Anthony Albanese’s fiery Ben Fordham interview: PM fired up as Voice Yes campaigner grills Thomas Mayo over ‘pay the rent’ comments
Ben Fordham confronts Antony Albanese in a fiery radio interview about his focus on Voice to Parliament during the crisis of living.
The Prime Minister said her government was ‘fully focused on cost of living as the first priority’.
But Fordham says he gets complaints from regular listeners all the time [the PM] Talks about ‘Voice’.
‘Everyone is saying stop talking about the Voice. As important as Aboriginal recognition is, we need to do something about this (cost of living) now.
‘It’s really hard for people at the moment.’
The Prime Minister has acknowledged that support for Voice is falling based on polls conducted across the board. However, he remains hopeful that Australians will vote yes to constitutional recognition in a referendum later this year.
He said, ‘I am very confident people will come to see if not now.’
Mr Albanese was asked if he agreed with comments made by Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo about ‘paying the rent’ and ‘punishing politicians who disagree’.
‘May I say this, you are reading from no pamphlet—’ said Mr. Albanese.
‘Excuse me Prime Minister, I am not reading from any pamphlet, I am reading from my own question. Excuse me,’ said Fordham in a heated exchange.
Mr Albanese said he did not believe in compensation and argued ‘it’s not about the contract’.
But Mr Albanese has agreed to fully implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which includes a Makarrata Commission with the end goal of moving towards an agreement.
‘It is not a matter of contract,’ he said four times.
‘I can’t make it any clearer, compensation has nothing to do with what people vote for later this year.’
Mr Fordham asked: ‘I’m talking after that. There are three stages, is it normal to assume that after we go through the voice we go through the voice?’
Mr Albanese said: ‘No it’s not normal.’
Mr. Fordham said: ‘So Thomas Mayo is wrong?’
Mr Albanese said: ‘Can I make this point, Ben, which is, if people look at the pamphlets, yes the pamphlet is positive. It doesn’t misquote anyone.’