TIM McMILLAN: Joining me now is Resources and Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King, and as well, the Member for Brand. Madeleine, thanks for joining us. It's been a hell of a month for you so far. The East Coast gas crisis, ongoing tensions with China, the FIFO sex report that's come out, all sorts of economic challenges as well. What's the handover been like from your predecessors?

MADELEINE KING: It's been an astounding month, as you say, the election's one thing built upon a couple of years of effort and then winning and then getting everything organised to go into government has been pretty immense. And the swearing in itself was one of those sort of life-changing moments, personally for me. But then the very next day, or that afternoon, Cabinet meetings and then moving into resolving or trying to resolve, because it's a bit of a pathway, the crisis on the East Coast.

TIM McMILLAN: You've had some strong things to say about the FIFO Sex Inquiry report handed down just recently. I'm assuming you've had conversations with some of the bigger mining companies around Australia. How confident are you that the necessary changes are going to be made from here on?

MADELEINE KING: I am very confident. And before this report was handed down, most companies are certainly taking very big steps to make sure change occurs, and well they should. And not before time. It's a very gendered workplace. There are many more men in many parts of that workplace and as that report shows, many of those men have got away with outrageous and offensive behaviour for far too long and it has to end. I will always comment on this matter. It is of great importance to women I know that work in the workplace, but also men that work in the workplace. Because whilst the facts are that it's men assaulting women and harassing them, there are a lot of good men in that industry too. And they need to be empowered to call out their colleagues that are doing the wrong thing and they should do that and help the women of their workplace as well.

TIM McMILLAN: Still some very strong rhetoric around China and the presence that they have now in our region, which is understandable and is certainly carried on from the previous government into this one. Under your watch, though, you have to nurture a relationship with our most important trading partner. How do you do that?

MADELEINE KING: Well, it's difficult, and we acknowledge and always do that China has changed. The creation of the relationship we have now, especially in Western Australia, with the iron ore industry, was built over many years. So a lot of effort went into that with Prime Ministers and leaders of China building that up. And it went very well for a very long time. But then in recent years, the Chinese administration itself has changed its views toward the whole of the world. But in particular, Australia was targeted, which is deeply regrettable. Wine exports, coal, various lobsters here in WA – it’s brought that industry to its knees, which is a dreadful shame. So it has changed. We would like it to be better, but we have to have our eyes open as to the risk. It is a country with certain ambitions around the world and they may have always had them, but it's only been as obvious under the current leadership of China.

TIM McMILLAN: In terms of resources exports, though, are you actively seeking out new markets with enthusiasm that we haven't seen before as a result of our ongoing tension with China?

MADELEINE KING: I think it's important to acknowledge, and I think Western Australians know this, and certainly the Western Australian iron ore business knows this, there is no replacement for China. No one wants iron ore like China wants iron ore because they build cities and they build them with startling pace.

TIM McMILLAN: So India could never be a replacement for China?

MADELEINE KING: It will never buy as much iron ore as China. And the economics of it are different, it's a bit further away.

TIM McMILLAN: So we still want them.

MADELEINE KING: We do, and we want them. And I do think we have had political issues with China before. I think of the Tiananmen Square massacre, and we did overcome those. This is not the same, but it's important to remember that difficulties can be overcome. And with patience on our behalf and dialling down some of the rhetoric and a bit of straight talking while not dialling it up is going to be really important in our relationship and trying to build that.

TIM McMILLAN: You've been strong on social media, I have to say. I just want to read out a couple of your recent tweets. First one: Angus Taylor. You said 'Here we go. Angus Taylor letting us all know the Liberals are born to rule and the only people who can have serious discussions with the industry. Give us all a break and get over yourself, Angus'. That's quite a personal barb. What did he say to you to prompt that?

MADELEINE KING: Well he started it. What happened; he had said in a press conference that Minister Bowen should be calling the gas companies, whereas, in fact, it's my responsibility to speak to the gas companies and about supply on the East Coast. And that's exactly what I did as this crisis emerged. And it was Angus Taylor, and David Littleproud did the same thing. They just pretended like I wasn't there, as though I have no role in this government. So I was quite offended by it and so I sent it off.

TIM McMILLAN: Another one in Angus's direction; 'It's okay, Angus Taylor, you go have a lie down after nine years of doing nothing'. Can I ask, are you personally hitting the keyboard on those -

MADELEINE KING: Oh I do them –

TIM McMILLAN: - Or is it just in the moment you fire them off, or do your staff advise you on those?

MADELEINE KING: If I think I might be getting to the edge. I will consult, but I do them myself. And I think that one was in response to Angus Taylor proposing that we take a particular action that he had failed to take for nine years. I thought, well, this is ridiculous. Like what are you talking about? You wake up after an election, pretend like your own life didn't happen. And I'm not saying he needs to flog himself over his mistakes, but jeez, have a little respect.

TIM McMILLAN: In hindsight, do you think maybe pulling back is the way to go and just sort of taking the high moral ground?

MADELEINE KING: Sometimes, but I think also there's a responsibility to call the former government out for some of its mistakes. And I definitely think I should call people out when they pretend I don't exist or that I might not be doing my job, or that only someone else could do that job. So I will do that, because I think it's terribly unfair.

TIM McMILLAN: Madeline, I know you've got a lot on your plate, so all the best with all of the challenges facing you in your time as Resources Minister, thanks for your time.

MADELEINE KING: I really appreciate it, thank you.