Media Releases
Interview with Leigh Sales, ABC 7.30
6 April 2022
LEIGH SALES: Prime Minister, welcome back.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Leigh, great to be here.
SALES: When you look at the threats to your Government's survival, they're almost all own goals. Almost all of the incoming fire is from your own missteps or from inside your own party. Why would the public trust you with another term as Prime Minister, when many people on your own side don't seem to trust you?
PRIME MINISTER: Leigh, over the last three and a half years, since I took on this job, I said I wanted to keep our economy strong, I wanted to keep Australians safe and keep Australians together. And at that time, none of us could foresee what would come in the form of the pandemic and the many other disasters. But at the end of that, where are we? We've saved 40,000 lives. The Australian economy has come through this pandemic stronger than all of the G7 countries in the world. We have the second ratest high, the second rated highest pandemic preparedness in the world. We've got unemployment down to four per cent and falling. Even our debt, given the massive interventions we've had to take, is a fraction of what we're seeing overseas. And we've landed some of the biggest security agreements with our biggest allies and partners in the world today. Now that is doing what I said I would do, and I don't get distracted by all the other things, because that's not my job. My job is to focus on those things. We've delivered on those, and more importantly, we've got the plan to keep doing it to keep Australia strong in the future.
SALES: Alright. If it's that rosy a picture, why are the polls all showing things tight, with Labor in a winning position?
PRIME MINISTER: The elections are always tight, Leigh. The last election was tight. In fact, most elections are tight, and …
SALES: Yeah, but shouldn't it, shouldn’t it be not tight, if it's as rosy as you said?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I think Australians, well, no, I didn't paint that picture, Leigh. What I was saying is you asked how, you know, how we have performed, and I'd set out how we’d performed. Australians have still got many challenges, the cost of living challenges right now. And that's why it's been so important that the $100 billion improvement that we've been able to achieve, just in the last 12 months, by the biggest single economic recovery you've seen in seven years, means now that we can take action to deal with cost of living pressures right now. That's exactly what we had to do in the pandemic. We got the Budget back into balance, worked hard to achieve that before the pandemic hit, which meant we could do JobKeeper, which saved 700,000 jobs, countless businesses and lives.
SALES: Alright, let me put it to you that with the record of performance during COVID, which, as you point out, is better than around the world, and the economy doing relatively well, that there can only be one factor that's playing into the negative sentiment towards the Coalition. And that, without sounding rude, has to be you.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a tough job and it's been a tough time. And people have had a tough time of it over the last three and a half years …
SALES: People in your own party, because they're the ones that seem to be leading the criticism?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, Leigh, there are always people who are disappointed with outcomes that they wanted that they didn't get, and they'll have an axe to grind. And we've seen that, that's pretty normal in politics, particularly when you're going into an election. So the people I work with every day in my Cabinet, we've all been very focused on getting Australia through this crisis. And Australia has come through this crisis stronger than almost any other advanced country in the world. And that's what we've kept focused on. And that's what we'll continue to keep focused on because I know my economic plan is working because Australians are in work. Unemployment has fallen from 5.7 per cent down to four per cent. Now that has happened during a crisis, an economic crisis, that was 30 times worse than the global financial crisis that Labor faced. And our employment outcomes are 50 per cent better.
SALES: I'll come back to some of the criticisms from your colleagues later, but just to ask you about the news of the day - the New South Wales court decision. Let's go back to first principles. Why did you decide to intervene and dictate this preselection process yourself, with a small group of people, rather than leave it to local branches to pick candidates? It's the same sort of faceless men scenario that the Liberals used to tear shreds off Labor over.
PRIME MINISTER: Let's go back to first principles. Sussan Ley, one of my finest Cabinet Ministers, one of our most successful women Members of Parliament, was under threat. She was under threat from factions within the Liberal Party, and I decided to stand up to it.
SALES: Yeah, but that’s for the rank and file. It's a democratic party, supposedly.
PRIME MINISTER: No, well I’m sorry, no, I'm very serious about having great women in my ranks.
SALES: Yeah, what about the others? There's other seats as well.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Fiona Martin was another.
SALES: Trent Zimmerman?
PRIME MINISTER: Fiona, and Trent Zimmerman was someone, you know ...
SALES: Yeah but, but it’s not, what what's going on with the Liberal Party that the Prime Minister’s dictating, rather than the grassroots of the Party?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the Prime Minister was standing up to things happening in the Party to make sure that quality people, who are doing a quality job in their seats, should be able to go forward to the next election.
SALES: Yeah, but they should be able to persuade their grassroots members if they're doing that.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, when that process, on this occasion, was not getting that outcome, I thought it was really important. See, I'm asked all the time, Leigh, “Why won't the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in Parliament and stand up for the women in Parliament?” See, I stood up for the women in my team.
SALES: It wasn't, it wasn't just women.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's what the principal reason was and people know that. There were other members who were, who were able to be endorsed by that process. But the other, all the members that I, not just I, this process was done by myself, the Premier. They see our faces all the time. And the other one was Christine McDiven, who was the first ever female President of the Federal Liberal Party. Now, she's certainly not a faceless man, she's a woman who I've worked with over a long period of time …
SALES: But what’s the point of being a…
PRIME MINISTER: But of those candidates we picked, Leigh, 50 per cent of them are women, 50 per cent men. Of those, they came from Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese backgrounds, as well as Sri Lankan and Croatian. I think the candidates that we've chosen, I'd like the members to be able to do that, but we were running out of time. The job had to get done and, but I will always stand up for those in my Party, and particularly those in my Government where factions try to take them out.
SALES: But you're in a faction, well, you're not in a faction, actually.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm not, no, I’m not, Leigh, no, I’m not.
SALES: But you've, you’re not, but you've got your own agenda though. You've got your own people that you want ...
PRIME MINISTER: And that is ensuring that we put the best candidates in the field, to ensure that our Government can put the best foot forward to ensure we continue to have a strong economy for a stronger future. I've never had any time for the factional games in the Liberal Party. When I was Director, you know, you get plenty of enemies in that process when you don't let people bully their way into getting the outcomes that they want.
SALES: Oh come on. You've got your allies and your agendas. You’re a, everyone in politics does. You have to. It's disingenuous to say you don't.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don’t, I think it's unfair. If you knew my record better, particularly when I was a Director, I always stood up to the factions. I came independently into the role.
SALES: You're claiming like you're like an honest broker who doesn't have his own agenda and his own allies. Of course you do.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm a Prime Minister ensuring that the Party that I lead puts the best candidates in the field. And the candidates that I, and the Premier and Chris McDiven have selected, as I said, represent the diversity of our population and our Party. They represent men and women. And importantly, they're nurses, they're small business people, they're Defence Force veterans. These are great candidates. Maria Kovacic there in Parramatta - she hasn't been parachuted in from the Eastern Suburbs. She was the Western Sydney businesswoman of the year, and I'm really glad we were able to select her.
SALES: In the past week, we've seen two MPs from in your own party, from different factions, come out with the most strident criticisms of you. The first was Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, and today it's a state New South Wales MP Catherine Cusack. Miss Cusack said she would not vote for you in the election, even though she's a lifelong member of the Party. Why would somebody like that just turn on you if there was no basis?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh well, look, Catherine, I've known for a long time. She made pretty similar criticisms of Gladys Berejiklian, actually. So when people have become frustrated in the political process, they've lashed out. People have axes to grind in in political parties. Connie, the same. They will express this, and particularly at a time when it is sought to do most damage to the individual. And look that's, they're the things that I've become very used to in politics. But you know, as Prime Minister, you've got to take all the slings and arrows, and I do. But I don't, I never lose my focus on the job, Leigh. And a Prime Minister can't. And I’ll always stand up to the things that are trying to take our our Government off in the wrong direction.
SALES: But let's look at the range of people who’ve questioned your character. Senator Fierravanti-Wells, Catherine Cusack, Barnaby Joyce, in a text message, where he called you a hypocrite and liar. Jacqui Lambie, Pauline Hanson - both say they’ve felt bullied by you. Julia Banks. Emmanuel Macron said that you lied to him. There was a leaked text from Gladys Berejiklian calling you a horrible, horrible person. That's a lot of smoke ...
PRIME MINISTER: Which she denies.
SALES: That's a lot, that's a lot of smoke - no fire?
PRIME MINISTER: No, what I'm saying is, if you take a thread through all of that, across my political career and particularly as Prime Minister, I mean when people come and they just want a yes from me or they want the outcome they're seeking, and I disagree with them and I take a different position, that's not what people are ... the allegation they make against me on that is not true.
SALES: Yeah, but they don't always come out ...
PRIME MINISTER: I'm allowed to disagree with you, but that doesn't mean, that doesn't mean the alternative.
SALES: Of course, but ...
PRIME MINISTER: And as a Prime Minister, you can't just say yes to everybody and give everybody what they want. And when they don't get what they want, like a $90 billion submarine contract, then of course they're going to lash out.
SALES: But it's not always to the degree that we're seeing around you, particularly coming from inside your own Party. You know, the discontent around the floods response. The discontent around the preselection. There's a lot of noise within your own ranks.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm very determined, Leigh. And I'm very determined to ensure that the Government can get on with the important job that it has. And on our flood response - I mean, $2.1 billion has been committed into the New South Wales flood response. Over a billion of that has already been paid out the door. Now, I find in these situations when people have an axe to grind, particularly on the eve of election, you know, that is what happens in politics. But the facts tell a different story about what we've done.
SALES: But let's talk about, say someone has an axe to grind. Catherine Cusack, as part of her discontent, points out that in the initial raft of flood disaster recovery payments, it went to seats held by Nationals. Then it was extended to Labor areas after a huge outcry. You said today that was because more assessment was required. But come on, it was immediately obvious that all of those areas needed help.
PRIME MINISTER: No, no. Actually, you've completely mischaracterised the situation, Leigh, to be fair. What I said when I went to Lismore is that we'd immediately identified three local government areas on the basis of the advice we had from the National Recovery and Resilience Agency that should qualify for those three payments. And I said when I was there, I said it to the Ballina Mayor, who we hadn't included at that time, I said to the Labor Member up there in Richmond, I said that we would be doing further analysis in the coming days, and we'd make further announcements. And that's exactly what we did. Now that misunderstands that in every disaster, that's how it works every time. You list some local government areas straight away, and then you add others to the list. Now I can understand why Catherine would have been devastated by those floods. She's lived up in that area, grew up in Alstonville, and she knows that area well. It's her whole life, so I can understand why she was upset. But the truth of the matter was, that, you know, we had always intended to make further assessments, and if those assessments supported those payments, then we would, and we did.
SALES: In an interview last week, you said, “I know I've got critics who say you shouldn't be spending money on helping people during these crises.” Who said that?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh look, all the time.
SALES: No they don't. Who said that? Who said people, you shouldn't spend money helping people in crisis?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I’m sorry, you should try looking at my Facebook feed from time to time. It's probably just as as nasty as yours, as people what you're saying on yours.
SALES: No, seriously.
PRIME MINISTER: No, there are some views that sort of says, ah well, people, you know, they shouldn't get payments, they should have their insurance, and I know they can't get insurance. And so we have lent in. I mean, we had $6 billion in this Budget alone to be dealing with the most recent natural disasters, the South East Queensland floods and the New South Wales floods. And we moved quickly also on the fires as well. The pandemic payments, JobKeeper all of these, the Cyclone Seroja, all of these, we have been the first there in getting payments out. Now right now, as I said, in New South Wales alone, more than a billion dollars have been paid directly into people's pockets. Now, New South Wales has yet to get those payments through because they go through their small business payment process, and we're funding half of those as well. But our job in those crises, because we fund those payments 100 per cent by the Commonwealth, is to get them out as quickly as possible. And the team at Services Australia do a great job in achieving that.
SALES: You've always been big on Australian values, like community and mateship and so on.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah.
SALES: I wanted to ask you, you've been friends with the former Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston for a long time, right? He stood down from Hillsong last week, when the church leadership was concerned about two incidents. One was that he had sent a flirtatious text to a staff member. The other was he spent 40 minutes in a woman's hotel room. Why did you kind of disown him last week when you were asked about that, given that he is a long-term close friend?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I wouldn't describe that as my reaction. I said I was disappointed and I was shocked.
SALES: And then you pointed out you hadn’t been at Hillsong for 15 years. It's like you were distancing ...
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is what had been put to me.
SALES: It's like you were distancing.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, no, look I haven't been. I mean, I've attended their conferences. I attend many churches around, but my home church is in Sutherland.
SALES: But as a loyal mate, why didn't you say, you know, “I don't want to join a pile-on of this bloke”?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I didn't. I just said I was disappointed and shocked, like a lot of people have been. And I said the church's response was very appropriate, and I think it was.
SALES: Have you spoken to him since then?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I haven't.
