Boost for National Cricket Campus

8 April 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Regional Services, Sport, Local Government and Decentralisation

Australia’s top notch cricketers and up and comers are a step closer to a new National Cricket Campus in Brisbane after the project received a $7 million boost from the Morrison Government.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investment would help redevelop Allan Border Field into a hub for female cricket as well as transform the Shaw Road community facility to grow junior participation in cricket.

"This is about taking cricket in Australia to the next level with world-class facilities," the Prime Minister said.

"Whether it’s our conquering Australian women’s team or those local clubs fostering the skills of our next Tim Paine or Meg Lanning, these are the sorts of investments we can make because of our plan for a stronger economy."

LNP Member for Brisbane Trevor Evans said he had backed the National Cricket Campus vision from the start.

"We’re cementing Brisbane’s place at the heart of cricket in Australia," Mr Evans said.

"Every day I see kids and community teams out on Brisbane’s pitches and in the nets practising and this investment in the National Cricket Campus is for them.

"Our funding boost is also set to create 300 jobs to support the project and cricket will deliver even more for our economy by an increase in domestic training camps, national performance programs and international and interstate trips."

Minister for Sport Bridget McKenzie said the Campus would be the training base for Australia’s men’s and women’s sides as well as hosting women’s internationals matches, state and national championships and the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League and Premier Cricket matches.

"Women’s cricket in Australia is going from strength to strength and these new facilities lock in an even brighter future for cricket in Queensland and across Australia," Minister McKenzie said.

"As more young players come through cricket we’re focused on giving them the tools and coaching they need so they can reach their potential. Alongside the Bupa National Cricket Centre our funding boost will help deliver the world’s best integrated indoor and outdoor cricket campus."

The funding for the National Cricket Campus complements the Morrison Government’s other significant investments to support female sport including:

• $150 million to support the development of female change room facilities at sporting grounds, and upgrades of community swimming facilities across the country;

• $100 million for the highly successful Community Sport Infrastructure program which has already provided funding for 458 community based sporting projects;

• $12 million to support Tennis Australia boost female participation at a grassroots level;

• $15 million to redevelop Ikon Park in Melbourne as the home of AFLW in Victoria; and

• $15 million to establish a new state-of-the-art sports and events venue in Springfield, Queensland, to get more women into sport.

Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket have together already committed $4.25 million towards the $18 million project.

The remaining $7 million required for the project will now be sought from State and Local Governments.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42261

Doorstop, North Richmond NSW

7 April 2019

SARAH RICHARDS, LIBERAL CANDIDATE FOR MACQUARIE: Good afternoon and welcome to the beautiful electorate of Macquarie, which is made up of the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains and most importantly the beautiful banks of the Hawkesbury River. I’m Sarah Richards and I’m the Liberal Candidate for Macquarie. I’m pleased to be here today with the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Marise Payne to celebrate the $200 million announcement in last week’s Federal Budget for the third crossing of the Hawkesbury River. As a local who travels across the current bridges daily, I understand  the need for this additional crossing. What it means is less congestion. What it means is safer roads. What it means is more time spent at home with friends and family instead of being stuck in traffic jams. This is a huge win for Macquarie and I’m so proud  that the Liberals have prioritised this infrastructure investment. I’d like to thank the Prime Minister for committing the funds and listening to our community. Because only it’s with a stronger economy that investment in infrastructure like this can be made across Australia. I’ll now hand over to the Prime Minister for some further words.

PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you very much Sarah and Marise and It's great to be here with you today to be making this announcement about the $200 million that we're putting into the third crossing of the Hawkesbury River.

Today is another great opportunity to talk about the Budget that we handed down last Tuesday, unpacking that Budget for Australians so they can become familiar with all of the things that go into making our economy stronger. Building our economy to secure your future, which is what this year's Budget is all about.

We already know from that Budget and the lower taxes, the NCSEM modelling, the independent NCSEM modelling shows today that Australians on full-time average wages are going to be $1,000 better off under the Liberal and National plan, than under Labor's plan.

Lower taxes to drive a stronger economy is what we're about as a Government. That's how you’re able to invest in the essential services that Australians rely on. That tax relief extends to small and family businesses, of which there are so many here in the electorate of Macquarie; tourism businesses, agricultural businesses, light manufacturing businesses, right across Western Sydney but particularly here in the Hawkesbury and up in the Mountains and throughout Western Sydney.

So our Budget provides that plan for lower taxes. But our Budget also has a plan for managing population growth. This is one of the things that impacts on the quality of life of our citizens, whether it's living here in Western Sydney or out in suburban Brisbane, in south east Queensland or over in Perth, where people are living with the increasing population growth. The need is to deal with the things that can get that under control and we've announced a comprehensive, a serious plan to manage population growth, with sensible, responsible migration intake. With greater coordination between state, local and federal governments about how we plan for future population growth. Ensuring that we're investing in the cohesion of our communities, so our communities grow together as we go forward, and don’t grow apart as our cities come under more pressure.

But a key part of ensuring we manage population growth into the future, is that we invest in the infrastructure that relieves the pressure on our cities. The third crossing of the Hawkesbury here in the electorate of Macquarie, is central to that plan. It’s first thing Sarah raised with me, as a candidate when she was preselected - backed up strongly by Marise I have to say, who is a longstanding advocate for Western Sydney, as the Senator for Western Sydney – was the need to do this third crossing. Yes, it’s a significant commitment, $200 million in a 80-20 funding split with the State Government. The State Government has already begun the work on how this project can be delivered, we'll be leveraging off their work and I have no doubt of their commitment to the project.

This will make a big difference here in Western Sydney. It will make a really big difference. It will make a really big difference not just for people living to Richmond and north Richmond, but throughout the entire area, up over the Ranges, coming all throughout this part of Western Sydney. It's a key link to the small and family businesses, those that are here and a growing Sydney economy of which they have always been great beneficiaries of.

But I'll tell you one thing you won't find in our Budget from last week; you won't find more than $200 billion in higher taxes, which is just going to weigh down the Australian economy and weigh down families facing cost-of-living pressures.

You can't solve anybody's problems by putting their taxes up. You can't face the stiff headwinds of a global economy, if you put more weight on the businesses, the small and family businesses that are driving our economy forward.

That's why you won't find all those higher taxes that Labor would put on the Australian economy. You also won't find reckless targets on emissions that will also drag our economy back, putting up the cost of absolutely everything. Particularly from a Labor Party that cannot even explain their own emissions reductions policies.

The Leader of the Opposition was totally caught out last week. We're all for seeing electric vehicles being part of the mix, there's no problem with that. None at all. In fact, in our own Budgets, we've encouraged it.

But what we saw from Bill Shorten this week was that he does not understand his own emissions reductions policies. And if he can't explain it and if he can't understand the detail, how can he expect anyone else to? That was Bill Shorten's ‘birthday cake moment’ when it comes to his emissions reduction policy - thinking that you could charge an electric vehicle with today's technology, with what is available, in eight to ten minutes.

I mean, maybe Bill Shorten should use this time between now and when the election is called, to re-charge his emissions reduction policy and get it back into a sensible framework, because I suspect it’s going to take more than eight to ten minutes, that would be my guess. Because he isn't across the detail of his emissions reduction policies and he refused to tell Australians what it would cost them. It’s $9,000 in wages and countless numbers of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs that are lost. These are the things that are the risks of Labor in the economy.

But today it's about $200 million for a very important third crossing. Marise, tell us how important that is for Western Sydney?

SENATOR THE HON MARISE PAYNE, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Thank you very much, Prime Minister and it’s fabulous to have you here with us again, this time on the banks of the Hawkesbury, from the Nepean to the Hawkesbury, two of the most important waterways in the Western Sydney community. Prime Minister, I also want to acknowledge Sarah and her campaign, her advocacy for the third crossing. From day dot, as a councilor, from day dot as a candidate, Sarah has been the strongest advocate for this investment in congestion-busting infrastructure in Western Sydney.

That’s what we're doing where I live slightly south of here in the Lindsay area, through to this part of Western Sydney; we’re absolutely focused on the things that make it harder for the community members to get around and addressing those problems. I've lost count of the number of screenshots I’ve got of live traffic and Google maps, pointing out the congestion for me every morning, as commuters are trying to get from one side to the other and back again in the afternoon.

So if you take together the initiatives that we’re initiating here in Western Sydney, they are about making life easier for families. They're about making life easier for businesses from one end of this part of Australia to the other, ensuring that we’re able as a Government - because we have a strong economy - to deliver on those challenges.

So Sarah, congratulations on your advocacy. Congratulations on all the work you've done to do this and thank you for arranging such a fabulous day here on the banks of the Hawkesbury. We look forward to continuing to work with you on ensuring that we bring this to fruition.

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much. We're getting you home sooner, safer, getting you to the site sooner and safer, so you can spend more time on site and not in a traffic jam. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister Labor estimates you’ll be spending an extra $600,000 of taxpayer money per day for every day you delay the election. Do you dispute that?

PRIME MINISTER: Labor are full of lies and higher taxes. That's all you need to know about Labor, they'll be telling lies each and every day about the Liberal Party and about their own policies. But what they won't tell you about is their higher tax, so Labor are about lies and higher taxes.

JOURNALIST: So do you totally deny what they’re saying, that you’re delaying the election so you can tap into taxpayer funds to pay for ads?

PRIME MINISTER: What we're doing is talking about the Budget we released last week, we do this after every Budget. I don't set my plans based on Bill Shorten's preference and what he would prefer. What I do is pursue the Government's programme, explaining to Australians what the Budget means, which is lower taxes. Lower taxes, not just for individuals, not just for all individuals but for small and family business as well.

I'm also not going to take lectures from the Labor Party that completely defied every single convention that has been known to Australian elections, when they ran taxpayer-funded ads during the 2013 caretaker period. So Labor, honestly they can lecture nobody about anything, Labor are about lies and higher taxes.

JOURNALIST: So you’re not going to stop advertising at all over [inaudible] the next week?

PRIME MINISTER: All of these arrangements are done according to strict guidelines and they're run by impartial, independent government departments.

JOURNALIST: How can you justify spending $180 million reopening the Christmas Island Detention Centre when just one person has been medically transferred in the last six weeks and they came straight [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: Our actions in reopening Christmas Island was recommended to us by the Department of Home Affairs. It’s doing it’s job and it’s providing a deterrent to those who would look to game the system. The fact is you’ve seen so few people now looking to game the system, when advocates and others were saying that they'd be coming each and every day. That has not happened, because of the actions that we've taken as a Government. We'll continue to always take the strongest decisions to ensure that our borders remain secure. Now, I know that's a very big issue out here in Western Sydney. People here expect their Government to act for their safety and for the protection of their borders and our Government will always do that.

What we've seen from Labor and from Bill Shorten in particular, is that he blinks when it comes to border protection. That's why he can be trusted. He blinks on border protection every single time, as he did in the Parliament a few months ago. When the weight came on and the pressure came on from the Greens and the others, Bill Shorten buckled. That's what you can expect from him; he did not show the strength that was necessary to protect our borders, he displayed total weakness.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister can I ask you about Winx? She’s about to [inaudible] it’s her last race, it’s quite a historic moment, does this hold any special weight or meaning for you personally?

PRIME MINISTER: Probably more to Marise than it does for me to be honest, because my passion is in other areas. But I think all of Australians have caught the passion of Winx and I understand - Marise can correct me if I'm wrong - but it’s the last running next weekend in the Queen Elizabeth. And it's not just Winx that has captured the hearts and the minds, but it has been the owners and the trainers as well. Because what they say to me - and I've met with them and shared a few stories with them - they for me epitomise the fair go for those who have a go. I think that's the story of Winx. I think it's the story of the owners of Winx and it captured our hearts and imaginations because they've gone out there, they've had a crack and they've conquered the world and good for them.

They're the things I believe in and that's why I can celebrate, along with all other Australians, Winx's mighty success. I wish her all the best. If I get Marise talking about the horse-racing, we could be here all afternoon, a bit like if you ask me about the Sharks. But go on, I'll indulge you.

[Laughter]

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: One observation about backing Angel of Truth in the Australian Derby yesterday and seeing an amazing provincial trainer called Gwenda Markwell bring home the Group 1 race for her stable and for the owners of that gorgeous horse. It was a phenomenal moment. But when Winx takes to the track next week, I think it will be one of those “all of Australia stops” moments, just to salute this extraordinary girl of the track. She's amazing.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister on electric vehicles you mentioned, the Government is funding rapid recharge stations through the $6 million ARENA initiative.

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we are.

JOURNALIST: Angus Taylor says they could charge a car in 15 minutes?

PRIME MINISTER: That’s new technology, not existing technology.

JOURNALIST: Do you believe him or do you believe, er, how is what he said with 15 minutes different from what Bill Shorten said?

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah I’ve heard Labor pushing this around today. There's two things. First, we don't have a problem with electric vehicles, in fact, we've been facilitating the development of the infrastructure and the new technologies. What Angus Taylor was talking about was technologies that at present are not in general use. What Bill Shorten was talking about is how long it actually takes to charge up a vehicle today. He clearly had no idea. I mean, go online, you can go and find those little cars that kids drive around in, even they take eight or nine hours to charge overnight.

So look, the point about it is not whether electric vehicles are good or bad, in fact, they have a role to play increasingly in the vehicle fleet of Australia over the next decade. The problem here is for Bill Shorten, who doesn't understand his own policy. But in typical Labor fashion, they want to ram it down the necks of all Australians.

So the cheapest car you can currently buy as an electric vehicle presently, my understanding is that including all on-road costs and all the rest of it, it’s about $45,000 to $50,000. That's the cheapest car Bill Shorten wants to make available for you to buy in the future.

I'll tell you what; it's not going to tow your trailer. It's not going to tow your boat. It's not going to get you out to your favourite camping spot with your family. Bill Shorten wants to end the weekend, when it comes to his policy on electric vehicles, where you've got Australians who love being out there in their four wheel drives. He wants to say ‘see ya later’ to the SUV when it comes to the choices of Australians.

This is fundamentally the difference between us and Labor when it comes to these issues. We have no problem with the adoption of these new technologies and we facilitate it and we're part of it. But what Bill Shorten wants to do, without seemingly even understanding what his policy does, is trying to drive people into these decisions. His policies simply don’t have the backing and how he’ll can’t explain how he will achieve these targets.

I'll give you an example. He still has not explained what would be the impact on petrol and diesel excise revenue over the next decade? I mean the net take out of the excise is about $11 billion a year. So Bill, what's the bill?

But know this; when there's a bill from Labor, it always gets sent to you. You vote Labor once, you pay for a decade. That's what this year's Budget showed; for the first time, getting our Budget back into a surplus for next year, in more than a decade. The only reason for that is, in 2007 we stepped away from the strong economic management of the Howard Costello Government. After six years of Labor and after Wayne Swan - I can say quite truthfully, that we’re currently in Wayne’s debt, literally, absolutely literally - now we begin the process of paying off Labor's debt, by getting the Budget back into surplus. Which occurs next year, with the Budget we handed down this week. We just get on with the job, building the economy to secure your future.

JOURNALIST: When are you going to call the election? 

PRIME MINISTER: The election will be called in April and the election will be held in May. We're not doing this with any haste and we're not doing it with any delay. There have always been three dates, the 11th, the 18th and 25th and I made no secret about that.

I noticed Bill Shorten's frustration yesterday, but you know, that impatience is born of arrogance. He believes that he should’ve just had this election already and he believes he's already won it. I think he's assuming of the Australian people their support.

I assume nothing when it comes to that, that's why last week we handed down the Budget which is our proposal to the Australian people about how we're going to keep our economy strong, to pay for the essential services that Australians rely, on without increasing taxes. We're making that very clear.

Bill can be as frustrated and anxious and grumpy as he likes. But you know, we’re running to the plan that we've set as a Government and we're looking forward to the weeks ahead. It won't be before too long that obviously we’ll go to the polls. When we go to the polls, Australians will have a very clear choice; a stronger economy, guaranteeing the essentials that Australians rely on like health and education and Medicare and ensuring that that's there for the future – or the Labor Party which is all lies and higher taxes.

Thank you very much.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42259

Radio interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB

5 April 2019

BEN FORDHAM: I can only guess that he’s here to call the election now, live on the air in what would be a 2GB exclusive – that’s just a guess I might be wrong - Scott Morrison good afternoon to you.

PRIME MINISTER: G’day Ben – there’s a fair chance you might be wrong. Fair chance.

[Laughter]

FORDHAM: Oh, what?

PRIME MINISTER: No mate I’m here in Sydney and it’s nice to be back home after a big week down there Canberra with the Budget.

FORDHAM: You’re kidding, hang on a moment, you're letting me down here. I was convinced, hang on a moment, he’s going to buck all tradition here, he’s going ignore tradition and he's going to call the election live on my show.

PRIME MINISTER: As it's usually done by most prime ministers?

FORDHAM: Then you’ll go and see the Governor-General on Saturday or Sunday.

PRIME MINISTER: Well the election will be called in April and it will be held in May, that's as much of the detail I can tell you about today Ben.

FORDHAM: I’ve just missed out on one of the biggest scoops of my life.

PRIME MINISTER:  Well it wouldn’t be the first time.

[Laughter]

FORDHAM: Alright, well look we do have a few minutes to talk to you, so if you change your mind, I’m here. First things first, reaction to the Federal Budget, let's get to that. First of all you're promising Australia will be back in the black, back in surplus.

PRIME MINISTER: Yep.

FORDHAM: How do you reckon the Budget has been received by Australians? You’ve already had a chance to get a bit of a sense of that?

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah the feedback I've had, I was down in Nowra this morning just chatting to people down there and obviously I’ve been getting a lot of feedback through the phones and people's electorate offices all around the country. I think people do see it as a good balance between responsibility and reward for people's effort, but also the reality of what we're facing in terms of the economic challenges ahead. I think they see that as a good balance.

I mean it’s a Budget about saying to people; “If you have a go, you'll get a go,” and “we're not going to hold you back”. That's what tax cuts are all about, not just right now but into the future as well; you keep more of what you earn. The investments, particularly in our major cities on the infrastructure and the congestion-busting initiatives, that's been well-received, because we've been rolling out those programs for a while. But the broader road projects - like the one I was talking about this morning on the South Coast  - many of you listeners would know the notorious section of the Princes Highway down at the Sussex Inlet turnoff – it’s $ 500 million and working all the way down the coast.

These sorts of projects is why you want a strong economy. I mean, it's great we're having a surplus next year, we've worked hard to get to it. But a surplus of itself, isn't the point. It's what you use the surplus to do and that is to pay down the debt and invest in the essential services Australians rely on.

FORDHAM: I was watching Q&A at the start of the week.

PRIME MINISTER: Why?

[Laughter]

FORDHAM: I had a problem with the remote control, I got stuck. Anyway, I tuned in on Monday night and there was someone asked a question  - this this whole thing about power bill relief – “Why don't people on Newstart get it?” I mentioned the next day I really quite liked how Arthur Sinodinos said; “Look, I don't know.” You don't often hear that from politicians. But he said; “I don't know, I don't know the answer for that.” You guys obviously then went and had a look at it and went; “Righto, we’re going to extend it.” Just talk me through how that all unfolded?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I wanted Australians – and we did this a couple years ago for pensions, you see pension welfare payments are different to the others, pension payments are permanent welfare payments. If you’re on a Disability Support Pension, the Age Pension or a widow's pension, these are living welfare payments. The thing about Newstart and a lot of these other allowances is, they’re temporary payments. Two thirds of people are off Newstart within the year. Now there was a growing sense of the mood that in order to see this supported, that it would pass the Parliament quickly in a couple of days - you know we're in a minority government so I have to be sensible with that - I said; “Well, let's not have the politics and the ‘argy bargy’. If that's the genuine consensus that exists across the Parliament, then we’ll extend it to those other payments”. And we're in position to do it, because we outperformed the Budget that I announced just under a year ago, by over $10 billion dollars. So we're in a position to accommodate it.

FORDHAM: Fair enough.

PRIME MINISTER: Let's just get it done.

FORDHAM: And when you consider what Newstart is, it's not a lot of money so I don't –

PRIME MINISTER: No, it’s not Ben. So it was about the Budget, I was happy to do it and it was just being quite practical and sensible.

FORDHAM: Alright, Bill Shorten had his reply last night, among other things he's promising $2.3 billion to slash the cost of cancer treatment for Australians. Do you like that idea? I reckon it's been pretty well received today.

PRIME MINISTER:  We all stand with people with cancer, I mean we've got $9 billion of funding going towards 130 separate drugs under the affordable medicines program, the Pharmaceutical Benefit scheme. Where these drugs can cost $150,000, or $200,000 a course, we bring that down to $40.50 and $6.50 for concessions. So you know, we are doing this. I'll take a good look at what they've proposed and it's not clear yet how much of that is actually new money and how much of us overlap with things that are already happening now. So we'll take a look at that when they release the detail.

FORDHAM: In the interest of flexibility, like on the Newstart thing, if you do look at it, if you look at it and go; “Alright we're in a pretty strong position as far as finances are concerned, we might be able to do a few more things for people with cancer considering the number of people impacted by it,” you're willing to take a look at that?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm always interested in how we can help people with cancer. I think what was potentially a bit misleading last night was the suggestion that there aren’t free treatments now.

I mean if you go to a public hospital at the moment, all the things that he was talking about last night, that all happens for free at a public hospital now.

FORDHAM: That's what most of my callers have been saying to me today.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it’s true.

FORDHAM: Not all of them, but most of them today have saying; “Well you know, when I went through my own cancer battle, I didn't pay for any of this stuff”.

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah and that is true. So, the suggestion that somehow our health system doesn't provide this for free, now, I think is misleading. Or you know, there's another word for it, but let's be good-natured about it.

In the Budget we have announced on Tuesday night, we had the biggest ever program to tackle youth suicide and mental health for young people in this country. I was quite hopeful that he would have supported that last night. I mean that's why - dealing with disabilities today, I announced the Royal Commission into the abuse of people who are disabled – these things should be above politics. Whether it's tackling youth suicide or dealing with cancer, I mean –

FORDHAM: And you’ll go above politics on cancer if you feel you can do more, you will?

PRIME MINISTER: Sure, of course.

FORDHAM: Now, of electric cars. Have you got one?

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: I don’t, but I know it takes more than six to eight minutes to charge, I mean crikey. Seriously, I joked today at a lunch event, I was speaking there today; he must have been talking about those little cars you give to your kids. But I don’t think that’s what going to get everybody to work. 

FORDHAM: Oh, a Scalextric electric car set? He might have been talking about them.

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: I don’t know what he was talking about.

FORDHAM: I should just play for people what we’re referring to. This is Bill Shorten talking to Kyle and Jackie O on KIIS FM.

PRESENTER – RECORDING: How long does it take to charge one up?

BILL SHORTEN - RECORDING: Oh, it can take, it depends what the original charge is. But it can take eight to ten minutes, depending on your charging. It can take longer.

PRESENTER – RECORDING : Oh, is that all?

BILL SHORTEN - RECORDING: Well it depends how flat your battery is.

FORDHAM: Now, what he’s saying is right … because if you charge an electric car for eight minutes, it will get you from Cronulla to Caringbah.

[Laughter] 

PRIME MINISTER: I don’t think it would get you from Northies to North Cronulla, I don’t think it’d get you that far.

But I think the problem with this is, Bill came up with this plan last Monday and it's clearly not thought through. I mean he reckons that 50 per cent of the cars that we all are driving around in 10 years from now will be electric cars. But the share of the market at the moment, is 0.2 per cent. He hasn't thought through what that means for diesel and fuel excise, that's around about $11 billion a year. Now, if you go and buy an electric car, well obviously you don't pay the fuel excise, what is that going to mean for that revenue stream and what's the cost of that? What about all these charging stations, how much is that going to cost? I mean if you have an electric car and you live in an apartment, are you going to run the extension cord down from your fourth floor window? I mean this thing is not thought through and it's just typical of what we see from Labor; a big goal - a 45 percent emissions reduction target, climate heroes - but the actual detail of it, is all fluff.

FORDHAM: There’s a mob called ‘Aussie Farms’ you may have seen these guys. They’re the people who put that map up of farm locations and they've been invading farm land, even though they've been told not to come on them. We revealed at the top of the show today through the Farmers Federation that they've secretly planned another one on Monday in Queensland and Victoria and also New South Wales. They've done their best through their messaging to say; “We’re going to keep all this quiet, we don't want anyone to know.”  We have read out on air this afternoon, with the Farmers Federation what their plans are for Monday. What would you say about activists storming private property and going on to people's farms and terrorizing people?

PRIME MINISTER: Throw the book at them - and there are some other measures that the Government has been looking at, I've been working with the Attorney-General on this and the Minister for Agriculture. I think this is disgraceful, I'm sick of it. You don't - I mean our farmers are going through probably one of the toughest times we've seen in a very, very long time. These grubs carrying on like this, I think it’s despicable.

