Transcript - Sky News First Edition - 10 November 2025

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

10 November 2025  

Transcript  

Sky News First Edition with Peter Stefanovic

E&EO ...

Topics: Net Zero; Social Media Ban; NSW Parliament protests

Peter Stefanovic

Well back. Home now and it is a decisive week ahead for the federal Liberal Party as it hopes to end its malaise over net zero and chart a more clearer course. Joining us live now is the Shadow Communications Minister, Melissa McIntosh. It's good to see you this morning, Melissa. Thanks so much.

Melissa McIntosh

Thank you.

Stefanovic

So where do you expect to land?

McIntosh

I'm feeling a bit more positive than when we were ...

Stefanovic

Chatting last week? So, are you more positive now?  

McIntosh

Maybe because I'm out of Canberra and back home.

Stefanovic

So, elaborate more on that. Why are you feeling more positive today?

McIntosh

I think even a week, and people use say a week is a long time in politics, but for me, I came to my position a number of weeks ago because I surveyed my community, so I felt really strong in that. But I think other members of the Coalition have been stating their position ...

Stefanovic

Yeah.

McIntosh

And I feel like we will land something, and I'll go into that party room - I've always said I would and keep representing my community. They don't want net zero. They are struggling under energy prices, small businesses are closing, manufacturers are closing. I think this is a really important position for us to make and I hope we do the right thing by the Australian people.

Stefanovic

Right. So, the words net zero, are they going to be in or out of whatever the final position or communique is?

McIntosh

Well, it's ultimately about what our position is going to be for the country, and my community does not want net zero because of these reasons. They think they're doing the right thing. They feel like they are. They're putting solar panels on the roofs, they can't afford the batteries, and they are suffering like they've never suffered before, and they said to me ultimately they want power bills to be lowered and it is all about affordability of energy, number one. That's number one. Only 4% of people said emissions reduction should be our number one priority as a country.

Stefanovic

So, for those who do want net zero to be a part of the mix, and I'm looking at Andrew Bragg looking at a couple of the moderates. What do you do to please everybody?

McIntosh

Well, that's the thing, you can't please everyone. I know some people talk about the seats that we have to win, but they're also seats that we must retain and they're seats like mine. These are everyday Australians that, you know, are out in our suburbs and people in our suburbs are really fighting for survival right now when you've got double income families lined up at food banks.

Stefanovic

Oh, yeah. Understand that.

McIntosh

It's reality, it's not being against the environment. It is pro-reality. So, I hope we have a really robust discussion and we can get to a pragmatic energy solution.

Stefanovic

It sounds like just from hearing what you're saying, then hearing what Alex Antic is saying, hearing what Jane Hume's saying, hearing what Andrew Bragg's saying. I mean it doesn't feel like everyone's on the same page.

McIntosh

It's going to be a big love in.

Stefanovic

Oh, a love in, you think?

McIntosh

It’s going to be great. No, for me, my community also supports nuclear, 77% are supportive of lifting the ban. Let's have a short term, a medium term and a long term solution. I think we do need to get more gas into the system. I’ve been saying that for a long time. If you go out to a manufacturer ...

Stefanovic

Sure.

McIntosh

In Western Sydney, they say - I can put all the solar panels in the world on the roof but it's not going to do anything, we need gas to furnace heavy industry manufacturing. Let's look at all of the options. But as I said to you, my community is super strong on not wanting net zero. It is killing them, it is killing everyday Australians. We - hey don't want us going on this path. They don't want us following Labor and having an all-renewables approach.

Stefanovic

Is that what you feel like? If net zero is a part of it, then you're just going to be mirroring Labor?

McIntosh

Why can't we get to a position where we have a strong message, and then we start doing what we do best. When we're a strong Opposition and attack Labor for its failed targets on emissions reduction, on its failed targets when it comes to housing, on its broken promises to reduce Australia's energy bills. That's where we need to go next.

Stefanovic

What do you do then about the message this sends to say your teal seats, to the younger generation, in particular younger voters, and there are going to be more and more of them who care about the climate, who care about emissions. I mean are you moving against them?

McIntosh

Well, we're not saying no to reducing emissions, but we just can't keep going the way we are when it is renewables only and it is not bringing down prices. I've spoken to a young person just the other day, he stopped me the other day, and he was actually for us dropping net zero. So, you can't put all young people in one basket either and I think it's going to be really important when it comes to our messaging that we do care about the environment, we do care about the climate. It is not about that, it's about this renewables only focus that Labor has our country going down and is killing people.

Stefanovic

Just a final one before we go, Melissa. One month out now from the social media ban, we brought you on to talk about that today. So where are you at this morning on that?

McIntosh

The intent is very good, we want to protect Australian children, but for months now, I've been sort of saying - I don't know that this is going to work. We're hearing now that digital identification may need to be required. A platform may compel an Australian to use their government ID. We didn't sign up for that, and one of my questions there is, well, where is the data of Australians going to be stored? And this even gets back to the question of energy; data storage is a huge possibility in our country. People want our data stored here in Australia; you can't do that without power. Right now, that power is our local energy grid. So, we need to be looking at nuclear and other power options for the future. I'm also questioning the platforms that are in or out. Just last week, the government announced another two platforms that will be included. People just don't know. So, you've got the issue with digital ID, you've got which platforms are in or out, and Australians are telling me, families that have lost loved ones to harm when it comes to social media, inappropriate content, that they don't feel Australians are ready because the government is not pushing this enough. Not letting Australians know. So, big questions. The intent to protect kids is strong, but this is going somewhere else.

Stefanovic

Ok, I just want to, I know this is a state issue, not so much a federal one, but those images that we saw on the weekend of the Nazis out in front of New South Wales Parliament. I mean, have you got a view on that this morning?

McIntosh

Yeah, it should never happen ...

Stefanovic

Yeah.

McIntosh

And the fact that it's potentially a communication error, that's not good enough. The government needs to get to the bottom of it very quickly and ensure that this doesn't happen again.

Stefanovic

Alright, Melissa, appreciate your time. Thank you.

McIntosh

Thank you.

Stefanovic

We'll chat again soon.