SALES: Every federal election, when Australians think about who they want to vote for, there's a few things they can take into account. They can think about, you know, who they like and trust more out of you and Anthony Albanese. For the Government, they can look to your record. They can also look at your policy agenda going forward. But going forward, where is the Coalition's transformational plan? Because, for a decade, there's been nothing on company tax, nothing on industrial relations, the things that people would traditionally look to a Coalition Government for.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Leigh, we've cut company tax from 30 per cent to 25 per cent for small and medium-sized businesses. We've abolished a whole tax bracket. And in the next term, on the laws we've already passed, if you’re earning between $45,000 and $200,000, you will pay no more than 30 cents in the dollar in tax. So I wouldn't say that's all, that has been significant. But on top of that, our investments, particularly in training - we have 220,000 apprentices in trade training right now. That is the highest level of trade apprentices in training since records began in 1963. The investments we're putting into skills, the infrastructure we’re building like the Western Sydney International Airport, which is something we did and made happen. The investment in ensuring that we're getting reliable and affordable energy - there's $21 billion transforming our energy sector. The data and digital plan - that is some $2 billion that we're investing in, which includes now, on top of that, 120 per cent tax deductions for small and medium-sized businesses to digitally upgrade their businesses. And, of course, the modern manufacturing plan, and we mentioned just this week the Treasurer announced further support for the critical minerals and rare earths sector to to build up our processing capacity here in Australia. But it's not just that, it's in space, it's in defence industry, it's in the food and beverage, it's in medical. We're going to have mRNA manufacturing down in Melbourne. We just announced money to support the Cyclotron and that backs up the synchrotron, which is the big infrastructure you need to have great medical advances. So, our plan has been, that has been our plan. That's why we've had a $100 billion turnaround in our Budget in the last 12 months. And that plan will take us forward. The thing I'm most excited about, Leigh, is $21 billion being invested in our regions. Now in that plan, whether it's up in Middle Arm, which is up in the Northern Territory, up in Central and North Queensland in the Burdekin, the Pilbara, the Hunter. They are regions where we need to unlock the wealth. And the infrastructure investments we're making there in this Budget is transformational. It is Snowy on on steroids, and that is what is going to produce the wealth that’s going to pay for the things that matter. Because if you don't have an economic plan, which we clearly do, and that's demonstrated in our results, then you cannot fund the things and the essential services that we've been able to guarantee.
SALES: Prime Minister, every election campaign for the past 27 years that this show’s been on, both leaders have done a couple of primetime interviews on this show during the campaign. I've already invited Mr Albanese and he agreed. So, I wanted to invite you while I’m here. Would you be happy to do a couple of interviews on air?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll be appearing on the ABC and everybody's programs over the course of the campaign, Leigh. And we've always made ourselves pretty available.
SALES: Well, that's not a direct answer, actually. Will you be doing two interviews on primetime on 7.30?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the election isn't about the 7.30 report. It's about the Australian people and we’ll make ourselves available to the ABC and all the networks, and I'll be standing up every day. And you make a good point, Leigh ...
SALES: You want to be the first, are you going to be the first Prime Minister in 27 years to not do two interviews on the main primetime current affairs program in the country?
PRIME MINISTER: Surprisingly, I don't think the major issue that people are thinking about at the next election is the 7.30 Report.
SALES: No, not at all. But they do want to hear from you. And that's a million people that you're turning your back on, if you don't do it.
PRIME MINISTER: They will get that opportunity. They will get that opportunity.
SALES: Alright, well we'll put a bid in every day and see how we go.
PRIME MINISTER: Not a problem.
SALES: Thank you, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot.
Locally made medicines
4 April 2022
The Morrison Government is supporting new local jobs in Australia’s innovative medical sector and investing to secure local manufacturing of life-saving medicines.
Under the Collaboration Stream of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, the Government has today announced $23 million support for the $71.2 million Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise.
Global Medical Solutions Australia will work with partners Monash University and Telix Pharmaceuticals for the production of precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, kidney disease and other illnesses here in Australia.
Currently Australia imports more than 90 per cent of its medicines. This project and its facility to be built in Clayton, Victoria will secure Australia’s sovereign capability, while its economic impact is expected to be $461.8 million over the next 15 years.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investment demonstrated the Government’s commitment to building Australia’s medical manufacturing capability.
“Making medicines like these right here means more security from disruptions, more homegrown skills and more local jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“Building up our ability to make products like these is key to our plan for a stronger future.
“The pandemic has shown us more than ever before we need access to what Australians need here at home and this project will help ensure we have critical precision medicines for our patients.
“The Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise will help cement precision medicine development here in Australia, also helping deliver a stronger economy by growing opportunities for our medical sector and the highly-skilled jobs it supports.”
The 2022-23 Budget demonstrated the ongoing commitment to manufacturing with an additional $1 billion for the Morrison Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, including an extra $750 million for the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said these projects will help onshore technology and expertise not currently in Australia, while securing new sovereign capability.
“This project will see the construction of a new facility that will house a high energy 30 mega-electron volt (MeV ) cyclotron, which will be a new domestic source of critical radioisotopes – which are currently imported into Australia – and will be used in the treatment of cancer, kidney disease and other illnesses,” Minister Taylor said.
“By combining research and development and the manufacture of precision medicines locally we are shoring up our supply chain resilience.
“These projects will also create highly-skilled jobs in the medical sector, such as radiochemists, radio pharmacists and engineers, while also reducing our reliance on overseas suppliers of vital medications.”
Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said the project will see incredible collaboration with the Monash Biomedical Imaging Centre, National Synchrotron and the Victorian Heart Hospital.
“Not only will this facility and the precision medicines it will help lead to better patient outcomes, it will help bolster Australia’s entire medical ecosystem,” Minister Hunt said.
“This project will help realise the incredible potential of medicines that are customised to patients, all the way from clinical trials to their local manufacture right here at home.”
The facility will directly support 42 jobs with 105 additional along the supply chain.
Transforming Australia's critical minerals sector
4 April 2022
The Morrison Government today approved a $1.25 billion loan through the Critical Minerals Facility to Australian company Iluka Resources, to develop Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery in Western Australia.
The refinery will produce separated rare earth oxide products (Praseodymium, Dysprosium, Neodymium and Terbium), which are used in permanent magnets in a wide range of technologies, including electric vehicles, clean energy generation and defence.
The Eneabba Refinery Project strongly aligns with the objectives of the Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy. It will capture more value on-shore from our critical minerals, strengthen Australia’s position as a trusted supplier of critical minerals, and create regional jobs crucial for the new energy economy.
This loan builds on our Government’s support for the critical minerals sector to help realise our vision of becoming a global critical minerals powerhouse by 2030.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the announcement represented a decisive step forward in rare earths production and processing in Australia.
“Australia has the best resource industry in the world and we have an unrivalled competitive-edge when it comes to being a reliable, sustainable provider of critical minerals and rare earths,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our support for this project will capitalise on our advantages, helping to strengthen Australia’s critical minerals supply chain while also creating huge job and economic opportunities for Australians for generations to come.
“Australia’s critical minerals are in demand because they are the key input for everything from mobile phones to fighter jets, not to mention the technologies of the future that haven’t even been realised yet.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the project would help secure Australia’s manufacturing capability, unlocking a new generation of high-wage, high-skill, high tech jobs.
“Building a modern manufacturing sector and securing our sovereign capability is a key part of our plans for a stronger economy and a stronger future for Australia,” the Treasurer said.
“Australia’s critical minerals sector and the job-creating industries that rely on it are being supercharged under the Morrison Government’s $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy.”
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said the project would promote Australia as a reliable and trusted supplier of oxides.
“The Morrison Government is advancing Australia’s position as a world leader in the critical minerals sector,” Minister Tehan said.
“Our Government is supporting businesses to invest in projects in regional Australia, create jobs and meet the global appetite for critical minerals.
“We are working with our trading partners to help facilitate partnerships between Australian critical mineral project proponents and potential sources of offtake and investment.”
Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt said the project would help Australia increase its sovereign critical minerals processing capacity, potentially underpinning new industries and applications.
“The facility could supply up to nine per cent of the global rare earth oxide market when it comes online. It will initially use the Eneabba Stockpile – one of the highest-grade sources of rare earth elements in the world,” Minister Pitt said.
“The refinery is also designed to process concentrate from many other deposits across Australia, making it a natural hub and reducing the capital required to bring other projects online.”
This loan will be administered by Export Finance Australia and is the third project under the Government’s Critical Minerals Facility to be announced.
Premier Peter Gutwein
4 April 2022
Peter Gutwein leaves public life with gratitude and great respect.
As Premier since 2020, he led Tasmania through a once-in-a-century pandemic. Peter did not put a foot wrong.
As Treasurer since 2014, Peter along with former Premier Will Hodgman was the architect of Tasmania’s economic revival.
He leaves politics with a world-best response to COVID and a Tasmanian economy thriving with jobs at a record high.
His contributions to the National Cabinet have been invaluable.
As Prime Minister and beforehand as Treasurer, I have always respected the way Peter has demonstrated strength and compassion in his leadership, delivering jobs and lifting communities. He is a great Tasmanian leader.
However, public life demands a great deal from all of us. Peter has come to the realisation that he has given it his all. Not only a public figure, Peter is a husband and father as well and he knows where he has to be.
I thank Peter for everything he has done for the Liberal Party, Tasmania and Australia – and on behalf of his federal colleagues, I wish him and his wife Mandy, and children Finn and Millie, all the best for the next chapter in their life together.
Significant new investment in regional Tasmania to deliver affordable & reliable energy to mainland
3 April 2022
The Morrison Government is unlocking Tasmania’s renewable energy powerhouse potential and thousands of new jobs through a significant new Commonwealth investment in the Marinus Link electricity interconnector and Tasmania’s Battery of the Nation project.
Marinus Link will export 1,500 MW of fast-start, reliable hydro-electricity from Battery of the Nation and across Tasmania into the other regions of the National Electricity Market (NEM) when it is most needed, delivering an expected $4.6 billion in benefits across the market.
The Government is investing a further $75 million, on top of a previous $66 million already invested, to progress the Marinus Link to a Final Investment Decision and through the next stages of planning, design and approvals.
The Government is also providing $65 million to fund upgrade works on the Tarraleah hydro power scheme redevelopment in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, the first of the Battery of the Nation projects.
These projects will deliver reliable increased renewable capacity to the NEM and brings the Commonwealth Government’s total commitment to $206 million.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said ensuring Australians have access to affordable reliable energy is part of our plan for a stronger future, and addressing cost of living pressures.
“Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation are true nation building projects,” the Prime Minister said.
“This will have enormous benefits for Tasmanians and Victorians, strengthening the economy, creating thousands of jobs, driving down power bills and easing cost of living pressures. More energy in the market means lower prices for everyone.
“Together these game-changing projects will generate thousands of jobs, particularly in regional Tasmania and regional Victoria, and unlock new investment in other renewable energy projects across Tasmania.
“Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation are what a Morrison Government is all about – taking real action to deliver job-creating projects, unlocking economic opportunities, securing our supply of essential services, and ensuring Australians have more money in their pockets to pay for the things they want and need.
“Today’s announcement is the result of the strong partnership I share with Premier Peter Gutwein and his team, and reflects our shared long term commitment to the Marinus Link and delivering for Tasmania.”
Premier Peter Gutwein said the historic agreement would deliver thousands of jobs for Tasmanians while cementing Tasmania’s renewable energy future.
“This is a significant agreement for a clean energy highway, helping to reduce emissions, deliver reliable and affordable energy for consumers, and strengthen Tasmania’s economy through new jobs and investment.
“Tasmania is already a world-leader in renewable energy. We can already generate 100 per cent of our energy from renewables with a target to double that by 2040.
“Through Marinus Link, we will take this to the next level, helping to cut at least 140 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2050 – the equivalent of taking around a million cars off the road. During construction it will deliver 1400 direct and indirect jobs in Tasmania.
“But most importantly, for Tasmanians and Tasmanian families, it will put downward pressure on electricity prices, helping to ease the cost of living for Tasmanian families into the future.
“I would like to acknowledge the Morrison Government for its support and collaboration in this game-changing infrastructure, that will underpin Tasmania’s continued leadership in renewable energy and the benefits that has for Tasmania.”
Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said Marinus and Battery of the Nation are key parts of our balanced plan to deliver a more reliable electricity supply, a more secure grid and lower prices.
“Support of critical reliable generation, like Battery of the Nation, and support of transmission projects that stack up for consumers, like Marinus Link, are key parts of our plan to ensure Australians continue to have the affordable, reliable power they deserve as we bring down our emissions,” Minister Taylor said.
“This is why, in addition to the $140 million in direct support we are providing today, we have also committed to a clear pathway for progressing underwriting of the Tarraleah Battery of the Nation Project through our Underwriting New Generation Investments program.
“Labor have opposed the Underwriting New Generation Investments program, choosing to vote with the Greens in the Senate against this program. On-demand reliable power is critical to keep the lights on and prices low, and Labor’s actions show that all they stand for is a less reliable grid and higher prices.
“Labor’s vote is a vote against Battery of the Nation, against thousands of jobs and economic gains for Tasmanians, and a vote against new generation to power a Tasmanian hydrogen industry.”
Energy and Emissions Reductions Minister Guy Barnett said this was another important step in delivering this nationally significant infrastructure, as well as providing Tasmania with further energy supply and storage capacity – giving us even greater energy security.
“Marinus Link is expected to inject billions into the Tasmanian economy, create thousands of jobs, and provide broader renewable energy opportunities,” the Minister said.
“Its construction is expected to create 1400 new direct and indirect Tasmanian jobs alone, with a further 1400 in Victoria, unlocking projects such as Battery of the Nation which will enable thousands of jobs and opportunities across the supply chain.
“Complementary to our green hydrogen plans, this will deliver the confidence in our renewable energy future that investors have been looking for, unlocking a further pipeline of projects in Tasmania.”
The Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments will provide strong oversight of both projects through a Joint Ministerial Governance Committee and a Joint Committee of Senior Officials to monitor delivery milestones. Commonwealth nominees will also join the Marinus Link Pty Ltd Board to reflect our 50 per cent investment and partnership in the project.
A Final Investment Decision on the Marinus Link project is anticipated in 2024.
The project, which involves 250 kilometres of undersea cable and 90 kilometres of underground cable in Victoria, will deliver around 2,800 jobs at peak construction, and will stimulate investment in hydro and wind generation. Battery of the Nation is expected to deliver a further 1,120 jobs across Tasmania.
Historic trade deal with India
2 April 2022
Australia today signs an historic trade agreement with India, the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, that will further strengthen our relationship while making Australian exports to India cheaper and creating huge new opportunities for workers and businesses.