The fact is, you know the Greens and all these people think this is all jolly and alright. It’s just not on. That's why we're looking at taking further steps on this sort of thing, we’ve been working closely with the AG, I won’t say much more about it now. But this is not Australian. This is what I really can't stand about all of this, these types of initiatives; why are Australians looking to go to war with Australians over this? Why can't they help each other out? I mean they think their cause is bigger than the livelihood of a fellow Australian. I just find that despicable.

FORDHAM: Speaking of people going to war with Australians, you had said earlier in the week that you're not going to put any Australian life at risk to extract people from conflict zones?

PRIME MINISTER: Correct.

FORDHAM: Talking about people who go and sign up with Islamic State, you've also made some comments in relation to the children of Khaled Sharrouf, one of our most infamous terrorists. You’ve spoken about these children, you’re saying in the case of the children who were the innocent victims of those who took them into this atrocious place, they have a responsibility here. But “where there are Australians who are caught up in this situation particularly as innocent children, we will do what I think Australians would expect us to do on their behalf.” So does that mean bringing them here to Australia?

PRIME MINISTER: It all depends where they are. I mean they're there in a conflict zone currently, so I'm not going to put any Australian diplomat or any other Australian in a position of risk to go and extract anyone from these situations. But we are open to work with the Red Cross if they have identified people and they’re able to come to a position where they might seek travel documents or something like that, for children. In some cases Ben we're talking about orphans.

FORDHAM: I'm really torn on this and I feel so sorry for these children. There are so many children out there PM, who find themselves in circumstances based on the decisions made by their mum or dad, rightly or wrongly.

PRIME MINISTER: True.

FORDHAM: But I really worry too when you got 16 and 17 year olds, I worry whether you’re importing a problem here. If they grow up feeling like their father's life was taken by, you know, Australian-backed forces, are they going to seek revenge or retribution? I mean someone said earlier on the open line, just lastly; “Look, you know, it’s terrible for these kids, but let's face it, is anyone going to want them sitting next to their kid in the classroom here in Australia?”

PRIME MINISTER: Look to be fair, particularly when you're talking about younger children, I mean, kids are kids I think. I think we all respect the innocence of children.

We have pretty strict processes about what we'd have to go through, basically firstly ensuring that their identity is as they say it is and the citizenship issues check out. For that to happen they would have to be in a location where this could be done and in that case if all the checks are completed and they request travel documents, well, that's when the Government actually would consider providing that documentation. But the point is -

FORDHAM: You think we need to show a bit of love. We need to show we’re humane?

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve got to get the balance, I mean these are kids. These are kids and what their parents have done is criminal, going in there and fighting against Australia and against likeminded countries. That’s unacceptable and the other thing I won’t do is separate children from their parents. So if the parents think this is a way of getting themselves over the line, well think again.

But when we’re talking about innocent, unaccompanied children, well that's something we'll have to deal with on a case by case basis and I think, in a sensible way.

FORDHAM: It is a risk though isn’t it?

PRIME MINISTER: We won’t compromise it, but one thing that happened in the Parliament this week Ben – you may be keen to know –  there are a lot of these foreign fighters and now they've lost that fight, some of them think; “Oh well, I was all confused and I wish I hadn’t,” and all the rest of it.

Well, my view on that is; “Tough.” On temporary exclusion orders which we sought to legislate in the Parliament this week – and the Labor Party wouldn’t support us - this is a rule that says if any one of these foreign fighters sought to come back into Australia, which if they’re an Australian citizen and their citizenship hasn’t been expunged -  then they can enter the country, but we would have been able to put them on what was effectively in a parole-like set of circumstances with reporting provisions. Now the Labor Party didn’t support us to pass that and that meant we couldn't get it through the Parliament. I thought that was another tell from Labor, that when it comes to national security, you just can't trust them, their heart is not in it.

FORDHAM: Bringing the children of terrorists here is a risk, isn't it?

PRIME MINISTER: Well look, I don't think you can generalize to be fair Ben, I think you just take each and every case, you apply your process, the discipline, the intelligence, the judgment and which there are very experienced people working on in this area. So you know, we've just increased for example, our funding in this Budget by $560 million dollars for resources for ASIO and for the Australian Federal Police to bolster their counter-terrorism work.

I mean we are now, sadly but necessarily, surveilling eight times more people than we did when we came to government. That's what we have to do and that's what we are doing. Under our Government going forward, that's what we will always do.

FORDHAM: Really appreciate you sparing some time to call in this afternoon, I know I've probably gone over the allotted time. What have you got on tomorrow?

PRIME MINISTER: That Sharks are playing the Eels mate, so I’m excited about that. I think its going to be the game of the round and down in my beloved Shire it's the opening of the shield season, so some of the district’s boys will be running out for the first time and there's a rumour that the Prime Minister is going to be doing the kickoff. So that could be fairly ugly.

FORDHAM: What have you got on Sunday?

PRIME MINISTER: I go to church on Sunday mate.

FORDHAM: So you’re in Sydney on Sunday?

PRIME MINISTER: I go to church in Sydney, yeah.

FORDHAM: Not planning to go to Canberra on Sunday?

PRIME MINISTER: Oh, we’ll see.

FORDHAM: You are?

PRIME MINISTER: It’s a mystery Ben.

FORDHAM: Do you need the address of the Governor-General’s joint?

PRIME MINISTER: Well he’s going to be here in Sydney too, so you never know.

FORDHAM:  So you can just go to the Sydney residence?

PRIME MINISTER: Mate he might be out there at the stadium on Saturday night, mind you he’s a Roosters fan. But Lady Cosgrove is quite keen on the Sharks.

[Laughter]

FORDHAM: Alright, so we’ll be at the polls really soon, but you’re not saying when?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course not Ben. I mean the election will be called, there are three dates, 11th, 18th or 25th and we’ve just released our Budget. We’re out there – Josh is down in Melbourne today speaking at a number of events and I've been back home in Sydney today and it was also good to be down there with Warren Mundine on the South Coast. He’s doing a visa cracking job down there and getting a tremendous reception. Warren Mundine - I mean you know Warren - I think he's going to be, if he gets the opportunity which I believe he will, I think he'll be fantastic in the Australian Parliament. He's got so much to offer.

FORDHAM: Well I was hoping for the scoop, you haven’t given me one but it's always nice to chat, thank you so much for coming on.

PRIME MINISTER:  Good on you Ben, cheers.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42258

Press conference with the Minister for Families and Social Services

5 April 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Families and Social Services

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I’m joined by Minister Fletcher this morning for what I think is a very important announcement. Today I'm pleased to announce the establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with a Disability. The Governor-General has now signed the letters patent which will finalise the terms of reference for the inquiry. This means that the Royal Commission can now start this very important work.

Our Government recognises that people with a disability are more likely to suffer abuse, violence and neglect and exploitation than Australians that do not have a disability, which is why we have taken action and consulted extensively across Australia on the draft terms of reference with people with disability, their families, their carers, States and Territories, the disability sector and the Opposition. I want to thank everyone who participated in the public consultation and draft terms of reference. As Minister Fletcher will go through, some 3,700 responses - which is fantastic with that level of engagement - most importantly, 30 per cent of those responses were directly from people living with a disability. Responses were provided overwhelmingly and supportive of the draft terms of reference that were circulated, particularly to the breadth of coverage and particularly to what is really at the heart of what this inquiry is all about; people living with disability have faced the most difficult of circumstances. Because of their own condition, but worse than that, it’s the lack of a culture of respect towards people with disability. That leads to abuse and mistreatment. We have to establish a culture of respect for people living with disabilities and the families who support, love and care for them.

So, Australians living with disability and their families have spoken and my Government has listened and is taking action. The Royal Commission will inquire into all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. It will cover all settings in which these abuses occurred, all settings. States and Territories have all expressed their support for this inquiry. The participation of States and Territories is fundamentally important to ensure that the Royal Commission is a truly national inquiry. Any suggestion that this inquiry could somehow proceed without the full cooperation and support of the States and Territories, is frankly ridiculous. It is absolutely essential, because so many of the settings in which people with disabilities face this very treatment, occur in those environments and in those settings. So for that to be carved out of this Royal Commission would be a great disservice to Australians living with disability. I have now written to all State Premiers and Chief Ministers inviting them to issue joint commissions under the Royal Commission legislation. In writing to them, they have all given commitments to me previously through their administrations, that they will be able to do that, that was the response they’ve given back to me on the 29th of March 2019. I expect to be able to follow through now with what we’re talking about.

The Government has also ensured this important work will be fully funded and you saw that in the Budget that was handed down on Tuesday night; $527.9 million to fully fund the work of this Royal Commission. Importantly, this includes funding to provide appropriate supports for people to participate in this Royal Commission. I'm also pleased to announce those who will lead this important work. The Royal Commission will be based in Brisbane, but it will take hearings all around the country as you would expect it to.

The Honourable Ronald Sackville AO QC will be the Chair of the Royal Commission. Justice Sackville will be supported by five other Royal Commissioners; Ms Barbara Bennett PSM, Dr. Rhonda Galbally AC, Ms Andrea Mason OAM, Mr Alastair McEwin and the Honourable John Ryan AM. These commissioners are from a diverse range of backgrounds and bring significant knowledge, experience and expertise to this inquiry. Importantly, the panel of six commissioners include those with a lived experience of disability as well as judicial and policy expertise and including Indigenous leadership. I want to thank all those commissioners who have agreed to take on this incredibly important task. The commission is expected to run for three years, with the final report by the end of April 2022, with an interim report to be provided by the end of October of 2020. We look forward to receiving the commission's recommendations.

Very much this Royal Commission has been fashioned just in the same way as the Royal Commission into Aged Care which I announced, on the basis of what was saw with the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse. That was a significant and nation-changing Royal Commission and I believe this will be also, just as the aged care Royal Commission will be. This will provide the opportunity for Australians to truly understand how people with disabilities live in this country and what our obligations are to share the journey with them.

To show them the respect that they deserve as a fellow Australian, as a fellow human being.

To enable them to be all that they can be and that they and their families can experience the richness of life in this magnificent country.

Now having said that, there are enormous supports provided to people with disabilities in this country - enormous supports - and as my brother-in-law Gary always said to me; “It's not flash being disabled, but the good thing is, that it's a condition you live with in Australia and that you're an Australian'. That has always meant a lot to me.

They deserve our respect. This is so above politics, I can't tell you. I want to thank Paul Fletcher very, very much for the great work that he and the Attorney-General have done in bringing us to this point so quickly. I really look forward to the work that's going to be done here.

To all those Australians with disability, to their families, and to Gary, this is for you.

THE HON PAUL FLETCHER, MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES:  Prime Minister, thank you for your leadership on this issue which is going to make a remarkable difference, I believe, to the lives of Australians with disability and in the recognition that all of us show for the rights and dignity of people with disability.

I just want to emphasise a couple of points that the Prime Minister has spoken about. Firstly, the very extensive consultation that has been involved with arriving at the terms of reference and the arrangements for the Royal Commission. Extensive consultations of course, with State and Territory governments, we've had two meetings with the Disability Reform Council which is Commonwealth and State and Territory Ministers with responsibility for disability. The Prime Minister has written to and received responses from Premiers and Chief Ministers. We carried out extensive community consultation over a period from the 13th to the 28th of March. As the Prime Minister has said, some 3,700 responses and it was 96 per cent support for the Royal Commission looking at all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, in all settings, not just institutional settings, but all settings. The workplace, the home, schools, as well as of course in institutions. We also of course consulted with the States and Territories in relation to the commissioners and we consulted very widely on the choice of commissioners. It is I think entirely appropriate that we've got a wide range of personal experience amongst the Royal Commissioners, including people with lived experience of disability, like Rhonda Galbally and Alastair McEwin. We've got Andrea Mason to bring an Indigenous perspective, so we've got a good balance across all of the perspectives that are required for this Royal Commission to do its work.

I also want to emphasise the arrangements that have been made to ensure that people with disability are best able to engage with the Royal Commission to tell their stories. There's over $100 million allocated for advocacy and for counselling to support people with disability to engage with the Royal Commission. We're drawing on the lessons learned for example, from the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse about making sure we've got the best possible arrangements in place. Of course the resourcing for this Royal Commission is comprehensive. This is properly and fully funded and resourced at $527.9 million. It does just show how inadequate was the suggestion from the Leader of the Opposition that $26 million would be enough for this Royal Commission.

We're determined to do this job properly and to make sure this Royal Commission is fully funded and fully resourced.

I'd also make the point that this fits into the broader range of disability policy that this Government is pursuing and delivering on. The National Disability Insurance Scheme, now supporting over 250,000 Australians, 78,000 of them who were not previously receiving support of any kind. We continue to be on track to get towards the bilateral estimate of 460,000 Australians supported by the NDIS at full scheme. Of course, extensive arrangements under the NDIS quality and safegards commission to safeguard and ensure the quality of services that are provided to Australians with disability and to be alert to and respond to, any indicators of services not being up to standard or inappropriate behavior. But of course, we will also be interested in the findings of the Royal Commission to further complement and develop that framework.

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Paul, happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, one of the criticisms of the banking Royal Commission was that not enough victims were able to share this story in person to the Royal Commission. Instead, it relied on cameos mostly and written submissions. Can you just elaborate on what the process is here for victims to be able to share their story? Will everyone who wants to be able to share this story, be able to do so in person to the commissioners?

PRIME MINISTER: I think these two Royal Commissions are quite different. As I said this one very much follows the model of the institutional child sexual abuse Royal Commission and the Aged Care Royal Commission is following a very similar path. That is very much the nature of this Royal Commission.

Paul may want to comment further on this, but one of the reasons why the cost of this and particularly the length of time, three years, is what has been put down, but to be honest, if they need more time they will get more time. They will of course get more time. It's not just providing the time I think for those right across the country - including those in remote areas, it's very important that those in remote communities also have the full opportunity to be engaged here - but to provide the necessary supports for people with disabilities. The very practical support that people with disabilities will require to go to this Royal Commission will be greater I suspect than any Royal Commission we've held to date. That is why it’s an expensive undertaking, but an expense that is well worth the investment to facilitate this. Because this Royal Commission will provide us I think, with as I said, a great awareness and understanding of the lives lived by people with disabilities.

MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES: The only thing I'd add to what the Prime Minister has rightly said is, in terms of the comments about the extensive resourcing allocated, including things like assisting people with hearing impairment or vision impairment to be able to tell their stories. I'd highlight that the terms of reference specifically refer to the individual experience of people with disability, at the same time as asking the Royal Commission to learn not only from the individual experience but to then to draw out the systemic conclusions.

PRIME MINISTER: So there's $379.1 million to the Attorney-General's Department to run the Commission, to provide legal assistance. There's just under $149 million to cover related costs for agencies within Mr. Fletcher's portfolio. This will be used to provide a range of informal supports in relation to the period of operation of the commission, such as individual advocacy supports, counselling support services.

I want to stress, this will be very hard for people to come and engage with this, just as it has been in previous Commissions of this nature. It's not about just getting people to the mic, it's about supporting them afterwards and before as well. This Budget builds that in.

JOURNALIST: What support are you offering, Prime Minister, to maybe young children, if they're in a school environment where this sort of activity has taken place?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's what this commission is for; to ensure we're covering the full scope of those who want to bring their cases forward. Let's not forget, this Royal Commission goes back, there is no limit, it goes back in time. So those who may have experienced this abuse or mistreatment when they were younger, they may be an adult today, but there is nothing restraining them from coming forward and telling the stories of when they're eight years old and what they faced. So, there are no limits on this. This is a no-limits inquiry because we need to understand it all.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, given we're due to go into an election campaign soon, how much consultation did you have with the Opposition on the terms of reference and the Commissioners being appointed to this inquiry?

PRIME MINISTER: Well they were fully consulted on the terms of reference, it's for the Government to make the appointments of the commissioners, that's what the government does. But as you can see, we had extensive consultation throughout the sectors on the various skills and expertise that needed to be brought into the role of those commissioners and I think we've covered those off. Whether its Indigenous experience, those with lived experience of disabilities and I'm very pleased with the support we've had as we've consulted on those matters. I pledged to the Leader of the Opposition that they would be consulted on terms of reference and they have been.

JOURNALIST: The Royal Commission is going to look at the NDIS, is that a wholesale look at the whole operation of the NDIS or just instances of abuse or violence against people who participate in the NDIS?

MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES: I think it's important to understand the breadth of this Royal Commission and the fact that it is looking backwards as well as looking at what's occurring today. It's important to understand that until very recently, disability was almost entirely a State and Territory responsibility. The systems to deliver support to people with disability were delivered by State and Territory governments and of course State and Territory governments have primary responsibility in areas like health, education and so on, and other contexts in which violence, abuse or neglect or exploitation may have occurred. So it will be ultimately for the Royal Commissioners to determine how they execute on the very broad scope that they've been given in the letters patent. Certainly the NDIS is within scope, but the point I'd make is, the NDIS is a relatively recent development in the broad sweep of disability. We do have rigorous mechanisms in place, particularly the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner and we invested in that, that right now has operations in New South Wales and South Australia. As other states come on, it will expand its operations from 1 July of this year to most other states. So, we already have very extensive mechanisms in place, formal mechanisms that monitor quality and safeguards to take investigative action and remedial action. Of course it is within scope, but at the same time there's an extensive historical territory that the Royal Commission will look at.

PRIME MINISTER: When the consultation was undertaken, what was very clear is that the people and families living with disability didn't just want it to be about one program. In fact, they were quite adamant that it should not stop there. Of course its within scope, but what they understand is what they lived experience has been over 30, 50 years, the last 10 years. That's what they wanted to be in this Royal Commission; they didn't want this response to miss the point that they were seeking to make when they were advocating for a commission of this nature. It wasn't about one government program. In fact, it wasn't necessarily about a government program at all. This Royal Commission looks at mistreatment, neglect, abuse, in every setting, in schools, in nursing homes - in any field that someone might find themselves involved in - in the workplace, in prison, in custody, in other settings, in hospitals, walking up and down the street. That's where people with disabilities live and that's what they wanted to be the focus. They didn't want it to be some ‘argy-bargy’ about this program or that program. They want it to be about what they've been living with.

JOURNALIST:  Prime Minister, on the election, how would you characterise the philosophical difference between the Coalition and Labor?

PRIME MINISTER: Just before we come to political matters, are there any other questions on the disability Royal Commission?

JOURNALIST:  You talked about that Australia needs to better respect people with disabilities. Why doesn't Australia respect people with disabilities, why is that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I said we need to create a culture of respect for people with disabilities. I said the same thing when I announced the Royal Commission into aged care, because when you hear the stories of neglect and abuse, most good-hearted people will shake their head and fail to understand how this could occur. At the same time, I think we need to be acknowledging that in so many other cases there is such extraordinary acts of kindness and care that are extended by Australians to people with disabilities. I think our acknowledgement of the need to do this, is a statement of strength from a compassionate people. That whatever we might be doing now, we always want to do better. So I'd like to put it more in that light.

But there is a fundamental question as to why this takes place. I think it certainly baffles those who are the victims of it. I mean could you imagine it? I can't, I don't live with a disability. I have some insight through my family experience, but I can't begin to fathom what Gary goes through every day. I don't want to pretend to that, that would insult him. So I think this is going to help us all better understand that this behavior takes place and better understand the culture that can lead to that. Because ultimately that's where it starts.

There are things you can do in programs and services and you can do all of that. But at the end of the day, I think one of the values of the Royal Commission, is that off it will go to define and capture what is at the heart of this problem which is not just for governments, but it's for you, it's for me, it's for every Australian to confront the truth of this. While the government will have to give a response, of course, and the state governments will have to give a response, each of us I think would have to give a response in the same good-hearted way we did when we responded to the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. I mean that shook us all to our foundations and I think that has produced the right response from Australians. I hope this will do the same.

JOURNALIST: And leaving the politics aside, this should have happened probably sooner, shouldn't it, than now?

PRIME MINISTER: I want to be clear that the Disability Commissioner hadn't previously recommended that we do this. I've been Prime Minister since August of last year and in that time I've initiated two Royal Commissions. My first priority at that time was to deal with the Aged Care Royal Commission and move quickly to set that up and have it running. Then I moved to establish this Royal Commission, just as quickly and just as promptly. So I can speak for the actions that l and the Minister have taken during that period of time and I would just simply put it forward in good faith and let's just get on with it.

JOURNALIST:  PM, you say the issue should be above politics. Do you give any credit to the Greens Senator Jordan Steele-John for his advocacy for this Royal Commission?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes I do. I do and what I found helpful from Senator Steele-John is he actually had a terms of reference, he had a very good idea about what he thought this should include and it was quite extensive and that doesn't surprise me. So I do commend him for his advocacy on that, absolutely I do.

MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES: Can I just add to that, I do want to acknowledge the contribution of so many in the disability sector, the peak bodies who came to Canberra at very short notice. They've engaged with us very constructively right across the sector, the engagement and the assistance on this has been exemplary.

PRIME MINISTER: I want to stress because you make a good point. I acknowledge that Senator Steele-John's often strong passion could be misinterpreted by some to be about partisanship. I don't think it was. I just think it was out of a passionate and frustrated heart and that's how I took it.

JOURNALIST:  Prime Minister, why has Melissa Price not signed off on -

PRIME MINISTER: Are we still on the Royal Commission or do we want to move to other political issues? Because others were raising political issues, if we've covered the Royal Commission, then we can come back over to John, go ahead.

JOURNALIST: Thanks Prime Minister, just broadly on the election. How would you characterise the philosophical differences between the Coalition and Labor, that voters will ultimately have to choose between?

PRIME MINISTER: This is fundamentally a contest between a Liberal and National Party that believes the strength of Australia is built on the effort and the enterprise of every single Australian - the champion in every single Australian, the unique contribution that they can make - and for us to create an environment, through our policies, that enables them to succeed. That the more they do, the harder they work, the more they invest of themselves, then the better they will do. That they won't be held back. That they'll be able to succeed and see the fruits of what they're putting in. Because Australia is all about making a contribution, not taking a contribution, for each and every individual citizen. We see and understand the value of each and every individual Australia. Indeed, in announcing this Royal Commission today, that is acknowledging that it’s irrelevant what your level of ability or disability is, what your means are whether they be small or whether they be great; whoever you are in Australia, my plan is to encourage you.

Now Labor's plan is different. Labor's plan is driven by the politics of envy. Labor believes that for some to do better, others have to do worse. Labor's plan is about driving Australians apart, by splitting us up, by setting us against each other. The politics of envy versus the economics of opportunity, the economics of aspiration.

That's what I believe the choice is fundamentally about and that is what our plan has delivered today. That's what a strong economy is produced from; not higher taxes, but by hard working Australians running businesses, going to work every day, fulfilling their responsibilities to themselves and each other. That's how you make a strong Australia and when you do that, your economy is strong, which means you can invest in the essential services - health, education, the disability support, the aged care, the mental health of Australians as we said the other night with the biggest package to combat youth suicide and youth mental health in this country. That's what we announced the other night.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, why has Melissa Price delayed signing off on the Adani coalmine considering the environment department rubber-stamped the groundwater management plan on Monday?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I don't know what your information is, but there has been no delay. This is one of what has been a large number of approvals, this is actually a sub-approval to a previous approval. It’s part of the administrative process that relates to that project and all processes that are required in relation to that approval are being followed. I've always said that we will pursue our responsibilities in relation to this project fully and that we'll make sure that in providing any of the consents that are required under the Act, that they're done properly with the fullest information. I've noticed there's been a bit of excited reporting on this topic, but I can simply tell you, that it’s excited. We are just simply following the normal process and the decisions will be made in the normal course of business.

JOURNALIST: What concerns did Queensland MPs raise with you yesterday about Minister’s Price’s [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I’ve just answered the question, that’s where that issue is at. 

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister on the NDIS, last night Bill Shorten said he's going to lift the staffing cap on the NDIA and was quite scathing in your Government's administration of the scheme. Do you have any comments around what he said last night?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm very disappointed, very disappointed that the Labor Party and Bill Shorten have once again sought to misrepresent and politically weaponise the issue of disabilities. I'm deeply and totally disappointed. As I said in the House yesterday, this is a matter that should bring all Australians together. I'm disappointed that once again Bill Shorten is seeking to drive Australians apart and seek to play partisan politics on something as important as this. Now to be clear about the NDIS, the NDIS as Tanya Plibersek said only yesterday is fully funded. It is a demand driven program and that means that every single –every single- package that has gone through the process, is funded. Demand is high.

It is uncapped. It can't have it’s funding reduced, because it is an uncapped program. It has every single resource that it requires and the Labor Party knows that.

