Karl Stefanovic And Lisa Wilkinson Drilled The Government On Their Treatment Of Women This Morning

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As Karl Stefanovic’s public persona continues to swing unpredictably between passionate feminist and casually racist drunk uncle, it can be hard to tell what we’re getting from morning TV these days. But with the federal budget announcement depriving our politicians of practically all their sleep last night, our favourite hard-hitting investigative journo has once again seized the perfect opportunity to embrace his serious side.

In an interview on this morning’s episode of Today, Karl Stefanovic drilled the Prime Minister on the overall effectiveness of the budget, the problems he could face, and the promises he’s broken along the way. Though this is almost exactly what happened the last time they faced off like this, Tone really doesn’t look like he was expecting it. His most cutting responses include a couple of tactical coughs when he doesn’t have an answer, and to repeat Karl’s name in a defeated, pleading kind of way that sounds like Stefanovic’s trying to back out of a night out with the boys.

While it’s always a pleasure to see the leader of our nation genuinely challenged by a man who once broke down while interviewing Grumpy Cat, Stefanovic really hits his stride around the 5.50 mark when he moves on to the issue of paid parental leave, in particular its effect on Australian women. With the initial promise of a full government-supported six months of leave all but forgotten, we recently found out that the only actual changes going ahead were in fact more cuts. On Mother’s Day. We found this out on Mother’s Day.

“Believability is your biggest problem at the moment,” Stefanovic starts. And things only get better from there.

Here’s a play-by-play:

“You’ll have to go to the next election having broken a significant promise and that is to the women of Australia. You promised them the world in regards to paid parental leave and you have delivered nothing for them.”

“It’s a hell of a turnaround from what you promised.”

“At the very least you probably owe them an apology don’t you?”

“As Minister for Women are you sorry?”

For the record: he is not.

Giving Leigh Sales a run for her money, Lisa Wilkinson also stepped up as a force to be reckoned with this morning in her interview with Joe Hockey. Following on from Waleed Aly’s brilliant talk about the lack of funding to fight domestic violence last night on The Project, the Today co-host directly put the question to the Treasurer: where the hell is the money for it? Check it out from around 6.50:

“You’ve allocated a meagre $30 million to domestic violence in the budget,” she said. “Most of that is just going to go to awareness campaigns, not supporting the national hotline, not women’s refuge — which has had funding stripped — and not homeless shelters. But you’ve found $1.2 billion to fight terrorism.”

“Treasurer, so far this year two women are dying a week through acts of violence and no one at this stage in 2015 has died form an act of terrorism, fortunately. Do you think really think you have your priorities right when it comes to women in these situations?”

When Hockey suggested these were entirely different situations, she was quickly back on the offensive.

“Well, the link is that we’ve got a national crisis when it comes to women dying through acts of violence and you’ve only given $30 million to that.”

Though he was adamant the $1.2 billion was entirely necessary where it was, he then announced that the Prime Minister would soon be providing more funding to help stop domestic violence. And, though it’s a totally welcome move, it’s kind of surprising considering it wasn’t announced yesterday. You know — with the rest of the budget.

After pledging just $30m to domestic violence @JoeHockey says PM is announcing new funding soon. Unclear why $ not included in #budget2015

— Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) May 12, 2015

Meanwhile on Channel 7, Kochie was getting his arse handed to him by Mark Latham.