Tariffs will be eliminated on more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exports to India (valued at more than $12.6 billion a year), rising to almost 91 per cent (valued at $13.4 billion) over 10 years.
Australian households and businesses will also benefit, with 96 per cent of Indian goods imports entering Australia duty-free on entry into force.
India is the world’s largest democracy and the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with GDP projected to grow at nine per cent in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and 7.1 per cent in 2023-24.
In 2020, India was Australia’s seventh largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $24.3 billion, and sixth largest goods and services export market, valued at $16.9 billion. Our Government’s goal is to lift India into our top three export markets by 2035, and to make India the third largest destination in Asia for outward Australian investment.
The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI ECTA) signed today will further strengthen that relationship.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the agreement would create enormous trade diversification opportunities for Australian producers and service providers bound for India, valued at up to $14.8 billion each year.
“This agreement opens a big door into the world’s fastest growing major economy for Australian farmers, manufacturers, producers and so many more,” the Prime Minister said.
“By unlocking the huge market of around 1.4 billion consumers in India, we are strengthening the economy and growing jobs right here at home.
“This is great news for lobster fishers in Tasmania, wine producers in South Australia, macadamia farmers in Queensland, critical minerals miners in Western Australia, lamb farmers from New South Wales, wool producers from Victoria and metallic ore producers from the Northern Territory.
“This agreement has been built on our strong security partnership and our joint efforts in the Quad, which has created the opportunity for our economic relationship to advance to a new level.”
Benefits of AI ECTA include:
Sheep meat tariffs of 30 per cent will be eliminated on entry into force, providing a boost for Australian exports that already command nearly 20 per cent of India’s market
Wool will have the current 2.5 per cent tariffs eliminated on entry into force, supporting Australia’s second-largest market for wool products.
Tariffs on wine with a minimum import price of US$5 per bottle will be reduced from 150 per cent to 100 per cent on entry into force and subsequently to 50 per cent over 10 years (based on Indian wholesale price index for wine).
Tariffs on wine bottles with minimum import price of US$15 will be reduced from 150 per cent to 75 per cent on entry into force and subsequently to 25 per cent over 10 years (based on Indian wholesale price index for wine).
Tariffs up to 30 per cent on avocados, onions, broad, kidney and adzuki beans, cherries, shelled pistachios, macadamias, cashews in-shell, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants will be eliminated over seven years.
Tariffs on almonds, lentils, oranges, mandarins, pears, apricots and strawberries will be reduced, improving opportunities for Australia’s horticulture industry to supply India’s growing food demand.
The resources sector will benefit from the elimination of tariffs on entry into force for coal, alumina, metallic ores, including manganese, copper and nickel; and critical minerals including titanium and zirconium.
LNG tariffs will be bound at 0 per cent at entry into force.
Tariffs on pharmaceutical products and certain medical devices will be eliminated over five and seven years.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said AI ECTA would also further strengthen the people-to-people links between our countries. India was Australia’s third largest market for services exports in 2020.
“This agreement will turbocharge our close, long-standing and highly complementary economic relationship in areas such as critical minerals, professional services, education and tourism,” Mr Tehan said.
“It will create new opportunities for jobs and businesses in both countries, while laying the foundations for a full free trade agreement.”
Both countries will facilitate the recognition of professional qualifications, licensing, and registration procedures between professional services bodies in both countries.
Australian services suppliers in 31 sectors and sub-sectors will be guaranteed to receive the best treatment accorded by India to any future free trade agreement partner, including in: higher education and adult education; business services (tax, medical and dental, architectural and urban planning; research and development; communication, construction and engineering; insurance and banking; hospital; audio-visual; and tourism and travel.
Australia will also provide new access for young Indians to participate in working holidays in Australia. Places in Australia's Work and Holiday program will be set at 1,000 per year and Australia will have two years to implement the outcome. This is expected to contribute to both workforce requirements and to boost tourism to support our post-COVID recovery.
In a boost to our STEM and IT workforces, the length of stay for an Indian Student with a bachelor’s degree with first class honours will be extended from two to three years post study in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors.
Australia and India have also agreed to undertake cooperation to promote agricultural trade as part of the agreement and will now work toward concluding an enhanced agricultural Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Mr Tehan today signed AI ECTA on behalf of Australia during a virtual ceremony with India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, attended by Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Narendra Modi.
Today’s announcement builds on the Morrison Government’s $280 million investment to further grow our economic relationship and support jobs and businesses in both countries, that includes:
$35.7 million to support cooperation on research, production and commercialisation of clean technologies, critical minerals and energy;
$25.2 million to deepen space cooperation with India and
$28.1 million to launch a Centre for Australia-India Relations.
AI ECTA is an interim agreement and both countries continue to work towards a full Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
Petroleum Exploration Permit (PEP-11)
1 April 2022
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister has taken the final step to reject the application for the Offshore Petroleum Exploration Permit PEP-11.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government’s decision under section 59(3) of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 to propose to refuse the application has been formalised.
“PEP-11 is officially dead in the water,” the Prime Minister said.
“I said the project would not proceed on our watch, and that is exactly what has happened.
“The decision has been finalised to ensure PEP-11 will not go ahead as a result of the steps taken by my Government.
“I would like to thank our local Liberal Members and candidates and the coastal communities from Newcastle through to Wollongong for voicing their concerns and for working with the Government to ensure the local communities and environment remain protected.”
The New South Wales Government agreed with the Morrison Government’s proposed decision.
The National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) has advised the applicant of the decision.
Interview with Paul Murray, Sky News
1 April 2022
Paul Murray: For those who believe that nothing is happening whatever when it comes to the national debt, what does this Budget actually do to start to tackle the debt?
Prime Minister: Already in the last 12 months, because our economic comeback has been so strong because of what we’ve done, we’re already $100 billion better off. That’s the biggest economic recovery in the shortest period of time that we've seen in 70 years. And when you support the economy, particularly when it's really necessary to do so, you know when to start and you know where to stop - that’s what drives your growth up. And we've been able to get people out of welfare and into work. And that's what repairs your Budget. That's what brings the deficit down year after year after year.
Murray: Now the election campaign is going to get very personal, and I’ll get to that in a second. But just one line that each-way Albo was pushing around in Question Time today was that somehow Medicare was under threat. Now, this Government is going to spend more money on Medicare than’s ever been spent before. And also, something that they always leave out about health, is that you’ve been able to list literally thousands of drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that means people …
Prime Minister: Yep.
Murray: … are being instantly helped. Yet still, the attack’s going to be that somehow you’ve done something nasty to health.
Prime Minister: Well, that’s a complete lie, and, you know, they do that all the time. Everybody remembers the Mediscare of 2016. Apparently that was the end of Medicare. We have bulk billing now at the highest rate it's ever been. We've got record investments in Medicare, record investments in hospitals. We've had to commit more than $40 billion on health for the public health response to get us through COVID. It's been the strength of our health system that has enabled us to have one of the best, if not the best, health record, pretty much of anywhere in the world, when it comes to death rates from COVID, and saved over 40,000 lives.
But on Medicare, this is what the threat to Medicare is. During the course of the pandemic, yes, of course, we had to lean in. If we hadn’t of leant in and done JobKeeper, 700,000 jobs would have been lost. Businesses would have been emaciated. There'd be no economy on the other side of the pandemic, which many countries are now struggling with. We kept our economy together and to, and we saw it through, but we knew when to stop. You’ll remember that Labor was going, “Oh, you can't take JobKeeper off, you’ve got to keep it there. You won’t have jobs,” and all this sort of thing. Anyway, we just made the hard decision about when to start and when to stop. Now, Labor, had we done what they’d asked, they would have spent another $81 billion during the course of the pandemic. Now, that includes, of course, you know, the $6 billion that they were going to pay to people to have a vaccine they’d already had. Genius, Albonomics.
But putting that together, what that means is $81 billion is almost three times what it costs to run Medicare each year. So that's the threat to Medicare. If you can't manage money, if you can't keep your economy strong, if you don't have an economic plan, you can't pay for Medicare. And you're right about medicines - 2,800 medicines. Now, Trikafta is one of those. We just, we just listed just now. That's for cystic fibrosis. Now I chatted to a lovely young fella, he's just turning 12, and he'll have access to this drug - usually cost you $80,000. Cystic fibrosis is awful. These young kids, they can't breathe, their quality of life is just so, so destroyed. And for many, it's a terrible journey. This drug changes his life. And when I was speaking to him, he says, “I can ride my bike with my mates. I can go and play basketball. I can just be like the other kids.” And these pharmaceuticals, they don’t just save lives, they change lives, they improve the quality of life. And I think one of our best boasts as a country is that we do that. And when Labor were in power and they couldn’t manage money, they had to stop listing medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. If you can’t manage money, you can't deliver on health. So Anthony Albanese, he can say any number of things. He's going to promise to do this, that and every other thing. But the thing that depends on what, determines whether he can do it is if you've got an economic plan, which he's had three years now to deliver. Sorry, too late, mate, buzzers gone, you didn’t have an answer.
Murray: Their Shadow Finance Minister yesterday thought, aha, I’ve found the hole in the Budget, a secret $3 billion cut. Turns out, they don’t …
Prime Minister: Yes.
Murray: … know the difference between a decision that's been not announced versus announced. A $3 billion mistake. Yet it was very barely recognised.
Prime Minister: Yeah.
Murray: What a screaming admission about their inability to manage the country. That's not, that’s not a backbencher. It's not a, somebody freewheeling.
Prime Minister: No.
Murray: That's the Shadow Finance Minister.
Prime Minister: Yeah, and it was sneaky, Jim, too. It was the Shadow Treasurer. He was all very pleased with himself. And I said, “It's really simple, Jim. When you take it out of that column, you put it in to this column over here. One balances out the other. And so no cuts. That's how decisions taken but not yet announced works.” Now, I would know that, as would the Treasurer. Done four Budgets as a Prime Minister, three Budgets as a Treasurer, and an additional Budget as a member of the Expenditure Review Committee. My first budget was back in 2015-16. So that’s eight budgets.
Now, my opponent, Anthony Albanese, he was in government for six years and he wasn't even on the Expenditure Review Committee for anything more than just six weeks right at the end with Kevin Rudd. Now, if they’re not going to trust him when they were in government to sit on the Budget Committee of their Government over six years, then why on earth - if Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard for all that time didn't trust him to sit on the Budget Committee - why on earth should the Australian people have him as Prime Minister to run it?
This election is a choice. It's not a referendum, it's a choice, and choices have consequences. It’s not like deciding, you know, who should be voted off the island on Survivor or something like that. It's not a reality television show. Australians understand the significance and importance of elections. So expressing opinion on a poll or tapping on an online survey or something like that, nothing changes as a result of doing that. You get in that booth, you get the pen out, and you pick the Liberal candidate or the Labor candidate, the Liberal Member of Parliament or the Liberal candidate or the Labor Member of Parliament or candidate. What you do in that box determines the economy you're going to live in for the next decade. It's going to determine the national security of this country.
And that's certainly what happened at the last election when people chose to elect us. When I was elected for the first time as Prime Minister just three years ago, I said I’d keep the economy strong, and we have, despite what we've had to face. I said I’d keep Australians safe, and I've put in place one of the biggest defence agreements the country has seen, the biggest since ANZUS 70 years ago, and we have been at the centre of revitalising the partnership with Japan, India and the United States, which is known as the Quad. I said we’d do these things. I said we'd get people into their own homes - 300,000 Australians have got in their homes.
So people know, and they got the consequences they were seeking, which was a stronger economy and keeping Australia safe. A vote for Labor means weak at leadership. It means weak leadership, which means a weak economy, which means they lose.
Let’s talk about me and my team. So it's me or Anthony Albanese. He said in the Parliament today, he was red and green. And I know what he's referring to, but I said, mate, that's truer than you think. You are red and green. You are really red and green. Labor and the Greens. That's who he is. And so when you look at our team, I mean, it's me or Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister. It is Josh Frydenberg or Jim Chalmers. Pretty easy decision on that one too. The bloke who’s done four Budgets as Treasurer, and the bloke who used to advise Wayne Swan on how to do Budgets. Could you imagine, there he is, Jim, if he was Treasurer, getting on the phone, phone a friend, and saying, “Ah, g’day, Wayne. How do you think I should do that?” Well, you know what Wayne's answers would be. And then you got, who do you want, Marise Payne as Foreign Minister, who has worked with me to secure all these incredible foreign agreements, AUKUS and things like this, or Penny Wong. And then defence. You know, you've got Peter Dutton, who we all know is an outstanding Defence Minister, the cyber security package he's brought down in this Budget, first class, absolutely first class. Or you can have Brendan O'Connor. Now people might go, “Who?” Good question. I'll tell you who. He was the bloke who was the Border Protection Minister in the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Government. He couldn't keep the borders safe. So how on earth does people think he'd be able to keep Australia safe? But, you know, it seems that he might be for the boot. Even Anthony Albanese doesn't seem to think he's the right person for the job, so if he can't get his own leader's confidence, well, goodness me.
So this is the choice - there’s team with experience and a focus and a record and a plan all backed up by a strong economic plan, or the relics of an old failed Labor Government that haven't learned the lessons. They’ve been in opposition all this time, and they still don't have an economic plan. If you don't have an economic plan, you don’t have a plan.
Murray: That's the Prime Minister, I had a chance to talk to him a little bit earlier in the day.
Investing in Papua New Guinea's energy and roads sectors
1 April 2022
Joint Media Statement with the Hon. James Marape MP, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister James Marape have welcomed $158 million (PGK415 million) in agreements under the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) to upgrade key power and road networks across Papua New Guinea.
The two Prime Ministers recognised the importance of working together to deliver high‑quality, transformational infrastructure projects, which are critical to Papua New Guinea’s prosperity, and economic recovery from COVID-19.