So why they would seek to misrepresent that - I even heard that Anthony Albanese said this morning that we were cutting things back to pay for a Royal Commission. That is shameful. That is really shameful and very disappointing. I hope over the course of the period between now and the election, that Labor might elevate, that they might get out of this dirty politicking on disabilities.

Let's just get back up where I think Australians want us to be comes to dealing with people with disabilities. Let's stay up here, where Australians are; focused on people with disabilities, ensuring they have the care and support they need provided. The NDIS is a very difficult program, we supported it when we were in Opposition and we're implementing it now we're in Government. It is an extremely complex program to put in place. There are frustrations with the program which Paul and I share and we are working to address and as we continue to do that, as we're working with the States and Territories, as we do that more programs will come forward, more packages approved. The National Disability Insurance Scheme is uncapped for it’s funding. As much funding as is needed, is there.

JOURNALIST: There are reports this morning that the Australian Government would consider issuing travel documents to welcome children of the IS fighter Khaled Sharouff if they can get out of Syria and find themselves an Australian embassy. Can you confirm if that is the case?

PRIME MINISTER: What I've said on this matter is that I'm not going to put any Australian life at risk to extract people from these conflict zones. The process here - and we are working with the Red Cross to this - is that where there are particularly children, mainly that’s where our focus is. I’d say exclusively that's where our focus is. Then we’re working with the Red Cross where they're in a position for people to get to a place where they might be in a position to return to Australia, then we will cooperate with that process.

There are the normal assessments that are done in the identification process. There are issues that relate to people's citizenship that has to be confirmed and you'd expect that. But where those issues arrived to be addressed, then of course we would follow the normal process before issuing travel documents after all those other matters have been addressed.

Of course I'm not going to put one on Australian life at risk for that. But of course we’ll also, particularly in the case of children who were the innocent victims of those who took them into this atrocious place, - they have responsibility here - but where there are Australians who are caught up in this situation particularly as innocent children, then we will do what I think Australians would expect us to do.

JOURNALIST: Getting back to the NDIS [inaudible] one of the criticism from the sector was the perceived by the previous government [inaudible] for political reasons. So they can’t attract the quality bureaucrats that are needed there to run the Department and it can’t affectively liaise with Treasury, Health and other Departments? Would you ever consider relocating it back to Canberra [inaudible]?

MINISTER FOR FAMILIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES: The NDIS is certainly attracting very high quality staff. In fact under the previous Minister Christian Porter, the board was extensively revamped so we've got a lot of high-quality experience in managing large scale rollouts. We're seeing the benefits of that and getting much better performance from the call centres, when people call up they’re not waiting nearly as long as they were before. And of course, there are people with lived experience of disability on the board.

The Geelong headquarters is working well and indeed one of the reasons Geelong was chosen is that Geelong is becoming a hub for social policy, social insurance type organisations and that assists in getting staff to come to Geelong because it's an area that has a growing depth of expertise. So that is a factor and in short, I'd say that it's working well, it's working effectively. It is certainly not something that concerns our government.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister Bill Shorten last night announced a couple of billion dollars to reduce out-of-pocket costs for cancer patients. Now, we know you have your Government has funnel a lot of money to research, cancer centres and the PBS. But specifically on the measures that he announced last night, do you oppose those or is that something that you would support?

PRIME MINISTER:  We say first of all that we stand with every Australian - I think everybody who serves in this Parliament - stands with every Australian that is fighting the insidious disease of cancer. Again this is one of those diseases that there wouldn't be one Australia who doesn't have some connection to someone who has suffered or they have lost, because of cancer.

I particularly want to commend the nurses and other clinicians and aides that are working in our public hospitals, where all of the treatments that were spoken of by the Leader of the Opposition last night, all of those treatments that he spoke of are available in public hospitals free of charge today.

So that's happening for people on low incomes and others, they can access those same free services in public hospitals, as we speak, because of the medical and health care and hospital system that we run in this country.

You’re right, we have put in $9 billion worth of affordable medicines, 130 separate cancer treating drugs, as a result of the strong economy that we’ve been raising. So that's a $9 billion investment in treating cancer that we bought on.

Equally a lot of the measures that he announced last night overlap with things that are also being done currently, whether it comes to a diagnostic imaging and the $606 million that we've announced for that - which is the same amount the Leader of the  Opposition announced last night. So there's a lot of crossover between those programs. Where there's any gap between those programs of course I'm happy to look at it. But that detail has as yet not been provided. I think on issues of treating cancer, there can be absolute unanimity of view across politics.

Secondly I would hope there would the same thing when it comes to dealing with the challenge of youth suicide and youth mental health. I thought we'd get some bipartisanship on that last night, I didn't hear it. I hope to hear it soon. I think it should be there. The Government has taken the initiative on that.

But you know at the end of the day, all of the commitments you make - whether it's on hospitals, where we've increased funding by over 60 percent in the last 5.5 years; or it's on public schools, where we’ve increased funding by over 60 percent over the last 5 years; whether it's on Medicare, where we’ve increased funding by 27 percent since we came to government and we now have the highest bulk-billing that Australia has ever seen on record and that includes the Medicare items for all of the things that were addressed last night - you can only do that if you have a strong economy.

So I don't think there's any difference necessarily between our shared commitment whether it's to providing healthcare, schools or fighting cancer.

The only difference is this; if you can't run an economy and if you can't run a Budget - which is what Labor demonstrated each and every time they've been in government and then it's taken us more than a decade to get back to where they started … they ruined our Budget, not listing medicines. They have made these promises on affordable medicines before. They have. They said they would do it and then when they were in government, they didn't list medicines because they ran out of money.

I was asked the question about what the difference is before. I think you see it in the Budget document we handed down this week; we run a strong economy. We know how to manage money. That's why we can be trusted to fund hospitals and schools and fighting cancer, dealing with mental health challenges. We can be trusted to do that, because of our record on the economy.

Labor, they always run out of their money – and when they do that, they always come after yours.

Thank you very much.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42257

Establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

5 April 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Families and Social Services

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced the establishment of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

The Prime Minister said the official signing of the Letters Patent by the Governor-General means the Royal Commission can now commence its important work.

“We have consulted extensively across Australia with people with disability, their families and carers, states and territories, peaks representing people with disability and the disability sector, about the shape and breadth of the Royal Commission,” the Prime Minister said.

“We listened to the feedback and have now finalised the Terms of Reference, which define what the Royal Commission can investigate and make recommendations about.

“Importantly, over 96 per cent of people responding to the survey agreed the Royal Commission should cover all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, in all settings where they occur – and that’s just what it will do.”

Over 3,700 people responded to the public consultation on the draft Terms of Reference, which closed on 28 March.

Minister for Families and Social Services, Paul Fletcher said the consultation included feedback on what kinds of advocacy or support people may need to engage with the Royal Commission.

“The Australian Government has committed $527.9 million for the Royal Commission, which includes funding to support people with disability to participate in the Royal Commission,” Minister Fletcher said

“The funding anticipates the Royal Commission will run for three years and includes establishment costs and residual costs after the inquiry has finished,” Mr Fletcher said.

The Prime Minister also announced the appointment of Hon Ronald Sackville AO QC as the Chair of the Royal Commission. Mr Sackville will be supported by five other Royal Commissioners:

• Ms Barbara Bennett PSM

• Dr Rhonda Galbally AC

• Ms Andrea Mason OAM

• Mr Alastair McEwin

• The Hon John Ryan AM

“We sought recommendations from the disability sector and state and territory governments on these appointments,” the Prime Minister said.

“The panel of six Commissioners is representative of a diverse range of backgrounds, which includes lived experience of disability, judicial and policy experience, and Indigenous leadership,” the Prime Minister said. 

The newly appointed Commissioners will decide on the next steps in the coming months, including when to hold hearings and how people can participate.

“Violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability is unacceptable and abhorrent and it’s critically important to make this truly a national inquiry,” the Prime Minister said.

“I thank the state and territory governments for their in-principal support of this inquiry. I have now written to all State Premiers inviting them to issue joint commissions under their respective Royal Commissions legislation.”

More details are available on the Attorney-General’s website at ag.gov.au/About/RoyalCommissions

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42256

Doorstop, Googong NSW

4 April 2019

DR FIONA KOTVOJS, LIBERAL CANDIDATE FOR EDEN-MONARO: Good morning, I’m Fiona Kotvojs, the Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro and I'm really pleased to be here in Googong today. Googong is one of the real growth centres in our area and it's about a third of it has been constructed. But it's really growing and it's fantastic to see such a thriving area. I’m pleased to be here with James from Vogue Construction and all of the work that's being done here. And I’d particularly like to extend the welcome to our Prime Minister Scott Morrison for coming and having a look and discussing what's happening here today with apprentices and in the construction industry. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you Dr Kotvojs, thank Fiona. It's great to be back here in Googong again with you and with Jim and of course with Michaelia and James. Good on you James. James and his family have been a pioneer of the ACT region for many, many, many years and have been a real champion of the economic development around this district for a long time. Look, the reason we're here today is because this is what our Budget is about. What's happening here on this site. Apprentices. Getting jobs and getting trades. And to one day go on and run their own businesses. A housing industry that here in New South Wales and the ACT district is thriving. Creating jobs, creating opportunities. Young families being able to come and buy homes and invest in their future. And be able to get ahead and realise their dreams and their aspirations. These are the things that we're championing as a Government.

What you see right around here is people who are having a go and they're getting a fair go. And I want that to continue because a fair go for those who have a go is what sits at the heart of our Budget. 80,000 additional apprenticeships to be provided as a result of the skills package that we announced in the Budget on Tuesday night. Small businesses and family businesses like Vogue Constructions here. I mean, these are businesses that will benefit from the $30,000 instant asset write off and taking their taxes down to 25 per cent. I remember it well. The Labor Party opposed the 25 per cent tax rate for businesses between $2 and $10 million. They opposed it. They fought it. They eventually rolled over. But they tried to stop businesses like this one right here from getting the tax cut to 25 per cent.

Now we're extending the instant asset write off to businesses with a turnover to up to $50 million. Because we understand that small and family and medium sized businesses is what what drives the economy. More than half of the Australian workforce is employed by businesses with a turnover of less than $50 million. And that's particularly the case when you get out of the big cities. When you get into the regions, when you get out in the rural parts of Australia, those are the businesses that sustain the livelihoods of Australians. And that's why they need the investment that we're making in congestion busting infrastructure. Housing estates like this all around the country. If you find them in south east Queensland, over in Perth, or down in Melbourne, or in Sydney. You'll find these housing estates and the people who live in these estates want to be able to get home sooner and get home safer. And that's why our congestion busting package that we announced in the Budget this year is helping them.

So everywhere you look on this site - whether it's the concrete pour that will continue to keep happening under our Government, that you'll pay more for under a Labor government with their reckless emissions targets that will be just a dead weight on the Australian economy. You know, you don't have to choose between a clean environment and a strong economy. You don't have to sell one out to achieve the other. That's what our policies are designed to ensure that we don't do - that you can have both, that you can ensure that you can have the ambition and the realising of that ambition for a clean environment and a strong economy. So these pours and these sites and these jobs and these apprenticeships can continue to be achieved. That's what will drive the economy forward. That's what will drive wage increases into the future. That's what will support the stronger economy that underpins a balanced Budget over the next decade. You don't do it by increasing taxes. You will not get a stronger economy by putting the dead weight of $200 billion in higher taxes on the Australian economy. Some of you probably know I like to swim a few laps - I'll tell you what, it gets a lot harder if you put a weight belt on and that's what Labor will do to our economy with $200 billion of higher taxes.

So our plan is quite the opposite - record investments in our essential services at hospitals and schools. Record investments in Medicare already delivered with more to come. All made possible by the strong economy which has been delivered by the people working right here on this site. Training, getting apprenticeships, getting skills, building homes, building our economy. Michaelia, we were able to pass the instant asset write off last night through the Senate?

SENATOR THE HON MICHAELIA CASH, MINISTER FOR SMALL AND FAMILY BUSINESS, SKILLS AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: Absolutely, Prime Minister. As the Minister for Small and Family Business, I'm absolutely delighted that small and family business, the backbone of the Australian economy, employing 5.7 million Australians, they were front and centre of our Budget on Tuesday night. And Prime Minister you are right - we've increased the instant asset write off to $30,000. But on top of that because we have a strong economy, because we've put in place the right economic framework, we have now been able to extend the instant asset write off threshold to businesses with a turnover of up to $50 million dollars. That is just a great win for small and medium sized businesses across Australia. But Prime Minister, we announced it on Tuesday night and I'm just delighted that it went through the Senate last night. So to all those businesses out there, go out there and do what we need you to do - invest back into your business, prosper, grow and create more jobs for Australians.

But Prime Minister, we're here today obviously at Vogue Constructions with James Service and this is what we are all about as a Government. People who are out there having a go, they deserve a government that backs them every step of the way. And what we know is that Australians, they need the skills for the jobs of today and for tomorrow. And that is why we have made in excess of a half a billion dollar announcement in skilling Australians in our Budget. And as part of that announcement, we are going to create up to 80,000 new apprentices. And Prime Minister, we've met a number of those fantastic apprentices here today. We want to see more tradies on the job and we're doing that by creating a new incentive payment for both employers and the apprentice themselves in areas of identified skilled needs. So potentially plasterers, plumbers, and carpenters, many of whom we've met here today. The payment is on top of the other incentives that you can already receive. It is $4,000 for the employer and $2,000 for the apprentice themselves.

We are all about backing Australians as a Government, who are out there having a go. Whether it's ensuring that our small and family businesses have the economic framework they need to prosper and grow and create more jobs for Australians, but also ensuring that we're investing in our Australians so that our employers have the employees with the skills that they need.

Thanks Michaelia. And Jim, it’s great to be back here in Googong with you and projects like this are actually good for vets.

SENATOR JIM MOLAN AO, DSC: They certainly are, Prime Minister, and Fiona and I live in this area and we're very, very confident that the kind of quality of the houses that you're seeing being built here is of an extraordinary high standard. My daughter and her husband, who moved down a couple of years ago from Darwin in the military, moved to a Defence Housing Authority house down here and the DHA houses here are of an extraordinary standard. And as someone who's lived in houses of a lesser standard over the last 40 years Prime Minister, we've seen a few here. But we're very lucky in this electorate here and we're very lucky in the top part of Eden-Monaro in that we've got the big defence headquarters out at Bungendore. We've got defence headquarters in Canberra. This is a great suburb for people who work in defence to live here and work out there. But Prime Minister, the thing that strikes me is as an ex-military person is the contribution that our Government's making towards infrastructure across Australia at $100 billion in the next few years we're putting in. That has not just a rubber hits the road effect here, it has a strategic effect and that’s important to all of us.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot Jim. Well, happy to take some questions obviously on the skills package, on the small business and the legislation passing the Senate last night, but obviously happy to take any other questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the income tax cuts Bill Shorten is expected to announce he's going to further the $350 rebate to anyone who earns under $40,000. What's your view on that?

PRIME MINISTER: What you won't hear from Bill Shorten tonight is the $200 billion of higher taxes he's going to put on the Australian economy. But you'll hear a lot of lies and what Australians, I think, will become more and more familiar with as we go towards the next election is all you'll hear ultimately from the Labor Party is lies and taxes. That's what Bill Shorten's about - telling lies about what the Government has done, and funding anything he talks about with higher taxes. That's what the Labor Party stands for - lies and higher taxes. And that's why people don't trust Labor when it comes to managing money. And I think it's why after five and a half years people have concluded about Bill Shorten he's not someone who can be trusted with the economy. He’s frankly not someone who can be really trusted at all. He's had five and a half years to prove otherwise. And people rightly have their very strong reservations about him and they’ll make that judgment between now and the next election ultimately. But what Labor about are just lies and taxes.

JOURNALIST: We're talking about jobs, in Sydney 200 people have just being put off work at a Huggies factory and the company is blaming the high price of energy. Is that disappointing to you? You've had six years to sort it out.

PRIME MINISTER: In New South Wales the unemployment rate is 3.9  per cent. And that's the lowest rate of unemployment we've ever seen in New South Wales. Our Government over the course of the last five and a half years 1.2 million jobs have been created and we're seeing tens of thousands of jobs being created every month. And the great opportunity for Australians is our economy continues to change and shift, then people are able to find those jobs. In fact, we need more people in jobs. And that's one of the great challenges that we face going forward with a $100 billion infrastructure program that is fuelling the economy. Whether it's here in New South Wales or anywhere else around the country and in a big city like Sydney, what we see is that people are able to weather the disappointment and the impact I know that this can have on individuals when there are changes in these businesses.

The great positive on the other side is though a strong economy that continues to provide new employment opportunities for Australians of all ages. It hasn't just been record employment growth for people aged between 15 and 24. It's been record growth for people aged over 55 as well. The benefit of a strong economy is when there are jobs and when there are disappointments and when there are changes, that there is the confidence that the opportunities will be there into the future and that you'll be able to go forward as a family and have that greater confidence in a stronger economy. You put $200 billion of higher taxes... now, tonight Bill Shorten needs to explain and he needs to list every single one of those taxes. His higher income taxes, his higher taxes on businesses and small businesses through the trust system, his higher taxes on superannuation contribution, his higher taxes on housing. Housing tax alone, by abolishing negative gearing as we know it and putting up capital gains tax on investments just like the one we're standing here right now will have a devastating effect on the housing and construction industry, costing tens of thousands of jobs. Master Builders have made that point themselves. And those taxes combined with the most ruthless of all and that is the $5 billion a year tax on retirees. People who have paid taxes all their lives, have planned for their retirement. And Bill Shorten because he can't manage his own budget is going to put his hands in the budget of self-funded retirees and retirees more generally.

This is the problem with Labor. When they can't manage their own money - which is all the time - they always come after yours. That is their record in government. Our record is completely different. We have legislated tax cuts. That's our record. Tax cuts for personal income tax. Tax cuts for small and family businesses. And we've done that while being opposed by the Labor Party. The Labor Party opposes 94 per cent of Australians paying no more than 30 cents in their marginal tax rate. The Labor Party are opposed to that. They want all those Australians to pay more tax.

Our plan is for them to pay less tax. And we demonstrated that in last year's budget. The Labor Party opposed that and were forced to eventually support it. And what we've done is ensure that Australians both today and over the next decade will pay lower tax under the Liberal and Nationals.

JOURNALIST: Do you accept that the $1.6 billion underspend of the NDIS is because of the administration's maladministration?

PRIME MINISTER: No, what it is is a result of the estimated demand that we expected to be in by the 1st of July 2019, that mark won't be met until the 1st of July 2020. But the truth is this - this is what happens with the Budget. If there is additional demand and if there are improvements that can be made and that there is more demand that comes forward, then it will be met. It will be absolutely met. If these estimates are proved to be too conservative and the demand is greater for the NDIS, those bills will be fully met. So there is absolutely no obstacle whatsoever that if demand increases beyond the estimates that are in the Budget for disabilities, then those bills will be paid.

So there is absolutely not a cent being withheld from one program, one package. Every single package that is needed in the NDIS and every improvement that could be made in the NDIS to see more packages supported, every single dollar of that will come. There have been no changes to the amount that is being provided for these packages and I hope, I hope, that what we see as we go forward with further improvements that there will be greater demand. And where there is greater demand, every single cent will be delivered to supporting those increased packages.

JOURNALIST: But isn’t the issue not that it’s not not being spent, it's that families waiting up to six months...

PRIME MINISTER: And these are the improvements that need to be made. And this is what I said last night. And we need to ensure that we continue to make the improvements to the NDIS. I mean, in the Budget that we announced just the other night, there's $527.1 million dollars to undertake the Royal Commission into abuse of people with disabilities. Now, you remember the Labor Party thought that could be done for $26 million and that it didn't need to involve the states and territories. That shows you how half baked, how uncooked Labor's policy was when it came to addressing that issue. I mean, they only missed the cost of it by half a billion dollars. Now, when we do things we do them properly and that's why we have committed to that Royal Commission into the abuse of people with disabilities. And that's why we have committed to more than half a billion dollars in funds. And I'll have more to say about this in the next few days to ensure that that Royal Commission into the abuse of people with disabilities is done properly. And Labor never had a terms of reference, they never had any clue really about how to achieve this. And I think that is a further demonstration of the commitment of our Government to deal with the challenges that people facing living with and their families with disabilities how seriously we take that issue and I take the NDIS just as seriously. It's our Government that has ensured that the NDIS always can be fully funded into the future. And as we continue to improve this program, remember this is the biggest social program we have seen put together in this country since Medicare. Of course it's going to have its challenges and the demand is ramping up significantly. And as that demand continues to ramp up, every single package will be supported, every single cent will be delivered. And I've got to say I'm quite disappointed with the way that the Labor Party has sought to politicise this. The NDIS is supposed to be a bipartisan initiative. We certainly gave the NDIS support when we were in opposition and for Labor to misrepresent this and create unnecessary anxiety for people and families living with disabilities I think is quite appalling. I mean, we will need every element of the demand for these packages in the NDIS. They will all be fully funded and if demand is higher than what has been estimated in the Budget, those costs will be met, those invoices will be paid.

JOURNALIST: On an Indigenous voice into Parliament, there has been money allocated for this in the Budget. Will it be a referendum for that or will it be an advisory body?

PRIME MINISTER: We will continue to work through those issues with the Indigenous community. And we've said that in response to the Joint Select Committee report and this remains an important issue. But what remains even more important, to be honest, is the package we announced the other night for Australians, young Australians, in relation to youth mental health. Our plan, the biggest ever plan to combat youth suicide in this country. And youth suicide is reaching devastatingly into remote Indigenous communities. And that's why we've got a targeted plan to deal with remote Indigenous youth suicide in this country. You asked me what my number one priority is for Indigenous Australians? I want to do everything I can to ensure that young Indigenous Australians don't take their own lives. That's my priority for Indigenous Australians and I'm very certain that would be the priority of indigenous parents for their children. Thanks very much everyone.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42254

Interview with Paul Murray, Sky News

3 April 2019

PAUL MURRAY: Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanks for your time.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Paul.

MURRAY: This is a very natural couch setting that we’ve set up for you.

PRIME MINISTER: Welcome to my couch.

MURRAY: Appreciate it. Just a couple of questions, I was planning to go to the footy on the 11th of May, the 18th of May or the 25th of May.

[Laughter]

Which ticket should I hand back?

PRIME MINISTER: I think you should go to the footy every opportunity you get.

MURRAY: Yeah, right okay.

PRIME MINISTER: That's my policy.

MURRAY: What if there was a Saturday night going and I really had to cover an election? The 11th, the 18th, or the 25th?

PRIME MINISTER: Mate you can always do it from the stands, I think it’d go really well with the coverage. I think your viewers would love it.

MURRAY: Okay, I was asking for Speersy and he just wants to know whether we can have a night off, is it the 11th, the 18th or the 25th?

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: He can take his pick. Maybe he could decide and he can tell me.

MURRAY: Okay, the reaction to the Budget seems to be pretty positive, but there's a couple of things that I wanted to jump into that aren’t as obvious a headline to everyone else. I think that regardless of who is Prime Minister or what Party is in power, I love that we live in a country that yesterday made a decision that leukemia drugs shouldn't cost $140,000, they should only cost $40. 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, or even less on a concession that's right, $6.50. I agree. I think our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - and we've had over 2,000 medicines now listed on it since we've come to government and it's costing over $10 billion dollars - but I think this says something amazing about Australia. I mean, that's actually what civilization and society and a good-hearted country looks like, it’s when you have a PBS. I've met so many of those who have been on clinical trials, on these drugs. I met a chap the other day and he actually used to work for the Productivity Commission many years ago. He was an economist and very excited about the Budget coming up. But he had a very rare form of skin cancer and this is one of the drugs we listed in the Budget. Now he was in a position to actually pay for this. Now that is a lot of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was thrilled -  he knew he'd been able to put himself in a position to do that, but anyone else would not have. The look on his face when he shared the news was just wonderful. This is what a great country does.

But it can't do it, if you haven't got a strong economy. That's the point we've been making; you run out of money as Labor always does, then they stop listing medicines and that's what they did.

MURRAY: But it's something that just as a bloke, it’s got to feel good. You look at your time in office, reaching the highest office in the land and you've been able to help those people?

PRIME MINISTER: I mean last year when we did the Budget - I think I remember talking about spinal muscular atrophy and how that's changing the lives of young Australians and their parents - the letters I've had, the stories I've heard, I mean Greg Hunt has the best job in the world I think as the Health Minister to be able to make these changes. But I got to say the other one that I felt very strongly about and I put at the top of the list for what we had to do in this year's Budget, that was our $461 million investment in tackling youth suicide and youth mental health. I don't think I've met anyone who hasn't known someone or heard of a story, whether through a friend or God forbid, their own family where they haven’t in some way been touched by youth suicide. Greg Hunt tells the account of after he became Health Minister and he went up to the north coast of NSW where they’d one of those horrible clusters of suicide events amongst young people. We put a Headspace in there and he told the Parliament today, that there hasn't been a report of one since. Now I hope that's true and have I know Greg hopes so as well.

