Interview with Georgie Gardner, Today Show
25 September 2018
GEORGIE GARDNER: Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins us now from Auburn in Sydney. Prime Minister, good morning to you.
PRIME MINISTER: G'day Georgie.
GARDNER: What offends you about that decision?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I just don't know why people have to always bring Australia down and engage in this sort of thing. I mean we have citizenship ceremonies, they’re held all around the country, they’re supposed to be about new citizens. But when Councils want to use these as a political football, well I’ve decided we’ll just remove their ability to hold those. We’ll get someone else to do them, who are prepared to do it with the dignity and the respect that it should be done.
Australia Day is our national day. That is the day that Australia's history changed and it should be a day to recognise all Australians, from our first to our most recent. I don't think engaging in this sort of indulgent self-loathing, is how I described it, actually makes our country stronger. I mean I want to bring Australians together around this day and that’s why I’ve also said today that I’m very open to the idea of having a national day where we can particularly focus on the achievements and the success of our Indigenous peoples in a very positive way.
So you don't have to bring one down to raise another up. We should raise everybody up and bring everything together.
GARDNER: And everyone would, I guess, embrace such a sentiment, but the chief executive of Reconciliation Australia, Karen Mundine once said; “Changing the date of Australia Day is a relatively small task and asking Indigenous people to celebrate on January 26 is like asking them to dance on their ancestor's graves”. It’s the date that is the issue, isn't it?
PRIME MINISTER: But that is the date, that is the date the ships turned up. That is the date that 60,000 years of history in this country moved in to the most recent, modern form of our history. We can't pretend it was some other day that that happened. That is the day it happened. That is the day where we have got to deal with everything and we’ve got to embrace it all, warts and all. Accept our successes and acknowledge where we haven't done so well. There are scars from things that have happened over the last 200 years and more and we look at that like anyone looks at their entire life. I mean, is it not all perfect. It doesn't always go the way you would want it to and our national day is an opportunity to reflect on all of that, but ultimately to be positive. So I do want to acknowledge the incredible success of Indigenous culture - which is the world's oldest living culture – and modern Australia. And we can do both. We can come together around both of these things.
GARDNER: No, no one wants to fight, you’re right about that. But I guess there will always be those who see January 26 as “Invasion Day”. You’re proposing a new day altogether to honour Indigenous Australians, just explain how that would work? Who have you consulted about that, in terms of indigenous leaders?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I am just opening a chat on that, Georgie, we’re starting that process. That’s what we should have a chat about. I’m keen to have the views of Australians, Indigenous Australians, the States and Territories. I mean we should have a chat about that and I think that’s fine. But the key point I’m making today is, when Councils want to go and play politics with citizenship ceremonies - I mean if they want to put their local day on another day, that is up to them. But they don't get to say when citizenship ceremonies are used and they don't get to use citizenship ceremonies as some form of taxpayer-funded GetUp! exercise.
What it should be about is those new citizens, the celebration of our national day and embracing all Australians and ensuring we can all come together. When it comes to this other opportunity, well, I’m open to suggestions. In the ACT they do this I think on May 27 which is the recognition of the Referendum back in 1967. That’s already happening in the ACT. So let's have a chat about it, that is all I am saying.
GARDNER: Alright, let's add that to your to-do list Prime Minister, because you’ve been in the job for just month and boy, oh boy, you haven't stopped! From the drought, to aged care, Catholic school funding, strawberry sabotage saga, you have been described as a man in constant motion. “ScoMomentum” they’re calling you, fair assessment?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: Ray Price, when he used to play all those years ago, they used to cause him “Mr Perpetual Motion”, when he was out there on the field, that’s what I remember when I was a kid. But you know, I think Australians expect you to be getting on and doing things. That’s what we are doing as a Government. We have been doing that over the last five years and we are getting a lot done. I mean I am particularly pleased today that we’re announced $52 million for the meningococcal vaccine program which is going to be great for 14 to 19 year olds. I remember when I was that age I had a bit of a scare around that and the fact that today we’ll be able to do that, a million Australians over the next four years will get an opportunity to have that free vaccine. So that’s a great thing.
But you can't do that stuff without a strong economy and that’s why our Government is so focused on making sure our economy is strong, so you can pay for things like those vaccines or other affordable medicines, Medicare, more funding for schools and hospitals.
GARDNER: Alright, I want to get to that just, again in just a second. But the latest Newspoll shows you have clawed back some ground. Your Government, still though, is in big trouble and headed for a huge defeat. How are you going to shift people's mindset?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure, look, we have a long way to go. I know Bill Shorten thinks he’s already got it sewn up and wrapped up and he is measuring up the curtains and all the rest of it. But look, I’m just going to keep calling it as it is Georgie. I’m just going to be myself. Over Government has done a lot over the last five years.
We’ve been balancing the Budget, getting that back into balance. Investing in important services. $75 billion we’re investing in infrastructure which is supporting jobs all around the country including where I am today. That’s what I think Australians are looking for; that strong economy, the services they rely on, keeping Australians safe and keeping Australians together. So that’s what I’m sharing with the country and just being myself.
GARDNER: You’re on a roll. When are we heading to the polls, then?
PRIME MINISTER: That’s next year. There’s plenty of time for that. That’ll be next year and we’ll continue on with the job of governing in the interests of all Australians.
GARDNER: When next year?
PRIME MINISTER: Next year, 2019.