Australia will support an $86 million (PGK226 million) financing package to improve Papua New Guinea’s national power infrastructure and connect more than 30,000 households, schools and clinics to electricity. Access to electricity is key to improving development outcomes. This partnership will connect many communities in Morobe and East New Britain provinces to the grid for the first time.
Australia’s financing is part of the PNG Electrification Partnership, and supports the Government of Papua New Guinea’s objective of connecting 70 per cent of PNG’s population to electricity by 2030.
Australia is also investing $72 million (PGK189 million) to upgrade road infrastructure in key economic corridors across Papua New Guinea, connecting communities and supporting improved access to markets.
The financing will enable the rehabilitation and maintenance of approximately 359 kilometres of priority roads, including the Sepik Highway in the East Sepik and West Sepik provinces, and the Wau Highway in Morobe Province.
Prime Minister Marape welcomed the agreements.
“This financing will assist my Government to progress our priority Connect PNG Strategy, increase strategic connections across Papua New Guinea, and build up critical infrastructure in the power sector,” Prime Minister Marape said.
Prime Minister Morrison said the partnership would support the development of critical infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, and provide a significant boost to the local economy.
“Australia is pleased to support the development of high-quality infrastructure across Papua New Guinea’s diverse regions, and build on our strong record of supporting critical infrastructure across the Pacific,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“This partnership will employ Papua New Guinean workers and use local materials where possible to help stimulate the local economy and assist in its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The agreements recognise the critical importance of Australia and Papua New Guinea’s bilateral partnership and build on the joint ambition established through the Papua New Guinea-Australia Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership (CSEP).
Australia will continue to partner with governments and the private sector in Papua New Guinea, and across the Pacific, to respond to infrastructure needs and support our shared interest for an open, resilient and inclusive Pacific region.
Australia to impose tariff increases on all imports from Russia
31 March 2022
The Australian Government is taking further action to increase the economic costs to Russia following its illegal invasion of Ukraine, supported by Belarus, by applying an additional tariff of 35 per cent for all imports from Russia and Belarus.
On 1 April 2022, Australia will issue a formal notification withdrawing entitlement to the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) tariff treatment and applying an additional tariff of 35 per cent to all imports from Russia and Belarus. This will take effect from 25 April 2022 and will be in addition to general duty rates that currently apply.
This action follows Australia’s joint statement, with other like-minded members of the World Trade Organization, strongly condemning Russia’s actions and committing to take all actions we consider necessary, as WTO members, to protect our essential security interests.
Australia stands in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression and the Morrison Government is providing $91 million in military assistance.
To support the people of Ukraine, we are providing $65 million in humanitarian assistance, 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to support Ukraine’s energy security, as well as temporary protection visas and assistance to Ukrainian community groups in Australia.
We continue to work with partners to impose the maximum costs on Russia, through targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, the prohibition of energy, oil and gas products from Russia, and a ban on exports of alumina and aluminium ores (including bauxite) to Russia.
This includes listing more than 500 individuals and entities to date. Our sanctions on Russia make up the largest ever imposition of sanctions by Australia against any single country.
A prohibition on imports of oil and other energy products will also commence on 25 April.
We strongly support similar action by our international partners to revoke MFN trading arrangements with Russia and Belarus, consistent with their national processes.
We will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure Russia is held to account for its actions.
Australia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and continues to call on Russia to cease its unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Interview with Mike O'Loughlin, Tasmania Talks
31 March 2022
MIKE O'LOUGHLIN: Prime Minister Scott Morrison, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Mike. Great to be with you.
O'LOUGHLIN: Now, the Morrison Government handed down its 22/23 federal Budget on Tuesday, as we know, and we spoke with Federal Finance Minister Simon Birmingham yesterday about how Tasmanians will benefit from the Budget. But according to the results of the survey conducted by Australian Community Media, more than 60 per cent of respondents declared they wanted an honest and trustworthy PM as well. Almost half, 49.2 too wanted the nation's leader to be accountable and responsible. PM, is this you?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, absolutely. I mean, because over the course of my time, we've been delivering what I said we would deliver. We've been cutting taxes, we've been supporting apprentices, we've been building the infrastructure, we've been getting people into their own homes. All of the things that we said to keep the economy strong so we can have a stronger future. That's what we said to the people of Tasmania at the last election. And that's what we've been delivering. And we've come through this pandemic stronger than almost any other advanced country in the world. And now we've got a strong plan to go forward. And with Susie Bower there in the seat of Lyons in particular, I know she's been fighting hard for that Great Eastern Drive project, $100 million to support a Great Eastern Drive, which would be like the Great Ocean Road up there in Victoria. And with those investments halving fuel taxes to give people real cost of living relief. I know Pete Gutwein was raising this and I commend, I'm always listening and we've been listening hard to Australian families and businesses who are really struggling with those cost of living pressures. And because the Budget has turned around by over $100 billion and that comes from driving a strong economy, making the right financial decisions, Australians working hard. That means we can do that responsibly. It's targeted and it's helping people get through a difficult time as they're getting to their feet after we come out strongly from this pandemic.
O'LOUGHLIN: Now PM, a lot of your Budget sales pitch certainly would have to be derailed by the scathing speech from Concetta Fierravanti-Wells in the Senate, where she labelled you unfit to be a PM, a bully with no moral compass, an autocrat. It's pretty damning stuff. And of course, as we know, that's just not not all of it.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, and it's not true. And look, I really appreciate you know what John Howard had to say overnight and what Senator Hughes has had to say. And many of my colleagues look, you know, from time to time in politics, you have disagreements and there are disappointments. Connie went to a pre-selection, 500 members of the Liberal Party. I wasn't one of them. They made a judgement about who should represent us going forward. And Senator Molan was selected. And of course, Senator Payne was selected, our Foreign Minister. So there are disappointments in politics from time to time. So I understand that. But, you know, I appreciate that very strong and kind, those strong, kind words from John. He has been a great mentor to me. He knows what this job is like. He knows that you've got to take decisions all the time. And you know, from time to time, people won't like the decisions that you make. But as a Prime Minister, you've got to be prepared to make them.
O'LOUGHLIN: Trust in politics and integrity is at the heart of an unfulfilled 2019 Morrison Government election promise, you might remember, a Commonwealth Integrity Commission. You pledged to legislate a federal anti-corruption watchdog. When's it going to happen, PM? Is a federal ICAC on your list of priorities?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, and we developed the legislation. I tabled it in the parliament. It was a comprehensive programme that was well worked up, and the Labor Party wouldn't support it. So that's where we are.
O'LOUGHLIN: Let's look at Defence. I mean, three years ago, it was unthinkable that China would impose trade boycotts on Australia. Three years ago, it was unthinkable that Australia would be organising to get nuclear powered submarines. Three years ago, it was unthinkable that the Australian PM would threaten to impose trade boycotts on China. Well, how things changed in the blink of a war. There's a quote I want to share with you. I like this quote from a US foreign policy scholar, "security is like oxygen. You tend not to notice it until you begin to lose it. But once that occurs, there's nothing else that you will think about". Is this Defence spending better late than never?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's not late, and it's certainly not never. And we have been building up our defence forces since we first came into government and when we came to government, our defence spending as a share of the economy, Labor had taken down to 1.56 per cent. That was the lowest level since 1938, before the Second World War. Now you don't, you can't just get your defence spending up to two per cent, which is what we've done and pledged to do, overnight. So we've been doing it year in, year out for all of these budgets and we're continuing to go forward. We've got another 18,500 who will join our defence forces. That's already begun now and that's in this year's Budget. On top of that, we're building up the capability over a quarter of a billion invested going forward on capability. So no government has been more committed to defence spending and what that has meant, and that has required some hard calls, because you know where programmes aren't going in the direction or things change and that particularly occurred with submarines, and that was one of the hardest calls we had to make as a government because the submarines that were being built, they were not going to do the job we needed them to do for the next 20, 30 years ...
O'LOUGHLIN: And we were never going to get them.
PRIME MINISTER: And they're very difficult things to build. So what I did is I said, look, we need a better plan. We need a stronger plan. And we were able to secure the technology for nuclear powered submarines that no other country in the world is able to secure from the United States other than the British. And that happened in 1958. And I'm not the first Prime Minister that was out there seeking to achieve that. But I was the first one to get it done. And then the AUKUS arrangement with the United States and the United Kingdom then enveloped around that. That's the biggest defence partnership agreement we have had since ANZUS 70 years ago.
So, you know, if we kept spending at the same level on Defence that Labor left us, then $55 billion would have been spent less on defence while we've been government and $10 billion less in this year alone. Can I just say, can I thank that great tech company, Elphinstone. They're very involved in all of this. I was down there with the team the other day and seeing what they're doing and how they've, you know, refit up and up in Burnie there, what they're doing to be part of our defence industry. So part of that Defence support is being home made in Tasmania. And of course, one of my favourite defence contractors anywhere in the country are Penguin Composites. You know, a little company there up in Penguin, you know, they're putting the bonnets on armoured vehicles, they used to make kayaks. Now they're got cutting edge technology on composites to put the bonnets on our armoured vehicle.
O'LOUGHLIN: You're certainly, you're certainly doing your homework. How worried should we be about China and the Solomons?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, these are very, very serious issues, and they have changed a lot in just the last five years. We were talking about John Howard before, and John and I talk about this a lot. I mean, he was dealing with a very different China to the China that we're dealing with today and the China we're dealing with today to be honest, they've been coercing, they've been bullying, they've been intimidating in our region. And I've been prepared to stand up to them, and I have a lot of critics for doing that. I remember what I was doing it long before people understood the real, what was the risks were to Australia. This is why we stepped up. Our investment in the Pacific when I became Prime Minister was called the Pacific Step Up. More than $2 billion a year. We are investing in our relationship with our partners in the Pacific, including in Solomon Islands. And as a result, when the Solomon Islands were having their security problems before Christmas, first place they called: Australia. I sent our defence forces in, our federal police and our federal police are still there. So you can't take this stuff too seriously. It is very serious. And if you don't have a strong economy, you can't defend the nation either. If you can't manage money. I mean, this was my eighth budget. My first one I did as a member of the Expenditure Review Committee. I then did three as a Treasurer, and this is my fourth as a Prime Minister. And on Thursday night or tonight, Anthony Albanese has to give us his alternative budget. And, you know, I haven't seen his plan. Australians haven't seen his plan. You've got my plan. People know my plan. They know I'm not pretending to be anyone else.
O'LOUGHLIN: You've actually …
PRIME MINISTER: Whether people like me, that's not the point …
O'LOUGHLIN: Speaking of actually …
PRIME MINISTER: It's whether you can do the job.
O'LOUGHLIN: If I can PM, you actually said Labor thinks it can just sail into government that quote. What what do you mean by that?
PRIME MINISTER: What I meant by that is we're very close to election and what do we know what their policies are? We don't know anything. They say they're going to do a Budget after the election. Well, they should tell us what's going to be in it before the election. And if you don't hear it from him tonight, well, frankly, it's too late. I mean, he's if he thinks he can just slide into government without having had any accountability. You were talking about the importance of accountability and trust.
O'LOUGHLIN: Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: And what are his policies? What's his plan for the economy? The guy's never done a Budget, and he was in government for six years. He's been in the Parliament a long time, but what do we know of him?
O'LOUGHLIN: Can I ask, can I ask a question then? Because, it would be lovely to have Tasmania, you know, that little state down below, get an exclusive. How about telling me when the election is going to be. May 14?
PRIME MINISTER: It'll be in the middle of May, which, you know, I've always been pretty upfront about this. I said ...
O'LOUGHLIN: Well, how about being really upfront and letting me know a date.
PRIME MINISTER: When I go to see the Governor-General, everybody will know what that date is and it's not too far away. But you know, I've always been upfront saying you get elected to do a three year term and the election last time was on the 18th of May. So we're getting close to that three year period now. We've had three years to strengthen our economy, which we've done. You know, unemployment has fallen from 5.7 per cent to 4.4 per cent now. When Labor was last in government, it went from 4.2 per cent to 5.7 per cent. And I said this in the Parliament yesterday, and Anthony Albanese chipped across the table, "oh, yeah, but we had the global financial crisis." And I said, well, where have you been for the last two years, mate? We've had the biggest global recession that anyone's had to face since the Great Depression, and we got unemployment to come down. You know, Labor's always got excuses when it comes to the economy. When they say, oh, we were terribly unlucky, that's why it all went so bad. Well, if you want to get unlucky, vote Labor.
O'LOUGHLIN: Well, you're talking, you know, two years, you're talking obviously, you're throwing to COVID. Let's talk health. Reportedly record investment here, what is the $7.3 billion increase in Medicare funding, $9.8 billion increase in hospital funding. But the Australian Medical Association has said this "it amounts to a little more than usual recurrent spending and planned growth, not the new injection of funds our health system desperately needs." I mean, what's your plan for health? This is the important issue for Tasmanians, especially considering our ageing population.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I agree. And that's why under our government, we've increased health funding by 60 per cent, 60 per cent over the course of the pandemic, right across the country and in Tasmania, especially. And we've invested over $40 billion bringing Australia through. Telehealth for mental health, mental health in particular, and we've extended our Head to Health centres and the and the particularly the the that the support for early youth psychosis and all of these issues into Tasmania expanding what was available in the mainline, particularly in the northern parts of Tasmania. And that's something Pat McGorry and I have been working on for some time. So those health supports the things that the federal government particularly focuses on supporting GPs. The other one, cystic fibrosis, Trikafta we've just put on the PBS. I remember the last time before the last election I met a lovely young fella down there, up in Launny, and he was being supported then by the drugs that were supporting cystic fibrosis, [inaudible], I think it was called from memory. And so we've just listed another drug. Trifakta. Now what that does, if you've got cystic fibrosis, I met a young fellow up in Sydney, the other day. It means I can get on their bike and they can ride it with their friends and not get shortness of breath.
