Latest news with #TheWorldAccordingtoRowanDean
Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Australia must send 'clear message' to China and 'stand' with United States on Taiwan position, claims Pauline Hanson
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said Australia must be on the same page as the United States in the event of an invasion of Taiwan by China. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday wrapped up his second diplomatic trip to China where he held talks with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other senior leaders. The Prime Minister's visit comes as Taiwan conducts its largest ever defence drills and live-fire exercises, which the island holds annually in preparation of a possible Chinese invasion. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop joined Rowan Dean on Friday night for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. During his China visit, Mr Albanese reiterated Australia's support for "the status quo" as he was was quizzed by reporters on the government's position regarding Taiwanese independence. However, the Coalition fears Labor has shown weakness on the matter as the Opposition claimed "peace through deterrence is incredibly important" regarding Taiwan. In an interview on The World According to Rowan Dean on Friday night, Ms Hanson said Australia must "stand by America" in the scenario of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. "We have the AUKUS agreement ... We need to be seen that we are supporting Taiwan, which is a democratic country, and should not be taken over by China," Ms Hanson said. "I think a clear message should be sent to China (that) we're not going to stand for it, and we will stand united with the United States, and hopefully they'll defend Taiwan being taken over from China." Ms Hanson's comments come after Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor denied a shift in the Coalition's stance on Australia's potential response to an invasion of Taiwan, pushing back on claims his recent comments represented a departure from long-held principles. Joining the panel debate on Friday night, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop said Australia's statement on Taiwan should be "aligned with the United States". "I think the United States policy will probably remain pretty much the way it is, but that doesn't mean to say that there won't be ships, aircraft, all sorts of things put in to make sure that people know that there's an intent," she told host Rowan Dean. Earlier this week, Mr Albanese expressed support for the One China policy as he was asked about a local media report following his closed-door meeting with President Xi. "I agreed that Australia has had a long-standing bipartisan position that has supported the One China policy. That is our position," Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. "That's been the position of governments for a long period of time in Australia and is still the bipartisan position in Australia. "By definition, we don't support any unilateral action on Taiwan." Australia's interpretation of the One China policy - which recognises Beijing as the sole legal government of China - does not include acknowledging sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it oppose Taiwanese independence. Mr Albanese's China trip comes amid heightened scrutiny over move to prioritise a second official visit to Beijing before he locks in a meeting with President Donald Trump in the US.
Sky News AU
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'I'm dead against them': Former Liberal titan Bronwyn Bishop expresses strong opposition to gender quotas amid party division
Bronwyn Bishop has backed Sussan Ley to be "given a go", but declared her opposition to gender quotas after the new Liberal leader indicated an openness to implementing them within the party. The topic of gender quotas made centre stage this week within the Liberal Party, after Ms Ley's address to the National Press Club on Wednesday where she said she was "agnostic" towards tackling the matter of trying to increase female representation in the party. "If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that is fine. If others don't, that is also fine," she said. "What is not fine is not having enough women. As the first woman leader of our federal party, let me send the clearest possible message: We need to do better, recruit better, retain better, and support better." One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and former speaker of the house Bronwyn Bishop joined Rowan Dean for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor, who competed against Ms Ley for leadership of the party following Peter Dutton's defeat in the federal election, asserted he was "not a supporter of gender quotas" in a suggestion there was some division between the two senior Liberal figures. During a panel on The World According to Rowan Dean, former speaker of the house Ms Bishop sided with Mr Taylor's view. "I'm dead against them, always have been, will remain so. And as the person who's been the first to do things, particularly from New South Wales, whether it's the (NSW Liberals state) president, senator, member of the House, minister or speaker of the House, I think I'm entitled to have a view," she said. "But if we come back to Sussan Ley's position, she's acquiesced if a state wants to do it. But the bottom line is this. The left wing of the party wants to pick who the women are so they can own them. They will have their pre-selection, and they'll select the one who they can own and put them in to have their policies in place." Fellow panellist Pauline Hanson was even harsher, as she declared she would never introduce gender quotas to One Nation. "They're trying to piece the minority out there and push for this gender equality rubbish that's going on all the time. I don't have gender quotas in my party, and I will not have it. It's the best person that applies for the position to be a candidate, and then I judge them also, especially the Senate positions, and see if their quality and what they can bring to the parliament and if they are actually up to the job," she said. "Sussan Ley is heading down this part of actual gender quotas or more women in parliament. I encourage women, if you feel it's a profession for you, go for it, try it and have a go. But don't think that you should get there purely because you're a female." Senator Hanson also questioned Ms Ley's leadership credentials, and whether she was even in the right political party as she accused her of lacking conservative views. "She should be for the Teals. She is not a conservative. Her way of thinking, her policies ... I'd like to see [her] enthusiasm [on what] to do with immigration, cost of living, this net zero needs to be thrown out," she said. "The Libs are not ... representing the conservative side of politics. They've got no opposition, no pushback to the government. They're too aligned with them. And they've lost this election." Ms Bishop pushed back on Senator Hanson's response, arguing Ms Ley should be given a fair chance to lead, and defended her place in the Liberal Party, describing it as an "insult" to suggest she would be better suited to the Teals. "My first thing to say is give her a go. She's got there and she should be given a go," she said.
