Radio Transcript - Broadcast 21 October 2026, 10:16 AM - 10:33 AM  

Mark Levy: I want to bring in the Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn. Her Excellency's on the line right now. Your Excellency, good morning to you.

Governor-General: Good morning, Mark. On this terribly sad topic.

Mark Levy: Oh, it's awful. And it's a story, Your Excellency, that shocked, I think, the entire country. And admittedly, we need to be careful because there are criminal charges that have been levelled against the accused Brendan Nugent. But this is an alleged assault on our democracy.

Governor-General: Yes. And right now, like you and all your listeners, our thoughts must remain with Helen, who is in a critical condition at the Alfred in Melbourne, together with her husband Phil, and their family and everyone who cares about her and has worked with her over so many years. It's deeply distressing. I think it is causing everyone around the country to reflect on how we got here and how we deal with this. But it is. It's a terrible attack on a sitting member and much beloved and cherished in the way that she has always conducted herself, with a sense of decency and kindness. She's a good fighter for her causes and for the things she believes in. But the way she has debated is the way I think we've always, as a country, wanted to have our disagreements and argue issues, and that's always with respect for the other person and never descending down into violence or division.

Mark Levy: What's been your experience with the independent MP, Your Excellency? Because you're right, she has been described as a thoroughly decent person, a popular member of her local community, and she certainly is a fighter, isn't she?

Governor-General: She is. And she's been very generous to everyone from every other part of the political environment. I think she's always helped anyone entering the Parliament. She, along with those community independents out of Indi, really do represent their community. And I've known, I knew her predecessor, Cathy McGowan, and of course, I know her very well, Helen... I was with her just two weeks ago with mayors of that local region of Strathbogie and Shepparton. We were saying thank you to the first responders in a hub in Euroa, who had gone and helped those locals in Victoria deal with the recovery from flood and fire. And we spoke and said thank you to those great people, the CFA and all the people who are helping that part of the country recover and as we were leaving, we just commented to each other, maybe we should get together at some stage with a number of people from across the spectrum of Australian society and talk about why this drop in civility, why people aren't as interested in our democratic institutions, and maybe we could think about how we might lift people's sights and be better. So, I feel terrible, particularly personally, that having just had that conversation, that it is Helen who, always looking for the best in Australian character, is the person who is the victim of this shocking and such catastrophic attack.

Mark Levy: Yep. And we're all certainly sending her our best wishes and we're praying that she does pull through. Your Excellency, you and I have spoken about civics. You've spoken to us in the past about the importance of our democracy and something that we need to cherish. And it's important for Australians to express their views and opinions. But there is simply no excuse for threats, intimidation and violence. And I would have thought, and I'm sure you agree, your Excellency, we all, we all have a role to play in bringing the temperature down and using this as a turning point in our democracy. Do you agree?

Governor-General: I totally agree with that Mark. I've been saying for two and a half years since taking office, you may recall I've shared with your listeners before, that I committed myself to care, kindness and respect in everything I do in serving in this office. It's something that I think every one of my predecessors has done. Sir Zelman Cowan talked about that being the ability to reflect and interpret the country back to itself. And Sir William Deane talked about it as offering care and compassion in these moments and to help people see that the way in which we debate things is important. And I think it's important. We don't need to all agree. It's important for a strong democracy, that we have a strong and robust process at all levels of government and right across our community, that we can debate and disagree, but it's the way we do it. And I think there's a great muscle of decency at the heart of Australians. I see it wherever I go. And, and I think what we do now is remind ourselves, whether it's in the spoken word or the letters we write or the impulse on social media, on a text, to step back and just pause and say, do I really need to say it that way? Because I think we can do better. Sir William Deane, in the early days of his term, back when Australia was in a different kind of set of challenges, said that the spirit of generosity in Australia in times like this is the great healing force of our nation. And that's how I kind of think about things at the moment. We could really dig in now and as a nation, be a great healing force and reflect on how we discuss anything, how people talk about each other before hitting that send button that's in capitals and expletives saying, do I really need to say it that way? I don't need to attack the person. You know, I've spoken to you about this before, but when I post certain things about parts of our community and see a response online, that means I've got to either remove the post or block a person. I feel like we've just lost a moment in our great democracy where we could have had a good discussion rather than one that was expletive filled and vile and attacking because that's not the Australia I see when I'm out in the community. I still believe very deeply and optimistically that we are one of the greatest nations and we can do this well.

Mark Levy: Do you ever have to deal with threats yourself, Governor-General? And how does it make you feel knowing there are some people in our society that want to inflict harm on our public figures?

