We are learning more this morning about the deadly impact of that Optus outage, which brought down critical triple zero services across SA, Western Australia and also the Northern Territory. The failure, it was horrible, resulting in three people, including a newborn, losing their lives. For more on this story, we’re joined by Shadow Minister for Immigration, Paul Scarr and Lizzie Pearl in the studio. Paul, as I say, this is shocking. We can’t even begin to imagine how those impacted families are feeling this morning. How can something like this happen?
Senator Scarr
Well, it’s a good question. Clint and how can it happen after Optus had a major outage in November 2023, nearly two years ago, where a similar situation occurred, why is this happening again? And there is meant to be a system when there is an outage where one service provider’s calls are diverted to another mobile service so people can still get through to triple zero. So why didn’t that occur? So this is a really serious situation. My thoughts and prayers are with the families. I can’t imagine what it would have been like for them to be in that situation, but we need to have a really intensive investigation and make sure this never happens again.
Clint Stanaway
The SA Premier, Peter Malinauskas described it as reprehensible and incompetent. Is is Optus incompetent in your opinion?
Senator Scarr
Well, how can you come to a different conclusion? I know there’s an investigation taking place, but this happened in November 2023, so why is it happening again? So the federal authorities really need to have an in depth investigation, and we need to make sure this never happens again.
Clint Stanaway
Lizzie, to you, calling triple zero, it’s a basic service that we all need to and should rely upon, right? No matter who you are, where you are, it shouldn’t happen ever again. Can Optus be trusted?
Lizzie Pearl
The shorter answer is no, right now, it can’t be trusted. This is one of the great things about living in this country, is you can make a call to triple zero, someone will answer and help will be on the way. I feel so deeply sad for that family of the eight week old baby boy. This is just awful, awful, but right now, Optus can’t be trusted, and I really hope part of this investigation also looks into the timing of that press conference yesterday – 5:45pm – 15 minutes before the major news bulletins go to air. If this was part of some kind of strategy to, you know, downplay or to reduce the information that Australians are getting. If that is the case, that is another strike against Optus’ name.
Clint Stanaway
It was almost PR first.
Lizzie Pearl
It’s just not okay. And I just really feel for everyone who’s been affected by this.
Clint Stanaway
Well said Lizzie. Moving on, guys and forget car hoons. E bike hoons are apparently taking over Aussie streets. These images snapped on Sydney’s Northern Beaches showing dozens of riders recklessly weaving in and out of traffic. It has prompted police to call on the public to dob in dangerous riders. Paul, every week it seems these e bikes are causing even more chaos. Is it time for a crackdown nationally?
Senator Scarr
Absolutely. One of the things to come out of this story Clint was that you can actually tamper with these e bikes and remove the speed limitation devices. So these bikes can go 50 kilometers, 60 kilometers an hour. So they’re incredibly dangerous, dangerous to the riders, dangerous to pedestrians and dangerous to people who are driving cars.
Clint Stanaway
Lizzie, how much of this needs to fall back onto parents, if it’s kids riding them, and indeed, companies who employ these delivery drivers?
Lizzie Pearl
Well, that’s going to be one way to crack down on this. Parents, I think, sometimes naively, have bought these e bikes for their kids. Peer pressure. You know, old mates got one at school, and little Jimmy wants one as well. They’re so dangerous, and they’re riding them on the footpaths, on the roads without helmets. It seems to be pretty easy to ride them on one wheel, because all the kids are doing that up and down my street where I live, you know, back when we were teenagers, it was cars, young teenage boys, particularly, getting in cars. I had a bunch of mates who were in a car and were in a big car accident. Many of them were never the same again. This is the next generation, and I just hope something is done with this, because someone’s going to end up killed or in a wheelchair and that’s something that you know is going to change their lives forever.
Clint Stanaway
That’s a sad reality. Let’s lighten the mood. Finally, this morning, the Uni of Bath in England has been recognized after showcasing that people’s foreign language skills improve after having a drink or two or three. The research studied German students learning Dutch, and found those who’d had a vodka with lemon were more fluent than those who just had a glass of water now. Lizzie, proof that having a drink can be good at times.
Lizzie Pearl
Do you know when, when I’ve had a couple of wines. My French gets very good. Clint. You know, just something back from my school days, learning French, all of a sudden, I’m, you know, trotting out the phrase.
Clint Stanaway
What is in that glass! Paul, any experience with this? I mean, for mine, my language tends to deteriorate.
Senator Scarr
There are two important other issues coming out this study. First, it’s a small vodka, a small vodka, and secondly, what about the lemon? Because they’re comparing plain water with vodka and lemon. So maybe it’s the lemon, Clint.
Clint Stanaway
Maybe it is a lemon. Maybe you’re onto something.
Senator Scarr
My grandmother loved lemon!
Clint Stanaway
Oh, okay.
Senator Scarr
She didn’t speak a foreign language tho.
Clint Stanaway
Hopefully we don’t see you on the floor of Parliament, post vodka shot.
Lizzie Pearl
If we do, we’ll know what’s going on!
Clint Stanaway
Exactly. Paul, thank you. Lizzie, good to see you as well. Ali, over to you.
