Transcript - Interview on Today Weekend - 13 September 2025

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

13 September 2025

EO&E …

Interview - Today Weekend

Topic: Charlie Kirk; social media graphic viewing; social media age minimum; Jayne Hrdlicka; Virgin; magpies; Penrith Relay for Life.  

Clint Stanaway

 For more this morning. Let's bring in Today's Talks. We have Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh and Lizzie Pearl here in studio with me. Melissa, first to you. As Shadow Communications minister, I want to ask you about this because we aren't America, but this is social media, so there are no real guardrails. When and how are social media platforms and giants going to be held accountable for allowing this type of content online?

Melissa McIntosh

Thanks for having me on. And you are right, social media, and we've seen it over the last couple of days, can come become a cesspit bit of hate and intolerance. And the big tech companies do have a responsibility to take down those hateful videos, that hateful commentary and that has happened over the last couple of days since Charlie Kirk’s assassination. And, you know he was a person that was a person of faith. He was a person who went out to university campuses and challenged. He wanted debate. He wasn't afraid of contrary views to his own. And as far as I can see, he always did that in a peaceful way too. So, for this to be going on across social media, and particularly with our kids, seeing this sort of hateful commentary and the video of course is just not on and I encourage all parents this weekend to be alert to what's going on …

Clint Stanaway

Yeah.

Melissa McIntosh

… on social media and of course this is why there's a social media band for under sixteens coming in so kids don't have access to this type of content.

Clint Stanaway

Which is a good thing. Lizzie, to you, and I want to talk about this video because you didn't really need to dig too hard to find some pretty gruesome video and pictures as well. I mean, how do we tackle it? How concerning is that?

Lizzie Pearl

It is so concerning. You didn't have to dig at all.

Clint Stanaway

Yeah.

Lizzie Pearl

Some kids, if they were on Instagram or YouTube or Reddit or any of the big tech platforms, it was simply served up without a warning. I mean, a lot of people did go and dig for it as well. That's another story. But, this is out there and kids are seeing it without even wanting to see it. And what this does is it fuels the passion and that anger and it desensitises us to violence. The more violent videos you see, the less shocking they become. And it drives people on both sides of the political debate to think that perhaps we need to then go and commit a revenge attack or something because it does feel so much anger and rage, which is understandable because the videos are gruesome.

Clint Stanaway

They are shocking.

Lizzie Pearl

And as Melissa said, social media platforms really need to step up. Traditional media, we don't show these things and there are lengthy debates about how much violence we do and don't show. It's the Wild West out there on social media.

Clint Stanaway

Yeah, it is the Wild West. That's right. Moving on this morning, it's been revealed former Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka is set to pocket $50 million after her five year stint at the helm of Australia's second biggest airline. Melissa, to you, a couple of weeks ago, we heard about Alan Joyce's payout. Now it's Jayne Hrdlicka. It's a stack of cash. Is it deserved?

Melissa McIntosh

A good gig if you can get it, hey. It’s up to the board. But when we do have a cost of living crisis and people are struggling, like they've never struggled before, it does seem like a lot of money. I'm sure that Australians always raise their eyebrows when people are paid such extraordinary amounts, but as I said, it is a matter for the board and of course for the shareholders.

Clint Stanaway

I guess it doesn't go down very well with those wanting to jump on planes and are struck with these exorbitant airfares. It's September fans want to see their teams play in finals. It's hard to sugarcoat, Lizzie, for the airline.

Lizzie Pearl

Yeah. Imagine also being a Virgin airline worker.

Clint Stanaway

Oh.

Lizzie Pearl

Who's been trying to get a pay rise and then see $50 million being thrown around it. It's a bit of a kick in the teeth. The challenge we have in this country is we want to see successful airlines of course.

Clint Stanaway

Of course. We need to have great competition, right?

Lizzie Pearl

We need great CEOs at the top though, because it's a little bit of catch 22 because the only way prices are going to come down and services going to get better for our airlines is if we have more airlines. To have more airlines. We need successful airlines. We need to pay the CEOs a lot of money, but fifty million, I'm sorry. Too much.

Clint Stanaway

Good if you can get it.

Lizzie Pearl

Too much.

Clint Stanaway

Finally, this morning, ladies, a long held misconception that all magpie swoops has been put to bed this morning. This is why: it turns out it's only fewer than 10% and almost all of them are male. Melissa, what do you make of that? Are you surprised?

Melissa McIntosh

Well, I'm at the Penrith Relay for Life and it's beautiful morning here. But there's a few trees around and I really hope I don't get swooped on. I don't know, I'd rather us be safe and a bit overcautious about magpies.

Clint Stanaway

Yeah.

Melissa McIntosh

Especially the kids on the bikes with their helmets.

Clint Stanaway

Oh, exactly. Lizzie, have you've been swooped before?

Lizzie Pearl

Yeah, I've been swooped. Actually, a magpie targeted my dog recently. Didn't swoop me. Went straight for the dog. But as a kid, I used to get the ice cream container and draw eyes on the top. Because apparently that stops the magpies from swooping.

Clint Stanaway

What? You put it on your head?

Lizzie Pearl

You put it on your head.

Clint Stanaway

That's a real fashion statement, isn't it?

Lizzie Pearl

Oh, it looked great.

Clint Stanaway

Hey, good stuff.

Melissa McIntosh

I want a photo of that.

Clint Stanaway

Hey Melissa, just quickly, tell us about what you're doing this morning. It looks a super day for it.

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, it's a beautiful day here in Penrith and we're raising funds for cancer, of course for research. And there's going be lots of people coming here doing laps around Harold Corr Oval. It's such a good cause, the Cancer Council Relay for Life. It’s coming into its 25th year, I believe next year.

Clint Stanaway

Wow.

Melissa McIntosh

I encourage everyone to come on down if you can and join in for such a wonderful cause.

Clint Stanaway

Good on you. And the sun's shining as well, which makes it all the more worthwhile to get down there.

Melissa McIntosh

It’s beautiful. It's glorious.

Clint Stanaway

Thank you, ladies. Really appreciate it.