We can make a difference in this area. So 30 new Headspaces that will be put in place as a result of this. But it goes down to things – you might know with your own kids - but Smiling Minds is that little (inaudible) and I mean, my daughter used to use it. There's some work that we're doing with that group and it's the smallest things to help build children's resilience and to deal with mental health issues as they grow older. Then there is just the heartbreaking events of what is occurring in remote Indigenous communities and we've talked about that off air as well before. I mean that's what was happening over the summer and that was just chilling.

MURRAY: That’s it, clusters of as you say, clusters of teenagers, kids as young as 12 and even younger. The fact that you are so hopeless.

PRIME MINISTER: They decide not to live, that seems to them the right option for you. Now there's mental illness that's attached to that. There's desperation, there's hopelessness and as a nation as big, as generous and as strong as ours, that's something we have to tackle and beat. As Prime Minister I want to beat it.

MURRAY: One of the knocks that seems to be coming from the obvious sections of the media, most likely informed by your political opponents, is the only way you get to surplus is because somehow you're skimping on the NDIS. I'm assuming this is something you believe not to be true.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a lie and it's a stupid lie. Look, there's a reason why Labor clearly haven't been able to deliver a surplus since I had long curly hair and I understand Josh had a mullet.

MURRAY: And I was thin.

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: It’s because they don't even know how Budgets work. The NDIS is fully funded. Every invoice paid, every invoice presented, paid. The way it's funded is, as much as is needed, is provided. You make estimates from year to year, you work with the states and go; “We think it will cost that much this year.” When demand is expected to be less than that, then there's an estimates variation. It's not like there's some money that is being held back, that's not how the Budget works. It works with things like carers payments and Newstart and all the rest of these things. You make adjustments as you get a better handle on what the actual demand will be.

Now the NDIS is the biggest social project that the government has been embarking on, for many, many years, probably since Medicare. So it's big and it still has a lot of kinks to work through. I know there are still frustrations, but the per person funding that is available in that scheme didn't change. It was just an adjustment in how many people we expected to have to have to pay for it in that year. We now believe we'll hit the target of how many people will need it in the current year, one year later. That's all it means. So I thought it was this very disingenuous from Labor. If they knew that, then I think that's pretty crook to be using the NDIS in that sort of political way. If they didn't know it, well, they're just stupid.

MURRAY: But do you care that something as clearly inaccurate as that, takes hold in the media as quickly as it does? It frankly flushes out the people that, it wouldn’t matter if you gave people $100,000, they still would have found a way to say; “Terrible Budget, they're on their way out”

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I mean if that's what the Labor Party have to rely on - and I thought their response today to the Budget was the most feeble I've seen in a long time. If that's all they could talk about, some concocted story like that which was misusing politically the National Disability Insurance Scheme which is supposed to be a bipartisan initiative - if that's how desperate they are, well I think that reflects very poorly on them and anyone else who was suckered by it.

MURRAY: A lot of people watching us are involved in small business. This is going to be one of the big fights of the election, not just about the impact of minimum wage changes, but most importantly for one of the big boosts - and you could feel it a few years ago when the Government did it - which was the asset write off.

PRIME MINISTER: Yep.

MURRAY: The fact that even more companies will now be able to claim up to $30,000, This means you get to, people reinvest in their business and now they get to keep even more of their own money.

PRIME MINISTER: Well that's how the economy grows; small and family businesses employ people, they invest, they develop new products, they open new stores. They buy a new coffee machine, they buy new fridge, they get a new toolmaking unit or whatever it is. Up to $30,000 now for businesses with a turnover up to $50 million, I mean business is up to $50 million employing more than half of the workforce in Australia today. That is who is driving the economy forward.

You know, I don't know what would be the point of working hard under a Labor government. I mean, how do you work the more tax you pay. The more regulation, the more they interfere with you. I mean under their new carbon trading scheme that they're talking about and their electric vehicles strategy -  well, there's nothing wrong with electric vehicles - but what they've got planned is, they want to tell you what to drive and they want to tell you what to put in the kid's lunch box. I mean Bill Shorten fingers are everywhere.

MURRAY: Good luck with that. 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, good luck with that.

MURRAY: So this is the thing; the commentariat, the polls whatever, we all know the game that exists now. But isn't it interesting that when the NSW election was 50/50 in the polls, the media covered it in a completely different fashion that meant Michael Daly blew himself up in the last week, it mattered. For you, you’re hopeful - and you go into every day as 50/50 no doubt - but do you think that if people reset, went back to zero and went; “Okay it's 50/50 from here,” that the campaign is going to look a whole lot different than one where people think the outcome is already clear?

PRIME MINISTER: No I don't think – increasingly - that people do think that it’s clear. I think as we get closer to the election, the issues will be come into sharper focus. I mean the thing I love about Australia and politics is Australians aren't that interested in politics most of the time. They’re more interested in the things that matter to them each day, whether that's their family, their kids, their work or indeed the bills they’ve got to play or their team on the weekend. They're the things they're really passionate and focused about. I mean, there are others who are more interested in politics, but as we get closer - and we saw this in the state election too - people focus and they sharpen and they look at what the options are. They look at what the issues most important to them are.

So this will be an election like all the ones that have gone before it. Australians will weigh it up and they'll make a call and there's a fairly straightforward choice; higher taxes under Labor, lower taxes under us. You get Bill Shorten or you get me.

MURRAY: To those people that, either in the past have strayed, or find it hard to go as hard as they may have in previous years, what do you say not to the paid-up and proud members of the Liberal Party, but the person who has voted more than not for the Liberal Party, about why they should fight just as hard in the next couple of months, as they did six years ago?

PRIME MINISTER: Because the country they're going to live in for the next 10 years is going to be determined by this election.

Last night we got back to surplus. A surplus Budget next year, for the first time in 12 years. The last time we saw one, was when another Victorian Liberal came to the dispatch box in Peter Costello. It's taken  12 years to get back to that point. Today we have more people employed of working age as a share of that population, than at any other time in our history. The previous record was set in 2007, just when Peter Costello and John Howard left office. We just got back over that mark in the last 12 months.

You vote Labor once you pay for it for a decade. I don't want to see another decade that starts with a Labor government coming and unravelling all the great work we've put in place. Not for us, but because of what it means for the economy that your kids are going to have to find a job in. That the business you're running is going to have to survive in and with all these headwinds.

I find it interesting when people put this question to me about the Budget; “Oh, there's all these headwinds, is now the time that you would have tax relief?” Well, this is the best time to have it. I have no idea how the economy can be more resilient, by taxing it more. I mean it's like, you know, someone is doing laps in swimming, and saying: “Here, put his weight belt on, I'm sure that's going to help you a lot going up and down the pool.” But that's what Labor wants to do.

And so I'd say to all of those Australians; this is really going to make a big difference. It did last time when they switched from John Howard and Peter Costello to Kevin Rudd. We all remember how that went, we all remember vividly. And this mob are worse.  

MURRAY: Just finally, Married At First Sight sadly beat the Budget in ratings last night. Any plans on putting those couples into the Senate just at the last minute?

[Laughter]

You know, captain’s pick candidates, one of those crazies?

PRIME MINISTER: No, but I suspect there may be other parties that will give them a run.

[Laughter]

Who knows, that’s why elections will bring the great and the good and sometimes the ‘a little odd’ as well. But look we are coming up to an election and that’s something special in this country. I know as a country, we don't have the same sort of politics that they do in the United States or the UK or places like that. I always think that's a good thing here in Australia. You know, people turn up, they'll take the decision seriously. They understand the responsibility and what is at stake and I'll be talking to them about that decision and I'll be respecting them in how I engage with them on that. Because you know, a stronger economy, that is what enables everything else. That's what opens the door to everything else. We are a strong, prosperous country thank God and I want to make sure it stays that way, because I want my kids to grow up and one just the same.

MURRAY: And one as we mentioned before about the PBS, that was actually able to help people last night.

PRIME MINISTER: That’s it.

MURRAY: Prime Minister congratulations and thank you.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks mate, cheers.  

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42255

Interview with Leigh Sales, ABC 730

3 April 2019

LEIGH SALES: The Prime Minister joins me now from Canberra, Prime Minister thank you very much for being with us.

PRIME MINISTER: G’day Leigh.

SALES: When the Coalition was elected in 2013 it was on the back of promises to end Labor's debt and deficit nightmare and to rein in what you said was Labor's out of control spending. When we look at your record of six years in office, you've had deficits every year you've been in power, net debt when you were elected was 13.1 per cent of GDP and today it has grown to 18.5 per cent and Labor's spending during its term was on average just under 25 per cent of GDP. Yours is just over 25 per cent of GDP. Therefore on your own yardstick, haven't you failed to deliver what you promised?

PRIME MINISTER: No Leigh, we’re bringing down the first Budget surplus for next year and it's taken 12 years to get there. We have reined in -

SALES: Projected.

PRIME MINISTER: That’s what the Budget surplus is next year, that’s what the forecast Budget surplus is. That’s how Budgets are done, the year in advance. That is the first Budget surplus that has been announced in 12 years’ time, but allow me to answer the question. We've actually got expenditure under control, to the lowest rate of growth that we've seen of any government in more than 50 years. We've got taxes under control. We've got people off welfare and into work. That in turn has restored the Budget and we’re now in a position to take the Budget into surplus.

That's a significant achievement, but it's been done by the hard work of Australians, because our policy settings have been designed to support Australians to invest, to employ people and to work hard. When that happens, your economy strengthens and you’re able to bring the Budget back into a surplus position which is what we were able to announce last night.

SALES: What about my point on debt?

PRIME MINISTER: So no, I wouldn't agree with your rather negative view of our performance.

SALES: What about my point about the size of net debt?

PRIME MINISTER: When you're running deficits, obviously your debt continues to increase Leigh, that's why it's so important to get the Budget back into surplus. That's what we've been working hard to do for the last six years. We've got expenditure growth down to less than 2 per cent a year, that is significantly lower than where we inherited it. It was more than double that when we came to government. Gross debt was running at 33 per cent increases every year under the previous government. So you know, to turn this ship around has been an extraordinarily difficult task, but we've done that. Having achieved step one of getting us back to a Budget surplus, we now have to pay down that debt and we'll pay down that debt on net debt by around almost $50 billion over the next four years. We’ll eliminate it over the next 10 years, which is what the Howard Costello government were able to do.

Our side of politics gets rid of debt, that’s what we do.

SALES: Has the Coalition given up on cutting the company tax rate for large business? You were telling us a couple of years ago that our international competitiveness was being destroyed by the comparatively high company tax rate.

PRIME MINISTER: We're not taking that policy to the next election, no.

SALES: Why have you given up on that, given as I say, that you were making the point a couple of years ago that it desperately needed to be cut for all businesses?

PRIME MINISTER: Because I don't believe it's supported and I think one of the things we learnt through that process is that there's a lot of work to be done by large businesses in this country to regather the trust of the Australian people that would see them support such an initiative. So what we have done is focus on those businesses that actually employ more than half of all Australians in our labour force and that is businesses up to 50 million in turnover. Last night we announced further measures for them. Not only is their tax rate coming down to 25 per cent but the instants asset write-off will be available to all of those businesses and that instant asset write-off will go up to $30,000 for each and every item.

So we're backing in the small and family medium sized businesses that employ more than half of Australians who go to work every day. They're the ones who have been really driving employment growth in this country as well. We want to keep backing them in to grow our economy.

SALES: Let me ask you a question that I also asked Treasurer Frydenberg last night; isn't it a sign of policy failure of this government, that you're giving people a one-off payment to help with expenses, rather than at this point in the life of your government being able to say; "Look, we've put in place policies during the past six years that have consistently driven down your medical bills, consistently driven down your insurance premiums and consistently driven down your power bills?

PRIME MINISTER: What we've done over the last five and a half years is increased funding for hospitals by over 60 per cent. We've increased funding for schools, public schools, by over 60 per cent. We've increased funding for Medicare by 27 per cent and we have the highest rate of bulk billing the country has ever seen, in Medicare. So we've been making the investments in those essential services. But to go to your question on the one-off payment, the reason we're in a position to do that is because of our success over the last 12 months to bring the Budget in $10 billion better than I said it would be when I handed down that Budget just under a year ago. So it's the product of our Budget management, that we put ourselves in the position to be able to make this payment, which is passing the Parliament this evening. That will be in people's hands before the end of the year.

SALES: Last night when those payments were announced, or it was actually on the weekend, they weren't going to apply to people on Newstart. At the National Press Club today the Treasurer said that last night you, he and Mathias Cormann had a discussion and decided it would be appropriate to extend it. What changed your mind last night?

PRIME MINISTER: Well let’s deal with the whole measure. A couple of years ago we introduced pretty much exactly the same measure and it applied to pension payments. Now pension payments are  permanent welfare support payments that go to a large number of people -

SALES: I understand that, but just what changed your mind last night?

PRIME MINISTER: Leigh, Leigh just allow me to finish the answer to the question. So that's the measure that we announced on Sunday, that previously received the support of the Parliament. Now, we're in a minority Parliament, we’re in a minority government situation and we announced that measure in the Budget, we announced it on the previous Sunday. There was a gathering support for that payment to be extended more broadly to other welfare recipients and I believed it was the pragmatic thing and the right thing to do, not to have some sort of political stoush in the Parliament. This had to be above politics.

SALES: Captain's call?

PRIME MINISTER: So I took the decision together with the Finance Minister and the Treasurer to extend that payment so it would simply pass the Parliament, as it did today without any fuss and without any trouble. I'm happy to do that.

I'm very pleased that as result of the decision that we've taken, people will have that little bit of extra help as they go into the end of this financial year. So Leigh, it was a practical call to ensure that people got the support that I was hoping that I could provide to them.

SALES: Prime Minister, just a final issue before you go. You used to appear very regularly on Ray Hadley's radio program, what is your reaction to the allegations that 730 has aired this evening regarding Mr Hadley's workplace conduct?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I haven't seen the report Leigh, so I’m just going to leave that to 2GB. I'm answerable for many things, but I'm not responsible for private broadcasters.

SALES: As a guest or subject of commentary on Mr Hadley's program, did you yourself ever feel bullied by him?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm not easy to intimidate, Leigh.

SALES: What do you say to the comments from Imre Salusinszky who is the former advisor to the New South Wales Premier Mike Baird, that conservative politicians have a tendency to cave on policy decisions due pressure of broadcasters like Ray Hadley?

PRIME MINISTER: I think it's rubbish.

SALES: You've never caved or changed your mind on anything due to pressure from commercial radio broadcasters, commercial television presenters?

PRIME MINISTER: No, not even the ABC.

SALES: PM, thank you very much for joining us. I look forward to talking to you on the election campaign.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Leigh great to be with you.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42253

Transcript - Sunrise

3 April 2019

DAVID KOCH: Prime Minister, good morning to you.

PRIME MINISTER: G’day.

KOCH: Plenty of sweeteners in the Budget for working Australians. Is it a bit too soon though? We’re still in budget deficit, $4 billion this year, $7 billion next year. Have you bought that relief forward too much?

PRIME MINISTER: No, because what this is about is entering Australians that keep more of what they earn. The reason we’re back into surplus, is yes, we’ve kept spending under control, yes we’ve kept taxes under control, but it has been about the hard work of Australians. They’ve been going out there and working hard and small businesses working hard. That’s why they also have tax relief with that instant tax write off up to $30,000, businesses up to $50 million, family businesses. That’s what has been driving our economy forward and the best way to deal with the difficulties ahead, is to ensure that our economy is strong and that Australians, whether they’re working for themselves or they’re working for others, that they’re getting the incentive and reward for their effort.

That’s how to make a stronger Australia.

KOCH: Okay tax is one side of it, but the other side is wage increases. Look, you’ve have had record jobs growth, no denying that. Unemployment is so low, but we're still not getting the pay rises are we? Is that going to change?

PRIME MINISTER: Well as the Reserve Bank Governor only said only this week, what we have seen is an improvement in real wages, but there’s still a long way to go and you're not going to get better wage increases without a stronger economy.

You’re not going to get better wage increases from an economy that is weighed down by higher taxes.

That’s why we are keeping taxes low. That’s why we’re supporting small and family businesses, so the economy can grow. We’re investing in the congestion-busting infrastructure that gets tradies out of the traffic jams and onto the site, where you can actually earn. You’re not going to have better wage growth in a weaker economy, where there would be $200 million in higher taxes from the alternative being put forward by Labor.

KOCH: See, these budget surpluses, which look impressive in the years going forward, just terrific, they’re all dependant on maintaining a strong economy. But the Treasurer even in his speech said we're facing really difficult economic conditions in the next few years, particularly from overseas. Do you think you can deliver those surpluses?

PRIME MINISTER: Well we can. I mean the last two Budgets were better - when I was standing here last year, we bettered what we said we were going to do by $10 billion. It was the same the previous year. So we have form on doing better than what we’ve outlined in the Budget, that’s what we have been able to achieve and I think that’s why Australians do trust us. You’re right, we're facing some difficult times ahead and now is not the time to hand the economic wheel over to others who don't have to drive. It’s to keep us going in the direction we're going, because the next decade, the decade we will all live in and our children will live in, the opportunities we’ll have and the businesses we’re responsible for, these are things that are going to be conditioned by the economy people live in. That’s why we need it as strong as possible.

You don't make an economy stronger by taxing it more or having reckless emissions targets which only put the price of everything up.

KOCH: Big infrastructure spending. What, $100 billion over the next few years? I’ve got to say, you must be a fan of Utopia, the TV series because you’re creating a National Fast Train Authority. It takes us back to that series. Big infrastructure in regional areas, which need the jobs growth?

PRIME MINISTER: That’s right, this infrastructure plan is all about two things. It’s about managing population growth for the future. So the Fast Rail to go from Melbourne to Geelong - and the other projects which we’re now examining - but that Melbourne to Geelong one we’ve put the $2 billion down for that and we’re going to get on with that project. That’s about our satellite cities, that’s about congestion-busting in our cities, dealing with pinch-points and chokepoints that are actually tying up our economy. We’ll make sure that people can get home sooner and safer, to spend time with their families.

Out in the regional areas it’s about linking the farm to the port and to the markets.

KOCH: Yep.

PRIME MINISTER: It’s about connecting our regional areas with our major centres. It’s also about making our roads safer. But the thing I love about investing in infrastructure is, it creates jobs. It creates jobs particularly in regional areas. I mean the money we’re putting into the Princes Highway down on the south coast of New South Wales, that’s not only going to make what is a notorious stretch of road - which I know very well – much, much safer, but it’s also going to support local jobs and the local economy as well. So Warren Mundine I know will be very pleased about that.

KOCH: So this is obviously a marketing document for the upcoming federal election, it’s dependent on you getting re-elected. You can almost say anything at the moment and then backtrack later if you are re- elected.

PRIME MINISTER: No, no. 

KOCH: Are you going to guarantee all these measures? We have heard fast train plans for the last 20 years and none of them have ever got up. Are you guaranteeing everything in this Budget if you get re-elected?

PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. At the last Budget, I said we were going to do the Melbourne Airport Rail Link and we have signed the heads of agreement with the state government there in Victoria to achieve just that. We said we were going to start work on the Western Sydney Airport and we’ve not only done that, but it’s now called the Nancy Bird Walton Airport and we're getting on with that.

Our record David, is of delivering these things. What we promised at the last election and what we’re promising at this one will be that.

But I want to pick you up on one thing. What this is, is a plan to keep our economy strong over the next 10 years. It’s a plan to build our economy, to secure Australia's future. The economy being strong is what delivers what has already been a more than 60 per cent increases in hospitals spending, in school funding for state schools and public schools, already that’s what we have achieved. A 27 per cent increase in funding for Medicare. Medicare bulk billing is now at the highest level we have seen in this country, because of a strong economy and a Government that values Medicare.

I’ve got to say, the thing I'm most proud of in this Budget, David, is the $461 million we are putting in to combat youth suicide.

KOCH: Yep.

PRIME MINISTER: This is something all of us I think –

KOCH: Totally agree.

PRIME MINISTER:  One in four Australians struggle with mental health issues and for our young people, we’ve got to take this on. That’s what a strong economy and a surplus Budget does; it means we can take on these challenges, while funding drugs for leukaemia. That is what a strong economy is about.

KOCH: Couldn’t agree more with you on that point. Prime Minister you’ve got a very busy day ahead selling the Budget, appreciate you doing it live and first here on Sunrise, have a good day.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot David.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42251

Interview with Fran Kelly, ABC RN Breakfast

3 April 2019

FRAN KELLY: Prime Minister thank you very much for joining us.

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Fran.

KELLY: It's taken twelve long years to get the Budget back into surplus. That's due next year. Now that you say you've done it, you want to hand out another $158 billion in tax cuts. How is that strong and prudent budget management, given the signs of an economic slowdown ahead?

PRIME MINISTER: I don't want to hand out anything. I just want people to keep more of what they earn Fran, that's what tax relief is. This is people's own money. This isn't spending, this is money that they've earned. We believe that the path to keeping our economy strong, which has been so responsible for the budget surplus that was delivered last night, the way you keep doing that is, you keep giving Australians the incentive to keep going out there and doing what they do every day, making our economy stronger by working hard, running their businesses and doing what they do best. You've got to give them the opportunity to keep doing that. I mean, otherwise why would they work harder under a Labor Government that just wants to increase their taxes? Under our Government they’ll have the incentive to keep doing exactly what they're doing. That's what makes our economy strong.

KELLY: But is $158 billion of promised tax cuts on top of $144 billion already legislated, this Budget tells us there are danger signs ahead for the economy. The global outlook is slow, the growth forecasts have been cut, employment growth has been downgraded, consumption growth is slowing too. How can such a lacklustre economy pay for or start paying for more than $300 billion dollars of tax relief?

PRIME MINISTER: Well again Fran you’re seeing it as expenditure. We don't see it as that, we see it as an investment in Australians to keep our economy growing. You don't make -

KELLY: Yeah but you’re also saying you're going to stay in surplus.

PRIME MINISTER: And we are going to stay in surplus over that entire period. We will pay the debt down to zero, just like John Howard and Peter Costello did, which is what the Budget set out last night. But you don't make your economy stronger and more resilient to face the very challenges you're talking about, by increasing taxes. I mean, $200 billion -

KELLY: No, but you don't get to surpluses and maintain them with slowing growth and slowing global outlook and tax handouts, do you?

PRIME MINISTER: That’s already taken to account in the Budget. That's why the Treasurer was able to say last night that we achieved these surpluses while maintaining the discipline of keeping our taxes below the speed limit of 23.9 per cent.

See, the way we've been able to get the Budget back into surplus, is by having the right responsibility, of balance, by keeping taxes under control, keeping spending under control. That's why we've seen people go from receiving welfare payments, to receiving wages, going from welfare into work in record numbers. That's how the Budget balances and stays in a surplus. You keep your economy strong by backing the Australians who make it strong.

KELLY: Okay well speaking wages, Bill Shorten has declared the election will be a referendum on wages. Wages are forecast in your Budget to grow 2.75 per cent next year, 3.25 in 2020/21, but the same Budget papers show employment growth slowing next financial year and beyond and unemployment stuck at 5 per cent. If there's no tightening of the labour market going on and growth forecasts are downgraded what is going to push up wages?

PRIME MINISTER: Well our forecasts are always conservative. As you know unemployment is now at 4.9 per cent, which is better than -

KELLY: Well, they’re not always conservative, we haven't hit the wages forecasts for the last five budgets.

PRIME MINISTER: And what we have achieved are $10 billion and better improvements on the Budget bottom line in the last two Budgets we delivered, Fran. So we've been overachieving on what we've put in the Budgets for years now. That's why we've been able to come back and get the Budget in surplus. But you know what, the important -

KELLY: Yeah, but where is the wages growth going to come from?

PRIME MINISTER: I'll tell you. The wages growth is going to come from businesses continuing to expand, more people accessing more markets investing in their businesses, because of the low tax environment we're creating for them.

KELLY: But you’ve got unemployment growth slowing in this Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: Employment growth continues because we've got unemployment down to the lowest level in the last decade, Fran. So we're going to get more people in jobs, 80,000 more apprentices we're going to train. This is what the Budget is driving; continued growth in our economy. That's where you get wage increases from. You won't get wage increases from a reckless emissions target of 45 per cent, which is going to force those same businesses that people want wage rises from, to spend $36 billion paying for carbon credits from companies from countries overseas.

