SYLVIA JEFFREYS, HOST: Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae, and Nationals leader, Matt Canavan. Morning to you both. Sam, I'll go to you first. How on earth does this happen on a defence base?
SAM RAE, MINISTER FOR AGED CARE AND SENIORS: Well, first and foremost, Sylvia, our thoughts at the moment are with the member of the Defence Force who's been assaulted, as they should be. Northern Territory Police are investigating this incident and I think we need to let that investigation play out so that we can understand the details here.
HOST: So can you sit here today and categorically say to our defence personnel that they are safe on Australian defence bases?
RAE: Well, of course our defence personnel should be safe on defence bases.
HOST: Should be, but are they?
RAE: It's why we should let the Northern Territory Police go through this process, Sylvia, and conduct their investigation as is proper.
HOST: Should be, but are they safe?
RAE: Well again, as I said, they should be safe on defence bases. We need to let the police do their job here. We shouldn't be jumping on morning telly and undermining an active police investigation.
HOST: Okay, Matt, your thoughts?
MATT CANAVAN, NATIONALS LEADER: I'm very concerned by the reports. There is an investigation of course, but it would seem Sam has confirmed someone's been assaulted on a defence base, not clear how they got onto it. I don't think a police investigation is enough though. I mean, these are the Commonwealth Government’s, the Labour government’s assets. There should be a full investigation involving the Commonwealth Government here, because it doesn't just involve the potential charges against this individual. There's a broader issue here to make sure our defence bases are secure. And if you can't secure a defence base with lots of army personnel, what the hell could be safe in this country?
HOST: Alright, let's get to this blow-up from Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate this morning, who's exploded at a journalist after he was questioned over a dinner with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Take a look.
[Excerpt]
TOM TATE, GOLD COAST MAYOR: It's private, the payment. I just told you the invoice is private. Why are you so aggressive? Are you from the ABC? Yeah, f*** off.
JOURNALIST: Excuse me?
TATE: Yeah, f*** off. I've had enough of you.
[End of excerpt]
HOST: Yikes. Sam, what do you make of Tom Tate's treatment of that journalist?
RAE: I don't know who the Gold Coast mayor's been having dinner with. I don't keep abreast of Donald Trump's dinner plans. I think what's important from Australia's perspective here is that our politicians at any level of government should be held to account, and the media play an important role in that accountability. I think, as Matt and I do regularly, we expect our politicians to front up and to answer questions and to account particularly where they have used public money to do anything.
HOST: The problem here is that the White House has said in a statement that Tom Tate's suggestion that he had dinner with the president at Mar-a-Lago is a fabrication. It never happened. The mayor's response to that is: all I'm telling you is what I believe to be correct. Which reminded us of this Seinfeld moment.
[Excerpt]
GEORGE COSTANZA, SEINFELD: Jerry, just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it.
[End of excerpt]
HOST: So it begs the question, Matt, what do you believe here?
CANAVAN: Well, I have no idea. I do know Tom very well. He's a character. I love the- I was born on the Gold Coast. I love the Gold Coast, and this is a very Gold Coast story, I reckon. And, look, I don't condone that sort of explicit language that Tom used there, but he's a good guy, Tom. I love him and he loves the Gold Coast. I do too.
HOST: Does he owe that journalist an apology, Matt?
CANAVAN: Oh look, I'm sure they might have a beer later or something, maybe they'll get over it, but I'll leave it to Tom to deal with.
HOST: Sam, an apology?
RAE: I think when you speak to someone like that, when you show that sort of disrespect, it's not unwarranted.
HOST: Okay. Today marks 70 years since the first ever TV broadcast in Australia, right here on Nine. And we've been celebrating all morning by looking back at some of our favourite moments of all time. Matt, do you have one?
CANAVAN: Yeah, look, I must say, I really only watch sport. That's my main go-to. My favourite was the last ball of the 1999 World Cup semi-finals. We were all gone- there you go, you've got it. No, that's not the right one. That's the last ball of the final.
HOST: Oh, no.
CANAVAN: That was great, but it wasn't very exciting. We crushed Pakistan.
HOST: I mean, that's the vibe.
CANAVAN: South Africa, that was very sweet.
HOST: I'm just glad you didn't mention anything to do with Question Time. Sam, do you have one?
RAE: Question Time ain't anyone's favourite TV moment, Sylvia. I think for me it'd be Cathy Freeman winning in 2000, winning gold for Australia. That strength and dignity in that moment, just an awesome moment for our country.
HOST: Just incredible the way that all these wonderful moments on television have brought us together over the years. Just as this news panel chat does every morning on the Today show, gentlemen. Thank you so much for joining us, as always. We appreciate it.
RAE: Thank you.