O'LOUGHLIN: Can I just ...
PRIME MINISTER: These are the important things. Drugs, Medicare support, bulk billing is its highest level we've ever seen as a government and and so you know on when it comes to health record levels of investment in health that again is produced by a strong economy.
O'LOUGHLIN: Kind of getting the wind up at the moment, I've got a bit to get through.
PRIME MINISTER: Sure, you’re right.
O'LOUGHLIN: I'll try and hurry. I need to get this through. I know President of the Tasmanian branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Tasmania, Helen O'Byrne, said quote "the inclusions amounted to a drop in the ocean in regard to the number of pharmaceutical benefits scheme announced in the Budget." But I want to ask a question about …
PRIME MINISTER: Well, can I address that because that's just simply unfair.
O'LOUGHLIN: Right.
PRIME MINISTER: This Government, my Government, we have listed 2,800 and more, new medicines and new listings on the PBS. And Greg Hunt has been an outstanding Health Minister. We gave a commitment that every single time the recommendation is made from the Expert Medical Panel on medicines to list something, we listed, and we've done that every single time. So everything- the Labor Party didn't do that when they were in government. I remember their Budgets. They said, oh, we'd like to list this. It's been recommended, but we can't do it. You know why they couldn't do it? Because they couldn't pay for it. They couldn't manage the economy. So, you know, you've got to ask yourself the question when you go to this election, who do you think can pay for the things that they're saying they're going to do? We've demonstrated we can as we know how to run a strong economy. Labor doesn't.
O'LOUGHLIN: Got time for one more question.
PRIME MINISTER: Go for it.
O'LOUGHLIN: You're copping a bit of flak for your comments about the lack of relief for renters in the federal budget, saying the best way to help struggling renters is to help them buy a house ...
PRIME MINISTER: I didn't say that, actually. I was asked about these issues. I talked about how we're helping people buy their own home. We've got $5 billion a year we spend on supporting renters, cutting the fuel excise in half, the tax on petrol and half that supports renters, increasing the tax rebates that people are getting on the 1st of July. That ensures that people have more money in their pocket. $250 payment in this Budget immediately for pensioners and others to help them deal with rising costs of living, which includes rent, that helps renters. And for those who are looking to buy their home, we've got 300,000 people into their first home. That's what I promised to do at the last election, I said we were going to help more people buy their own home. So I know how hard it is to buy a home, whether it's in Tasmania or in Sydney or Melbourne or Perth or anywhere else. It's really, really hard. But we have to help those who want to make that change to be able to do that. But for those who will rent, my grandparents rented their entire life, their entire lives, so I know what that's about. I know what that's about, and we provide lots of income support in other areas and the state government, of course, they're the ones who run social housing and public housing in Tasmania, and we provide over $1 billion a year every year to the states to support that.
O'LOUGHLIN: Well I'm getting the wind up.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we're going to have to go.
O'LOUGHLIN: And look, I appreciate the extra time. Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Thank you very much for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Okay, thanks a lot. Good to talk to you.
Additional military assistance to Ukraine
31 March 2022
The Australian Government will provide further military support to Ukraine in response to Russia’s brutal, unrelenting and illegal invasion, at the request of the Ukrainian Government and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
To meet that request, in partnership with the Australian defence industry, we will provide an additional $25 million AUD of defensive military assistance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
This will bring Australia’s total military assistance so far to $116 million.
On top of this support is Australia’s $65 million of humanitarian assistance, 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to meet Ukraine’s energy needs, as well as temporary protection visas and support for Ukrainian community groups in Australia.
The new $25 million package of additional defensive military assistance will include tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
The Australian Government will continue to identify opportunities for further military assistance where it is able to provide a required capability to the Ukraine Armed Forces expeditiously.
The Government will not disclose further specific details of the package or delivery arrangements at the direct request of Ukrainian officials and our other partners.
Australia stands with Ukraine against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.
We will continue to impose the maximum costs against Russia through targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, including President Putin and his circle of oligarchs and propagandists, military commanders and members of Parliament.
David Irvine AO
31 March 2022
It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of David Irvine AO.
David Irvine was an exceptional Australian and public servant in every sense of the word.
A gifted diplomat, security chief, and chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board, David Irvine was a wise counsel to successive governments.
This is a very sad day because David’s curiosity, wisdom and judgment strengthened our democracy and security over many decades.
He served Australia for over fifty years and held senior diplomatic and leadership roles for the past quarter of a century. Those roles included High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador to China, Director-General of ASIO, Director-General of ASIS, and Chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board.
More recently, he also devoted himself in various ways to training the next generation of defence, security and intelligence professionals.
David had a deep understanding of Australia and the region and the interconnection of diplomacy, security and economics. He also had a deep love of Indonesian culture, expressed through the publication of two books.
He understood the work in democracies of maximising freedom and security. As he said in a 2014 speech, “I believe the threat of terrorism will be with us into the future, but that it should not be allowed to panic us or dominate our lives.”
In his role as chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board, which I appointed him to as Treasurer, he played a seminal role in bringing new perspectives to bear in the face of changing geostrategic dynamics in our region.
To the Irvine family and all who loved him, I extend the condolences of the nation.
David Irvine AO will be missed.
President Zelenskyy To Address Australian Parliament
31 March 2022
Today, the President of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will address the Australian Parliament by video link at 5.30pm Canberra time.
Australians have been inspired by President Zelenskyy’s resilience and courage, as he, his Government and the people of Ukraine defend their homeland against Russia’s brutal, illegal and unjustified invasion.
Australia stands with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.
We are providing $91 million in military assistance, $65 million in humanitarian assistance, 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to meet Ukraine’s energy needs, as well as temporary protection visas and support for Ukrainian community groups in Australia.
We continue to work with partners to impose the maximum costs against Russia, through targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, the prohibition of energy, oil and gas products from Russia, and a ban on exports of alumina and bauxite to Russia.
This includes listing more than 500 individuals and entities to date. This is the largest ever imposition of sanctions by Australia against a single country.
Our sanctions target President Putin and his circle of oligarchs and propagandists, military commanders and members of Parliament, as well as those who facilitated the invasion from outside Russia, including the leadership of neighbouring Belarus.
Our listings include 80 percent of Russia’s banking sector and all government entities that handle Russia’s sovereign debt.
Our co-ordinated action with partners significantly undermines Russia’s ability to continue financing President Putin’s war.
Members of Parliament and Senators will be joined for the address in the Chamber by representatives from the Ukrainian Embassy, Ukrainian-Australian community, and Embassies from around the world.
I invite all Australians to watch President Zelenskyy’s remarks at 5.30pm AEDT, which will be livestreamed on APH’s website.
Ministerial Statement: His Excellency Mr Volodymyr Zelenskyy
31 March 2022
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr President, Ukraine and Australia are separated by half the Earth. Our languages, accents, histories and cultures are different, but we share an affinity for democracy, for freedom, freedom of speech, expression and a free press. For the right to live free of coercion, intimidation and the brute fist of force. And a belief in our shared human dignity.
Mr President, the people of Australia stand with Ukraine in your fight for survival. Yes, you have our prayers, but you also have our weapons, our humanitarian aid, our sanctions against those who seek to deny your freedom and you even have our coal. And there will be more.
Today, I announce an additional package of defensive military assistance to assist in the defence of your homeland, including tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies.
Mr President, our pledge is that when freedom prevails, Australia will help the people of Ukraine rebuild as well. Here today in the home of Australia's democracy, we welcome you, Mr President, as a lion of democracy. We honour you and the incredible courage of your people whom you lead. We are witnesses to it with all of those around the world, as you call them, strong people of an indomitable country and may that be so.
We stand with you, Mr President, and we do not stand with the war criminal of Moscow, Mr President. I know that man. You know that man. We know that man, Mr Speaker. And we know his regime. We have seen them unleash unspeakable horror against your children, your hospitals and shelters.
And we remember the downing of a civilian airliner carrying 298 innocents, including 38 Australians. And we remember them also on this day. In their name and in the name of 25 million Australians and their elected representatives, I welcome you, Mr President. I welcome you to our Parliament. I welcome a great friend of Australia.
Interview with David Koch, Sunrise
30 March 2022
David Koch: Federal Budget Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins us now. Prime Minister, good morning to you. A family sitting around their kitchen tables this morning talking about what is in it for them. What do you want them to take away from this Budget?
Prime Minister: Well, two things. The first is that we know that the cost of living pressures, the impact on fuel prices caused by things a long way away from Australia, with the terrible war in Ukraine, immediate cost of living relief for them, but responsible cost of living relief because the Budget has turned around. $100 billion improvement in this Budget, which means we can responsibly go and provide that help right now. The cost of living pressures are real. The fuel price increases are real and the support that we're delivering is real. And they need it now. And we're delivering it now because we can because we've turned the Budget around. The second point I'd make, David, is that it's also a plan for the long term, the investments in manufacturing, the investments in energy production. The investment in skills in particular. We have 220,000 apprentices in trade training right at the moment, the highest we've seen since 1963. So building the skills, building the infrastructure and establishing and growing our manufacturing capability. A plan for the future.
Koch: Because that's one of the big criticisms of this Budget, that it's supposedly very short term just to get votes for a May election.
Prime Minister: Well, people need to read more than the first page because there's $21 billion of investment in our regions. And that's in particular the transformational investments in ports and dams and roads and other infrastructure in our regions in the Pilbara, up in central and north Queensland, up in the Northern Territory and in the Hunter Valley. Investing in the regions that unlocks the wealth of the nation to pay for the many things that we need to pay for. Be it our enhanced Defence Forces, $10 billion for cyber security or paying for things the ongoing supports for pensions, the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We understand that Australia is bigger than our eight capital cities and territories. More than 80 per cent of our goods exports come from our regional areas. And in this Budget is the single largest transformational investment in our regions and to grow Australia's wealth. The money we make in the Pilbara, in the Hunter up there in north Queensland that supports every Australian. It pays for hospitals, it pays for schools, and we want to see that unlocked even more.
Koch: Yeah, that's that was certainly the underpinning a big bonus in tax receipts, our sales of commodities. But there was speculation in the week leading up to the Budget that you were going to make it easier for older Australians to work more to earn more money. We've got a job shortage. It seemed a no brainer. Why didn't you go ahead with that?
Prime Minister: Well, there's always lots of speculation about issues before a Budget, David, but I can't speak to why that was there. I mean, we want to support people in their retirement. We want to give people of working age the skills they need, and we want to bring people to the country that will continue to add. I mean, just in relation to Ukraine, over 5,000 people and we've been able to get visas to and they're on the way to Australia. So the migration programmes plays an important part, but we want to give Australians the skills right across their working life to add to this country. And our skills investments are so important. I mean, they're seeing these trade apprentices in training, seeing the investments in training for the future. That is what is going to grow our future. For those of retirement age, we want them to enjoy their retirement.
Koch: OK, so so retirement, you're not at working age. Is that what you're saying, though, that you do if …
Prime Minister: No. People can work for as long as they wish to, David. And what we do enables them to do that with lower taxes. No, they don't. They just don't receive as much pension because when you're working, you're earning more and where people want to earn more and work well, of course they can. And but what we're focused on in this Budget is getting people into work. And, you know, about three quarters of the improvements we've seen in the bottom line, the revenues that we've seen comes from simply getting people off welfare and into work. The economy is growing far stronger than we'd anticipated a year ago because the plans we've got in place are working. And we know that because Australians are working with unemployment falling to four per cent and falling even lower, as you've said yourself.
Koch: Yeah. The other thing that worries me is the changes to the the first home buyer incentive scheme, allowing first home buyers just to buy a house with five per cent deposit, for single parents just two per cent. Property prices in Sydney and Melbourne dropping at the moment. So you could see those first home buyers into negative equity really quickly. Banks hate that. They start to talk about closing people down. Will you make sure that doesn't happen?
Prime Minister: Well, the banks themselves are the ones who approve the loans, David, and so they're the ones who make the assessments about the ability to provide those loans, but I tell you what this scheme has done together with HomeBuilder, it's got 300,000 people in just the last three years into their own home. It's always hard to buy a home. It's particularly hard now. It's very hard to do for young people to save for that deposit, and that takes that burden off those particularly single parents you mentioned. The number of single parents, particularly women, particularly those who've suffered terrible violence and had to flee, and they've lived from rented house to rented house, we've enabled them to get in their own home, to stop being a renter and to be a home owner. And that's what this programme does. The checks and balances are there.
Koch: Yeah, what I'm saying is property prices drop, those first home buyers in to negative equity and the banks start to get narky. Well, you make sure the banks don't pull the loans from those borrowers under the scheme?
Prime Minister: Well, they wouldn't because they've they would have provided the loans, understanding all of the things that you just mentioned. They're still doing their due diligence on every single loan. They're the ones extending the loans in the same way they've extended loans over a long time. They know the housing market and they know where they can loan and they know where they can't. What this is doing, I met a young woman down in Melbourne. It saved her eight years, this programme, eight years, she got into a first home sooner. That is a lifetime of saving. And that is great to see. And we're keeping it going 50,000 places every year, doubling it. We're doing that because it's worked. It's successful. Australians are getting into their own home under my Government.
Koch: All right. Just before we let you go, I know you're under real time constraints. Tonight's the state memorial for Shane Warne. Will you be attending and what message do you have for Shane Warne's family, friends and fans?
Prime Minister: Well, yes, I will be there and be heading down there this afternoon, this evening. Look, my message to all Australians, but particularly to Shane's family, is thank you. Thank you for sharing Shane with all of us. And I hope tonight what people will be able to do is just pour out their love for Shane and he and all of his family. That's what I hope that they will see the great celebration of his life and be simply comforted by that. Shane has given us all so many wonderful moments, and he's such an Australian character and an Australian icon. So I'm looking forward to seeing his life celebrated tonight, and I hope the family take away from that a sense of comfort.