Sky News AU
20-06-2025
- Sky News AU
Sky News host Rowan Dean joins as a guest on his own show while stranded in Bali following volcano eruption
Sky News host Rowan Dean has been left stranded in Bali after a volcano erupted in Indonesia earlier in the week. Dean joined his own program on Friday as a guest from the airport as he was unable to fulfil his regular hosting duties with the volcano keeping him grounded at the popular holiday location. He was set to fly out of Bali on Wednesday after a trip but his flight was cancelled due to the volcanic eruption, leaving himself and many other Australians stranded. Rowan Dean joined fill-in host James Macpherson from Bali for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. "I'm very, very honoured to be there on my own show with you. So thank you James. I'm in Bali because of another explosion. You've just shown the rocket exploding SpaceX. There may be a big explosion due for Iran any day now. But this particular explosion was a volcano, the Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano I believe it's called," Dean said. "It decided to blow up just as we were about to board the plane a couple of nights ago. And sending all its muck up into the air there. And because of that, all the flights, I think some several thousand, 14,000 people stranded, as it were, in Bali." A volcanic eruption in Indonesia sent ashes spiralling into the sky on Tuesday night, causing mayhem for Aussies looking to head to and from Bali. Several flights to the Indonesian resort island of Bali were cancelled and the airport in Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara province was closed due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, officials said on Wednesday. Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which is in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Tuesday, spewing ash 11 km high, forcing the country's volcanology agency to raise the alert level to the highest. It erupted again on Wednesday morning, belching a 1 km high ash cloud, the agency said in a statement. Dean used the volcanic eruption as an opportunity to launch an attack on the Labor government's push for net zero. "There's plenty of volcanoes here in Indonesia, and they don't just sit around and wait for mankind to decide, as I've learned myself, there's no such thing as a schedule where the gods are concerned," he said. "The gods work to their own agenda, James, And I think we're going to see that, you know, there was one in Sicily only last week and the planet operates on its own rules, James. "The planet doesn't listen to the mere mortals, the Chris Bowens of this world, who think they can control the environment," he added in a dig towards the energy minister.
Sky News AU
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Pauline Hanson invites Nationals to form coalition with One Nation amid negotiations over new agreement with Liberal Party
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has invited the National Party to form an alliance with her own party as a new coalition agreement remains in limbo. Senator Hanson joined Bronwyn Bishop for a panel on The World According to Rowan Dean on Friday, where she discussed how the Liberal Party had lost a lot of its negotiating power as it aims to come to terms with the National Party on a new coalition agreement. The Liberal Party lost a plethora of seats in the 2025 election, with another in doubt, while the Nationals retained each of their seats. The Nationals' superior performance led Senator Hanson to declare they have a stronger position in discussions over the agreement, as both parties appear split on particular issues - including where they each stand on net zero. Senator Hanson hinted this could cause "problems within" the Coalition, especially after members of the Nationals made clear their feelings about ditching the position of reaching net zero by 2050. "Now the Nats have actually kept all their seats, the Libs have lost their seats. They don't have the upper hand. With the numbers in the parliament, the Nats are wanting to say 'hey, hang on a minute, we're going to really talk seriously about policy'," she said on Sky News' The World According to Rowan Dean. "The Nats definitely want to get out of net zero. I think it could be make or break for the Coalition." Senator Hanson also left the door open to the Nationals to enter and alliance with One Nation, claiming they were more in line with her own party's policies. "I was the first one to come out against the Voice, then followed by the Nats. It took Dutton and the Liberal Party months before they came out against the Voice. So there are things that they're actually dragged along, kicking and screaming; coal-fired power stations, net zero, also transmission lines," she said. "So what I'll say, the Nats are more in line with One Nation's policies and if they want to, if David Littleproud wants to come and talk to me about doing a coalition I'll have no problem sitting down and having a talk with him. Because we're more in line with the same policies (and) what we want for the country." Senator Hanson also said that while she congratulated Sussan Ley on becoming the first female leader of the Coalition, she did not have "a lot of confidence in her". While the Senator suggested there could be trouble brewing over a deal between the Liberals and Nationals getting over the line, Ms Bishop did not express the same concern. "Look, when the Liberal Party was formed 81 years ago, and the Country Party, as it then was, declined to become part of the new party, it was decided that they would go into coalition, and they've been that way for 81 years. It's not about to change," she said.