KELLY: Let's come back to your Budget, let's come back to your tax package. The most immediate measure - a lot of moving parts in this tax package - the most immediate measure is the proposed doubling of the low and middle income tax offset, which is worth up $1,080 for every single Australian and double that for dual income families.

PRIME MINISTER: Yes.

KELLY: Four and a half million taxpayers would receive that tax cut from the 1st of July. But you're essentially matching, a little bit more, the promise Labor has have on the table for a year. That makes it a net neutral at the ballot box in May, doesn’t it?

PRIME MINISTER: No. This is the big lie of what Labor's been saying about their tax plan. Labor's tax plan is about taxing some people more, to pretend they're providing relief to others. We're providing tax relief right across the board, Fran.

KELLY: In the short term, in the first four years, you’re providing tax relief for the same group Labor is.

PRIME MINISTER: No, no there’s tax relief going right across the board. Now, that tax relief is designed to encourage Australians to go out there and keep doing what they're doing. You know, you’ve got people at the moment, they're on their way to the trams and they're on their way to the trains and the ferries and I want to give them the incentive every single day - regardless of where they sit in the labour force, regardless of what job they have or what their income is - I want them to keep going out there and doing the right thing for their families, which they want to do.

KELLY: Yeah and in a real comparison over the forward estimates, over the next three to four years, middle income and low income Australians would get the same immediate tax hit from you as they would from Labor.

PRIME MINISTER: No, because we're not going to put on 45 per cent reckless emissions target, which is going to put a further tax on the economy.

KELLY: Well that’s not about your tax cuts.

PRIME MINISTER: We're not going to put a $5 billion retiree tax on Australians. We're not going to increase taxes for half the population, this is what Labor plans to do, Fran.

KELLY: Okay, okay.

PRIME MINISTER: They have $200 billion dollars and more, plus the reckless emissions target, which will put up the costs of absolutely everything and cost wages by independent analysis of $9,000. That’s what Labor's plan is. Our plan is lower taxes and people keeping more of what they earn. But importantly, investing back in the services. I mean, hospital funding Fran, has increased by 63 per cent under our Government just till now. Medicare is up 27 per cent and schools funding is up -

KELLY: I want to talk about your Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: That is my Budget.

KELLY: I want to talk about your tax plan.

PRIME MINISTER: I’m talking about schools, hospitals and Medicare, Fran, and it’s all gone up.

KELLY: Yeah, but most of the money in your Budget is going on this tax plan. You'd be happy to hear last night, I think, that Labor would support this initial part of your tax plan, the $1080 for individuals. They've said so already. There's only two sitting days left before the election, why not legislate that tax relief today to give taxpayers certainty ahead of the 1st of July if it's so urgent to people and their cost of living, why not take the trouble to get it through both Houses today?

PRIME MINISTER: Because Fran I'm going to put this Budget to the Australian people. Labor played this game last year and they tried to split our tax plan in the Parliament and played games to try and put up taxes for other people, while pretending to help others.

I’m going to let the Australian people decide on this. This will go to an election and it means that the Tax Office... if the Labor Party, if people think they can trust the Labor Party to reduce their taxes, well, their form goes completely against that.

People know they can trust us to deliver tax reform, because that's exactly what we have been doing now for five and a half years. The Tax Office - if the Labor Party says that they support the lower end tax cuts, well the Tax Office is able to go and administer the Tax Act on that basis. So the legislative issue is a moot one, what really matters, Fran, is would you trust Labor to actually cut your taxes? When their real plan is to increase taxes by $200 billion on the Australian economy.

That's why Treasurer said so many times last night; “We're increasing funding for hospitals, schools, Medicare and we're doing it without increasing taxes.”

KELLY: He did said a lot of times, eight times in fact in that speech. Prime Minister you’re essentially though, to put it bluntly, weaponising this $1,080 dollar tax cut to help you win the election, aren’t you? Haven’t low and middle income earners become hostage to the election campaign?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't believe so at all Fran, I think I just outlined it perfectly well. If the Labor Party supports the tax cuts, well, they have to do is say so and the Tax Office can administer it on that basis.

But I don't think Australians will trust them to do that, Fran and I don't trust them to do that because their form is to put up tax. You see, we have a tax discipline in our Budget which says that we have a speed limit on how much you can tax the economy. The Labor Party is going to abolish that and that's going to mean tens of billions of dollars of higher taxes weighing down our economy, slowing growth which slows wages. It puts people out of work.

Now, I want the next decade to be a strong one. You said at the start of the interview, it's taken us 12 years to get back to where John Howard left us and Peter Costello. Last time people changed the government and voted Labor, they've been paying for it for a decade.

You vote Labor once you'll pay for it for a decade. That's what last night's Budget demonstrated.

KELLY: Prime Minister I know your time is tight this morning and you must go, so one final question. Last time people voted for the Coalition too they voted for a different prime minister. They've ended up with you. You want people to judge you on your economic record. Your mantra is; “Who do you trust?” But why would the Government's economic record, a Budget back in black, why would that be at the forefront of their minds when they enter the ballot box? Why won't they be thinking of all the division and the disunity at the heart of the Coalition Government which has thrown up three prime ministers in four years?

PRIME MINISTER: Because that is our economic record, Fran. It's our economic record and the strength of the economy that matters to Australians going about their business today. The choice about who the leader will be, will be between Bill Shorten and I, for the country at the next election.

KELLY: Well, that's what they thought last time and then didn't turn out that way at the end of the term.

PRIME MINISTER: And the Liberal Party has changed their rules to ensure that successful at this election, then if you vote Liberal at this election, you get me as Prime Minister. If you vote Labor at this election, then you get Bill Shorten as prime minister. That's the choice that is before the Australian people. Our Party changed its’ rules, the Labor Party changed its rules many years ago. What that means is, at this election, if you vote Liberal, then I will be your Prime Minister for the next three years. What that means is the record investments in hospitals and schools. I've got to say, of all the measures in the Budget that we announced last night, Fran - and I'm sure you'd agree -  it’s the $461 million we're putting to combat youth suicide and youth mental health challenges. I don't know of a family in this country that in some way, through a friend or God forbid directly in their own family's experience, that haven’t been touched by youth suicide.

That's what a surplus does. That's what a strong economy does. That's the thing I'm most proud of in this Budget; that we are going to take on the challenge and combat youth suicide in this country. Because it's taking far too many of our young lives.

KELLY: Prime Minister thank you very much for joining us.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot Fran.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42249

Interview with Deborah Knight, Today

3 April 2019

DEBORAH KNIGHT: Scott Morrison joins me now. Good morning.

PRIME MINISTER: Hi Deb.

KNIGHT: I thought Tina Arena was your singer of choice and yet we’ve got ACDC Back in Black - not quite back in the black though, we're still back the red at the moment this year, aren’t we? 

PRIME MINISTER: No we’ll be back in the black in 2019/20, that’s what the Budget is, it’s 2019/20. I'm pleased that in the current year we’ve actually beat what I said the Budget would be last year by $10 billion. So we’re $10 billion better off than last year, just like we were last year.

We have form on actually bettering what we put in the Budget. That's what we put in for next year's Budget, we’ll be back in surplus for the first time in 12 years. It's been a long way back, from when we had a surplus under Peter Costello and John Howard. We had those Labor years where the surpluses turned into deficits. We've been able to turn it around over these last six years. We are now back in surplus, which means we can invest in things like tackling youth suicide, which is a great passion of my Government.

KNIGHT: Surpluses have been promised though and not delivered in the past. Labor's Wayne Swan failed to deliver four of them, very famously. Can you guarantee that this surplus will eventuate?

PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, as I just said, in the last two budgets we bettered what we said we would do, by $10 billion each year.

Wayne Swan put a Budget together, that you’re talking about, that assumed an iron ore price at $175 US a tonne. I mean, he probably still thinks it's that price and it's not anything near that. So our forecasts, particularly when it comes to commodities, are very, very conservative. Always have been. That's why we have outperformed each year, on our Budget. That’s why we are further ahead than where a couple of years ago, we said we would be.

But a surplus is the first step, then you’ve got to pay down the debt. It took John Howard and Peter Costello decade to do that and we’ve set out a plan to do exactly the same thing. Paying down the debt and now using the surplus to invest in critical services. We have already increased hospitals and Medicare funding, 60 per cent more for hospitals, 27 per cent for Medicare, more than 60 per cent for state and public schools. That’s what we’ve already done, now I'm looking forward to investing more, to keep the economy strong and the services where Australians can rely on them.

KNIGHT: In the Budget though, last night the Treasurer did point out that there were headwinds the economy is facing - the slowdown in the global economy, the housing market is in a slump and forecasts of further house price falls to come?

PRIME MINISTER: True.

KNIGHT: Those are beyond your control, a lot of those factors, commodity prices too. So how can you guarantee a surplus when you can't control those factors?

PRIME MINISTER: Well our commodity price forecasts for example are well below, right now, what the price is. So we've been very conservative about those things, as we have in the past, which is why we have outperformed.

But the other thing I would say is, in facing those headwinds, you have to actually release the economy to perform. That's why we're getting taxes down. That’s why for small and family businesses, we’ve given them further tax relief in this Budget. That’s why we’re giving Australians, whether they’re on low and middle incomes, they’re getting that immediate relief. Millions and millions of Australians are benefiting from that right now and also, having a tax system over the next decade which means that most Australians will never see bracket creep in their life. Now I think that is a major change that gives Australians incentive for effort.

We want Australians out there having a go. This is a Budget which is a fair go for those who have a go. If Australians keep having a go like they have been under our Government, then we’re only going to get stronger. That’s how we can deal with the pressures ahead.

You cannot have higher wages by having higher taxes, that equation just doesn’t add up.

KNIGHT: Budgets are always political documents but this is especially so with the election looming, do you think that this will be enough to win votes?

PRIME MINISTER: This is a plan, an economic plan, that's what Budgets are. I’ve done quite a number of these and that’s what the Budget is, it’s your economic plan for how you’re going to see an economy over the next decade that’s going to be the economy Australians want to live in.

KNIGHT: But will it win votes though? Because you need those.

PRIME MINISTER: Well that's for Australian to decide, but what I believe they’re looking for is for unemployment to stay low, for investments in infrastructure and investment in services – as I said – already, 60 per cent increases in funding for hospitals and for schools. That will continue and even more so into the future. Why? Because we are driving a stronger economy, keeping taxes under control, keeping spending under control and investing the dividend of the hard work of Australians, back into the services they rely on.

A critical one of those is busting-congestion in our cities. Our population management plan, which I announced a few weeks ago, is about having sensible migration intake backed up by strong infrastructure investment, dealing with the little chokepoints all across the country, in our cities –

KNIGHT: A lot have been in marginal seats.

PRIME MINISTER: They’re right across the country, they’re in Labor seats, they’re in Liberal seats, they’re all across the country. Because a whole city functions better when you deal with these chokepoints in the city.

When I was Treasurer, I had the Productivity Commission look at this and they said cities have got to function better for Australia to be more productive. So I want an economy over the next ten years that has lower taxes and is more productive, not one that has higher taxes, which is what our opponents are suggesting. Because higher taxes slow growth, it means lower wages and higher unemployment.

KNIGHT: Is it wise though to be spending the extra money that we do have when there are those headwinds that are facing our economy? Should we be putting this surplus in the bank?

PRIME MINISTER: What we’re doing is allowing Australians to keep more of what they earn. I don’t consider tax relief to be spending a dollar. Tax relief is saying to a small business that is working hard; “You get to keep more of what you’ve earned.”

KNIGHT: Well it’s spending our dollars to give the dollars though.

PRIME MINISTER: No, it’s not. No, it's their money. Tax relief is people being able to keep their own money. I think that's a really important distinction.

The Labor Party thinks that tax relief is spending money. It's not. It's Australians keeping their own money. I want Australians to earn more in a stronger economy and I want them to keep more of what they earn in a stronger economy. So they have the incentive to keep doing what they’ve been doing - making Australia stronger, making our economy stronger and I want to keep that incentive there for them. So, if you’re going out to work today, good on you, you're building a stronger country.

KNIGHT: The tax cuts you’ve announced equate to about $19 a week extra for the average Australian income. Do you think that will be enough to sway voters, do you think that amount of money in the pocket will be enough to make people think that’s a good policy?

PRIME MINISTER: This is the biggest tax relief we have seen since the Howard Government. For a middle income family, that's more than $2,000 a year. I mean, that's a power bill for the entire year on average in Sydney for example, for many families. So this does provide that relief.

But it does more than that Deb; what it does is say; “If you do better, you'll keep more of it.” That's the incentive. You cannot run a stronger economy where people have no incentive to actually go out there and work hard, take risks, run businesses and put the investment in. That’s what creates a stronger economy. We’ve got more than half a billion dollars in this Budget which is focused on skilling u’ Australians, not just those who are coming out of school, but for people leaving a job when they’re 55. People need skills across their whole lives and they need to be able to adapt and change and there’s more than half a billion dollars we’ve put into that very task here in Australia.

KNIGHT: To get that tax cut though, they will have to vote for you in the election because it won’t be introduced into Parliament this week, will it?

PRIME MINISTER: Well it won't make a difference whether it’s introduced this week or not. What Labor did last year –

KNIGHT: Well the election is looming, so?

PRIME MINISTER: But the Tax Office – if the Labor Party says they support our tax cuts, then the Tax Office can administer it on that basis. Last year, when I put a full tax plan into the Budget, Labor tried to play games with it, break it up and try to strip it away. Because you see, Labor's plan is to tax some people more, to pretend they’re helping other people. That's not how we do things. We think all Australians who work hard deserve tax relief. The Labor Party wants to punish some and engage in this class envy, which has no place in Australia. I think all Australians want to see all Australians do better. They don't think some people have to do worse, for them to do better.

KNIGHT: Will you be visiting the Governor-General this weekend to call the election?

PRIME MINISTER: There’s three dates for the election, the 11th, 18th or 25th, they're the options we have.

KNIGHT: Have you decided? 

PRIME MINISTER: When I decide to go out to the Governor-General, the people will see that car drive to Yarralumla.

KNIGHT: Have you made a decision yet on the date though?

PRIME MINISTER: No not yet.

KNIGHT: Not yet?

PRIME MINISTER: No.

KNIGHT: And what are the factors you’re considering?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, they’re matters for a Prime Minister to determine.

KNIGHT: Mother's Day is on May 12th.

PRIME MINISTER: Yes it is.

KNIGHT: So will you and the girls be delivering Jenny breakfast in bed, or will you perhaps be too busy on the campaign trial?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we’ll all be together, I can assure you of that.

KNIGHT: I’m trying! I'm trying to get the date out of you.

[Laughter]

Of course ultimately voters will be judging you on performance, that’s the ultimate guide.

PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, as they should.

KNIGHT: If you've been a good government though, how do you respond when people say why have you needed three Prime Ministers?

PRIME MINISTER: The real choice is who is going to be the Prime Minister after the next election. My Party changed its rules, so if at this election the Liberal Party and National Party are returned, then I will be returned as the Prime Minister and I will serve as Prime Minister over the next parliamentary term. That's what  our rule changes in the Liberal Party say. So the real choice is at the next election, do you want Bill Shorten and the Labor Party or do you want myself and the Liberal and National Parties? And our record is one that has brought the Budget back into balance for the first time in 12 years.

The last time Australians voted Labor and switched to the Labor Party, they’ve paid for it for the last decade and more. You vote Labor once, you pay for it for a decade. Now is not the time to hand over the economic wheel to a party that doesn't know how to drive.

KNIGHT: Alright, and Sunday? Should I put a mark around Sunday and expect to be on air announcing an election?

PRIME MINISTER: I’m sure you’ll always be on air, I’m sure your viewers will be demanding that you be on air all the time.

[Laughter]

KNIGHT: Prime Minister, we thank you for your time this week.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Deb.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42248

Radio interview with Tom Elliott, 3AW

3 April 2019

TOM ELLIOTT: The Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Mr Morrison Good afternoon.

PRIME MINISTER: Hey Tom.

ELLIOTT: I watched Josh Frydenberg’s first Budget last night, is it going to win you the next election?

PRIME MINISTER: Well it’s about it being a plan to actually grow the Australian economy and bring us into surplus and invest in the essential services Australians rely on. The answer to your question is in the hands of the Australian people and the plan we once again put to them last night, I think demonstrates that you run a strong economy, you bring the Budget back into surplus and it means he can guarantee the funding like hospitals and schools that they rely on. I mean, we've already increased funding for both of those by more than 60 per cent over the last five and a half years and we want to keep that going.

ELLIOTT: But do you think the surplus matters in itself to everyday Australians? Because that was the most conspicuous thing in Josh Frydenberg speech last night, the surplus, the surplus, we’re back in black, we've got a surplus. Do you think your average person really cares?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that wasn't just what Josh said last night, that's certainly where he started because getting the Budget back into balance means Australia is paying its way. It means now we can pay down the debt and it means that there’s around $18 billion dollars in interest payments that goes on the debt and you've got to get rid of that, so you can invest more in things like hospitals and schools.

Now last night we announced the $461 million dollar plan to combat youth suicide and youth mental health issues. You can do that when you've actually got the Budget back into balance. You can provide tax relief like we did last night, when you get the Budget back into balance. That's why - I mean a surplus of itself, it’s a means to an end. It's a means to the end of reducing debt and putting funding into the things that really matter to people.

ELLIOTT: Okay so will the ends, you know, the various spending programmes you outlined or Josh Frydenberg outlined, will they win you the election?

PRIME MINISTER: Well again Tom, that's for the Australian people to determine, I'm not complacent about this. What my job as Prime Minister is and the job of our team is to put forward our plans for how we're going to keep the economy growing and keep the Budget in balance. How we’re going to keep investing in the things that actually make a difference to people's lives and in Victoria, one of the biggest issues as you know - your callers call about it all the time and when I'm there this is the issue that is constantly raised - that's managing population growth.

So whether it's widening Racecourse Road out there in Flemington or Napoleon Road in Ferntree Gully with $50 million, all of these projects make the big difference so people get home sooner and safer. The money we've put into extending again, the funding for preschool education for 4 year olds, that makes a huge difference.

ELLIOTT: I was recently wandering around the seat of Kooyong. I don't live there but my daughter goes to school there and I noticed most of the candidates who are running against Josh Frydenberg seemed to be running on environmental platforms, Julian Burnside, Oliver Yates. Should you have done more on climate change to make sure you don't lose seats like Kooyong?

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve got $3.5 billion dollars worth of initiatives we announced in the Budget last night, because we're meeting our targets for 2030, 26 per cent, we're meeting them. I've set out very clearly how every single tonne of that is going to be achieved. Our position is based on you can have your economy and you can have your cleaner environment, you don't have to sell one out for the other. Now Julian Burnside can make all the points he wants, but I mean I don't think I've seen quite a bigger level of hypocrisy being exploited onto the Australian people I'd say. I’d say his hypocrisy is absolutely savage. 

ELLIOTT: Is it true that you will go to the Governor-General tomorrow and ask that Parliament be dissolved and an election be called?

PRIME MINISTER: No.

ELLIOTT: No, as in it's definitely not true?

PRIME MINISTER: No, the election will be called in April and it'll be held in May. I made it really clear last year when I said the Budget would be on the 2nd of April that the lead in and all the normal things would be allowed to take place and the Leader of the Opposition gets their reply.

ELLIOTT: But it is April now.

PRIME MINISTER: I know, but I also said that the Leader of the Opposition would be able give their reply. When the election is called, well that will be done in April and it'll be held in May.

ELLIOTT: Which date in May? 

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm not saying at this point, because when I've made that final decision, when I go out to see the Governor-General, that's when that will be public.

ELLIOTT: All right, we'll look forward to that. Now, the energy Newstart policy, I happened to watch Q&A accidentally on Monday night and I saw that Arthur Sinodinos was tackled on why the $75 to $125 energy subsidy wasn't going to people in receipt of Newstart. It looks as though you've backflipped on that. Is that true?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I wanted to see the payment passed through the Parliament and the Labor Party and others, you know, we were aware of the position and I wanted to see passed. I think we were in a position to be able to accommodate that and so it became part of the Government's bill. The reason we could do it is because our position in this current financial year was much stronger as a result of the way we've been managing things.

I mean, the difference between the Budget I handed down in May of last year for the current year we're in and where it's going to end up now, is better than $10 billion dollars. So we're in a position to share that improvement back with people who need it and we took the decision to extend that further in 2018/19, I don't have a problem that.

ELLIOTT: No, no, but it was only a week ago that the energy subsidy was announced and it looks like…

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was on Sunday.

ELLIOTT: Well exactly, so it was a mistake that Newstart recipients missed out?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I wanted to see it passed through the Parliament and that's what you have to do to be pragmatic.

ELLIOTT: I see, so you made the change so it would be passed through Parliament?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes.

ELLIOTT: OK, very fast trains.

PRIME MINISTER: Better than very slow trains, Tom.

ELLIOTT: Well that's true, if they’re a reality.

PRIME MINISTER: Well that's a very good point.

ELLIOTT: So, I mean, I spoke at a Budget breakfast this morning and I mentioned I'd seen a picture of Malcolm and Tammy Fraser in 1978 getting on board a Japanese bullet train and saying, “This is what we need for Australia.” That was over 40 years ago now. This time around are you actually going to build one?

PRIME MINISTER: Well our form is there for people to see. There are two other very big generationally-delayed projects which we’re now getting on with. One of those is of course the Melbourne Airport Link and that heads of agreement has been signed with the state government with Dan Andrews. That was what we announced in last year's Budget, so we're getting on with that. Up in Sydney, the Western Sydney International Airport has been talked about for 45 or 50 years and we're getting on with that. The dozers are on the ground and it's becoming a reality. So I understand that people can be cynical about these very big projects. That's why we decided in this Budget, we didn’t say we were going ahead with five of these things. We said this is the one you can actually do. The State Government has been doing work on this, we're going to do a bit more work on it. We've got $2 billion down to make it a reality and it's the one that we can actually demonstrate our credentials on.

ELLIOTT: Sorry which one is that? The one to the airport or the one to Geelong?

PRIME MINISTER: This is Geelong to Melbourne, the Fast Rail. The Melbourne Airport Link, that's already happening, we're moving ahead on it.

ELLIOTT: OK so the very fast train to Geelong and back, that's a reality? Or will soon be a reality?

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah it will be, both the State Government ourselves have been working towards that. It'll follow a very similar path.

ELLIOTT: You can understand the cynicism though?

PRIME MINISTER: Oh, sure.

ELLIOTT: Because we've talked so much over the years about fast trains, they've never, I don’t think we’ve ever had a train go faster than 100 kms an hour.

PRIME MINISTER: Well we're not talking about the bullet trains like they have in Tokyo, by the way.  That's not what this proposal is. It is a fast train, it's not the bullet trains that you see overseas. This is a half an hour journey between Melbourne and Geelong instead of a one hour journey. We're doing that business case and we'll continue to work through the technical details of that. There’s still a lot of work to do there, I mean, I've often said I think out of Melbourne you don't get these projects at a drive through, you've got to do the work. They take some time to get the planning right, because if you don't get the planning right, you end up spending a lot of money on something doesn't work.

ELLIOTT: Now today in Parliament you said something I found a little bit odd. We'll just have a listen to it.

“I know what Borat with think of the Labour Party's policies on emissions reduction Mr Speaker; very nice, very nice.”

ELLIOTT: Do you often quote Borat in the Federal Parliament?

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: Not very often but I thought it was very appropriate, because under… this is what Labor's emissions reduction policy is - half of their carbon emissions reductions is actually forcing businesses to buy carbon credits from other places outside Australia. Honestly, I've never been a fan of these arrangements, these foreign - I mean that you've got futures carbon traders, you've got all these sort of merchant bankers moving around these sorts of things. Honestly, they're going to force $36 billion worth, that’s our conservative estimate, that they're going to force business to spend on these carbon credits. Carbon credits from Kazakhstan, so to make my point, the Borat tax is where this ends up. This is not a responsible thing to do Australian business. If you want people to earn more, they don't earn more when the business they work for has to spend billions of dollars buying carbon credits from Borat.

ELLIOTT: Very quickly you popped up on Snapchat in the past couple of days and we in fact played one of your videos yesterday. You got a lot of likes a lot of new friends on this social media platform. 

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah look you've got to be everywhere to talk to Australians these days and of all ages. I'm happy to do that, I'm happy to meet people in the pub, I'm happy to meet them at the footy, I'm happy to meet him in a nursing home, I'm happy to meet them on Snapchat. But wherever I can engage with my fellow Australians and get across the point that we're making which is if you don't have a strong economy then your investment in the schools and the hospitals and the pharmaceuticals - I mean, last night we've listed a drug that is going to change the lives of people suffering from leukaemia, people suffering from rare forms of skin cancer - I mean these this is why we do this stuff. This is why for the last six years, we've worked so hard to get this Budget back into surplus, so we can keep doing these things.