Governor-General: Well, I'm very grateful to the Australian Federal Police for the close protection that I am offered. The holders of high office have that as a matter of absolute necessity. There are times when I wish I didn't have to, but I listen to the great police officers that work with me and the team and with other people in high office that that protection is required because of our office. But I don't feel scared. I feel well protected and I also trust in community that I see the very best of people. I am a pretty robust person and I'm very trusting. I hope that people always approach the offer I have of being part of a community and representing community with the respect that I always try to give into community. I would understand Members of Parliament having a different tenor because we have seen a dramatic rise in credible threats against the political elected representatives. And that's what we've seen in Wangaratta. And that is something that I think is a terrible turning point in our democracy because it's almost suggesting to those who may want to stand that they shouldn't. And that's at local, state and federal levels. And we want the very best people continuing to show up and represent us into these important institutions of our democracy. But I'm so well protected. I'm very grateful every day for the lovely AFP team that I have but we try to make sure that I'm available and always ready to be in community.

Mark Levy: I know that there are going to be some briefings today for the politicians. Are you, as Governor-General of Australia, kept up to date with the security threat and the information of our intelligence agencies when it comes to this sort of thing?

Governor-General: Yes, of course. The Office of Governor-General has the privilege and the important responsibility to know what is happening around the country. And so I am regularly briefed and my office is briefed by the most senior officials across our intelligence, security, defence institutions. And, and so I am very well briefed and I understand very well this moment and why it has sent a chill across the nation and why people are so distressed to see this happen. It's why I'm so comforted by the fact that it's Helen Haines, office itself, who said, please keep in balance the fact that that particular attack by one man they are trying to balance with the extraordinary outpouring of community support across Wangaratta and Indi and across the country. And so I think it has really sharpened our focus on how we treat each other, how we show care for each other, and as Sir William said, how we are a healing force and we push back on people when we see this in less dramatic circumstances and hold each other a bit to account on when we drift into that more difficult language of attack, pull ourselves back and say, you know what, we can do this better. And I think that's exactly, that's what I think your listeners want. I think that's what you always call for, Mark, is the kind of respectful way we can disagree and be really proud of our democratic institutions.

Mark Levy: I don't want to take up too much more of your time, Your Excellency, but I do want to ask you a couple of questions and I'll come to the role our politicians play in just a moment, because I think I'm right in saying they report to you as our head of state. But why, why do you think we're seeing more and more political violence around the world right now, and how do we wrestle back? I guess you'd call it the megaphone. From the extremists and the activists who think they can say and do whatever they like on. On the streets. I'm sure you've been watching the riots on the streets of France. Do we need to be careful before the same sort of things happen in this country?

Governor-General: Just on one point, Mark. The parliament doesn't report specifically to me. I'm the representative of The King in Australia and I exercise the powers of The Crown under the Constitution. And I take my advice and counsel, of course, from the executives of our parliamentary system. But I understand what you're saying and I think it's an important check and balance on all of that. As we've discussed previously, your point about what's happening in the world is well made. We are seeing division and violence and strife in so many parts of the world. And of course it comes to us in so many different ways. We don't all have the same basis of information. Often people are getting a feed through a channel that's not quite as accurate as others. And so people are. What I think is the biggest problem here is we are a very safe, stable place. We don't see this kind of violence, it's not in our nature or our character, but we're seeing this information come in through curated systems and people curating their own information source rather than going to trusted sources of information. And so everyone now has their own view of what they might think is real, but may not be factually accurate. And so my thought as Governor-General is that we all need to check that when we think about what's happening in Australia, we are working with facts and not curated versions of it. And then when we look at the rest of the world, we take the great lesson that we can't possibly go down those paths and find ourselves in that level of distress and find on the streets. And I don't believe we will. I'm the person in the system that looks around to see optimistically how we protect against that. And we are one of those great nations. I always reflect on the fact that since 1947, there's been an Australian peacekeeper somewhere in the world exercising the democratic principle of peace in very difficult and troubled areas of the country. That comes out of our ANZAC spirit, out of our constant turning up with our allies around the world, not just through defence, but with policing and with our foreign affairs. So, we are a nation that believes in peace and. And I hope that many people look at what's happened in the world and don't take it as a sign that that's just what we will descend into, but that we are better than that and that we're a nation that, as all my predecessors have said, can always lean into healing and calm and care for each other and push back against forces that are not Australian. And I do see that exercise going on in communities wherever I go. I'd love to see us celebrate more of that, celebrate the people who win bravery awards, the People who get Australian honours, our Australians of the Year. This is us at our very best. I think your listeners understand that really when they're in their communities, they don't see this fermenting of violence. I think most of us see communities getting on with the hard, patient work of caring about each other and want our country to be a strong, safe democracy. And when I do travel the world, which I have the absolute privilege to do, Mark, leaders around the world tell me we are the envy of the world. People look to us, our safe democratic principles, the voice of the people ruling our rule of law and our belief in peace and democracy. We've got to hold fast to the fact that we stand for something around the world. And that makes me very proud to be Governor-General.