Sky News AU
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'They don't inspire me': Pauline Hanson and Hollie Hughes disagree over Liberal leadership candidates
Senators Pauline Hanson and Hollie Hughes have disagreed on who they favour for Liberal Party leadership, with Peter Dutton's replacement just days away from being chosen. The Liberal Party was left leaderless on Saturday, as the outgoing opposition leader lost his Queensland seat of Dickson amid a resounding defeat in the federal election. Deputy leader Sussan Ley and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor have emerged as the frontrunners to be the new leader, with the party set to come to a decision on Tuesday after a party room ballot at 10am. Pauline Hanson and Hollie Hughes joined Rowan Dean for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. Both candidates on Friday formally announced their intentions to run for the leadership of the party, but One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson said she wasn't convinced by either of them. "Sussan Ley... she was the one years ago who didn't support the sheep export. She was quite happy to get rid of the live sheep export, also I went to her (when she was) environmental minister in the Morrison government, about environmental issues about a coal mine in Queensland, which she could have done something about, she never did anything about it," Senator Hanson said on The World According to Rowan Dean. "So she doesn't inspire me as a leader, I've watched her in these interviews, she leaves me just wanting, what are you standing for? Show me some leadership skills or qualities." The One Nation Leader also said Mr Taylor's performance in the election for the Liberal Party left a lot to be desired. "Angus Taylor, well, I think that he could have actually done more during the election with finance and with... you know, decent policies to actually counteract the Labor Party's policies. So they don't inspire me. "I think both parties are lacking good talent on the floor of parliament. Go back to the (John) Howard days, there was great frontbench ministers on either side of parliament, we're lacking that today in our parliament." Senator Hughes was also unconvinced by the shadow treasurer, dishing out a scathing assessment of his preparation for the election campaign, and throwing her support behind Ms Ley to become leader. "I think Susan is fantastic. I've known both of them for a very, very long time. She has an incredible background, whether it is growing up all around the world," she said. "She understands rural and regional areas. I'm pretty sure she's one of the few people in parliament who can shear a sheep. She's a commercial pilot. You know, she's got a huge depth of experience. "She's not standing there going, 'hey, I went to a GPS school and (I'm) a Rhodes Scholar, so the achievements I made before 30 are the reason you should be electing me', which if you listen to some of the reasoning behind Angus Taylor. It's like someone in their 40s putting their HSC result on their CV. I mean, come on, grow up, what have you done recently? "And I think what Angus has done recently showed that he either didn't do the work or he wasn't up to the job because the policy dearth that we had to sell during this campaign, we didn't have a tax policy." Senator Hanson also weighed into the defection of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the Nationals to the Liberal Party. She said while she has "a lot of time" for her, she is not sure the shadow indigenous affairs minister has enough experience for a leadership role, amid reports she will join Mr Taylor's push to lead, and suggested the move will cause dramas within the Coalition. "I can see that it's going to be beneficial to her in the long run, but she can't stay in the Senate. She's only in for three years. So what's going happen in the next election?" she asked. "They will have to find her a safe seat. So then where are they going to put her? And also, this is going to cause problems between the two parties because the Nats and Libs will have to get over this." The Senator also suggested Michaelia Cash and James Paterson would have been better positioned for a tilt at deputy leader, as they contain "untapped" talent.