But again - I know I started with it when we started talking Tom - but this $461 million that we're investing in combating youth suicide, with more Headspace centres a whole range of digital programs, this is something for every Australian I think. Because we're all touched by the issues of mental health and particularly by youth mental health. This is the way you confront it and we're funding that. I would call it my biggest priority in this Budget.

ELLIOTT: Okay, speaking of footy, last time you and I spoke in person I gave you a Carlton football jumper and made you a member of the club. How do you think the Blues will go against the Swans at Marvel Stadium this Saturday?

PRIME MINISTER: Oh, well I think the Swans will win, but I'm no expert mate.

ELLIOTT: What?

PRIME MINISTER: I’m no expert. We’ll put the tips in but I was there for the Swans game against Richmond, but they had I say seem to be coming good in that that second quarter and the third quarter, it unravelled a bit. I was there with Josh. I'll tell you what, Josh was pretty excited. It was fun going to the footy with Josh actually, I quite enjoyed it.

But look, I enjoy the spectacle you know and I've had a lot of a lot more people give me a lot more jumpers since then. But how good was the fact that the women's AFL grand final on the weekend set that record crowd for a women's sporting event? Was it 45,000?

ELLIOTT: 53,000 or 54,000.

PRIME MINISTER: 54,000, how good is that?

ELLIOTT: Well it was a great crowd, a record crowd for a women's AFL match. I know you’ve got to go, a busy day. Thank you so much for joining us.

PRIME MINISTER: Good on you mate, cheers.

ELLIOTT: Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42247

Radio interview with Alan Jones, 2GB

3 April 2019

ALAN JONES: Prime Minister good morning.

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Alan.

JONES: I don't want to take any air out of your tires but can I tell you that the switchboard and emails have been on fire here, not about the Budget, but about Mr Shorten's energy policy.

PRIME MINISTER: Yes.

JONES: I've said, this is a bigger economic statement that anything you said last night, because people are genuinely frightened. I’ll just read a couple; David said to me, “Please pass on our thanks to Bill Shorten. Up until now we thought there wasn't a choice in the election and the Libs would be heading to the door. Then Bill highlighted that the choice wasn't so simple when he started elaborating on his policy.” They go on and on with this sort of stuff, electricity bills. Now, just before I get you to comment here, I was just taking some figures out. I mean this is supposed to be the Labor Party, the party of the battler, the party of struggle street. Their car policy says otherwise. Mitsubishi's electric car would cost $49,000, Holden $60,000, Nissan $60,000, Tesla's $50,000. Many of them take more than eight hours for a standing charge. Then the argument is; “Oh well,” Bill Shorten says, “we can sustain an electric car and manufacturing industry”. Tony Shepherd, whom you know is one of Australia’s leading businessmen, says this is rubbish. He said we don't make any cars in Australia anymore, our manufacturing costs are very high, our cost of energy is nearly the highest in the Western world. The manufacture of any automobile, regardless of its engine, requires significant energy. It won't happen.

Now what are you saying to people? This is an economic suicide note.

PRIME MINISTER: Well it is Alan. I couldn't agree with you more on this, I mean frankly, they want to tell you what car to drive? This will put up the price of everything, it comes down to that. It's going to cost wages at least $9,000 a year. So you know, whatever you’re driving, Bill Shorten doesn't think you should be. It’s about 0.2 per cent of the car market today and he thinks he's going to take it to 50 per cent in ten years. But can I tell you another part of that plan which I find particularly troubling? This plan that he has to force companies to buy carbon credits from overseas.

JONES: Yep.

PRIME MINISTER: $36 billion will leave the country to go over and get carbon credits from Kazakhstan or wherever else they think they're going to get them from. That is money that is taken out of these companies that they would use to invest in their business, to employ people or increase their wages. I mean, it’s a reckless policy that threatens jobs, drives down people's earnings and at the most insidious level, it starts telling Australians how they need to live.

I mean, in our Budget last night Alan, we removed the luxury car tax on the Land Cruisers that farmers and people use in rural and regional areas and tourism operators. Bill Shorten says; “No, you can't buy those cars”. We’re going to actually make them more affordable for people who are doing it really tough as you know out in rural and regional Australia. We're getting rid of that tax and giving them the options and choices, through lower taxes more broadly, to get on and make the country as strong as it can be. Bill Shorten is going to tax the economy into non-existence.

JONES: Well coming back to the energy - because as I’ve said I actually sent a message to Josh Frydenberg, I said look, congratulations and so on, but I'm sorry, you haven't released the most important economic document this week. This was Labor's energy policy.

PRIME MINISTER: He did.

JONES: Yeah, no doubt about that. This is dangerous stuff now.

You just take a liquid natural gas exporter and they say we're now going to have to pay for a carbon tax in Australia, but our rivals, Qatar and Malaysia or Nigeria, suffer no similar costs. What is going to be the loss to our economy of that export industry?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's going to be about a half a trillion dollars overall, we believe, as a result of what Bill Shorten wants.

JONES:  You’re getting this costed, aren’t you?

PRIME MINISTER: We have and that BAE economic study that you’re familiar with, which I know you you’ve spoken to, their estimated cost of what Bill Shorten is talking about with his reckless carbon tax, carbon target - call it whatever you like, all I know is it’s going to increase the price of everything - that is going to cost the economy around half a trillion dollars. Now that's you know that's just under $500 billion or ‘five thousand million dollars’ as you would say. That's what it is. This is a huge dead weight on the Australian economy and he goes around talking about how he wants to increase wages and all this. You can't run a stronger economy, with higher wages, if you put this mountain of burden on the Australian people.

JONES: You’re dead right. Dead right.

PRIME MINISTER: There is a reason we're going into a surplus Budget next year is because of the hard work of Australians. Sure, our Government has done the right thing getting expenditure under control, taxes under control, investing in things that drive the economy. But the thing that really is behind the numbers that we saw last night, is the hard work of Australians running businesses, running farms in drought.

JONES: I’m sorry to turn you around here, thank you for that point. The businesses, okay. So we're talking about what used to be the Labor Party constituency - although John Howard brought them into the Liberal tent - but the tradesman.

PRIME MINISTER: Yeah.

JONES: Now, how the hell does he manage? There’s no electric ute on the market.

PRIME MINISTER: No.

JONES: So what does this poor coot do when he uses a utility? Either he reduces his earnings and cops it, or alternately he puts someone off, or he jacks up the price of his product. I mean, this is a nightmare for these people.

PRIME MINISTER: That is all true. And by contrast what do we say? We're saying that the instant asset write off goes from $25,000 to $30,000.

JONES: Yep.

PRIME MINISTER: That it goes to businesses up to $50 million, that we’re going to spend over half a billion dollars training among that new apprentices, 80,000 new apprentices. So that tradie not only has a cheaper car, is paying a lesser cost for what he has to put in the tank, but on top of that he's able to get apprentices with additional incentives that helps him or her pass on their skills to another generation and we can keep building Australia and keep building our economy.

JONES: I just want to come back to this point, because I know you live in the undiluted luxury of Cronulla, or else Kirribilli. But there are people who actually live in areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and whatever, where they have no off-street parking facilities, they park on the street.

PRIME MINISTER: True, yep. 

JONES: Now again, Bill Shorten is saying that all these roads, new roads, new houses, new office developments, will have to have charging facilities. Now if this is the case –

PRIME MINISTER: The cost.

JONES: That’s right! The cost of your car goes up, your house goes up, your office goes up and the cost of the road goes up. Where is this being costed? I mean, are you going to prosecute this?

PRIME MINISTER: Well there's no doubt we're going to prosecute it. One of the ones that we haven't talked about yet, is what they’re going to say to farmers.

JONES: That’s it.

PRIME MINISTER: They're going to tell farmers, pastoralists and graziers what they can do on their land. Now, you know about this up in Queensland, those dreadful native veg laws that the Labor Government put in place up there.

JONES: Yes, I do.

PRIME MINISTER: You know, it's bad enough that you've got to deal with droughts and floods.

JONES: That’s it, good on you.

PRIME MINISTER: You’ve also got to deal with this numpty legislation, which basically tells farmers what they can do on their own land. Now, Bill Shorten wants to take that really bad idea and take it to the entire country. That is an insult to those who work on our land, particularly when they're going through some of the hardest conditions that any of them can remember.

By contrast what are we doing? We’ve got $6.3 billion dollars going in to support farmers in rural and regional communities that are drought-affected. Over $3 billion we're putting in for those hit by national disasters. You know what we're doing up in North Queensland, Alan, I know you keep in touch with what we're doing up there. Shane Stone is up there implementing that plan, we're rebuilding North Queensland fence by fence and beast by beast.

JONES: Right, just a couple of things here because there is thousands of pages this stuff. Just amplify for our listeners, 94 - of course you've got to get through an election to enable any of this to happen - but 94 per cent of Australians - you’ve got to say this slowly - will pay no more than 30 cents in the dollar of course, if they re-elect you people. Just amplify that point simply.

PRIME MINISTER: This is so important and we're changing when you set the threshold as well. So that means that the highest marginal tax rate that 94 per cent of Australians will pay, is just 30 cents in the dollar. Now, it’s  currently 32.5 on the plan that we got legislated after last year's Budget.

For the Labor Party, that would be 37 cents. So this is giving people the incentive to work hard. Alan, I don't know what the point of working hard would be under a Labor government, because the harder you work, the more they tax you.

JONES: Well, $200 billion of tax, I mean -

PRIME MINISTER: Exactly, $200 billion including the $5 billion on retirees. The most insulting thing I've heard - and they said it again yesterday in the Chamber when they were jeering at me - I said that these are Australians who are going to have to pay this retiree's tax under Labor who paid tax all of their lives. And they yelled out “They’re not paying tax”. That's what they think of those retirees! They’ve paid tax their whole lives.

JONES: Don’t forget death duties, don’t forget death duties. Does anyone sort of save and invest in whatever, to have the government take it? Julian Burnside, the glamour candidate down there in Kooyong, says death duties, the CFMEU say death duties, the Labor unions say death duties. For God's sake.

PRIME MINISTER: It’s savage. What Julian Burnside and the Greens say, it’s absolutely savage.

JONES: Now look, just a couple of things. I trust you're on top of all of this, I'm not suggesting you're not, but a couple of things that were important to our listeners here last night which won't be talked about today. I do want to thank you and Greg Hunt, who does a colossal job in the field of health. These two cancer drugs which are going to save patients up to $150,000 a year. Now are you across the detail, you’re going to you're going to add this Bavencio go to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It’s used to treat a rare but highly aggressive cancer, so good on you.

PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I met with two sufferers, and they were in remission, on Monday. They have had access to that drug. One of them had it on a clinical trial and the other one was able to afford it.

JONES: Good on you, so $40 a script now?

PRIME MINISTER: $6.50 for a concession card holder. There was also a lifesaving leukaemia drug we put on the PBS last night. More than 2,000 drugs we’ve put on the PBS, for lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer.

JONES: On breast cancer I just want to raise for our listeners. That’s Ibrance which they've been writing to me about, it’s used to treat inoperable breast cancer. Patients currently pay $55,000, now under the PBS it is $40 for a script and $6 for a concession.

PRIME MINISTER: That's right. As all cancer sufferers tell you when you talk to them, they also want to see more money going to research and treatment facilities. We have got $100 million going into the cancer treatment centre in Sydney and there's $80 million going down into that marvellous Peter Mac Centre down there in Melbourne. We are investing record levels in cancer research, backing in people like Glenn McGrath and the work that he does with breast cancer nurses, we announced that funding at the start of this year.

But the lesser known cancers - I'm so pleased you mentioned that – on skin cancer, that's only going to support of a few hundred people, but they're Australians and every single Australian life, every single Australian life matters.

JONES: That’s Bavencio. Well now I'll let you go because you've now got to talk about the most important economic statement of the week; the Shorten energy statement and I hope you'll prosecute that on behalf of everybody out there. I can tell you Prime Minister, in the emails and in the messages that are coming, that is all they are talking about.

PRIME MINISTER: I will Alan. Can I just mentioned one last this thing that I'm most pleased about in this Budget; that's the $461 million we're putting into combat youth suicide and mental health challenges in this country. There's not, I think, a family, a community in this country, that hasn't been touched by this, particularly in rural and regional areas, in remote Indigenous communities, in the suburbs of Sydney. This is this is something that breaks the nation's heart and last night, because of a strong economy, because we've got the Budget back into surplus next year, that means we can have the biggest fight against youth suicide this country's ever seen. I know all Australians are going to back us in on that.

JONES: Good on you, well done and thank you for your time Prime Minister.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42246

Radio interview with Jon Faine, ABC Melbourne

3 April 2019

JON FAINE: The leader of the Liberal Party, the Coalition and Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Morrison good morning to you.

PRIME MINISTER: G’day Jon.

FAINE: Is it a moral fail to build an election surplus off starving the National Disability Insurance Scheme of money, leaving disabled people without the services they need?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that's a terrible lie, Jon.

FAINE: What is?

PRIME MINISTER: What you've just said.

FAINE: What part of it?

PRIME MINISTER: All of it.

FAINE: None of it.

PRIME MINISTER: All of what you've said is untrue. Let me explain why.

FAINE: The NDIS has been starved of funds and it hasn’t met –

PRIME MINISTER: No that’s not right Jon.

PRIME MINISTER: What you yourselves said would be its allocated money and people are desperate for services and not getting them.

PRIME MINISTER: Let me explain what happens with the NDIS. What happens is based on estimates that are provided by the states working with the Commonwealth to understand what the expected demand is, then you pay out what the services are that are provided in response to that demand. Now, we overestimated the demand in the NDIS. That money actually shows up in extra expenditure on hospitals where a lot of those services are being provided through the state. So it's just swings and roundabouts.

FAINE: Well no, you've squeezed the pipe.

PRIME MINISTER: No, not at all. Jon, that’s just out and out wrong, that's not how it works. The NDIS is funded on a complete demand-based system. Every single invoice for every single service, every one presenting for a service, it's all funded. It's all funded not just next year, this year, but into the future. What happens is -

FAINE: Mr Morrison, we’ve spoken to the providers, they do not have the cash flow allocated in order to meet the demand.

PRIME MINISTER: We've just increased the payment and for providers.

FAINE: For the future, but not for the past.

PRIME MINISTER: That's what's been done.

FAINE: Not for the past, hence the surplus.

PRIME MINISTER: Jon I’m sorry, I've got to stop you there because you cannot tell those lies to the Australian people.

FAINE: It's not a lie.

PRIME MINISTER: No, it is a lie Jon. Because every single cent that needs to go to the NDIS, every single demand that is there for the NDIS -

FAINE: [Inaudible] go, doesn’t it?

PRIME MINISTER: Every single service that's provided and sought -

FAINE: No, not every one that is sought.

PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm sorry, Jon. I'm sorry, every demand for the NDIS is fully funded. There are no policy decisions in relation to the NDIS other than every single element of the demand is fully funded. What happens is if you get a lower demand on the NDIS, then you get higher expenses in the hospital system. And so these are the same patients and they're getting the same support, they're getting it through a different system.

FAINE: No, they’re not. A lot of them are not hospital patients.

PRIME MINISTER: I’m sorry Jon, you’ve got this absolutely wrong.

FAINE: Prime Minister, they're not hospital patients, they're not admitted, they're not outpatients.

PRIME MINISTER: But they are paid for through the health system Jon.

FAINE: They’re not clients of hospitals at all. They’re paid through community organisations and charities and they need more money.

PRIME MINISTER: I’m sorry Jon, you cannot put that falsehood up just because that's what the Labor Party is saying -

FAINE: It’s also what the providers are saying -

PRIME MINISTER: Again, if you want to repeat the lies of the Labor Party to your listeners -

FAINE: It’s not the Labor Party, it’s the people who work their fingers to the bone for the disabled.

PRIME MINISTER: You can do that, but if we’re going to have a debate, we can have a debate or we can have an interview.

FAINE: Well we can have both actually, I'm trying to explore one of the major issues in the Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: And you’ve got it wrong, Jon.

FAINE: All right well let's move on to other things but I'm basing my beliefs not on what the Labor Party have briefed us on.

PRIME MINISTER: Well there’s an uncanny coincidence

FAINE: But the disability sector, it’s what the disability sector have put in their own press releases. Let's move on. If indeed on tax and macroeconomic settings alike there's little difference between the parties now, does this election become a contest of leadership, where of course you have a significant advantage in the polls and the different opinion polls on Bill Shorten?

PRIME MINISTER: Well it’s a contest of both. It is a contest about who's best to lead the country going forward and it is also about the record of our Government, which has seen hospital funding increase by 63 per cent since we were first elected. Schools funding for public schools has increased by 62 per cent. Medicare funding increased by 27 per cent, a Budget that -

FAINE: All these figures of course are contested by your opponents.

PRIME MINISTER: No they’re not contested, they're the hard facts of what has occurred since we were elected until now. They are the financial accounts of the nation, Jon. They're not contested, they're actual facts. That is what we've done with hospitals, schools and Medicare. We also have the highest bulk-billing rate in the country on record. That is our record on health and services.

But the other thing we've done last night, Jon, I'm sure you'd agree with this - we disagree on things from time to time, I'm sure your listeners understand and they know it's good natured - but $461 million dollars to invest in combating youth suicide and the youth mental health challenge in this country. From the most remote Indigenous communities to the suburbs of our big cities, that is what a strong economy and a balanced Budget can do.

FAINE: Desperately needed. Just a few things, we’ll come to infrastructure in a moment which is a very welcome commitment from your Government. Do you commit to Bill Shorten making his Budget reply?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I did that ages ago.

FAINE: You won't call the election this evening then?

PRIME MINISTER: No.

FAINE: And then Friday?

PRIME MINISTER: I committed to that last year Jon, why would that change?

FAINE: Because the rumor mill runs hot as I'm sure you're aware.

PRIME MINISTER: You shouldn’t pay attention to the bubble Jon, you’ve been around too long to pay attention to the bubble.

[Laughter]

FAINE: Every now and again there's one that goes past and you go; “Ooh, that would be interesting”. So having got that sorted, Geelong in particular.

PRIME MINISTER: Yep.

FAINE: The commitments to try and save Sarah Henderson in the very marginal Victorian seat of Corangamite. When does the money for Geelong Fast Rail start to flow?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, once we've completed the business case. When we were down there launching it the other day, we expect that to be in about 18 months to two years.

FAINE: Sorry, the business case?

PRIME MINISTER: No, the business case needs to be done which works out the most effective way to do this, that's the first stage of the plan.

FAINE: When does that start?

PRIME MINISTER: That starts now.

FAINE: $20 million for year one, starting right now?

PRIME MINISTER: That starts right away.

FAINE: Yeah and then?

PRIME MINISTER: Then when we put that together, it works exactly like we work the Melbourne Airport Rail Link. As you know, we announced that in last year's Budget and were able to conclude the agreement, $5 billion each with Dan Andrews and the Victorian Government and ourselves. This will follow exactly the same process, working closely together, because the Victorian Government, as you know, has already done quite a lot of work on this. So we'll align those two pieces of work and we'll get moving as quickly as we come to that agreement with the State Government. We look forward to doing that and I have every confidence that we will. We’re working very well with Dan Andrews.

FAINE: But you’re press conference the other day with lots of people in fluoro vests and hard hats - and we're going to see more of that - you said it can start in 18 months, but in fact, the cash flow doesn't kick in until 2021?

PRIME MINISTER: Well we can. It's a function of getting the business case landed and it's a function of getting the agreement together with the State Government.

FAINE: So how can it start in 18 months when cash flow starts in three years?

PRIME MINISTER: Jon, as soon as we can get it moving, we'll begin moving. That's exactly what we're doing and we'll do it with the State Government and we're moving on all these projects. There is $6.2 billion for new projects to bust congestion, improve safety and better connect towns and regions all across Victoria. This is a huge boost.

FAINE: I'm just trying to drill down, Prime Minister, because in fact it can't start in 18 months if the cash flow isn't kicking till the 1st of July 2021.

PRIME MINISTER: Jon, if we're in a position to start earlier, we will.

FAINE: And the duplication to Waurn Ponds, allocating $50 million over four years, but it's a $750 million project.

PRIME MINISTER: We've allocated $700 million to the Waurn Ponds upgrade.

FAINE: $50 million in four years, the rest might follow.

PRIME MINISTER: $700 million to upgrade that project, that's what we've committed in this Budget. That's what we've committed, $700 million.

FAINE: So the actual expenditure is not just beyond the forward estimates of this Budget, but within them.

PRIME MINISTER: There is expenditure now and there's expenditure over 10 years, it's a big project Jon. You can't upgrade the Waurn Ponds line by going through a drive through at McDonald's, you've got to do the planning, you've got to get it done you've got to work with the state government. I don't think people expect these projects to be done overnight. But you've got to turn up and provide the funds and that's what we're doing.

FAINE: So do you borrow the credibility that was built by the Andrews government and their model that led to them being re-elected? Do you say, well, we haven't really done that much for infrastructure in Victoria for the last few years, but forgive us, we've realised that the error of our ways and we're going to do it now?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that's not true either, Jon. I mean you've got to stop saying this stuff, we've been delivering billions of dollars of infrastructure projects in Victoria and we're going to continue to deliver billions of dollars

FAINE: Sorry, your main commitment was for a tunnel the people of Victoria people voted against twice in elections.

PRIME MINISTER: For these projects, so we’re just going to keep getting on with it, Jon. We're investing in infrastructure, we're investing in infrastructure in Victoria and particularly in Melbourne which is straining with the pressures of population and ensuring that we're delivering the projects. Whether it's on the Hume Freeway, the $50 million there, for the M80 Ring Road, the Calder Freeway, the Gap Road, the M80 Ring Road, that's $50 million, the Ballarto Road at Skye which is $30 million, the Princes Highway intersection upgrades at Pakenham to Beaconsfield, that's s$17.8 million.

FAINE: This is what governments do, of course Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: We’re doing all of these things Jon.

FAINE: That’s why we vote for governments, to do things.

PRIME MINISTER: That's exactly what we're doing Jon.

FAINE: But do you have a credibility problem, not just on infrastructure where Victorians for years have been calling for more investment from the Commonwealth, but for instance your apprenticeships announcement. Billions cut from TAFE over years and years and suddenly now you say you'll put some of that back?

PRIME MINISTER: We established the Skilling Australians Fund last year Jon, that was in last year's Budget. We've been investing in these skills each and every year. As you know, the training programs are delivered particularly by state governments when it comes to TAFE. 80,000 new apprentices, we're going to need them because we're building a lot of roads and a lot of bridges and we're building our economy. That's why we're investing in those with the increased incentives for employers and for those taking on apprenticeships. But not just that -

FAINE: But where's your credibility on apprenticeships, if you've in fact, as you have, been cutting TAFE? You may have been putting money into private training up providers.

PRIME MINISTER: State governments fund TAFE, Jon. State governments fund TAFE.

FAINE: Well specifically with monies allocated from the Commonwealth.

PRIME MINISTER: They're substantially funded by state governments. They're the responsibility of state governments and what we're doing here - I mean, I've seen people pour money into those programs and TAFE and not get the outcomes.

FAINE: Absolutely, rorts and rip-offs, many of them.

PRIME MINISTER: The great mistakes that is often made it that you just throw buckets of money into state government programs and they produce results. Now, particularly in the area of skills development, I haven't seen those results. We've been investing year in year out in those state government programs all around the country and we haven't been seeing the results. So we've decided to take more direct action when it comes to investing in skills through these programs, by investing in the incentives provided to employers and to those taking up apprenticeships to make sure they can get out there.

So 80,000 in the most needed trades and we're looking forward to backing them in to do that, over half a billion dollars in this Budget to do just that.

FAINE: I don't want to make you late for your next commitment but just finally, extending the energy supplement to Newstart seems like an afterthought that was announced by the Treasurer on radio this morning, not in the Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I want to see it passed through the Parliament and that's what is going to happen.

FAINE: Was it an afterthought?

PRIME MINISTER: That will be in the Government's bill this morning when it's introduced into the House -

FAINE: Was it an afterthought?

PRIME MINISTER: No it's in the bill and it's the Government's policy.

FAINE: But it wasn't in the Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: Jon, we’re getting it done.

FAINE: An afterthought.

PRIME MINISTER: I'll tell you why it's important. Because this year's Budget, the year we're currently in, which was the Budget I handed down last year, we have bettered what I said a year ago by around about $10 billion and in the previous year, we did exactly the same thing. So with our Government, when we hand down budgets, we outperform them in the 12 months that follow, because we use conservative estimates. We balance reward with responsibility and reality when we put our budgets together and that's why Australians trust us.

