Mark Latham thinks Sydney has a “Muslim problem”.

Channel 9’s foray into an evening current affairs panel show was what you would have expected from a commercial station: full of controversial remarks, one-liners and spirited debate.

Host Karl Stefanovic kicked off the discussion by asking panellists how Australia could stem the rise of Islamic extremism following the shocking attack in Parramatta last week.

Former Labor leader Mark Latham kept true to character, telling the audience that he believed the high rates of welfare dependency in Western Sydney was to blame for the city’s “Muslim problem”.

“It started in 1980s with unskilled Muslim migration to Western Sydney, large parts of suburbs have welfare dependency problems and it pains me to say in Western Sydney there is a Muslim problem. After Man Monis who came from Western Sydney, after the shooting last week, we have to recognise this is just not radical Islamic ideology, it is also people with too much time on their hands, too many opportunities to sit around in groups, bitching about western culture, bitching about the American President, bitching about the Australian Prime Minister, and getting up to no good.

“So, the best thing the Federal Government can do is get these people out to work. Break down the welfare dependency in Western Sydney and in many ways it is not just a question of stopping radicalisation, how do we promote normality, normalisation in Western Sydney so people are making a positive contribution to society.”

Mark Latham on Nine’s The Verdict last night.Source:Channel 9

His comments were slapped down by counterterrorism expert Dr Anne Aly, who described his views as “simplistic”.

Latham fired back suggesting the academic was unaware of the “Muslim problem” in Sydney because she lives in Perth.

“With all due respect, do you work with these young people?,” she hit back. “I work with the young people who have been radicalised or becoming radicalised, in Perth and in Sydney. And in Sydney. It is not a socio-economic problem.

“You have young people becoming radicalised ... it is not a socio-economic problem. It is not a Muslim problem of Western Sydney. It is not a Muslim Western Sydney problem. It is a social problem that is embedded in a range of social issues and not what we saw now is not what we saw 10 years ago. It is a rapidly changing environment, it is a rapidly trending and transforming environment, and we cannot continue to rely on those one-liners we were using 10 years ago to explain things 10 years ago. We need to take a much more comprehensive look at what’s happening here, and not fall back on these simplistic one-line answers.”

The Verdict panel all fought to speak over the top of each other.Source:Channel 9

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie told the program that she thought bringing back national service and trade apprenticeship schemes would be one way to help address the issue.

“We need to get these kids, reinstall their morals and grassroots and values,” she said. “I think the second we need to ask - and it needs to be answered - is that young boy, he was in a mosque 15 minutes beforehand. We have no idea where that weapon has come from. We know he has been in the Mosque and he showed up at that Mosque many times before that. I want to know whether those people in that Mosque, whether they are Imams or whether they are preachers, have they been, have they been put through their paces, basically. Have they been interrogated. Let’s face it, we need to get to that point.”

The discussion then turned into a heated debate with panellists struggling to be heard.

Stefanovic had to intervene in order to bring back some decorum.

Besides the recent terror attack in Sydney, the panel also tackled mental health, controversial US anti-abortion campaigner Troy Newman who was refused a visa to Australia and the US Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The latter led Mr Latham to declare that if he was American, he would vote for the billionaire.

“Karl, I love the Donald,” he said. “I love the Donald. He is against political correctness. He gives the political media a good spray when they need it, which is most of the time. He is authentic. You get the feeling that’s the real deal. I mean Australian politics has become a joke. We have had five Prime Ministers in five years. It’s dominated by spin and hatchet men and feral media environment. At least Trump is out there being himself which I find very refreshing and if I was an American I would even be tempted to vote for him.”

More than once, Karl had to intervene in order to bring back some decorum.Source:Channel 9

Ms Lambie also revealed during the show that death threats she received against her earlier this year were “legitimate threats”.

In a separate one-on-one segment Ms Lambie said in one it warned her to shut her mouth or face beheading.

“It was a credible threat,” Ms Lambie told Stefanovic. “I don’t know how much further that’s actually gone. But, you know, I just - I can’t let it be a distraction. That’s the first thing. And you know, I’m a born and bred Australian and I’m really proud of that and I’m even prouder because I’m a born and bred Tasmanian and I’m not going to let this stop me from doing what needs to be done.”

It was revealed one of the letters contained graphic photos, including one depicting a beheading, and threats to come to her office and “take her by surprise” if she didn’t stop voicing her opinion on Islam.

The show ended with what can only be described as its X Factor/Dancing with the Stars-style voting on topical issues by getting the panellists to give their “verdict” by voting yes or no, hitting a button which lights a panel in the studio to reveal their answer.

With eight members, The Verdict panel was bursting at the seams.Source:Channel 9