Interview with Neil Breen, 4BC
27 October 2021
Neil Breen: Good morning, Prime Minister.
Prime Minister: G’day, Neil.
Breen: This happened pretty quick, Prime Minister. You went over to the United States and obviously met with our allies, the US and the UK. You came back and then climate was on the agenda and this got done pretty quickly. No one thought it would happen.
Prime Minister: No, well, I think it took a lot longer than that, Neil. I mean, this is something we've been working towards for a long time. That the low emissions technology roadmap we released last year, the changes to the national energy market that we've been working through to make sure that we keep our affordable and reliable energy. There's a lot of work that's been going into this for a long time - the Climate Solutions Fund. I said at the start of the year that, you know, we understand the world's changing, and it is. But the thing about our plan is it actually exposes the myth that says that you have to get to net zero by taxing people and forcing them to do things. That's the way some other countries want to do it. That's not how we're going to do it. That's not the Australian way. That's not what we're going to do. And the other point is, is that if you, if you move towards and have a target of net zero by 2050, the world's not going to end. In fact, it's going to give us opportunities to realise the new technology jobs that are there, as well as keeping all of our industries like up there in Gladstone and across Central Queensland moving ahead. We're not going to stop anyone digging anything up or planting anything or running any cattle anywhere - that will continue. We can do this without having to tax people or regulate people.
Breen: It was a, it was a key part of the debate in Australia over the last decade and a half, has been that Australians wanted action on climate change. Then the follow up question is how much are you willing to pay for it? And there was, and people didn't want to pay for it. They didn't want it in their power bills. They didn't want celebrities telling them, you have to do this and you have to do that. It's clear that that's the case, Prime Minister.
Prime Minister: That's right. And that's our plan and that's what our plan demonstrates. We've been putting the building blocks of all of our technology and policies in place over the last several years. And what they demonstrate is we can get there with those policies. We’ve added further support to things like low cost solar and getting that down to $15 per megawatt hour. That goes together with things like soil carbon and and of course, battery storage and and hydrogen and all of these new fuels and technologies, while keeping gas and other other fuels going, which keeps the lights on and keeps prices down. There seems to be this view by some who say, oh, you've got to take action on climate change, and somehow Australians should be punished for the work they do. That's rubbish. Australians don't have to be punished or nor should they feel guilty about what they do for a living, and they should feel no need to make any apologies to anyone overseas for that. So, we'll make our Australian way to do this. We'll get there. We've already got emissions down by over 20 per cent. Our economy is up by 45 per cent at the same time - few countries can boast that. Our emission reductions have already been greater than the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Canada. So, there are a lot of people overseas talking about this stuff, but we're actually just doing it and growing our economy and keeping people in jobs at the same time.
Breen: Whenever you look into a crystal ball, there's always assumptions made, and there are assumptions made here about technology - some existing, some assumptions that some will improve, and that some that don't even exist, will exist. So, we're hanging a lot on a few assumptions, though.
Prime Minister: Well, we’re, what we're doing is backing technological development as the way to achieve net zero by 2050, and anyone who’s ever used an iPhone knows that's not a bad bet. Everyone, you know, we didn't have to tax or regulate anybody to get a COVID vaccine. There was just an understanding that we needed to focus on cracking those challenges, and we did. And it's the same for dealing with climate change. I made this exact point when I was over in the UK early this year to the other G7, to the G7 leaders. I said, this is the same challenge. The whole world has got together and focused on cracking a vaccine for COVID. We've just got to crack these technologies, which means people can keep their jobs, they can keep driving cars, they can keep farming, they can keep mining and not have to, you know, sacrifice that [inaudible]. And that is totally possible. And I've, you know, got great faith. Well, I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got more faith in those who develop these technologies and make them reality, than politicians making laws, putting taxes on people and restricting what people can do.
Breen: Prime Minister, when you are the Prime Minister, everyone hangs off every word you say and tries to pick holes in it. At your press conference yesterday you said the next Budget would reveal further details on the plan, which had everyone going, oh, the Prime Minister’s going to have a Budget in May, which means the federal election will be after May. Are you going to hand down the next Budget?