People know Labor can't manage money and they can't trust Labor to deliver tax cuts, legislated tax cuts. We're providing that relief and we're providing the economic leadership. So there’s a very clear choice at the next election; Bill Shorten and the Labor Party - and we all know what that is. Or you can have my Party with me leading it at the next election and there’s a very clear choice.

FAINE: Just finally Prime Minister, I'm trying to organise a birthday party for Jan my wife and her birthday is May the 11th, should I go ahead?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I’m going to be busy all the way through mate, be busy all the way through. When we announce the election, you'll know when it is.

[Laughter]

And was that an invitation?

FAINE: Well yeah, absolutely, drop on by.

PRIME MINISTER: That’s very kind.

FAINE: If you've got nothing else on, you’re always welcome.

PRIME MINISTER: I'll send a videogram.

[Laughter]

FAINE: She would love that, thank you indeed.

PRIME MINISTER: Good on you, Jon.

FAINE: The Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42244

Interview with Michael Rowland, ABC News Breakfast

3 April 2019

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Prime Minister Scott Morrison, good morning to you.

PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Michael.

ROWLAND: Isn't this the most nakedly political budget in Australian history?

PRIME MINISTER: Michael, this is our economic plan to ensure that our economy is built strong over the next decade and that Australians have the opportunities that they're seeking for themselves, because this is a Budget that is backing hardworking Australians. It's a fair go for those who have a go, that's what underpins this Budget. As Australians continue to do the hard work, then they'll get the rewards for their hard work. That's what the Liberal and National Parties have always done and that's what has enabled us to bring the Budget back to a surplus budget for next year. That's the first time we have seen that in a decade.

We're going to invest that surplus in infrastructure and services. $461 million to combat youth suicide in this country, that's what a budget surplus and a stronger economy can do to tackle what I think is one of the biggest social and health challenges we have in this country.

ROWLAND: It's a promise of a surplus of $7 billion next financial year, but how robust is that promise given as we saw in the Budget documents last night, very considerable risks from overseas and risks here care of those falling house prices. How confident are you that you'll actually hit that Budget surplus next year and for that matter the years afterwards?

PRIME MINISTER: I’m very confident because that has been our form. I mean, last year when I delivered the Budget, what we’ve seen over the course of this year is that we’ve ended up $10 billion better and it was the same the year before. So we’ve always had these headwinds but we’ve always budgeted in a very conservative way and we have bettered the performance in the Budget consistently.

That's the difference between the Liberal and National Parties when we budget - we do it sensibly - and when the Labor Party did it, you know, they just ran up huge deficits while promising surpluses. Now, that's the big difference between the Labor Party and ourselves; we do these things carefully and responsibly. We balance reward, responsibility and reality when we put our budgets together and that's why we have seen the improvement in the performance of the Budget that we have. But that budget surplus is all about, now, investing to pay down debt and deliver the essential services in health and education. I mean, health and education funding over the last five and a half years, has increased over 60 per cent for state schools and for hospitals. That’s what we have been delivering. A 27 per cent increase in Medicare funding since we’ve come to government. This is what we have been delivering and our Budget that we handed down last night continues that investment, based on a strong economy.

ROWLAND: How much of this Budget, though, is aimed at neutralising Labor politically? I ask that question because the Labor Party has already vowed to match the first round of tax cuts announced last night?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, Labor makes all sorts of promises when it comes to the economy but their record speaks for itself. What this is about is our plan for the decade that we're going to live in. The decade that people are going to run businesses in, that people are going to find work in. 80,000 apprentices funded to support our growing economy and help people get into work and build the big infrastructure projects that we have got rolling out. $100 billion of important investments in infrastructure, whether it's the $500 million that we're putting into the Princes Highway, that notorious stretch of road down on the south coast of New South Wales, or the funds we're funding in Fast Rail from Melbourne to Geelong, $2 billion, which is going to ease population pressures in our big cities.

This is what our plan is doing; it's about growing our economy, taking the tax burden, taking the tax monkey off people's backs - not just for some as Labor promise and they only promise it - but for all. See, the Labor Party always wants to say they’ve got to bring some people down to lift people up. We don't in believe in that. We believe that the Australian economy performs better when all Australians are rewarded for doing better. Labor wants to punish some and we’re not that in business. We're in the business of rewarding and supporting all Australians.

ROWLAND: Let's talk about lifting the poorest people up. In a Budget boasting $45 billion worth of surpluses Prime Minister over four years, why was there no scope at all to raise the Newstart Allowance?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we're doing for people who are looking for jobs is getting them into work. The difference about Newstart Allowance is that people on Newstart aren't intended to be there for a long period of time and they also have access to a range of other income support payments. The Newstart Allowance is indexed twice a year, just like all other welfare payments, it's not frozen. It goes up actually twice a year and that's what is built into the Budget going forward.

ROWLAND: It is a measly figure, $277 a week. Even Arthur Sinodinos, your colleague on Q&A on Monday was saying it needs to go up.

PRIME MINISTER: He didn't say now, I stress, he did not say it needed to go up now. He said that's something you consider down the track, but what we're doing is getting those people in record numbers who are on Newstart, into jobs. That's the best form of welfare, Michael. Actually to get people into a job and under our Government, that's what has been happening in record numbers, particularly for young people.

Under our Government, we had the biggest year of employment growth for 15 to 24-year-olds. That changes lives. We have had 1.2 million jobs created since we have come to government and our pledge for a further 1.25 million jobs over the next five years, is backed in by the economic plan that we outlined and we handed down last night.

A Budget back into surplus for the first time in 12 years that now is invested in paying down debt and investing in things like youth mental health, investing in supporting carers to get respite, in record funding for hospitals and for schools. These are the things that make the difference in people's lives.

ROWLAND: Okay, just about out of time. Finally, Prime Minister, we're clearly about to go into election campaign mode. Once election day rolls around, isn't the only surplus Australian voters will be concerned about is the surplus of Liberal prime ministers over the last six years?

PRIME MINISTER: I think that's what the bubble worries about. But what Australians are going to decide at the next election –

ROWLAND: You don't think voters will look back and discount you for all the… for the muppet show, your words, we saw last year?

PRIME MINISTER: I think what they're going to do at the next election is decide who they want to continue to lead the country over the next three years. We changed the rules when I became Prime Minister, we changed the rules in our Party. So at this election, be very sure about this, there's a choice; myself as the leader of the Liberal Party together with the Nationals to lead the country for another three years and keep our economy strong and secure our future. Or, you can have Bill Shorten and the Labor Party with their higher taxes.

You vote for Bill Shorten, you are guaranteed Bill Shorten. You vote for me, Scott Morrison as Prime Minister, you are guaranteed me.  So the choice is about the future. The choice is always about the future in an election and our future, the economy that we will continue to lead, is one where Australians will have better opportunities, higher wages, more growth, more employment, a better future and stronger services.

ROWLAND: Prime Minister, really appreciate your time, thank you so much for joining News Breakfast.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Michael.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42243

Peter Coleman AO

1 April 2019

Peter Coleman AO was a towering intellect who contributed to our national life for over half a century.

He served as a NSW Government Minister, NSW Liberal Leader of the Opposition, Administrator of Norfolk Island as well as Member for Wentworth. He represented the Liberal Party in the NSW and Australian Parliaments.

As editor of the Bulletin and later Quadrant, he participated in the debates that shaped Australia over many decades. He was prolific and kept writing until his late 80s.

Peter Coleman served Australia throughout his life. He understood that countries were shaped by ideas and those who constructively shared them.

His writings, even if you disagreed with him, were an authentic reflection of his integrity.

Peter Coleman understood the moral and intellectual foundations of our world. In the post-War battle of ideas between freedom and communism – he chose freedom again and again.

On behalf of the Coalition, I extend my sympathies to his family.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42242

Doorstop with the Minister for Health, Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance

1 April 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Health, Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance

ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND FINANCE, THE HON ZED SESEJA: It’s great to be here at the Icon Cancer Centre here in Bruce and it’s great of course to have the Prime Minister and the Health Minister with us today and to have some of our local candidates in Mina Zaki and Leanne Castley. It’s great to be talking about what the Coalition can deliver particularly in the health space and particularly for cancer patients. So great to be with you today in sunny ACT and without further ado I’ll welcome the Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much Zed and congratulations - as Assistant Minister to the Treasurer and Finance Minister I know you’ve been very busy in recent weeks and months as we prepare for tomorrow night’s Budget. Tomorrow night’s Budget is all about building a stronger economy to secure Australia’s future. A stronger economy means we now have the highest level of bulk billing in Australia’s history under Medicare. A stronger economy means we now have record funding for Medicare. That's what the strong economy that we’ve been presiding over is delivering; a stronger Medicare. A stronger economy means hospitals funding is now at record levels from the Commonwealth, all around the country. A stronger healthcare system is dependent upon a strong economy and a strong Budget and tomorrow night you will see both of those in action.

Today, a stronger economy and a strong Budget means that we can list two further pharmaceuticals, life-saving medicines, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to make them affordable for cancer patients. More than 2,000 medicines have been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme under our Government. That's because we know how to run a Budget. It's because we know how to preside over a strengthening economy and taking the decisions, through lower taxes, supporting small and family businesses, opening up our export markets so our exporters, particularly small and family businesses can be out there growing and employing more Australians and more Australians in work. There are more Australians in work today of working age, as a proportion, than at any other time in our history. There are fewer Australians on welfare today of working age, than we've seen in over 30 years. That's what a strong economy delivers. But when Labor were in power, they had to stop listing medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme because they ran out of your money.

So, as we go into tomorrow night's Budget, a stronger economy guarantees funding for the essential services that you rely on. Not higher taxes, that only slows the economy. That only undermines our ability to invest in the healthcare and the education and the security that you depend on as an Australian, for you, your family and your community. So today is another example, another demonstration of what the practical benefit of a strong economy is for you and your family; life-saving medicines. In this case, a very Australian form of cancer, skin cancer and a very specific type of skin cancer which is being treated here at the Icon Cancer Centre here. Wayne has been able to benefit, he’ll talk to you as well as Megan in a few minutes' time and of course, we’re listing drugs on breast cancer as well. Now we have done a lot on breast cancer and Greg will talk to you about that in just a second. 

But my real message today is; a stronger economy, a strong Budget, a budget surplus that only a Coalition Government can deliver, is what guarantees the essential services you rely on. That is demonstrated here again today, with yet two more listings for important life-saving drugs, which is changing the lives of people who are standing here with me today and their families. It's happening all around the country. Greg, congratulations on another listing and why don't you take us through the details?

MINISTER FOR THE HEALTH, THE HON GREG HUNT: Thanks very much to the Prime Minister, to Leanne and Zed and Mina but, in particular and most importantly to our patients here, to Wayne and Jonathan and Megan. Today is about saving lives and protecting lives. It’s about saving lives and protecting lives off the back of a strong economy that allows us to invest in the PBS and other essential services. I'm delighted to announce that, as of 1 May, two new medicines will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Ibrance for advanced breast cancer or metastatic breast cancer will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It will help over 3,000 Australian women who have advanced breast cancer. That's a condition that goes to their certainty, their confidence, their ability to be with their families. It's a life-saving and life-changing and life-prolonging medicine. This is one of the most important things we can ever do to give these women real hope and real treatment and a real pathway forward. It would otherwise cost over $55,000 a year, now it will be down to as low as $6.50 a script for concessional patients. In addition, I'm delighted to announce that Bavencio, for a rare skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This medicine has saved Wayne’s life and it has saved Jonathan's life. Without that medicine, they wouldn't be here today. It's a rare condition, Merkel cell carcinoma. It affects 160 patients that are likely to benefit from this medicine and it would have cost over $150,000 a year. That's almost impossible for almost any patient in Australia. So this will save lives and protect lives and will give new access to patients who suffer from this most Australian of rare cancers. It’s just our absolute privilege to announce these new medicines.

PRIME MINISTER: And Megan is another Australian hero who survived breast cancer since 1996, congratulations.

MEGAN JAMES, BREAST CANCER NETWORK: Thank you.

PRIME MINISTER: It’s great to have you here with us today. Why don't you tell us a bit about what you think this means for breast cancer patients all around the country?

MEGAN JAMES: Certainly. Well I sit on the board of Breast Cancer Network Australia and we'd like to acknowledge the support that Minister Hunt and yourself have given us not only today but an ongoing basis. We’re sure it will be ongoing, from our point of view we have a very strong voice. This makes a great difference to those women with metastatic breast cancer. It means they are able to live their lives, see their kids grow up, meet their grandchildren and do the sorts of things that a lot of us take for granted. I'm representing them here today in my capacity as a board member.

PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much Megan. So whether it’s breast care nurses through the McGrath Foundation which we started the year off talking about, whether it’s the research we’re putting in for breast cancer or it’s the drugs we’re listing today to support women with breast cancer, we're in the fight with women and families who are fighting breast cancer. Congratulations on winning your own fight.

MEGAN JAMES: Thank you and I think it is wonderful just to see the breast cancer groups coming together and partnering around these announcements as well. It's bringing everybody together for a greater cause, for the community and Australia.

PRIME MINISTER: Great and I’ll ask Wayne and Jonathan to come up. Now Wayne is a reasonably handy tennis player he tells me and Jonathan as he said before, is an economist and used to work at the Productivity Commission. Those two points are interesting but what’s more important today is how this drug has changed their lives. Tell us a bit about that?

WAYNE LIEBERMAN, PATIENT: Well look, 12 months ago I had a very short horizon to look forward to. It wasn't good. I went on to Bavencio and in three months, the metastasized tumours throughout my body all cleared. It’s quite an amazing drug. Having said that I think, on behalf of all the patients around Australia that have been living with this short horizon, this drug offers hope to them. For every future patient being diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, they now have a future. It’s just an amazing thing we've done with this PBS listing, not only for patients, it's the partners, the family and friends.

PRIME MINISTER: And Jonathan, you've been funding your own treatment?

JONATHAN PINCUS, PATIENT: I’ve funded my own yes, which is an enormous expense which I could afford but most Australians couldn't afford it. Now they'll get access, which is a marvelous thing to happen. I wish to thank the Government for agreeing with what PBAC suggested, that was tremendous for patients, as Wayne said.

PRIME MINISTER: It’s good health and it’s good economics.

JONATHAN PINCUS: It’s very good economics.

PRIME MINISTER: He is an economist.

WAYNE LIEBERMAN: It's helped my tennis as well!

[Laughter]

Just one of the side benefits of the whole system.

PRIME MINISTER: Fantastic, well thank you very much for sharing your stories. The PBS to me spells “H-O-P-E”. That's what it means to millions of Australians around the country and that's why we invest in it. It’s an investment in real hope, because it has changed lives. Whether we’re talking about lung cancer with Tagrisso or breast cancer or ovarian cancer or skin cancer; all of these, we are in the war against cancer and the fight against cancer. What fuels our army on this is the strong economy and the strong Budget. Without that, you're going into battle with nothing. That's what you need to fight cancer, having these drugs to support us in this battle. So it’s very pleasing to be here today. Let's take questions particularly on the announcements today and Wayne and Megan and Jonathan will be here to help us with that and then I'm happy to move on to other issues of the day.

JOURNALIST: My question is going to be more about the Budget.

PRIME MINISTER: Why don't we deal with this first, then happy to take those questions.

JOURNALIST: When will these medications be rolled out, available to people?

MINISTER FOR HEALTH: The 1st of May.

JOURNALIST: Do you have an estimation perhaps of how many lives you think it might save or how many people it might impact?

MINISTER FOR HEALTH: Certainly it will help 3,000 women in terms of Ibrance and the breast cancer medicine. It will help 160 patients for what is a rare cancer, but an unaffordable medicine in terms of Bavencio. So we know that well over 3,000 patients will benefit from these and we hope that in the vast majority of cases, it will be an absolute game-changer.

JOURNALIST: I think we all recognise the importance of today's announcement but are you concerned your big-spending Budget might look like you’re trying to buy up seats for the election?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I wouldn't describe it like that at all. The Budget is on tomorrow night, I think that you will see very plainly that our Government has the lowest growth in Commonwealth public expenditure of any government in 50 years. So we are the government that has been most successful of any government in 50 years in keeping expenditure under control. That's why we'll be handing down a budget surplus tomorrow night, the first in 12 years. It's been about keeping expenditure under control and it's been about supporting the growth in the Australian economy and getting Australians off welfare and into work. It's the classic 12-point turn around - that works in AFL as well as NRL - you know, you stop one team scoring a goal down one end and you score yourself down the other. This is what we’re doing in the economy. People who were receiving welfare, under our Government are now paying tax because they have jobs. That's how you balance a Budget. That's how you bring the Budget back to strength.

In terms of the announcement we made yesterday, the Australian economy and the Budget we have been able to manage over the past year has come in stronger, once again. In each of the budgets I handed down, in the final budget outcome, they have all proved to be stronger than what I announced on Budget night. We believe it's only fair - it's only fair that we share that dividend with Australians who need it most, those who are receiving pension payments all around the country. I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to do to ensure that when your Budget has performed better than you set out the year before, that the benefit of that actually is shared with Australians, whether they be pensioners or others to receive at least some assistance to deal with their cost-of-living pressures.

So our Government has the most restraint and discipline on expenditure of any government, in fact better than any government over the last 50 years. That's our record. That's why we’re in a position today to announce these types of measures.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, given Bill Shorten's climate change announcement, his electric car target, do you worry what impact that will have on fuel excise receipts going forward?

PRIME MINISTER: Let me make two points about this. The first one is, Bill Shorten does not have a plan, he just has another tax. That's all this is. Bill Shorten does not have a plan, he just has a tax and he's got more than $200 billion worth of higher taxes. This one is even higher than all of those individually up until now.

What we've got here is a ‘re-Rudd’ of a failed policy that costs jobs, that costs businesses, that will cost Australians at least $9,000 a year, with the reckless targets that Bill Shorten will make law. That's what he's announcing today. He will make that reckless target law in this country.

You make the point about electric vehicles. Well, the Government is already taking a number of steps to support the growth in electric vehicles. I mean, if you buy an electric vehicle, one of the things you don't pay is fuel excise. That is already a major advantage for those who are buying electric vehicles, a big, significant leg-up. We're also investing, ensuring through the CEFC and other projects that we're putting in place the charging stations and the other infrastructure you need around the country to see that growth in the electric vehicle industry be realised.

But Labor as I understand it are talking about taking it, in 10 years from 0.2 per cent of the market to 50 per cent. Now, he needs to explain how he's going to make that happen, because you know what happens if he doesn't? It means because he's legislated his reckless target, he has to come back and get that money off you. He's got to come back when it fails and we saw this the last time they were in government; they had all these fanciful schemes that set fire to people's roofs and overpriced school halls and all of this madness. Australians were the ones who ended up paying for the ill-thought-through policies by the Labor Party. That is what we’re seeing again today. It's not a plan, it’s just another big Shorten tax on the Australian public.

JOURNALIST: Speaking about plans, the $285 million you’re going to give back to people to help pay their power bills, doesn't that just show the Government doesn't have an energy plan?

PRIME MINISTER: No, it shows that we’ve outperformed our Budget. We have outperformed our Budget and we’re in a position to provide some modest relief going into this next bill. We already have a plan, we’ve got the Reliability Guarantee which is in place, ensuring that those investing in reliable power in this country can have the certainty of the reliable energy guarantee that we have already made a fact in this country. We’ve got the underwriting of generation capability, around 4,000 megawatts of capacity which we announced just last week and that is about twice the size of Liddell power station in New South Wales.

JOURNALIST: That's a stretch isn’t it Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: That's a fact.

JOURNALIST: You don't have a NEG plan, which is the reason you’re giving money back to people. [Inaudible] should have been getting people money back off their power bill, but because they’re not going to get that, you have to find a way to reward them and get their votes.

PRIME MINISTER: No that's not how it works. The difference when it comes to the National Energy Guarantee in terms of what Labor are proposing is this; the Reliability Guarantee, which was part of the NEG that we brought forward at the time, that is now happening. That's the important part. The bit that Labor are applying to that is legislating a 45 per cent emissions reduction target. That's what Labor are doing and they’re going to legislate that. That's not going to reduce power prices, it’s going to increase wholesale electricity prices by 56 per cent. So Labor's NEG actually put prices up, not down, because they are going to legislate a reckless target that will hit wages, that will hit jobs, that will hit production.

Let's not forget what they've also announced today is the extension effectively of the native veg laws in Queensland from the Queensland Labor Government which is basically going to land-lock the country and tell farmers and graziers and pastoralists all around the country what they can do - or rather what they can’t do - with their own land. This is a massive tax on agricultural Australia. It's a massive tax on jobs. It's $35 billion that Australian companies are going to have to spend, sending money offshore to foreign carbon traders. Carbon credits for Kazakhstan, that’s what this is for. $35 billion that companies in Australia are going to have to shell out to meet Bill Shorten's reckless target. That is going to have a significant impact on the Australian economy. This is on top of the $200 billion in higher taxes. This is why I say what Bill Shorten's talking about is not a plan, it's just another big tax.

JOURNALIST: Just on the M1 in Queensland, a 50/50 funding split, why was that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is the traditional arrangement for these projects. We’ve already invested over $1 billion into the M1 upgrade and now we are putting another half a billion. That’s on top of the congestion-busting work that we’re doing on the ramps around the M1 which I was announcing a little while ago. So we are turning up with real money, real cheques to upgrade the M1. It’s frustrating that the Queensland State Government have been unable to manage their own money and unwilling to actually join us in a lot of these projects.

I mean we’re getting on with building projects in the Victoria with the Labor Government and in New South Wales with the Liberal Government, so it’s not about politics. We are just happy to work with people who actually want to get things done. Those funds are there, they’re committed, they’re in the Budget, they’re in the baselines to ensure we can build this important infrastructure for Queensland. We are keen for the Queensland Government to work with us on it, that's what people in south east Queensland need. They’re feeling the population pressures, just like they are in Sydney and Melbourne. This investment in the M1 enables us to get ahead of that congestion pressure which will be coming in south east Queensland, so parents can get home sooner and safer from work, that tradies can get onsite and not sit in traffic jams. That’s why congestion-busting infrastructure grows our economy; because it frees our cities up to go forward and to create jobs and be the economic success stories they can be.

JOURNALIST: That $700 million for Geelong, will that still be there even if Sarah Henderson doesn't win the marginal seat?

PRIME MINISTER: It's in the Budget so yes that’s there. See, this is not a promise, this is a Budget. This is a Budget and we are committed to the satellite cities approach that I announced as part of the population management plan. Whether it's the Fast Rail that connects up Geelong, whether it's the increased investment in the Waurn Ponds line, whether it is the North South Rail links, whether it's any of these projects, these are all about managing Australia's population growth. We have got a balanced plan which deals with sensible migration settings, works closely together with State and Territory governments to ensure our planning is in line for services like hospitals and schools and roads. It's also about the big investments in the infrastructure like Waurn Ponds and the Fast Rail, as well as the smaller investments on the smallest intersections you can imagine which are chokepoints in our cities. It's about investing in the social cohesion of our cities as well and we've made investments of tens of millions of dollars in supporting our communities to grow together, not grow apart.

JOURNALIST: The North-South corridor in South Australia, is that new money? Is that money on the table or is it in the forward estimates? A question from South Australia, that 1.5 billion?

PRIME MINISTER: It's all new money.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister on the Islamic State, there’s a few people trying to come back to Australia to serve jail time - potentially – here and bring kids back. Are you comfortable with that?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm not going to put one Australian life at risk to try and extract people from these dangerous situations, I think Australians would certainly support that. I think it's appalling that Australians have gone and fought against our values and our way of life and peace-loving countries of the world, in joining the Daesh fight. I think it's even more despicable that they put their children in the middle of it.

We currently have legislation that we have been seeking to pass on temporary exclusion orders, which would enable us to manage it effectively like a parole scheme, if people were to come back into the country. Labor are playing games with this legislation. But that doesn't really surprise me, I mean Labor always have to be dragged kicking and screaming when it comes to national security legislation.

I assume that's why they seem quite comfortable with the fact they'll preference the Greens, who want to abolish the US alliance, have opposed pretty much every form of national security legislation and anti-terror legislation we’ve put in place. Labor think that the Greens are actually a more viable and more reasonable and an aligned Party when it comes to their outlook on the world, rather than another mainstream party, which is the Liberal Party, which stands for the US alliance. Now, the Labor Party have got to apply their own rule to their own decisions. If they want to have this rule which says minor parties should be considered separate to the mainstream parties, well, it seems that the Labor Party doesn't think the Greens have these extreme views. They've got to apply the same rule to themselves.

We've made our decisions on this. The challenge is on Labor now. Are you for national security? Are you for the US alliance? Are you for border protection? Are you against death taxes? Now if that is your view, if you are for all of those things, then by all means put the Greens ahead of the Liberal Party. But if you're not, then you shouldn't do that.