Koch: Prime Minister, thanks for joining us.
Prime Minister: Thanks a lot, David.
Interview with Sabra Lane, ABC AM
30 March 2022
Sabra Lane: Prime Minister, thanks for joining the program.
Prime Minister: Thank you.
Lane: One-off cash handouts to pensioners and welfare recipients happen next month. The cut in fuel excise is for six months. How is this anything but an electoral bribe for a government in deep trouble on the eve of the election?
Prime Minister: The cost of living pressures that are being faced by Australians are real. They're caused by the terrible events that we're seeing in the war in Europe. And we've seen the Australian economy improve by $100 billion for the Budget. And what we're doing is giving Australians a shield to protect themselves against those cost of living pressures right now with real packages. So it's responsible, because we've been able to strengthen the economy to pay for it. It's targeted, because we're dealing with the pressures that exist right now, and we're showing the same responsibility that we did through the pandemic. When people needed help, we were there and we want to make sure that people are coming through this latest shock, one of the biggest energy shocks we've seen in a generation, by delivering real cost of living relief right now through tax cuts, through cutting excise. Tax cuts through their personal income tax. And for those on fixed incomes and pensioners, ensuring that they're getting additional support right now because right now is when they need it.
Lane: But less than a month ago, you said it was inadvisable to cut fuel excise, and now you're doing just that. What are voters to make of your change of heart? And what changed your mind?
Prime Minister: The cost of living pressures being faced by Australians are real. And as the prices continued to go up, and as the situation in Ukraine continued to deteriorate. The cost of fuel flows through everything because we're a big country. The transport, logistics costs. All of this means it puts pressure on the price of groceries. So Australians know that they're feeling those cost of living pressures. And this Budget is delivering on that, and it's doing it responsibly. Because we're doing it off the back of the hard work that both Australians have done and the Government has done to strengthen the Budget so we're in a position to provide this. S&P just last night affirmed our AAA credit rating because it backed in the investments, Australians, we're making to protect our economy, protect our recovery to ensure we grow into the future. And the Budget has strong plans for that growth over a decade and more.
Lane: Unemployment is due to drop to 3.75 per cent, the Budget papers show wages still won't eclipse inflation until next year. What happens in September when that excise cut ends? Wages still won't be keeping pace with inflation by that point, are people just on their own?
Prime Minister: What you'll see, and this is what the Budget and the Treasury have estimated, a forecast, is by the time we get to the end of September, they're expecting that oil price to have fallen. And that means that, that need for that immediate relief, which is driven by those fuel price increases we expect to have abated. Now, you know, in New Zealand, they've done it for three months. We think it'll take longer than that and that's why we've kept it in over that six months period. But we always know when to provide that support, and we always know when it's time where people have been able to come through those difficult periods to keep going forward. But the tax cuts continue to deliver.
Lane: But if the war is not over and the fuel price goes back up in September. Will they blame you or possibly Prime Minister Albanese?
Prime Minister: Well, that's a judgement for the Australian people. But you raise the right point because this election is a choice about who can best manage our economy and who can best manage our finances and who can best take Australia through the crises that we've had and the crises that we'll still face. And what we're seeing with the rise in fuel prices, it's affecting everybody. It's real. That is what's driving these decisions because we know Australians have worked hard to come through the pandemic. We don't want to see them now hit by these rising costs of living through no fault of their own. This is another event that we've seen that we've had to deal with as a country, like the many we've already come through. Yet Australia's economy is stronger than all of the advanced nations in the world. And we're ensuring that we’re continuing to invest in that strong economic growth because that's how you grow wages. That's how you increase wages, by driving unemployment down, getting people into work and ensuring that your economy continues to grow in the future. That's the plan for higher wages growth. And as the Reserve Bank Governor says, we're already seeing those wages rise now.
Lane: Well, how confident are you that the one off payments and greater tax relief simply won't add to inflationary pressures and force the Reserve Bank to actually lift interest rates sooner than expected? A million homeowners across Australia have never experienced the Reserve Bank lifting rates.
Prime Minister: Well, what I'm confident about is the fact that when you cut excise in half, that actually reduces the cost pressures. That actually reduces the cost pressures, and it enables Australians to deal with the rising costs that they've already got in front of them. And so that's why S&P, the ratings agencies, have affirmed our AAA credit rating. That's why Treasury have been able to say that by cutting those costs for Australians, you're relieving the inflationary pressures. And that's why you have to do it responsibly. It has to be temporary to ensure that you're not locking in those other longer term impacts that could arise if it didn't show that discipline. We knew when to start JobKeeper and we knew when to end it. Labor would have spent an extra $81 billion during the pandemic, and that would have put extraordinary pressure on the Budget, and it would have meant that we wouldn't have be able to have done exactly what we did last night to afford delivering that additional cost of living relief last night, that shield Australians need. Labor wouldn't have been able to do that because it would have already spent the money.
Lane: The Budget papers show that the Government's delivered $10.3 billion in relief for the current floods, the Black Summer bushfires and the North Queensland floods of 2019, and $1.3 billion to better prepare and respond to natural disasters in the future. Many Australians would wonder why you're not spending more on preparedness, given that that amount is still dwarfed by the costs of these disasters.
Prime Minister: Well, this is why we are investing in climate resilience and climate adaptation. This is why we're investing $1 billion dollars in the reef. This is why we're investing in flood mitigation. This is why we're building dams. This is why we've been doing all of those things, Sabra. Because we've been through a lot of these natural disasters now and every single time we learn how we can do it even better the next time. And our response to the floods this time, take the Brisbane flood, in particular. We ensured that we got four times the number of ADF out almost a week faster than what we saw in the 2011 floods. We've got over $1.3 billion paid out directly into people's pockets, to 1.4 million Australians. That's real support, real fast, right when they need it. And Australians are getting hit by these cost of living pressures now, and they're real. I know I've got critics who say you shouldn't be spending money on helping people during these crises. But we do because we know Australians need it, because we know the need is real.
Lane: You're calling an election soon. Absent a scoop on exactly when, Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells says that you are a bully, you lack a moral compass and you're unfit to be Prime Minister. Why should you be re-elected, given that assessment from one of your own, someone who used to be a close ally?
Prime Minister: Well, I know Connie is disappointed, having lost the preselection of some 500 members on the weekend. Six years ago I strongly supported her and ensured that she was able to be re-selected. She was very happy at that time, but now, after, you know, being unsuccessful on the weekend, I understand that she's disappointed. And I join a long list of those that she's said these things about at times like this. But if she has very strong concerns about this and has complaints to make, our party has a process for dealing with those complaints and I'd encourage her to make those complaints directly to the federal president and state president of New South Wales, so they can be properly looked at.
Lane: Many voters would think that someone who's been a close and personal ally of yours, and if she thinks that of you, why should you be Prime Minister?
Prime Minister: Well, I wouldn't assess that in the same ways that you have. I mean, she's been very critical of the government and my predecessors as well, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, experienced a similar commentary. So look, I understand that Connie is very upset about not winning that preselection on the weekend, but I'm very pleased that we've got Senator Marise Payne and Senator Jim Molan who have been doing a terrific job. 500 members of the party made that decision on the weekend, and I respect their decision.
Lane: Prime Minister, thanks for joining the program this morning.
Prime Minister: Thanks a lot, Sabra.
Interview with Oliver Peterson, 6PR
30 March 2022
Oliver Peterson: Welcome to Perth Live.
Prime Minister: G’day, Oly. Good to be with you.
Peterson: Your Government has handed down now its latest Budget. You've been in power for almost a decade, recently steering us through a very tough time. But poll after poll shows you're going to lose this election. Have people stopped listening despite the good news?
Prime Minister: We’ve heard all that before. Previous prime ministers have heard that before, and they've gone on, as they have, to be able to win the support of the Australian people. But that's not what last night's Budget is about. Last night’s Budget is about ensuring that the $100 billion improvement we’ve had to our Budget in just the last 12 months by Australia coming through strongly out of this pandemic, that we can immediately move to provide people with the cost of living pressure relief that we're providing by halving the tax on petrol, by ensuring we're firing further tax cuts when people put in their tax return on the 1st of July, and providing $250 supports to pensioners and others dependent on those payments so they can deal with those cost of living pressures now. It's targeted, it's responsible. That $100 billion improvement we've had enables us to do that and that's what gets the job done.
Peterson: You've really throwing the kitchen sink at Australians right now, Prime Minister. Is it about buying votes?
Prime Minister: Well, I just said, it's about rising cost of living, it's about a war in Ukraine that's driving up petrol prices. That's why we need to take this action right now. Same reason we put in place JobKeeper. We knew when we had to do it, we knew when we had to stop it. And this is what Australians need right now. The cost of living pressures from the fuel price increases have been very harsh, and that's not their fault. It's nobody's fault. It’s the, it's the war in Ukraine and that's driving up petrol prices and that feeds into the price of absolutely everything - groceries and food and all of these things, as well as petrol, the costs for business and doing business. And so providing this relief ensures that Australians can deal with these cost of living pressures. We're coming out of COVID, we’re coming strongly out of COVID. Our economy is stronger than the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Italy. And, as a result, we can do this because we've managed the economy well through the pandemic, unemployment's down to four per cent, and that that is enabling us to be able to give Australians support they need right now to shield against these cost of living price increases. And as they're getting up and going forward, we're not going to let them hold that, we're not going to allow them to be held back.
Peterson: And you look at that unemployment figure, it's going to go down even further, to three and a half per cent. Can you see, though, that some people might be confused, because on the one hand you're telling us now the economy is going gangbusters, but then you're spending almost $9 billion to ease the cost of living pressures. If the economy is doing so well, why is there the need to spend?
Prime Minister: There is a need to address cost of living pressures because there's been a war in the Ukraine …
Peterson: Yes.
Prime Minister: … which has driven up fuel prices. All Australians understand that. This has happened far away from our shores, and so they need that support right now. Now, it's not needed permanently. We've got, you know, there’s tax relief that has been delivered out into the future, and and have been delivering ever since we came into government. And so we have been providing that relief so people can keep more of what they earn, and small businesses are paying less tax. In this Budget we invest in the future, and particularly in the area of health. I mean, I was over there on Sunday to announce the the Comprehensive Cancer Centre there in Perth. That's a significant investment of some $375 million. We have the investments in Metronet. We have the investments in the Pilbara, and everybody who lives in Perth understands that what they do up in the Pilbara has a big, big impact on what people earn in Perth and the services that the whole country depends on. So backing in major regions in Western Australia - resources regions, critical minerals, rare earths, all of this is in our plan. See, we've set out our plan. It's in the Budget and this election is a choice, you mentioned about the election. It's a choice between who has got the record of managing an economy, keeping it a AAA level of our credit rating through a global pandemic and recession, and seeing unemployment fall to four per cent. Now when Labor were in power, they went from 4.2 per cent unemployment up to 5.7. We've taken it from 5.7 down to four per cent, and we've had to deal with a global pandemic and recession. Now that tells you something - while maintaining our AAA credit rating - that tells you something about the financial management of my Government. Now, my opponent, he’s never even delivered a Budget, not one, let alone the many that have been done by me and my Treasurer.
Peterson: You announced, as you mentioned there, that Cancer Centre on the weekend. But you’re still requiring support from the State Government. “Subject to a business case,” says Premier McGowan. Is that prudent or just politics?
Prime Minister: Oh no, that's prudent. I mean, I have no doubt that Mark is very keen on this project, and I spoke to him about it when we met when I was there about a week earlier and gave him the courtesy of letting him know where we'd got to on that. They'll go through their process. And I'm pleased, I mean, with, our GST deal means that on average over the next six years, that's two point, $2.5 billion extra that is coming to the Western Australian Government, straight into the state coffers. It's just over two billion that is going in next Budget year as a result. So, you know, we've been delivering for Western Australia so they can make these important investments, and the Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Perth is much needed. It's going to really transform the care and the treatment that cancer sufferers in Western Australia and Perth receive.
Peterson: When you mention the GST deal and even the infrastructure spend, 40 per cent, it is in this Budget, above our per capita share. So you're throwing everything at us. The dry docking in Henderson, the Perth City Deal, money for the Pilbara. Do you think that Mark McGowan actually likes having you as the Prime Minister and would probably prefer you to stay there in the Lodge to keep leveraging the Federal Government for more money?
Prime Minister: Well, you'd have to ask him, but the reason we're doing it is because we understand how we can drive our national economy by supporting Western Australia. Western Australia is a powerhouse of economic activity, and what we invest in together in Western Australia, which Mark and I have done for many years now, it's great for Western Australians, it's great for the national economy, and whether it's the Pilbara, or whether it’s for services that we're delivering in in Perth and across the south south west, we're doing this because it's it's good for the country. And, you know, Mark and I agree on on so many things that are about driving the Western Australian economy forward. That's why I did the GST deal. I did it because it was good for the national interest, not just the Western Australian interest. And and I had to convince and take the argument forward and get it legislated in the, in the Australian Parliament. It wasn't just about coming to Western Australia and agreeing with them. I had to get all the other states and territories on board. And I can tell you, it wasn't easy, and it wasn't a one-off thing, because it keeps delivering for Western Australia year in, year out, to over the next year, six years, it's an average of $2.6 billion extra into the Western Australian Budget every single year.
Peterson: Was consideration made in this Budget to changing the pensioner working allowance, Prime Minister?
Prime Minister: No, we didn't decide to do that. What we did was ensure that we continue to invest in skills and small business tax deductions, which I think is very essential. We've got the migration program firing up again. We've got the agricultural visa and we've just been able to clinch the deal with the Vietnamese Government to ensure that that can feed into the agriculture visa. Skills training that we're doing is very important for all of Western Australia, but particularly the resources industry. And so that's where we’ve put our investments. Australians have worked hard over the course of their life and they they have every right to enjoy their retirement. And so the, if Australians above retirement age wish to work, then of course they can. But if they wish to have that retirement, then then they've earned it.