Mark Levy: Well said, well said. Just finally on the role that our politicians play and you travel the country, I'm sure people stop you and talk about their struggles at the moment, cost of living pressures, the hatred and division in our society. And a lot of people, Your Excellency write to me and say that our politicians have played a role in fuelling that division. I know you meet with the Prime Minister and other elected representatives regularly in your role as Governor-General. Do you feel the need to, to speak to those elected officials and remind them that the standard they set is what a lot of people look to? Because we've taken call after call this morning pointing to Question Time and some of the gutter politics and the way in which our politicians behave in Question Time. Do those politicians need to be better, in your opinion?

Governor-General: So, as you know so well, I live above the political fray. I have no politics myself. I'm completely independent and I have no policies and I don't offer any grants. And my relationship back into the executive is one of - I can pass on my, my observations, I can pass on things I see generally and I do take note of things around the community and I do often pass things on that I see particularly, you know, in the areas where I go where there's been really difficult times of, from natural disasters and where times are really tough. I think your point about Question Time is interesting because if I look at it dispassionately, it is the only really televised part of the Parliament that the public has to see. And it's used a lot to lead the nightly news or the front page of papers or your discussions, I guess, with your listeners. If people could see regularly what's going on in our parliaments, local, state and federal, and the amount of work that the elected officials do really for the most part, it's hard, persistent work. They are trying to find compromise. They sit and debate the bills, they go into parliamentary committees. You know, people often comment when they see you come into Parliament House and observe that they are surprised to see people from different sides of politics, arm in our arm or sharing a joke or having a coffee, because that's not what the question time obsession tells the country. So, if anything, I would say question time should be a place where people see the kind of respectful conversation and contest. But it's the only moment when people see a televised view of the contest of ideas in a political environment. And I can't make any comment about what they do in that moment, except to say that I know that visitors and people want to see those kind of conversations as well, and don't want to see the speaker of the House having to eject people a bit like headmasters have to eject kids when they're not behaving well. But Helen Haines was doing work on this behind the scenes throughout this whole period as a member of that Parliament and that House of Representatives. It's people like Helen and many good people from across the political spectrum who asked this question themselves about is there a better way to actually show the public what goes on in our parliamentary systems and not put this pressure into question time? And I think that's a really. They are working. I think people do work hard to do it. I wish there were just better ways for people to see the active work of parliamentarians and not just at the federal level. You know, people who turn up in local councils and at the moment are worried as to whether they can hold their council meetings and let the public in because of this. We should care about them as well. Same in the state. So, I understand what you're saying. I like to step back and always find and think about how we can do this better and share with all Australians, as I try to do. That's why I open up everything I do in my role, Mark, with you and online to say, here's how a bill is signed, here's the work that comes to me and I want you to know how I do it, because I want people to work with facts and a really strong understanding of our system and be proud of our democracy. I think that gives the public a better chance to hold politicians and elected representatives to account if they know more about what it is that they're all involved and why we vote for them in our great democracy.

Mark Levy: Of course. Well, I think what's happened this week, it was a really important opportunity for us to catch up with you. Your Excellency, I know you've got a very busy schedule. I'm very grateful for sparing us a few minutes to have a chat on this Wednesday morning. Thank you so much as always and look forward to catching up.

Governor-General: Again, I am very grateful for your call, Mark. As I've said a couple of times recently, I am looking forward to coming into the studio and doing some talk back. Because I think part of this is how we can all have these conversations, whatever our role is, with your listeners and hear how they're feeling and have that conversation. Respectfully, I do try to model in everything I do respect for everyone, no matter what their background or opinion. And I know we can do that really well because that's how I was brought up and I know that's Australia at its best. So, I'd love to do that with you again at some stage and talk to your listeners directly.

Mark Levy: Well, let's do that on the proviso you're not too good at it because I don't want you to show me up

Governor-General: Ok. You're very good at what you do. It'd be a privilege for me to come and join you for a bit.

Mark Levy: Alright, talk soon. Thank you so much.

Governor-General: Great. Thank you, Mark.

Mark Levy: That's the Governor-General of Australia, Sam Mostyn, off the back of what's been a very difficult week. And given what happened in Wangaratta on Monday, I think it's stunned, it's sad and it shocked all Australia.  

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