The Two Jacks - Episode 145 - The Liberal Makeover, Epstein's Elite Friends & Cuba on the Brink

THERE IS A FEEDBACK FROM HKJ'S HEADPHONES TO HIS MIC - THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE FIXED - I HAVE BEEN TOLD HKJ HAS BEEN YELLED AT APPROPRIATELY. AI slop from our mate Claude Sonnet 4.6 - who is a good slopmaker and a blessed robot. Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack are back for Episode 145, kicking off with Chinese New Year greetings before diving headlong into the Liberal Party's new leadership under Angus Taylor, Victoria's CFMEU corruption saga, and the ever-deepening Epstein files rabbit hole. They roam through the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky's sharp Putin put-down, Cuba's unravelling regime, and the Iran situation — then lighten the mood with one-hit wonders in literature, the T20 World Cup disaster, AFL State of Origin, Winter Olympics, and the Premier League title race. Buckle up. SHOW NOTES WITH TIMESTAMPS 🎉 Introduction & Chinese New Year [0:00:25] — The Two Jacks kick off Episode 145 with Chinese New Year greetings ( Kung He Fat Choi! ). Hong Kong Jack reports an unusually quiet Hong Kong, with locals escaping to Dubai, Singapore, and Japan to avoid pricey CNY celebrations closer to home. 🏛️ Australian Federal Politics — Angus Taylor & the Liberal Party [0:01:52] — New Liberal Leader: Angus Taylor defeats Susan Lee 34–17, with Jane Hume elected Deputy over Ted O'Brien (30–20). Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack assess whether Taylor can rebuild a shattered party. [0:02:53] — Immigration policy leak: A policy blueprint, reportedly Susan Lee's, surfaced within a day of the spill. Taylor claimed he hadn't seen it. The Jacks debate how the Liberals should handle immigration without gifting One Nation more oxygen. [0:05:59] — Strategy session: Jack the Insider argues Taylor should shut up, take two weeks of parliamentary recess to announce his shadow cabinet quietly, then re-emerge with policy — rather than chasing the media cycle daily. [0:08:57] — The Goward–Menzies review of the Liberal Party's election drubbing: never publicly released, reportedly so legally combustible that lawyers have been called in. The Jacks agree burying internal reviews is standard practice — but ask whether rank-and-file members deserve some honest reckoning. [0:11:00] — Malcolm Turnbull's "best-qualified idiot" quip about Taylor sparks a broader conversation about whether bitter ex-PMs (Turnbull, Abbott) do themselves or their parties any favours by lingering. The Jacks compare them unfavourably to Gillard, Howard, and Keating, who moved on successfully. 🏗️ Victorian State Politics — CFMEU Corruption & the Big Build [0:15:24] — The AFR's damning investigation into the Victorian Government's infrastructure boom: drug deals, strippers, bribes, bikie gangs, ghost ships, and a 15–20% cost blowout to taxpayers. Mick Gatto's denial is, per Jack the Insider, "a pretty bad week" for the government. [0:17:22] — Victorian polling (Demos): LNP 29%, Labor 23%, One Nation 21%, Greens 15%. The eye-opener: One Nation at 15% in inner Melbourne, prompting the memorable line "There are cookers everywhere, Jack." [0:23:51] — The Jacks wrap Victoria: Premier Jacinda Allen is "limping to re-election in November" (28th). Hong Kong Jack suggests she book a Christmas holiday now. Sixteen years in government, a mountain of debt, and a corruption scandal — the cupboard, when opened, will be grim. 🕌 NSW — Muslim Worshippers Dragged from Sydney Protest [0:25:16] — PM Albanese calls for NSW Police to explain footage of officers removing Muslim worshippers praying at a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit. The Jacks note the footage, whatever the legal context around move-along orders, was always going to lead news services around the world — and it did. 🎬 Obituaries — Robert Duvall & Rev. Jesse Jackson [0:26:54] — Robert Duvall, dead at 95. The Jacks celebrate a career stretching from Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird (his film debut) through MASH , The Godfather (Parts I & II), Apocalypse Now ("I love the smell of napalm in the morning"), The Conversation , True Grit , and Tender Mercies . His decision to skip Godfather III over pay parity — Pacino was on five times his fee — is vindicated by the finished product. [0:31:30] — Rev. Jesse Jackson, dead. A big, complicated public life: present at Martin Luther King's assassination, kingmaker in Clinton-era Democratic politics, gifted preacher and orator, and a man who had falling-outs with nearly everyone — including the Obamas — before his death. 