Karl Stefanovic has unleashed on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during a live podcast at The Lodge with the Prime Minister, calling him a “disgusting, feral pig.”
Confirming he had written directly to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to support historic legal moves to remove him from the royal line of succession, Anthony Albanese said that Australians wanted action.
“Australians out there will be, I think, disgusted by all of these events,” he said, adding that Prince Andrew had lived “a life of absolute privilege.”
Speaking on his new podcast, Stefanovic said Australians were appalled by the allegations, describing the ex-Prince Andrew’s conduct as “extraordinary” and indefensible.
“I think he’s a feral pig. A disgusting, disgusting feral pig,” Stefanovic said while sitting on a couch in the Lodge with a photograph of His Majesty King Charles, Australia’s head of state, peering over his shoulder.
The Prime Minister said Australia had a direct interest in the case because of Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and abused by Prince Andrew.
“Virginia outlined the most horrendous accusations against this man,” Mr Albanese said.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with his ties to Epstein and his time as a trade envoy.
The investigation does not relate to claims that the ex-Prince had a sexual relationship with any young women associated with Jeffrey Epstein such as the late Virginia Giuffre.
The Prime Minister said he shared the public’s sense of revulsion, describing the allegations as “pretty serious” and endorsing King Charles’ response.
“It’s been a very difficult week, but I think he’s handled it the right way, by saying that there needs to be a full and proper and open investigation,” he said.
“The whole Epstein saga is just rather extraordinary — quite a fall from grace for someone who was known as Prince Andrew for such a long period of time.”
The Prime Minister said Australians were “disgusted” by the allegations.
“Virginia outlined the most horrendous accusations against this man,” he said.
“You’ve got to think, when you look at the Epstein file, so-called, and you look at the influence that this bloke has had and his connections, it really blows your mind to think how he could get away with essentially trafficking human beings — underage human beings — for such a long period of time,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the case raised serious questions about how Prince Andrew’s behaviour was allowed to continue unchecked.
“Clearly, that must have been known to a lot of people and allowed to continue for such a long period of time,” he said.
The interview later turned to accusations that the government was attempting to divert attention from the return of Australian women and children linked to ISIS, claims the Prime Minister dismissed in colourful terms.
PM: ‘Karl, I call bulls**t’
Asked whether the issue was being used to “move the story on from the ISIS brides”, the Prime Minister said: “Karl, I call bullshit.”
“The fact is that that group spoken about — the non-government organisation — took the Australian government to court to demand repatriation, and we won that case,” he said. “We opposed it, and we won.”
Pressed on why suspected ISIS brides could not simply be barred from returning to Australia, the Prime Minister said constitutional law and High Court decisions limited the government’s powers. “There are constitutional issues and legal rights that people have,” he said.
“Australian citizens have rights either way. These are our laws,” he said, noting that ISIS fighters had returned to Australia under the former Coalition government.
The Prime Minister said he had “nothing but contempt” for Australians who travelled overseas to support ISIS prompting Stefanovic to weigh in.
“These people weren’t on a Contiki tour. “They went to a terror camp and tried to establish a caliphate,” Stefanovic said. “They have shown no belief in Australian values.”
Tony Burke hits back
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has hit back at Scott Morrison’s denials that any ISIS fighters returned under his watch.
Over the weekend, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed that the previous government had helped up to 40 people with ISIS links – including fighters – return to the country.
He did this to defend the Albanese Government’s engagement with a new group of ISIS brides, whom he insists he has not repatriated but has issued passports to as required by law.
But it has now emerged that those claims are based on a 2017 question on notice prepared by ASIO that predates Mr Morrison’s government.
Mr Morrison told news.com.au that the Prime Minister should clarify his remarks, insisting the only people who returned under his government were orphaned minors.
“There was also no ‘facilitation’ of their entry. They were dealt with as their cases presented,” Mr Morrison told news.com.au.
Two fighters returned under Scott Morrison
However, Mr Burke said a departmental review now suggests that two men suspected of fighting with ISIS returned in April and May of 2021.
During that period, Mr. Morrison also appointed himself to the portfolio without telling anyone as part of the secret ministry scandal.
“This shows the Liberal hypocrisy laid bare,” Mr. Burke told news.com.au.
“Citizens who you would never assist, make self managed returns.
“They always have. And when it’s people like this you use the full force of whatever legal thresholds help to protect Australians: surveillance, monitoring, control orders and charges.
“Senator Paterson is wrong once again on national security. In this critical area of keeping people safe the Liberals’ approach is to make it up. They cannot be trusted with national security.
“Senator Paterson and Scott Morrison have either lied or simply didn’t have a clue what was happening under their watch.”
Read related topics:Prince Andrew
Source
