Miranda Live: Malcolm Turnbull, Andrew Constance and Bettina Arndt answer your questions

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised US President Donald Trump for delivering economic leadership around the world and defended his relationship with the leader of the free world as part of a wide-ranging internet radio interview with Miranda Devine.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance. Picture: Tim Pascoe

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised US President Donald Trump for delivering economic leadership around the world.

He pointed to a recent for Monetary Fund report which said the American tax cuts was lifting the world economy.

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“Donald Trump is delivering on economic leadership,” he said.

Last year it was revealed that Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump had a tense first conversation over the relocation of asylum seekers which ended in the US President hanging up the phone.

But in an interview on Miranda Live, Mr Turnbull offered a defence of the controversial political figure.

“You get plenty of criticism in public life. You’ve got to expect it. I’m sure he expects it,” he said.

The Prime Minister has praised President Donald Trump’s economic leadership. Picture: Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP

“Personally I have a very good relationship with him. While we have a good personal relationship, the US-Australian relationship is so strong … it is a very close, intimate relationship.”

Mr Turnbull also vowed to keep Australia Day on January 26, saying he had no sympathy for those arguing to change the date.

“They are a disgrace. The Greens are a disgrace,” he said.

“The Greens proposal that we should fly our national flag at half mast on our national day sums up everything you need to know about The Greens.”

Transport Minister Andrew Constance — the man responsible for making sure the trains run on time — also went face-to-face with Miranda Devine to answer questions on our recent rail chaos.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance. Picture: Tim Pascoe

During the interview, Mr Constance told Miranda Devine the Sydney trains had 10 cancellations in the morning and he expected another 10 cancellation in the afternoon peak.

“There hasn’t’ been a spike in sick leave,” he said.

He said trains were running at 93 per cent punctuality.

Mr Constance said there had been a huge spike in public transport use in recent years and the government needed to respond.

“Driverless trains are separate to this argument, but it’s around the corner,” he said.

Sydney’s first driverless metro train arrived in September last year and is expected to be ready for service within two years.

Crowds and police at Parramatta station during the rail industrial action last week. Picture: John Grainger

The interview comes as Sydney recovers from two weeks of train disruptions, which led to delays, an overtime ban and the threat of a strike.

While the Fair Work Commission has pushed back any industrial action six weeks, commuters still faced delays this morning because of unexpected sick leave, graffiti and mechanical fault.

The interview marks the 2018 return of Miranda Live — the first live internet radio show broadcast on DailyTelegraph.com.au.

Miranda Devine and the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during the broadcast of an earlier episode of Miranda Live. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The groundbreaking program is broadcast live from Daily Telegraph Studio One at its Holt St, Surry Hills headquarters from 4pm today and featured an interview with sex therapist Bettina Arndt about the #metoo phenomenon.

The hour-long broadcast was hosted by star columnist and broadcaster Miranda Devine and streamed live via the DailyTelegraph.com.au website and mobile site, as well as on Facebook live.

Follow the conversation at #MirandaLive.