🇬🇧 UK — Sir Keir Starmer's Bad Week [0:33:21] — Starmer abandons plans to cancel local government elections after pressure from Nigel Farage. The Jacks' verdict: the real reason was the government was set to be shellacked, and it no longer has the political capital to pull something so transparently sneaky. [0:35:35] — Ambassador Peter Mandelson under active criminal investigation. Prince Andrew (referred to properly as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) under police investigation connected to the Epstein files — with allegations around misconduct in public office as trade envoy, financial impropriety, and personal conduct (including a Bangkok story that will make listeners raise an eyebrow). Hong Kong Jack's assessment: Andrew ends up in "an open prison on the Sandringham estate." 🕵️ The Epstein Files [0:39:20] — Kathy Ruemmler — former Obama White House Counsel, then Goldman Sachs General Counsel — referred to Epstein as "uncle" and had 10,000 documented interactions with him. The Jacks ask the obvious question: how do people with those credentials and that résumé simply choose not to Google a convicted sex offender? [0:42:00] — Hong Kong Jack's theory on elite social dynamics: even already-famous people are fanboys. Illustrated with a wonderful yarn about Alan Border getting Mick Jagger and Keith Richards fan-girling over him backstage at the O2 — "they were as much fanboys about being there with Alan Border as I was being there with them." [0:44:10] — Kevin Rudd's brush with an Epstein invitation while at a New York think tank: his office's cursory inquiry went no further, while Epstein name-dropped "the former President of Australia" on his guest list anyway. [0:46:06] — Jack the Insider floats a theory: Epstein may have been a Russian FSB/KGB asset. Donald Tusk and others agree. 🌍 Munich Security Conference [0:46:48] — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opens with an "uncomfortable truth": a deep rift between Europe and the US. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio responds with a speech framing the alliance around Western civilisation — and, astonishingly, receives a standing ovation from European foreign ministers. Hong Kong Jack: "I was astounded that all these European heavyweights were on their feet clapping like seals." The Jacks peg Rubio as the hot favourite for 2028, ahead of J.D. Vance. [0:50:24] — Zelensky's sharp line on Putin at Munich: "His reference points aren't living advisors or the world as it is today, but dead emperors and faded maps. He consults Tsar Peter and Empress Catherine more than anyone who understands modern life." [0:51:36] — The 2028 Democratic primary field was also in Munich: Newsom, AOC, Whitmer, Hillary Clinton (long shot, per Hong Kong Jack). AOC is seen as a strong VP candidate at minimum. ⚙️ Russian Drones — European Components Scandal [0:52:39] — The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP — occrp.org ) reveals Ukrainian military intelligence has dissected downed Iranian-made Shahed-2 drones used by Russia and found over 100 components from approximately 20 European firms — including microchips, receivers, transistors, diodes, antennas, and fuel pumps. The EU's own sanctions envoy acknowledges it's happening under their nose. Hong Kong Jack notes: "History is full of this." Trade routes through Hong Kong and Macau get a mention too. 🇮🇷 Iran — Islam's Collapse & US Military Posturing [1:00:41] — Reza Pahlavi defends Iran–Israel ties and distinguishes the Iranian people from the Tehran regime. Reports (unverified but sourced from multiple outlets) suggest 70% of Iranians have left Islam and two-thirds of mosques have closed due to low attendance. The Jacks note: when the state becomes unpopular, the state religion follows. [1:00:58] — A US aircraft carrier battle group is in the region. Iranian naval forces (described as "not quite McHale's Navy") are creating flashpoints. The Gulf states are quietly nervous about an Israeli/US strike — unsure of Iran's actual defensive capacity. 🇨🇺 Cuba — On the Brink [1:01:51] — Cuba is in crisis: fuel shortages, universities and schools shut, public transport curtailed, the military as the country's biggest employer. Countries urging citizens to leave immediately include Costa Rica, the UK, Ireland, Australia (Smart Traveller: Reconsider Your Need to Travel , raised 12 February), and even Russia — which is operating evacuation flights for ~4,000 citizens. The Jacks ask: is the world ready for mass arrivals in Florida? 