Peterson: Would you consider changes, though? Is it something you might take to the election?
Prime Minister: No, it's not something we're considering.
Peterson: Were you blindsided by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells labelling you an autocrat bully and not being fit to be Prime Minister?
Prime Minister: We had a pre-selection for senators in New South Wales last Saturday - 500 members of the Liberal Party had to choose between three senators - Senator Marise Payne, the Foreign Minister, Senator Jim Molan, the former General in the Defence Forces, and Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Senator Fierravanti-Wells was unsuccessful and ran third in that contest. I understand she's disappointed. She's I understand she's been disappointed in the past when other prime ministers haven't put her in the Ministry or or and been in roles that she would have liked to perform in. But politics, on occasion, people have disappointments, and so I obviously don't agree with her assessment. But if she has any formal complaint she'd like to make, in the Liberal Party we have processes for dealing with that, and I'd encourage her to do so. But other senators, Senator Hughes has been very clear today about how she has known me over 20 years, and I understand people get disappointed after they lose [sic] preselections, but there are 500 members of the Liberal Party who made that decision on the weekend, not me.
Peterson: Have you picked up the phone and given her a call?
Prime Minister: No, I haven't. I've been pretty busy with the Budget over the last, since last night.
Peterson: Pauline Hanson's also saying today in the Senate that she was bullied by you. What do you make of her remarks?
Prime Minister: Well, I haven't heard that accusation, and I don't know what the basis of it is. I’ve only ever sought to work politely and cooperatively with Pauline on many, many issues over a very long time.
Peterson: Do you think, though, this might drive voters away from both major parties, considering the bullying allegations surfacing from within the Labor Party as well?
Prime Minister: Well, they're completely without foundation, in my case. I've worked constructively with people. You know, as Prime Minister, though, Oly, you make decisions which people disagree with, and they're disappointed when you do that. And if you can't have the mettle to do that as a Prime Minister, then you can't do the job. There are things you you have to do in the national interest, which won't meet with agreement from everybody. Now that's that's the cost of leadership. And I've always paid the price of leadership because I know it's important to take the country forward. I mean, you can't be, you can't be a petal, if you're Prime Minister. You can't pretend to be anyone else either than other than yourself, like the Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese is seeking to do. You've got to be yourself and you've got to make the calls and you've got to get on with the job. And that's what I've done.
Peterson: The Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will be addressing the Australian Parliament tomorrow night.
Prime Minister: Yes, I invited him to do that and I'm very pleased that he can do that. And we've provided significant support to the people of Ukraine, including sending 70,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine to power up their their energy system and we’ve been, the Defence Minister Peter Dutton has been working closely with [inaudible] to provide every support that we practically can. And it's it's difficult. I mean, Australia is a long way away. We can't meet all of the things that they're seeking. That's what NATO is is doing, and we seek to support them through, particularly the United Kingdom and the United States. But there, they are showing tremendous courage in the face of terrible adversity, and the illegal and barbaric invasion that we've seen from from President Putin.
Peterson: Are you expecting tonight's memorial for Shane Warne, which you are attending, Prime Minister, to be a celebration of Warnie’s contribution to this country?
Prime Minister: I hope so, and I hope that will be a great comfort to his family and to his friends, of which there is a legion, as well as there is being a legion of fans, and we’ll come together down there at the MCG this evening and and come together as a country and celebrate and give thanks for a great Australian life that has touched so many other Australians through his sheer sporting genius, but also because of his great iconic character that he's been in Australian life. He's uplifted the spirits of the nation on countless occasions. And everyone will have their own Warne story, but for me it's about the inspiration he's given, particularly as a sportsman, and the way he was able to lift his team and lift the country in the process. He never gave up and he always came through.
Peterson: He sure did, and it is a very sad day for the nation to be saying farewell to Shane Warne. Any plans, finally, Prime Minister, to visit the Governor-General in the coming days?
Prime Minister: No, I’ve got a lot to do.
Peterson: You’re not going to be calling an election by the end of the weekend?
Prime Minister: No, I mean, we've got work to do. We’re getting the Budget through this week and we’ll be, you know, very enthusiastically letting Australians know about what's in that Budget, which is incredibly important. The Budget is a, is a real plan. But, you know, on Thursday night, Anthony Albanese has to [inaudible] speak, and I'd like to know, and Australians would like to know, what his alternative Budget is, and that's what people deserve to hear on Thursday night. You know what my plan is. You know what our record is when it comes to the economy and jobs and keeping our economy strong for a stronger future. He's tried to be a small target. Well, now he's just an empty page, and Australians deserve to know what his alternative budget is, what his alternative plans are. They’ve been waiting three years and got nothing. He says he's do a mini budget after the election. Well, they deserve to know what's in that mini budget now. And on Thursday night, he has to tell them what it is, and if he squibs it, well, you can't vote for a blank page.
Peterson: Scott Morrison, I appreciate your time. Thank you very much.
Prime Minister: Thanks a lot, Oly.
Peterson: Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister.
Multicultural media online Budget briefing
Prime Minister, Minister for Immigration Citizenship Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs
Prime Minister: OK, well, good morning, everyone, it's good to be with you, I understand. We'd like me to make a few remarks at the outset. I'm joined, of course, by the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. And I want to thank him for the great job that he's done in bringing together so many of the elements of this budget that are supporting our many different communities, ethnic communities across the country. And tonight, your last night's Budget address many things, but the most important thing is addresses is the strength of our economy because a strong economy means a stronger future. And regardless of what your background is, regardless of how many generations your family has been here, whether it's the 60000 years of Indigenous Australians or those who have joined us most recently and become part of the Australian family, all of us depend on a strong economy. A strong economy is what supports our pension scheme. A strong economy is what supports Medicare, our migrant support services, our settlement services for those who've come in the most trying circumstances. Even now, as we've seen, over a thousand people already arrive from Ukraine and in 5,000 in total visas have been issued for those from Ukraine to come on the weekend, I announced 2,000 specific places for visas for those who require them, humanitarian visas to flee the persecution and the conflict that is occurring in Myanmar and of course, the sixteen and a half thousand places in the budget we've announced. For those who are coming from Afghanistan and always standing with the people of Afghanistan who have suffered so much and we stood by for so long and I'm very pleased that we're able to continue to provide that support. I said that as we were going through that terrible crisis in the airlift out of Afghanistan last year that our commitments were just a floor. They were not a ceiling. And in last night's budget we're able to confirm the additional support that we're providing into those programs. Australia has a generous migration program, always has. We've always understood the value of migration to Australia and to support our economy, our workforce, but principally because of the richness it brings to our community life. And I want to thank all those community organisations that do such a fantastic job working with their communities on the ground. I'm particularly mindful of Stefan Romaniw at the moment and Ukrainian Association, who have done an outstanding job, and we've provided additional financial support to the Ukrainian Association to deal with the specific challenges that they're facing at the moment with the increased demands that have been placed upon them because of the terrible war in Ukraine. But our communities, organisations and the leadership they have shown, as we've seen through COVID, but as we've seen through every challenge, we've even floods as we see them across New South Wales and Queensland. Currently, the fires that we've seen and the many other impacts our Budget is stronger today, and it's stronger because of the hard work of Australians right around the country. We've got more people in work. Four per cent unemployment, even lower for women in terms of unemployment. A million more women in work. And that is so important in migrant communities that we're seeing more women of ethnic backgrounds coming into work and having those economic opportunities because that gives them choice. It gives families choice, it enables them to plan for their future with confidence. And the stronger economy that we've been delivering as a government means a stronger future by being able to guarantee the essential services that all Australians rely on. It means that we can invest in the Defence Forces and security services that we need to protect Australia's liberty and the freedom that we have in this country that so many from all corners of the world have come here to shelter and be part of and to build on and contribute to when they come to this country and raise their families, build their businesses. The support for small business in this budget is very significant. The support for training and infrastructure very significant in this budget. But I know, particularly in ethnic communities across the country, Australia is the most successful multicultural nation on Earth. And one of the reasons for that, I think, is the high level of entrepreneurialism that exists in the many migrant communities over many generations in this country. So by backing small businesses with lower taxes and in particular to back them in to be employing apprentices, by giving additional skills training to their staff with a 120 per cent deduction on investment in those skills training initiatives. 120 per cent reduction tax deduction when it comes to investments in data and digital expenditure, such as cloud computing and things of that nature, we're helping small businesses be successful in the post-COVID economy. Australia's economy is a standout. We're coming out of this pandemic with 375,000 more jobs than we had going into it. And all of the communities represented across Australia will know from their original home countries that Australia's performance during this pandemic is a standout. We've saved over 40,000 lives. We one of the highest pandemic preparedness of any country in the world, ranking second on the global index with one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. But our economy with more jobs, more growth, wages increasing, growth increasing, unemployment falling puts us in a strong position to capitalise on the opportunities that are ahead and our many ethnic communities across Australia will be in the engine room of that as entrepreneurs are skilled workers, that's what the migration program has brought to Australia, skills entrepreneurship community and we're backing that in very strongly in this Budget, both with cost of living relief and a strong plan for the future. Anything you wanted to add that, Alex.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: No thanks PM. I just say very briefly to add to the PM's remarks. The Government is investing heavily from a prime minister who secured Australia's borders in the human dividend of what we can now return as a country in our humanitarian program. So we are going to see more people coming from Afghanistan under this Budget and more people coming from Ukraine. And what's been so pleasing about what we've been able to do is they are getting the best of services and integration into the Australian community. We're going to see them working in Melbourne. I was able to visit members of the Afghan community who are gaining employment in critical skills shortages. We now have people from Ukraine. They'll be able to work, they'll be able to study, they'll help us meet our shortages and integrate well into Australia. But also we're able to help in these very difficult humanitarian crises that we face in Afghanistan and in Ukraine. And of course, in this Budget, you'll see a return to a Liberal National mix of immigration and a long line of immigration ministers, a strong skills mix which will see our ability to meet those short shortages. We're backing the regions where doubling the regional visas. We want people from the community to migrate here and go to our regions and live. There are great jobs there, there is great accommodation there. There is a great life for people in the regions and the Government's Budget, our Budget, the Liberal National Budget, is backing people to get to the regions and we'll get them the work and that integration they need.
Prime Minister: OK, well let's get to some questions.
Host: Thanks PM and Minister Hawke, the first question is from Dinesh Malhotra from Bharat Times. Go ahead, Dinesh.
Journalist: My question is regarding the cuts to fuel excise. How are you going to monitor, is triple ACCC is the only tool that you have to to see whether that is being passed on to consumers.
Prime Minister: The right tool Dinesh, that is the powerful tool that we have, it's backed up by strong laws and stiff penalties for those who would not be passing those halving of the tax on fuel, halving of the excise on to consumers. We didn't do this to line the pockets of fuel companies. We did it to ensure that Australians could keep more of what they earn by halving the fuel taxes in this country for the next six months. That is longer than double what we've seen in New Zealand. We've done that as a temporary responsible measure, and we expect to see over the six months the oil price fall to more normal levels over that period of time. And so while they remain elevated because of the war in Ukraine, then we're providing this temporary relief. So yes, the ACCC is the cop on the beat and when it comes to these issues, they do have the powers and they do have the penalties to be able to enforce that.
Journalist: Thank you Prime Minister, thank you Minister.
Host: The next question is from Cecil Huang, 1688 Group, go ahead Cecil.
Journalist: Prime Minister, staffing shortage continues to be a big issue within our community. What's the government's position on increasing the intake for skilled migrants?
Prime Minister: Well, I'll let the Minister go into the specifics, but in the program itself, there will be increased planning levels for the skilled intake, and that's really important. It is going to take some time as we're coming out of this pandemic, and immigration levels have obviously pretty much been reduced to almost zero that we build this program up again and the wheels of it get moving again. And that's what the Department of Home Affairs is very focussed on doing and getting the processes moving and getting people on planes and getting them here. The planes are there again and to see that build up. But I'll ask the Minister to address that.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Yeah. Thanks PM and thank you Cecil that question. Skilled migration is one of the key questions labour shortages that we're getting as a Government around the country. So far since we've opened the borders. We've seen about half a million people return under our temporary visas in our programs and that's a good number. We're still about half a million people short in our economy, but the Government's put incentives in place. We have a rebate scheme for students that's provided some very strong student numbers in recent weeks. We've seen in some weeks up to 15,000 students coming a week. We have working holiday maker rebates. So for our backpackers, you get you get your money back, that's seen working holiday makers coming in about 1,400 a week, and now we're seeing about 4,000 skilled visas coming every single week. So as the Prime Minister said, we are committed to the economic recovery. We know it's going to take the whole year for us to get back. That's why we're supporting that with rebating visa fees. I'm increasing the caps in this Budget. So for backpackers will now have an 11,000 additional places internationally so people can come, more backpackers will be able to come to Australia and be here, and that's a very significant increase in that. And as I've said, we've returned to a traditional Liberal National skills mix, which is two thirds of the program will now be skills visas for the year ahead in recognition of this fact that we have these skills shortages. So that'll be about 110,000 visas will be skilled visas in the migration year ahead under a Morrison Government, and we're very committed to seeing those skilled people get visas and come here and fill those shortages at the same time, the Government is seeing unemployment hitting now, low rates historically low rates and youth unemployment as well. And the Prime Minister has committed will continue to take unemployment down to three per cent for Australians at the same time as increasing our skills migration program.
Host: The next question is from Jai Bharadwaj from the Australian today. Go ahead, Jai.