Thanks very much.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42241

Doorstop, Penrith NSW

30 March 2019

MELISSA MCINTOSH, LIBERAL CANDIDATE FOR LINDSAY: Good morning, I’m Melissa McIntosh the Liberal candidate for Lindsay. Thank you for being here today and for at the Penrith Regional Sports Centre, and Luke thank you for having us here. To Prime Minister Scott Morrison, welcome back to Penrith. We have Australia’s Sports Minister Brigit McKenzie here today and Marise Payne, the Senator for Western Sydney.

Healthy active lifestyles are part of my plan for Lindsay and as a mum of three children and having a husband who is an Olympic athlete, I know the importance of investment in grassroots sport, just like here today and how that makes people more active in our community, it creates the champions of the future. I’d like to welcome the Prime Minister Scott Morrison to make a special announcement here in Penrith. Thank you Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you Melissa and it’s great to be here with Marise and Bridget as well. This is not an unfamiliar place to so many parents and kids all around the country. Saturday morning sport, whether it’s in the basketball stadium, the netball court, down at the football pitch, the rugby league oval or on the AFL oval, wherever you happen to be this morning, this is not an unfamiliar sight.

There is nothing better, frankly, than seeing kids get together and playing sport. This is where the champions of tomorrow come from, of course they do. But, more importantly, this is where kids just have a great time, get together, live a healthy lifestyle and get to know the importance of teamwork friendship. These are the sorts of places that bring Australians together.

So, as Prime Minister, I want to see our economy remain strong, so we can invest in the things that keep Australians safe and the essential services that Australians rely on, that also bring Australians together. That’s why today I want to make sure that boys and girls all have the same opportunities, equal access to the sort of facilities that they need in order to participate in these sorts of sports today and into the future.

I was up swimming at the Valley Pool in Brisbane earlier this week and that’s where Madam Butterfly Susie O'Neill used to train. I thought to myself, “Imagine what it would be like if the Valley Pool didn’t have a girls’ changing room.” We would never have seen the sort of wonderful talent in women’s sport particularly in that area. But the same is true today; whether with soccer or AFL or rugby league or hockey or even in basketball and other sports like that, so many more girls are playing these sports and it’s absolutely fantastic. But it means we need to upgrade the facilities to make sure there are opportunities for girls and boys.

So today we are pleased to announce that we are putting into next weeks’ Budget, $190 million into our sports program, which Bridget will tell you more about. The principal objective of that is to ensure that there are changing facilities and other facilities to support more girls and women’s participation in sport all around the country. The facilities have to be there. So, we are very excited about this. This is how you bring Australians together. In Australia, we do that so much through sport, the clubs, the community that comes together and gets around sport. So, this is an investment in the cohesiveness of our community, in our communities coming together and forming friendships, lasting relationships, which underpin the strength of our communities. Whether it is here in Western Sydney, which Melissa knows very well, and Marise knows very well, as Western Sydney residents or anywhere else in the country, this is what makes Australia so great. I am so pleased to be making that announcement and Bridget will go through that in just a second.

The other thing we are announcing today is a major investment in next weeks’ Budget in keeping Australians safe. Some $570 million will be invested in the AFP, ASIO and other security agencies to combat the real threats that our whole society faces, particularly in relation to terrorism. That is going to keep Australians safe into the future, that money is going into the area of counter-terrorism, dealing with all the extremist threats we face. Today we are monitoring eight times more people than we were five years ago. Now, it’s sad that it’s necessary, but it is, to keep Australians safe. That’s why we need to keep investing more in our security agencies and our Federal Police to keep Australians safe.

So whether it’s keeping Australians safe, keeping Australians together like we are today with this community sports program to support girls going into sport, all of this is made possible by the first thing – that is to keep our economy strong. Without a strong economy, you can't invest in these important services.

We will keep the economy strong. You will see that in next week's Budget and we will do that without increasing taxes, but by continuing to back the hard work of Australians that make our economy stronger.

SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE, MINISTER FOR REGIONAL SERVICES, SPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALISATION : Thanks PM and what a fantastic announcement. As Sports Minister, as outlined in our National Sports Plan ‘Sport 2030’, our Government wants Australia to be the most healthy and active nation, known internationally for our sporting success and our sporting integrity. That starts by investing right here, in community clubs like this. We have had our Community Sports Infrastructure Fund, which is completely oversubscribed - the first $60 million we had nearly $400 million worth of applications. Nearly 2,000 clubs from basketball, AFL, netball, lacrosse, you name it, they put their requests in. Because, for all the mums and dads out there who on Saturdays like this, are out ferrying kids from club to club and sport to sport, keeping them active, and then they’ve got to be one of 1.8 million volunteers in sport across this country, getting out to Bunnings and doing the sausages to raise the money to actually invest back into the community.

One of the great success stories, I think, for us as a nation has been our female international sports stars. Our Matildas, the Southern Stars cricketers, AFLW has its grand final tomorrow in Adelaide, our Rugby Union, our Rugby League girls. Now their success has meant that in clubs right around the country, there has been a tsunami of interest from young women and girls heading into clubs in the local communities, aspiring to be what they have now seen; aspiring to be that next generation of elite athlete in those once male-dominated sports. Which is fantastic, right? We want to see that happen but it has meant that there’s a lot of pressure points in our local clubs, community clubs in those codes. That means when as Sports Minister I walk into change rooms right across the country of every code, every creed, every colour, and you walk into a boys’ change room and there’s one place to go to the toilet and there’s one showerhead to have a shower after the game. Now, young women and girls don’t necessarily like to do that after a game, we’ve got young women getting changed in cars, we’ve got people getting changed behind towels, we’ve got worse still, young women and girls after their games leaving the club, heading home to have a shower and get changed and not bothering to come back. One of the great things about participating in a sports club is that sense of connectedness, of scoring the next game and sitting round and barracking for the seniors and thinking; “One day I’m going to be out on that field or on that court being as good as they are.”

So keeping young women and girls in local clubs, that sense of belonging, means investing in girls change rooms, facilities that include everybody. That’s why it’s fantastic that, as part of $190 million, yes, we’ve got $42.5 million going into another round of that Community Infrastructure Grant which is being used for increasing participation of all groups in our society, but specifically $150 million from our federal government into female change rooms, into making sure our swimming pools are exactly as we need them to be for the next generation. Because we’ve got a goal; we know inactivity is a problem in this country and every one dollar we spend on sport and physical activity gives us a $7 return in the health budget. We know sport is good for you physically, we know it’s great for you mentally and we also know it keeps families and communities together. That’s why we’re very, very proud to invest in this type of infrastructure, into communities, because we know that, yes, we’ll produce the next generation of elite athletes, but we’ll also produce the D Grade netballers who are 50, who are still enjoying their sport, staying active and connected with their community. Thank you.

SENATOR THE HON MARISE PAYNE, MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: I’d just say Prime Minister, these two announcements today in Bridget’s area with Melissa and the Prime Minister here, are very important right across Western Sydney. We’ve seen contributions from the Community Sports Grants program to the Kingsway Fields at Saint Marys, Hunter Fields at Emu Plains, the softball diamond at Glenmore Park, already making a difference to clubs for girls and the boys who play in those sports. So, as we increase the numbers of young women playing sport around Penrith, we look forward to supporting them the way they deserve to be supported and maximizing their participation. So, Prime Minister and Bridget McKenzie, thank you very much for what you’re delivering here in Western Sydney today.

PRIME MINISTER: Happy to take some questions first on these two topics which I have raised and then we can take on other issues. Well, everyone is excited about sport, that’s good. The kids are excited about sport and the Panthers are out there against the Storm out at Bathurst.

MINISTER FOR REGIONAL SERVICES, SPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALISATION: Go Storm!

[Laughter]

PRIME MINISTER: I’ll be backing the Panthers against the Storm I can assure you of that.

[Cheers]

And to Gal, game 329 up there at SMILES Stadium in Townsville, we’ll have a big announcement also up there in Townsville today. So great to see the Cowboys up there in north Queensland, they did such a great job after the floods. I was up there firsthand to see what the Cowboys did up there and it was great to be able to support them and the facilities that they need. We’re making an announcement up there today. But I won’t be wishing them well on the field today, I’ll be looking for the Sharks to take it home against the Cowboys.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister can I ask you a question on NDIS, can you confirm the NDIS underspend this financial year and next will be returned to consolidated revenue?

PRIME MINISTER: All these details are dealt with in the Budget. It’s on Tuesday night.

JOURNALIST: Why haven’t participants been fully utilizing their plans and therefore getting all the services they’ve been assessed as needing?

PRIME MINISTER: That makes assumptions that aren’t necessarily true.

JOURNALIST: You announced tougher social media legislation you’d like to get through this week?

PRIME MINISTER: Yep.

JOURNALIST: Can you talk us through how you’d enforce that legislation?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, the social media laws that we’ll be introducing to the Parliament this week are about calling out the social media companies on their responsibilities. They have a responsibility when they put these platforms into public use, to make sure they are safe and that they cannot be weaponized by terrorists. Similarly, they shouldn't be able to be weaponized for other forms of harm that can affect the youngest of us around here today, through to the most serious of criminal offences.

They have the technology to do this and they have the opportunity to do it. We’re going to insist that they do it and if they don't, they will face the steepest financial penalties imaginable for them. And on top of that, prison terms for executives who are found responsible. So, we need to put that legislation in place to make sure these social media companies take responsibility, use the technology they build to ensure they can protect against their platforms being weaponized by terrorists. Now this is something we will put into the Parliament next week, we will take it to our Party Room, we will engage with the Opposition, we will seek to do that as quickly as possible. I had the opportunity to discuss it yesterday with Prime Minister Ardern when I was in New Zealand. It is a matter I have already taken up with Prime Minister Abe, the President of the G20 this year. We will be taking, basically, our package forward as a very constructive way of dealing with this. We are building some momentum on this globally; it’s great to have support from New Zealand of course, after the horrific events they have experienced there. We are seeing a lot of interest from a lot of other G20 countries.

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]

PRIME MINISTER: The penalties, well, this will all be outlined in the bill we’ll release and we are still working through some of those details. But, those penalties the Attorney General will also speak to, it will be expressed as a percentage of the turnover of the company. Now when you look at the billions and billions and billions that these companies rake in from their platforms, we’re talking very serious penalties.

JOURNALIST: How many schools have taken you up on your offer for more security, religious schools that is, and why?

PRIME MINISTER: Sadly, it has always been the case for religious schools - particularly Jewish schools I must say, who have raised this issue with me regularly - that they have needed that security. They have already been putting it in, out of their own pocket. That’s one of the many reasons why I decided to upgrade the security package for all schools, not just for Jewish schools, but also for Islamic schools and any other faith-based schools, or any schools for that matter that have that need to ensure their children are kept safe. Because these are places of - as they describe it - mass gathering; for people of different faiths. It’s important that where we have a society where these threats are present, the Government has a responsibility to keep Australians safe. Now that addition package was only announced a few weeks ago, but I do know there are already standing applications and interest from religious schools all around the country. So that money will be going out where it’s needed.

JOURNALIST: And the extra money for the AFP, is that in response to some concern that perhaps, we let the terrorist slip through the net?

PRIME MINISTER: No, no. What this is a recognition of is the growing threat of extremist terrorism in so many different forms. As I said, eight times the number of people we have got under surveillance now, than we had five years ago. This funding is in response, sadly, to the demand that is there. It is also doing things with new threats, which can occur around drone attacks and being able to counter that. There is also funding going into cyber-terrorism as well and countering those threats to Australia. There is money going into the intelligence-gathering activities of ASIO. With the AFP, it’s everything from protection surveillance – remember that our agencies thwarted 15 terrorist attacks in Australia, that’s what our agencies have done. We want to make sure that they continue to have the resources they need to do that job and keep Australians safe. This is core business for the Government, it always has been. It’s our Government doing what our Government has always done; that is ensuring that our security agencies have the resources they need.

Under the previous Labor government they withered, they were allowed to wither. Our Government has restored funding to security agencies and Defence forces, so they’re equipped to do the job all Australians ask of them.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister what do you make of Eddie McGuire's comments last night about Cynthia Banham?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I understand that Eddie has withdrawn the comments and has apologised for them. I haven't personally seen the comments that Eddie made, but if that’s what he has done, I'm sure that’s the appropriate thing to do.

JOURNALIST: But in the past, he has made a series of offensive comments about a female journalist. Should he have this platform when he is offending a lot of people? Hurting people in the community?

PRIME MINISTER: Everybody is responsible for everything they say and do. He needs to take responsibility for what he says and does.

JOURNALIST: Could I put a question to the Minister? There’s about three weeks left for farmers in western New South Wales to get a winter crop in. A lot of people are looking at the third failed winter crop in as many years, and there is talk [inaudible] can we expect more drought relief in the Budget?

MINISTER FOR REGIONAL SERVICES, SPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALISATION: Well the $7 billion that our Government has put forward from a federal perspective is to support drought-stricken farmers and more broadly their community and the industry as a whole. That has been very well conducted. I have just come back from Gunnedah actually overnight. I have been out there at Moree and on the ground in Narrabri, talking to producers about these issues. They are very much looking forward to some much-needed rain but the drought seems to be continuous. Our government has made it very, very clear that we will continue to provide the support that not only our farmers need, but importantly also those regional communities and service industries that support the farming sector. We’re making sure that when it does rain, as it will, that those service industries are there to be able to assist our farmers to remain productive.

[Interruption]

Great, bravo! That’s why last week I was able to announce an additional 15 local government areas that will be recipients of our Drought Communities Funding. That’s the $1 million to those local communities to assist projects and Councils, to assist [inaudible]. We know the recovery will take a long time and we’ve made it clear that we’re prepared to stand with our farmers and communities until the job is done.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister under the Opposition’s negative gearing plan, sorry, under the new plan, negative gearing will apply to new constructions. How is that going to affect supply?

PRIME MINISTER: When you increase taxes on housing and when this person goes and buys a new property, they can't sell it to an investor. So the pool of people you can sell your property to is smaller, which means it’s worth less. The Labor Party doesn't understand how the housing market works. SQM Research has already shown that it could result in rents increasing, in Queensland for example, by more than 20 per cent. So Labor's housing taxes will increase rents, undermine the value of everybody's home whether you’re an investor or a first-time buyer, and undermine confidence in the economy by putting at risk the housing market, which is so important to the fundamental confidence that consumers have in our economy. It is a sledgehammer of a policy that is reckless and it sucks the aspiration from Australians who are just working hard and trying to get ahead.

See, next week's Budget is going to be backing in people working hard, trying to do the right thing for their families and for their communities. People who are having a go will get a fair go under the Budget that we will hand down next week. This is a Budget for Australians who aspire to keep doing better and think big things about our country and their part in it, just by going to work every day, raising their families, keeping their communities together.

Our Budget next week is there to back them in so they can keep doing that, so we can make Australia as strong as it can be. I want people to keep more of what they earn, because it’s hard work earning it. When they can keep more of what they earn, they can do more for their families and do more for their communities, which is what makes Australia stronger.

JOURNALIST: On the social media laws, what do you say to claims you’re trying to rush them through before the election?

PRIME MINISTER: I think it’s urgent that we should do it. I don't think we should delay, I think this is exactly what we should be doing. Why would we delay it? It’s incredibly important we take the action now to deal with social media companies and make sure they’re in no doubt that if they don't get their act together on this, they will face the stiffest penalties imaginable. So, I’m not kidding with them, I got them all together in Brisbane last week. I gave them a hearing, they know what they need to do. We are establishing a task force between the social media companies, the technology experts, our experts sitting with our key intelligence and other security agencies, to make sure that they can get their programs in place and be doing the right thing. That’s the work they need to do. If they fail to do that work, if they fail to provide the protections, then I will ensure there is a legal framework in place, that the laws are there to catch those who are not going to live up to their responsibilities. So, it is a very strong message and we’re not mucking around and we’re very direct with them. They have the technology and I would only hope that they would follow through on the intent they indicated to me the other day.

But we’ll see. If they fail, I can assure you there will be laws in place to deal with those who aren’t going to stump up.

JOURNALIST: Won’t that be rushed though, without the proper oversight of a Senate Committee or further consultation?

PRIME MINISTER: This is not a particularly complicated matter and it builds off the laws that we already have in relation to child pornography, so it leverages those laws and the Attorney General will talk about those over the course of today. These are straightforward laws, they’re not difficult, it’s not hard to hold people to account. I don't think we should delay, I think we should get on with it and I’d look forward – once we’ve taken the bill through our Party Room and consulted with the Opposition – I’d hope we’d be able to tidy this up in a few days.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what do you make of Brunei and their new laws where gay people can be stoned to death coming in very soon?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I’ll let the Foreign Minister speak about it, she’s been working on this.

FOREIGN MINISTER: Thanks Prime Minister, if I may also add on the matter of the legislation concerning social media platforms, I’ve been consulting and speaking with a number of international counterparts in the region and beyond. Just yesterday I sat down with our counterparts from Singapore here in Sydney for our Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Council and it’s fair to say that following the events in Christchurch there is very significant and widespread concern about what was enabled through social media platforms, to be streamed live in those circumstances. I can’t imagine for a moment what excuse there would be for a government delaying the enactment of laws such as this. In fact, I’d suggest that advocating a delay of these laws would in fact be irresponsible, given what we’ve seen in recent weeks, tragically, in New Zealand.

In relation to Brunei, we understand that as has been mooted for some time now, the Brunei government intends to introduce Sharia law as it’s national law. This is an issue which the Government through my predecessor and I have taken up with the government of Brunei. We are strong supporters of human rights right across this region and more broadly, including in Brunei. We are absolute opponents of the death penalty in all circumstances, so any suggestion that laws would facilitate the application of the death penalty is a matter of concern to Australia. These are communications we will continue to have with our counterparts, I conveyed our views as recently, again, as last week to Erywan, to the Foreign Minister of Brunei and we will continue to do so. They are matters of some human rights concern.

PRIME MINISTER: Just while on the issue of foreign policy, I made a comment that was reported in the Australian today. The Greens have a policy to walk away from the US Alliance. Now, there has been no more significant factor in Australia’s strategic defence arrangements and security arrangements, than our Alliance with the United States. Now, that Alliance of course has had bipartisan support, as you’d expect it to. But what I find troubling is that the Labor Party would preference the Greens - who wish to abolish the US Alliance – over the Liberal Party who has stood forthright for that Alliance. Now there are plenty of other extremist policies of the Greens that people are very well aware of; they want to introduce death taxes for example, they want to completely abolish our border protection regime. So, it beggars belief that the Labor Party could be taken seriously on issues of national security when they’re going to preference the Greens ahead of the Liberal Party at the next election. Now the Labor Party has set out the standard on these things, when it comes to determining matters of preferences. So here’s the test for Bill Shorten; if you’re serious about national security and keeping Australians safe, do not preference the Greens ahead of the Liberal Party. Do the right thing and ensure that a Party that has always stood for the Alliance and Australia’s national security, and keeping Australians safe, would receive a higher preference from the Labor Party than the Greens.

To do otherwise would be to have an equivalence between the Greens and the Labor Party, which I think many Australians have long suspected.

So the ball is in your court, Bill. You tell us what you really think about national security and we’ll know your answer by where you preference the Greens and the Liberal Party at the next election.

Okay, thanks very much.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42240

Funding boost for Townsville High-Performance Sports Centre

30 March 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Minister for Regional Services Sport Local Government and Decentralisation

Townsville will be a hub for high-performance sport with a new $15 million innovation and training centre being delivered by the Morrison Government in the upcoming Budget.

The community and sports excellence centre is set to support the region’s premier sporting club, the North Queensland Cowboys, and deliver significant economic and social benefits for Townsville and North Queensland.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the funding injection would promote Townsville as a new destination for touring sporting teams as well as give back to the community.

“The North Queensland Cowboys are more than just a sporting icon up north – they are part of the beating heart of the Townsville community, as was demonstrated by their service during the recent floods,” Mr Morrison said.

“This new high-performance sports centre we’re backing will deliver cutting-edge facilities and access to world-class sports science, medical and allied health services.

“The centre will also relocate and expand the Cowboys’ headquarters, meaning the community-owned club can build on the work done by the Cowboys Community Foundation in making real change in employment, health and social outcomes for young North Queenslanders.

“I know our support for this project will give the people of Townsville a real boost after the difficult times they have been going through. I want to thank JT and Phillip Thomson OAM the LNP Candidate for Herbert for bringing it to my attention and making the case. We’re pleased to back JT and Phillip in and all the Cowboys on this community initiative and look forward to the benefits it will bring to the local Townsville community.”

The new high-performance sports centre comes on the back of the Federal Government’s commitment to $100 million funding for the new North Queensland Stadium.

Minister for Sport Bridget McKenzie said world-class investments in regional Australia, like the one for the Townsville High-Performance Centre, are vital to promoting physical activity.

“Our national sports plan, Sport 2030, outlines the Government’s vision for ensuring that Australia is the most active and healthy sporting nation, known for our integrity and sporting success.”

“You can’t be what you can’t see. We know this investment will inspire an new generation of athletes as they are able to share in the benefits the Centre will bring to the wider Townsville community.”

Minister for Northern Australia Matt Canavan said the new facility would benefit the entire Townsville community.

“The Liberal-National Government is already building a world class football stadium in Townsville, and this investment will mean Townsville has world class facilities for multiple sports as well,” Senator Canavan said.

“No longer will elite sporting teams or researchers have to travel to a capital city to train or get the best in sports science."

LNP Candidate for Herbert Phillip Thompson OAM said the $15 million investment is in addition to the Liberal and Nationals Government’s existing $100 million for the new North Queensland Stadium.

“The investments being made by the Liberal and Nationals in Townsville go further than just supporting football,” Mr Thompson said.

“The new Centre will be an asset for the whole community, providing cutting-edge facilities and access to world-class sports science, medical and allied health services.

“This funding boost also means that the Cowboys are able to expand on their record of 20 years of community leadership and sporting achievement."

The Liberal and Nationals Government’s commitment to the project matches the investment made by the Club, with a further matching contribution being sought from the Queensland Government.

In addition to the $15 million funding for the new centre, the Morrison Government has so far paid over $95 million in Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payments and Allowances to individuals and families in North Queensland following the floods. The Government has also paid over $111 million in disaster recovery payments to communities, businesses and local governments in North Queensland, and this is expected to grow significantly over the coming months.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42239

Backing sporting communities and women in sport

30 March 2019

Prime Minister, Minister for Regional Services Sport Local Government and Decentralisation

Sporting communities will benefit from an additional $190 million investment in female change rooms, facility upgrades and swimming pools across the country.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the funding will encourage and support more Australians to play sport at a grassroots level.

“Sporting clubs are so important in building stronger communities. They’re not just about keeping active and having fun, they are also bringing people together,” said the Prime Minister.

“It’s important that all Australians get to participate, including women and girls who need equal access to our playing fields and sporting facilities.

“With more and more women playing sport we need to make sure they’re supported from entry level as young girls all the way through to elite level competition, including in once male dominated sports.

“Female change rooms should be standard, they shouldn’t be an exception.

“That’s why in this year’s budget we’re announcing additional funding to build more female change room facilities at sports grounds.

“This is our practical way of backing in women’s sport and building even stronger communities.”

A total of $150 million will be spent supporting the development of female change room facilities at sporting grounds and community swimming facilities across Australia through a new dedicated stream of funding for these activities.

The Government will also provide a further $40 million for a third round of its highly successful Community Sport Infrastructure Program which has funded 458 Local Sporting infrastructure projects nationwide already. The additional funding increases the Government’s commitment to the program to $100 million.

Senator Bridget McKenzie said the first two rounds of the Community Sport Infrastructure Program have been an incredible success.

“The National Sports Plan, Sport 2030, outlined our Government’s vision for Australia to be the most active and healthy sporting nation known for its integrity and sporting success. These two programs help to make this a reality,” Minister McKenzie said.

“Local sporting clubs are often at the heart of our communities which is why it’s so pleasing to be able to fund these infrastructure projects. We’ve seen new netball courts, upgraded playing fields, flood lighting, canteens and disability access paths constructed right across the country.

“Following on from the success of our Australian female athletes and sporting teams there is a tsunami of women taking up sport right across the country. We want to support these women in sport, from the grass roots level up to elite representatives – you can’t be what you can’t see.  That’s why we have created a new fund specifically to help build new female change rooms.

"Women often don't have access to appropriate change room facilities resulting in them having to get changed behind towels on the side of fields or in cars, and having to go home for showers. This is a major deterrent for women wanting to participate  and to feel like they are welcome in clubs across many sports."

Further details on the change room and swimming facilities fund will be released later in 2019.

Successful applications to Round 3 of the Community Sport Infrastructure program will be announced soon.

https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-42238