Transcript - ABC Sydney Mornings with Hamish Macdonald

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Western Sydney
Federal Member for Lindsay

Tuesday, 11 February 2025

Subjects: Western Sydney; US tariffs; energy affordability; nuclear energy; NBN privatisation; gambling; banning gambling ads for live sport; ABC privatisation.

Live on ABC Sydney Mornings with Hamish Macdonald

Hamish Macdonald

A very good morning to you.

Melissa McIntosh

Good morning, Hamish. And a quick shout out to everyone in Western Sydney. I know there were some pretty big storms there last night and yesterday, so I hope everyone's ok.

Hamish Macdonald

Congratulations on your promotion. I know this is your first interview since being promoted. Your view on how much is riding for Australia on this phone call this morning between President Trump and the Prime Minister?

Melissa McIntosh

I think this is a very important and possibly overdue call that the Prime Minister needs to make to President Trump. And we are really - all Australians are backing the Prime Minister on this one. We need an exemption from the 25% tariff on aluminium and steel. It is absolutely essential we get this. We got a carve out previously when the Coalition was in government. A lot of work went into that. It wasn't a last minute deal.

But you know, our manufacturing industry in this country is right on this cusp of closing. I've got an aluminium manufacturer in my electorate that is paying 100% more on their energy bills. There's a foundry in South Australia producing steel for our defence industry. This is for our sovereign capability. And not too long ago they were threat of going offshore because of energy bills. Could you imagine what a 25% tariff is going to do on our steel and aluminium industry? It's absolutely essential this call happens.

Hamish Macdonald

We obviously all experience the pressure of energy bills. You're going to the election promising nuclear power. What difference would it make for someone in Western Sydney if Australia went down this pathway? Can you put a figure on what the difference would be in our energy bills?

Melissa McIntosh

Right now the issue is that the government has an all eggs in one basket approach on renewables. And I'm talking about our manufacturers in Western Sydney. And for Western Sydney listeners, you know, Western Sydney was built on heavy industry. We need baseload power, whether it is in gas, whether it's coal or in the future we want it to be nuclear power and we want nuclear power to be part of the mix along with renewables.

Hamish Macdonald

But the question is what difference would it make? Because the Opposition seems to be suggesting that this would be financially better for us in the longer term. Now there's a huge dispute about whether that's the case. In fact, the government says it'd make our bills more expensive. A lot of research backing that. So if we're voting in this coming election, could we expect cheaper bills because of a nuclear power policy?

Melissa McIntosh

Yes, when nuclear is online. But you've got to remember we're talking about, and your ask me questions around people's power bills, the Prime Minister and the government promised Australians on 97 occasions during the 2022 election that by now, by the start of 2025, that power bills would be down by $275. Yet people in Western Sydney, and that's my other important portfolio, are paying $1,000 more and we have double income families lining up food banks.

Hamish Macdonald

But this is a question about what you would do in government, not about what this government has or hasn't done. We're just months away from a federal election now.

Your new portfolio, Communications, is often seen as a vexed one. The NBN falls under your responsibility now. You would be the Communications Minister if you win government. Would you look to sell it off, to privatise it? Obviously some very big decisions there.

Melissa McIntosh

The current government's playing games on, on the potential to selling off the NBN. We have no plans to sell the NBN. It was Albanese's legislation that, that carved out the potential for that and now they're, they're mucking around in Parliament.

But the reality again is Australians are paying up to 13% more for broadband and around 100,000 people have, have left that product for other options. I think the government should be in this cost of living crisis addressing those issues to do with the NBN as well as a broad spectrum,

Hamish Macdonald

You'll keep it in public hands. Would you work with, and obviously the competition in some places is coming from Starlink, would you be open to working with Elon Musk on how to improve, how to fix, the NBN?

Melissa McIntosh

I think it's really important, in a technology driven world that we are now in, to be looking at all the options that provide the best connections for Australians, that provide the most affordable energy, most affordable Internet connection, because that's the way of the future. So of course all options are open, but right now it's in the government's hands and prices are going up.

Hamish Macdonald

Would you want to bring Elon Musk in? Obviously he likes this idea of working with governments. I know some on your side seem to quite like Elon and some of his ideas. Would you invite him to come and look at solutions?

Melissa McIntosh

We wouldn't be closing the door to anyone and I think it is a wise decision, as I said, to be, to be speaking to all the operators and of course Elon Musk will be one of those.

Hamish Macdonald

Ok, one bill the government hasn't been able to pass is a ban on gambling advertising. This is another complicated issue that falls under Communications.

In the 2023 budget reply speech, Peter Dutton said he would ban sports betting advertising during the broadcasting of games and for an hour each side of a game. Is that a policy you're going to the election with?

Melissa McIntosh

Absolutely. Peter Dutton and the Coalition made our position on the harm that causes Australians when it comes to gambling advertising very clear, a very long time ago. And this is to protect our kids. When people are watching live sport, it's obviously, it's often as a family. So we made that call.

The government also had an inquiry into gambling harm and they've been sitting on this, really it's a real landmark report into what could be done. They've been sitting on that since about June 2023 and we made our announcement in May 2023.

And now pretty much every political party and every politician in this place in Canberra has come out with our own policies for the reduction of gambling harm. And there's one party that's out in the cold on this, that's out in the cold and that's the Labor Party and that's Prime Minister Albanese. They promised action on gambling harm and we're leading into the election and nothing has been done.

Hamish Macdonald

I think we do have to get to the news. Very quick answer on this. Would you conduct a review of the ABC? Would you look at maybe privatising it or parts of it? Very brief answer.

Melissa McIntosh

That's a big question. And of course, I had a meeting with Kim Williams already. I made my position on impartiality and fair and balanced reporting very clear and I'm looking forward to really strong and constructive relationship with the ABC when we hopefully come into government.

Hamish Macdonald

Alright, we'll leave it there. Melissa McIntosh, thanks for your time this morning.

Melissa McIntosh

Thanks, Hamish.