question that I have as well. If we are looking at preserving 1.5 million homes, which is in the report, how is this Albanese Labor Government, in its policy settings, in its targets, going to do anything to make a difference of what's going on globally?

Sally Sara

What's the most important thing to you? Is it reflecting the views of your community when it comes to net zero? Or is it taking a stand in line with your own personal principles on this issue?

Melissa McIntosh

I won the seat of Lindsay against the tide in two elections. It's usually a bellwether seat, and you know, the most, you know, most in touch MPs are the ones that are in and amongst the community. You can't be a good Member of Parliament without being in the community every single day, walking with people that are struggling the most. Sitting down with older Australians that can barely feed themselves because they just can't afford it. So, you always have to put your community first and foremost. You are the representative. You are the voice of the people that you are representing. I think that is of the utmost importance. So that would be more important to you than your own personal view or your own principles on this matter. You represent your community. Why do you have to trade one over the other?

They can work if they're different in cohesion. Well, you would hope that your community chooses a representative that is reflective of their views and, you know, I don't think I would be the MP for Lindsay if I was completely at odds with the beliefs and the values of the people I represent. So, I think I go hand in hand.

Sally Sara

What do you think of the timeline for all of this? On the one hand, there has been a view that this should be sorted quickly because it's a difficult time politically not to have a policy. Others, including Dan Tehan are saying, ‘look, it's an important policy decision process we should take our time here’. What do you think?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, we know that it's a complex process. We had an energy policy going into the last election and we didn't win the election. I think it's the right time at the beginning of the term to go back to our bases, to do proper policy development and to involve the whole of the party and to give people the chance to, and I'm not just saying this because it I think it sounds good, but gives people a chance to go out to their communities. We are very different across the country. The Nationals obviously have particular issues with renewables coming in to their communities with wind farms, you know, so they've got their particular issues, they're speaking to their communities. In regional communities, it's different to metropolitan seats. So, I think we need to take this time, otherwise, we're once again going to be presenting an energy policy that might not appeal to the Australian public. And we have to get it right.

Sally Sara

You're listening to (discontinued).

Melissa McIntosh

It's too important people are paying, sorry, people are paying too much for their electricity right now and they'll be relying on us to come up with an alternate solution.

Sally Sara

You're listening to Radio National Breakfast. My guest is Melissa McIntosh, Shadow Minister for Communications. Let's get to your portfolio. The final rules for the federal government's, social media for under sixteens have been revealed. In your view, will these rules do enough to protect kids online?

Melissa McIntosh

Sally, this is such a difficult and challenging area. On one hand, we want to do everything we can to protect Australian kids. I've been visited by families who have lost their children to online harm and it’s so devastating and just so emotionally hard to even hear their stories, let alone to think about what they've gone through. And they - when they came to Canberra, the ‘Let Them Be Kids’ group of parents, they asked me to promise them to do everything I could to hold the government to account because they felt they had a meeting with the Prime Minister, they came out of that meeting and felt that the government isn't ready for the December 10 deadline. And I've got some question marks around some of the measures that the eSafety Commissioner is implementing. You know, when this legislation was passed, there was going to be no digital ID. And this is crept into the guidance material now. It's not a first step, but it's a backup step that people may need to use digital ID. So, there's some shifts, there's some changes. Families are telling me they don't feel like parents, schools and kids are being educated that this is coming so it's up to, in my role, on one hand protecting our kids yes, but also ensuring this works and also raising some questions around the powers that the eSafety Commissioner, does in fact have.

Sally Sara

Unfortunately, we've got less than a minute up our sleeve. Is it clear to you how the social media companies will be able to meet the requirement of these rules?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, it was released yesterday, the report, what is intended, but there's still some question marks around the use of the technology and whether it's going to work and if it doesn't work with a digital ID may have to be used. And I know that is a big issue for many adult Australians across the country because when you use digital ID, your data has to be stored somewhere. And right now, these big tech, international big tech companies will be storing your data offshore. So I think Australians have a right to question that being as an option, if or other proofs of identity, you know, age verification fail in this process. So right now we are, you know, we are counting down to December 10. It doesn't seem like it's going to be quite ready, and we want this to work because this is what we have right now to protect Australian kids, but not to impinging on people's privacy.

Sally Sara

Melissa McIntosh, I appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining me on Breakfast.

Melissa McIntosh

Thank you so much.