Prime Minister: Oh, well, the Treasurers hand out Budgets. But, look, what I said was, that's the intention. I mean, I've always said the election is going to be next year. Everybody's been carrying on that it would be on this year. It was never going to be this year. I couldn't have been clearer about that. They’ll be an election next year. It’s, you know, the election is due by the end of, late May. And you usually have a Budget before late May. So, you know, we'll see what happens next year. But what I am saying is we'll be making further investments in rural and regional Australia. We've got more announcements to come to support this plan on issues like fuels and electric vehicles and things like that, but we're not going to be mandating anyone to do anything. This is all about respecting people's choices. This is about the sensible middle ground, which I know Australians want. Of course, they want us to take action on climate change. They want all the fighting and carrying on to come to an end. Every day I've been in this Parliament since 2007, the extremes of this debate have been shouting at each other, and when we're not doing that, they're shouting at the clouds. Sensible people just want to get on with it, get it done, and focus on their jobs and their security.
Breen: You're off to Rome tomorrow, I think it is, for the G20 or somewhere in Italy - I think it's Rome - and then you'll be going to Glasgow. I've got to say, Prime Minister, this morning, I'm worried about the Queen.
Prime Minister: We all are. I've had the great privilege to meet her on several occasions and she's just a wonderful woman. It's one of the highlights and the privileges of serving as Prime Minister is the ability to meet with Her Majesty, and Jenny was there with me on one of those those trips, and she's just absolutely delightful and she loves Australia. She's keenly interested, particularly in the welfare of rural and regional Australians. She, you know, they constantly make enquiries about where we're at on things, and I remember she called me early on in the COVID pandemic and just to see how Australians were going, and she called Jacinda Ardern as well. So, she's a wonderful, wonderful Queen, and we just hope she'll improve. I hear she is. But let's just hope that she will. And all of Australia's prayers and thoughts are with her for a speedy recovery.
Breen: Absolutely. And there’s a silver lining on your trip, too, because when you get home, you won't have to quarantine under the new rules in New South Wales.
Prime Minister: Well, that's true. And if I was going back to Victoria it’d be the same.
Breen: Not in Queensland, though.
Prime Minister: No, and that's why we've got to get those vaccination rates up in Queensland. I mean, that's what enables this. I mean, Queensland’s now over 75 per cent first dose. What I can tell you today is that Australia's first dose vaccination rate is now higher than the United Kingdom. That's as a percentage of the full population. So, that's great news. Australians are doing well and we need those, we need those Queensland second doses to get up so that means we can start, you know, bringing those boundaries down safely. I understand Queenslanders want to do this safely and that's the right thing to do. For that to achieve, we've got to get those vaccination rates up more. So, please go out there, there's there's all the doses available. We could be achieving 80 per cent vaccination rates, double dose in Queensland, you know, within the next week if everyone just went out and got the doses that were there. So, I want to encourage all Queenslanders to go and do that.
Breen: Ok. Prime Minister, well, all the best on your trip to Italy and to Glasgow. And our thoughts are with the Queen as well, and travel and arrive home safely.
Prime Minister: Just before I go, Neil, two quick things. Last night, we also signed off on the fact that Australians will be able to travel overseas from next Monday.
Breen: Oh yes, yep, I spoke to Karen Andrews about that.
Prime Minister: So, that barrier’s gone. And if, that includes if you're in Queensland, you can fly out. You won’t be able to fly back into Queensland without doing two weeks’ quarantine. So, it's a bit of a reverse Hotel California, there. But the other part of it, though, is that TGA has made an announcement on booster shots. The Health Minister’s standing up on that very shortly. And, so, we'll be moving to our booster program very soon. But to have boosters, you've got to have your first two doses, so come on, Queensland.
Breen: Ok, yeah, exactly right. Yeah, those things have been breaking out of Canberra this morning. There’s stacks of news around, clearing the decks before you head off to Rome. Enjoy the plane flight.
Prime Minister: Good on you, Breeny. Cheers mate.
