Subjects: PM Albanese’s weakness on Anti-Semitism, Washington Air Crash
E&OE…
Patricia Karvelas: Congratulations.
David Coleman: Thanks, Patricia. Great to be with you.
Patricia Karvelas: Now, there is actually a tragedy unfolding right now that I just want to begin on, going on in the United States. This is a passenger flight that has collided with a Blackhawk helicopter. I know you probably don’t know much, David Coleman, but this is obviously really disturbing news that’s unfolding.
David Coleman: It certainly is Patricia. Just horrific images and our hearts go out to everyone who’s been affected by this. No doubt our consular officials in the United States will be seeking advice on whether any Australians have been involved in this. But a horrible incident and our thoughts are with everyone affected by it.
Patricia Karvelas: I want to move to today’s domestic issues, if we can David Coleman. The terror threat level will remain at probable in the wake of this discovery of a caravan filled with explosives, that’s according to the ASIO director general. Are you comfortable with that?
David Coleman: Look, I’m certainly incredibly uncomfortable with what’s happening in anti-Semitism in Australia. There is no precedent in our history for what’s happening right now, Patricia. It is the most ancient hatred on earth and history teaches us that if you let anti-Semitism take even an inch of your society, its threat is extraordinary. I’m very concerned by the ongoing lack of action of the Government. Peter Dutton in November of 2023 wrote to the Prime Minister and said, this is incredibly serious, we need a national cabinet, we need national leadership. The Prime Minister did not do that. He didn’t even respond to the letter. And what we’re seeing now, we haven’t seen in our lifetimes and no Australian has seen in their lifetimes, and it’s very disturbing. We should never, the Prime Minister, after that night of infamy on October 9th at the Sydney Opera House, there needed to be immediate, strong action. It didn’t happen. When our campuses were taken over by protesters who were harassing students of Jewish background, strong action was required. It didn’t happen. And we need all action to occur now, but we shouldn’t be in this position.
Patricia Karvelas: The PM has declared that perpetrators would be hunted down and locked up. How much clearer could he be?
David Coleman: Well look, obviously everyone wants that to occur and we’ve outlined a plan in terms of a national taskforce led by the AFP. Which we were calling for fifteen months ago, which again, was not put in place by the Government. But I think it is self-evident, Patricia, that there’s been a lack of national leadership on this issue. This is not a day-to-day crime that can be dealt with in the usual way, just by the local police. This is a form of terror. And to think that in Sydney in 2025, we have large scale caches of explosives with the address of a Synagogue is just extraordinary. And we should not be in this position. The Government, and it is the reality Patricia, it’s a difficult reality, but it’s true, the reason they didn’t step forward on this a long time ago is because they were worried about the politics. That is shameful. They were worried about Green votes in inner city seats and that governed their response. And that should not have happened. And, of course, we all want to put our best foot forward. And the contrast your panel was making with Chris Minns is notable, because Chris Minns has sent the right message on this from the start, in contrast to the Prime Minister.
Patricia Karvelas: David Coleman, I want to revisit this conversation. We have to take you live now to the Ronald Reagan Airport where a briefing is taking place on that US airplane crash.
[Cuts Away to Live Briefing on US Airplane Crash].