David Littleproud - Today Show

SARAH ABO

Gents, thanks so much for your time. I mean, David, it's baffling how much we're talking about knife crime specifically at the moment. Do these laws need to be tightened? I mean, how much more of this are we going to see?

DAVID LITTLEPROUD

Yeah, I think we've hit a tipping point. We've hit a tipping point for the police. They need to be resourced properly and need to be given support. And my heart goes out to the police. I mean, the fact that they've had to shoot dead someone is something they never want to have to do. They trained for it, but hope they never have to do. But this is where state governments need to take control of their streets, and it's from juvenile crime right up. And this is where there has to be consequences. And it needs to make sure that, particularly for juveniles, I think one of the greatest things Campbell Newman ever did for Queensland is he put boot camps in, not just send them to juvenile detention centres where they got three feeds a day, they actually worked and they had a purpose in life.
But this is where we have to make sure there are consequences, real consequences for children, right through to adults. And that means separate you from the rest of society if the rest of the society can't feel safe. But it also isn't the government's responsible entirely. This is where as parents, you know, it also comes back to what we do at home. And it's making good citizens from young toddlers right through to adults, making sure that they can contribute to society. So we can't abrogate all our responsibility to government and police, but we need to take some responsibility ourselves.

But when you hit a tipping point, that's when government should interfere. And I think the states need to do more.

SARAH ABO

I mean, it's such a tough one. Obviously knives, being so readily available in homes, and we've seen the introduction of those wandering laws in Queensland so that police can actually scan for knives out on the streets. I mean, when you're hearing about a 16-year old boy in Melbourne stabbed to death, and then somebody resorting to attacking their neighbour with a knife because of a noise complaint, I mean, what is going on, Scott? I mean there's an uptick in this trend.

SCOTT EMERSON

Well, this has been a trend for some time now. You're quite right, Sarah, I'm on the Gold Coast today, and they've been using those wandering laws. And it's just extraordinary when you go out there on the weekends, how many knives they're finding. I don't think it's just going to be confined clearly to the Gold Coast. It is a trend out there. And as David says, I think we have hit a tipping point. We've got to make sure the police are well resourced, have better strategies like the wandering, but also what are we doing in terms of juvenile crime? Look, it is chaos here in Queensland at the moment with juvenile crime. We've had a government that's talked about tough action, but nothing has changed.

People are living in fear in communities across Queensland, and I suspect across many other communities across Australia.

SARAH ABO

Alright, well, let's move on now. And after much speculation and an ultimate cancellation PM Anthony Albanese and the US President Joe Biden finally met face-to-face on the sidelines of the G7 Summit where Australia is set to win big in the energy sector. David, are you happy with the outcome of the G7?

DAVID LITTLEPROUD

Yeah, I think it's important. I think also the messages that G7 sent to China, it's not just the quad, our relationship with three other nations, in the Pacific. It's also about the G7 sending very strong messages to China that will engage with them. But there are rules, there are international rules that you have to respect. If they do that, then there will be trade and there will be respect. But if you overstep that mark, then it's not just the quad that'll be standing there, it'll be the G7 of nations that'll also be there with us. So, very powerful messages.

I think President Biden had to go home. That was fair enough. All politics is local. He has domestic issues he has to work through, and in fact he needs to sort through them because there's international implications in terms of international markets that Australia could feel. So I don't take any umbrage over the fact that the President had to go home and face up domestic issues. But I think the big message out of the G7 is a good one.

SARAH ABO

I mean, the thing is with these talks, as you know, David, they're always centred recently around China and a threat that is posed by China. But I guess for Australia, the challenge is thawing the relationship with them on the trade front. So how do you have a conversation which is about reducing risk and not necessarily worsening our relationship with China?

DAVID LITTLEPROUD

Well, it's about being honest and transparent with them and knowing where those lines of demarcation are. And if they overstep that, then there are consequences. And we are prepared to take them to the World Trade Organization because they breached a contract, they signed with us under the Free Trade Agreement and the WTO were about to rule in our favour on Bali. We've already got a wine there as well. So if you put clear lines of demarcation, then you understand, but it's about good communication and dialogue is important. And that's where it needs to continue to, to ramp up. Uh, but we won't get success until we see these tariffs taken off.

But knowing where the lines are is important so that no one oversteps them.

SARAH ABO

Scott, what's the priority here? Strengthening our battle lines against China or improving the relationship when it comes to trade?

SCOTT EMERSON

Oh, that's a tough question, Sarah. It is a balance. As David said, I think the fear I have is that when we stand up to China as a country, Australia, we've got to make sure we have allies out there backing and taking our back on that. And that's why it's important to work through the G7, the Quad, with the United States. Joe Biden, yes, it was right for him to go back for the concerns about debt there. But if we stand up to China as we have done over the last couple of years, we've got to make sure the rest of the world, particularly those allies in the G7 are backing us as well, rather than just letting us take all the damage.

Our economy's been hurt by China's boycotts of our exports. Sometimes I felt like we've been left alone to do the fight. It's good to see the G7, the quad, taking on China.

SARAH ABO

Yeah, it's a tough one, isn't it? That's right. Alright, well thank you both so much for your insights this morning. Have a great day.