📚 One-Hit Wonders in Literature [1:05:51] — Is Harper Lee the greatest one-hit wonder of all time? Jack the Insider pushes back — she wrote Go Set a Watchman too. The social media list of nominees includes: J.D. Salinger ( Catcher in the Rye ), Mary Shelley ( Frankenstein ), Margaret Mitchell ( Gone with the Wind ), John Kennedy Toole ( A Confederacy of Dunces ), and — the crowd favourite — Francis Scott Key, who wrote the US National Anthem in 12 minutes. Jack the Insider recommends Philip Roth, Joseph Heller, and Grapes of Wrath for those wanting proper American literary deep cuts. 🏏 Sport — T20 World Cup [1:10:49] — Australia are out in the group stage. Beaten by Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Jack the Insider's post-mortem: the best batsman in the Big Bash wasn't in the original squad, and when he was included, he wasn't played. Matt Renshaw was dropped for a player badly out of form. The "minnow" nations (Nepal in particular) have been playing T20 together constantly and are highly prepared. Scotland, by contrast, were only there because Bangladesh boycotted — and looked "like a slightly overweight, out-of-season club side." 🏈 AFL — State of Origin [1:16:40] — The first AFL State of Origin game (Vic vs WA) at Optus Stadium, Perth, drew ~58,000. A high-quality contest, albeit light on defence. Jack the Insider nearly had a heart attack when Carlton defender Jacob Weitering went down — ultimately a fractured rib, no serious neck injury. Standouts per Hong Kong Jack: Daicos, Dangerfield, Kozzie Pickett, Luke Jackson (as a midfielder), and — the revelation — Barrass. Rory Lobb had a shocker. The Jacks question whether there's a workable place in the calendar for a multi-game series. 🥌 Winter Olympics — Curling Scandal & Klæbo [1:21:08] — A Canadian curler was caught cheating (removing and replacing his finger on the stone mid-delivery) and directed colourful language at opponents. Twitter's curling expertise emerged within four hours, per Hong Kong Jack. Also: Norwegian cross-country skiing phenomenon Johannes Høsflot Klæbo — described as "Bradman-like" in his superiority — running uphill at six-minute-mile pace in snow, on skis. ⛳ LIV Golf — Adelaide [1:23:26] — LIV Golf works in Adelaide (crowds love it). Hong Kong Jack notes it's not working everywhere. Some players are reportedly handing back sign-on money to return to the PGA Tour, which the Jacks suggest is a notable disincentive to switch back when the sign-on was north of USD 10 million. ⚽ Premier League [1:25:02] — Arsenal lead Man City by five points (with a game in hand). Noel Gallagher, lifelong City fan, has tipped Arsenal to win the league — saying he doesn't see them slipping up, and that their bench depth is the key. At the other end: West Ham are third-bottom, in desperate relegation danger. This triggers a discussion of Boris Johnson's calamitous London Stadium deal, which already costs London ratepayers millions annually — and relegation would add another ~£10 million penalty to that tab. 🎤 Closing — Boris Johnson on Prince Andrew & Listener Mail [1:28:02] — Hong Kong Jack shares a Tina Brown Substack gem: Boris Johnson, returning from a lunch with Prince Andrew during his time as Lord Mayor, told staff: "I'd be the last person in the world to want to be a Republican — but f**k, if I've got to do a lunch with him again, I'm going to change my mind." [1:29:29] — Listener Ray submitted eight questions/topics this week. The Jacks appreciate the enthusiasm, gently suggest he trim it to one or two. Some of Ray's material will be held over for Episode 146. HOSTS Jack the Insider (Joel Hill) Hong Kong Jack LINKS & REFERENCES MENTIONED OCCRP — Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project: occrp.org Tina Brown's Substack — The Epstein files piece (recommended read) Hong Kong Jack's Substack (contact/submissions) Jack the Insider on Twitter/X and Facebook

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The Two Jacks - Episode 145 - The Liberal Makeover, Epstein's Elite Friends & Cuba on the Brink is an episode from The Conditional Release Program by Jack the Insider and Joel Hill.

This episode is 90:47 long.

This episode was published on Feb 21, 2026.

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