Journalist: Thank you. My question is the Minister for Immigration. Thank you for increasing the number for parents visa. However, the partner visa numbers have been reduced and is a big concern. I have talked to a lot of community people ,they are saying is a significant reduce of 32,000 places and migrants are very young and not being able to bring their partner is a big issue for them.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Yeah, thank you for that Dinesh, so the reduction is only about the last year, so we had a record year in Australian migration history on partners so what the Prime Minister asked me to do and what we were able to do while the while the pandemic was on was increase the family program. So for two years, we've had a record level of family visas processed and most of those are partner visas. The challenge we've got and it's a good one to have is partner visas are surging. We have a huge demand for the partner visa program. So this year we still have a very strong number higher than pre-pandemic levels and we intend to meet it. But of course, we are prioritising skills as well. So we were able to do both in this year's program and we'll keep working it through. Partners will be the priority in the family program.
Prime Minister: A very important point, Alex. Through the pandemic, there were many things that were done differently and they were done for temporary reasons and they were never intended to be permanent, and the opportunity to provide additional partner visas was a good one. But it was never going to be a permanent one at those levels. And so the fact that we've now started to normalise the program again but have pattern partner visa levels, as you said, higher than it was in the pandemic. I'd say very, very plainly to you that that means that it isn't a reduction, it's actually an increase on the normal levels that we've seen from pre-pandemic levels. Yes, there has been a few years from the pandemic where we used that space in that time and that opportunity to keep bringing people in. And that was a great opportunity and we're glad we've been able to do that and reunite so many couples.
Host: The next question is from Keith Tan, Australian Chinese Daily.
Journalist: Prime Minister, well, as you've touched on, just with regards to unemployment, we are really looking at the unemployment data being.
Prime Minister: Try again.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Yes, sorry Keith we can't hear you.
Prime Minister: Now he's got, he's right, he's right, Yes, we can go ahead.
Journalist: Yeah. Yes. So with regards to unemployment rate and it been better than [inaudible] did. And on top of what was already answered before. What are, what are the measures? Are the Government prepared to do to continue to promote and improve on unemployment within Australia?
Prime Minister: Well, where we're heading to unemployment with a three in front of it, that's a 50 year low in Australia where we haven't seen and we're currently in an equal low. Going back to the early 70s, you know, when I was about six years old, we haven't, you know, we've seen it at about that level before on other occasions, but it's an equal low. And that's going to keep driving down because we're driving the economy, we're growing the economy and you're absolutely right. The improvement in the Budget position of a more than $100 billion over the forward estimates is a function of getting more people into work. It's a pretty simple proposition. People go from receiving welfare payments to paying taxes that turns your budget around. And that has been significant in what we've seen in the Budget last night, which is what has enabled us to responsibly in a very targeted way pay for this targeted cost of living support in the Budget. But the additional measures investing in skills, Australians need more skilled workers and not just in the migration program. They need to be training Australians here in more skills. So we have the investments five thousand for each apprentice to the apprentice themselves and $15,000 to the employer to ensure that they will keep taking the apprentices on, keeping apprentices in the training. We've just extended out, particularly over the next three months, to ensure that the apprenticeship programs we've been running at elevated levels during the pandemic extend out another three months so we can get more intake and that be about 35,000 odd more apprentices coming in. Skills and access to skills is the most significant challenge our economy faces right now. There are many other challenges, but ensuring we get the skilled workers, we need to do the jobs that are needed in a growing economy. And they're not just in the traditional trades, they're in cyber technicians, they're in advanced engineering, they're in our manufacturing businesses, they're in our mental health support and in our health sectors. And so Australia needs more and more skilled workers, and we're investing in that. But we've also got $120 billion infrastructure program, and that infrastructure building program is connecting Australia better, which is good for our economy. It's ensuring that Australians have got safer roads and we've got faster rail, the faster rail programs in this Budget. There's also a major intermodal hub that has been built in Victoria, which is improving the connectedness for freight, which also drives our economy. There's lower taxes for small businesses, one hundred and per cent tax deductions for both investments in skills training and in addition to that, for investment in taking on new technologies, new data and digital technologies to ensure your businesses is more connected into the future economy. We've got a $21 billion investment in the regions, and Alex makes the great point about regions and for migrants coming to Australia, go to the regions because the opportunities there are significant. We are investing at record levels in regions and particularly those where we're going to see a major wealth unlocking up in the Hunter, up in central Queensland, up in the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory is a great migration state. The Chief Minister up there, more and more people he says, keep sending me more people. I've got plenty of jobs for them and plenty of opportunities, and we'll match them on the services up in the Pilbara. But our regional accelerator program, a $2 billion program which is investing in skills and education and training and infrastructure and medical services that is investing in telecommunications infrastructure. All of this is what drives your economy forward because we're investing in the things that enables our economy to grow. And when you grow your economy, that means you can pay your bills. That means you can continue to have the highest bulk billing rate we've ever had in Medicare in this country. It means that you can invest in the two thousand eight hundred pharmaceuticals that we've been able to put in new and amended listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, breast cancer drugs, drugs to deal with cystic fibrosis and other terrible conditions, to do genetic testing for things like spinal muscular atrophy. Now, all of these things may not be aware, you may not be aware of of those particular conditions but there are thousands of Australians, particularly also in our ethnic communities, who suffer from this every day. And Australia has a very strong social program and to support that, we need a strong economy to fuel it.
Host: Thank you. Next question is from Winmas Yu, SBS Cantonese programme.
Journalist: Good morning, Prime Minister and Minister Hawke, my question is sort of build on just a question earlier regarding the partner visa and family visa quota allocations. So we're seeing a reduction in partner visa to make way for the increasing numbers of skilled migrants. Prime Minister, you mentioned earlier that we actually not reducing it, but it's actually higher than the pre-pandemic pandemic levels. So without increasing the total one hundred and sixty thousand planning levels, is the Government able to guarantee like the waiting time for partner visa as well as parent visa applicants, would remain the same or potentially quicker than before? Or if not, how long were the wait be expected to be.
Prime Minister: I'll ask the Minister to address that. Some 50,000 places to support family reunion in the family stream. You mentioned the 160,000 cap. I don't think we're going to trouble that cap in the immediate future because we're gearing the whole system up again. And people, even those who have been visaed are already in many cases, some of them are still having to remain in their home country. And China is a good example of that in Hong Kong and places like that because of COVID. And so it'll take a little bit of time for the migration program to gather its pace again. But those 50,000 places are there, and the Minister can talk to the processing times.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Yeah, thanks, PM. This is a good question. So in the pandemic, because our borders were shut, obviously, if you go to the website, processing times look large. Since we've reopened, we've been able to bring down week on week those times are falling for people in different programs, including partner visas, depending on different country restrictions and requirements. But the department will be meeting those processing requirements month in and month out. They'll be coming down. You'll see those those reflected in weekly and monthly updates. I just say the partner visa program is very well supported inside the family program. The parent visa program is a whole different program. It's a difficult area of migration, but you're looking at to you looking at a Prime Minister and a Minister, he tasked me originally with the new sponsor parent visa program, which we designed in Government, Coalition Government and implemented so that people could sponsor their parents to come here for three years, five years and ultimately with two visas, 10 years to multiple entry exit. You're familiar with the program. Every country in the world wrestles with its parent program, but we have been innovating and our Government has been innovating to allow for more family groups to sponsor their parents to come here and visit them and stay with them, and will continue to seek those innovations and make sure that's accessible for people's parents to come and go. But obviously, parents are very different to the partner program.
Host: Thank you. The next question is from Rajesh Sharma, Indus Age.
Journalist: Good morning.
Host: We're just we're just having a little bit of trouble hearing you.
Journalist: [inaudible].
Host: Sorry Rajesh, I've got your question in front of me, so I can just convey that to the Prime Minister, if you like, we're having trouble with your connection. With record investment in defence and unstable global security. What roles do you visualise for the Australia India partnership to play? And has Australia invested enough in this relationship from a defence point of view?
Prime Minister: Thank you. Australia's relationship with India is at a whole new level and the wonderful personal relationship that both Prime Minister Modi and I have been able to forge over these last three and a half years has been very important. And and it goes back to the relationship that Prime Minister Abbott was able to have with Prime Minister Modi and former Prime Minister Abbott, I tasked as my special envoy in that trade relationship with India, and that is that is yielded much and the Trade Minister has been working with his counterpart Minister Goyal, now for several weeks, has been working towards a new economic partnership agreement. I only had our rather extensive bilateral virtual meeting when I was in Brisbane the other day with Narendra, and we worked across the full suite of issues that we've been working on. We have a lot of like minded passions and ambitions, not just for our own countries, but how they're complementary that our policies are complementary, particularly in the region. Australia, together with India, Japan, the United States, we have a very re-enlivened the Quad at a leaders level and that is providing us, I think, with a stronger platform to pursue the bilateral relationships within the Quad and with the India relationship, I have focussed far more, frankly in the first few years on the security and defence relationship to build a platform of trust and strength in that defence and security relationship upon which we can build the economic relationship. I know that there are a lot of suitors to India in terms of wanting to get greater trade access into the Indian market. And I think where Australia has been able to stand out in terms of all of those suitors is one, we're like minded. We're on the same page. We believe the same things. We want to achieve the same things for our region, the level of people to people engagement, particularly with the very strong levels of Indian migration to Australia. The care that we provided for those Indian students that have been in Australia, and Narendra was was very quick to say to me at our meeting the other day how grateful he was for the care that has been provided to Indian students in Australia over the last couple of years, especially during the pandemic. But yes, we are have invested heavily in our defence partnership and I think that has provided a very, very strong platform for a much expanded economic partnership with India, and I look forward to being able to say more about that in the not too distant future. We've been working closely on this now for some period of time, and this will, I think, take our relationship even to a higher level.
Host: Thank you, PM. We've come to time this morning. If you'd like to make some closing remarks before signing off please.
Prime Minister: I might throw to Alex as well, but I do want to thank you for joining us today after the budget, there are many interviews and discussions that we have with media, around the country, but this is an important engagement that I've always been keen to keep every year and to ensure that we're communicating the Budget into all of the many communities around the country. Whether it's specific issues that you've been raising today on on matters of immigration and settlement policy, timing of visa applications. And these are these are the practical things that your readers and your viewers, I know are keen to understand. In addition to the headline issues of the Budget around economic supports, tax cuts and other income assistance that is helping people get through. So I really do want to thank through you, the many communities that make up Australia and our big Australian family, the community associations especially that really keep the vibrancy and support of those communities. And we'll always seek to continue to support them and respect the important role that you play. But Australia is the most successful multicultural immigration nation on Earth. I don't say, arguably because I don't think it is arguably, I think we are. And I think daylight is second when it comes to this because we have achieved a level of social cohesion across so many different nationalities, ethnic and language groups and religious groups that I think we are the, the standard that other countries would seek to achieve. And that is because of the good heartedness and good faith of those Australians who come from so many different backgrounds. Australia is a great country because of the Australian people. It's not just that we're a beautiful country and blessed with great resources to support a wonderful standard of living. It's because Australians are amazing and those who have come from so many parts of the world have made Australia stronger. And that's what I believe this Budget backs in, but Alex.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Thanks PM, and to support what the PM is saying under the Budget, we have some more good news for multicultural communities that I'll be unpacking with you and through you to all of the communities in Australia. And we're minded as a Government and the Prime Minister as he's moved around Australia, we will be supporting multicultural communities to resume the fullness of, of community life we've seen, you know, churches are not as full, temples, mosques not as full and festivals have been cancelled over many years and I'm announcing some grants through the Budget from the Morrison Government to support community activity. We want communities to get back to as like normal as possible. We know that it's going to need some support around the country, so we'll communicate some of the details there. But let's get some of those great applications in, we want communities to be back and thriving. Holi, I think the PM agrees it was still colourful, but it was the most muted I've seen it ever in my life because of the pandemic. We need to get Holi back. We need to get these great festivals back and the Government will be practically supporting communities with with some resources to do that, right?
Prime Minister: Great, well thank you very much for your time.
The Hon. Alex Hawke MP, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs: Thanks, everyone.
Interview with Peter van Onselen, Studio 10
30 March 2022
PETER VAN ONSELEN: Prime Minister, thanks very much for your company. Is there anything you'd do differently in this Budget if it wasn't an election year?
PRIME MINISTER: No, there isn't, because what we're doing for cost of living pressures in this Budget is because of the cost of living pressures. The war in the Ukraine has pushed up fuel prices and Australians are feeling that. And it's not just at the bowser, it affects the price of food, the price of groceries, and they need that support now. And the reason we can do that is we've had a $100 billion improvement in the Budget over the over the Budget period, and that's been earned by Australians working hard. So giving them tax relief through lower excise, halving the excise, giving them tax relief in personal income tax and when they put in their tax return on the 1st of July and supporting those who are on pensions and those types of payments right now, the cost of living increases are real. And so is this package.
VAN ONSELEN: Halving the fuel excise was larger than what people were predicting, it goes for six months.
PRIME MINISTER: Yes.
VAN ONSELEN: It's understandably temporary given the overseas measures. Is there any chance it would be extended if the issues overseas continue?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's not our plan. The forecast that we have is that we will see fuel prices in particular the price per barrel of oil to drop back to more conventional levels over that period. But we've done it over six months. In New Zealand, they've done it over three months. So we've provided a greater provision to ensure that people can have the confidence. See, this is about ensuring Australians have confidence. This is giving them a shield against the cost of living pressures that are Australians know are being caused by events far away from Australia. But what this means is it's hurting them now, and I'm not going to have them knocked over again as we're coming out of this pandemic stronger than any other advanced economy in the world.
VAN ONSELEN: But are you open minded about extending it if overseas events require?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's not what we expect. What we did in the pandemic, when we when we went into JobKeeper, and it certainly wasn't an election around the corner back then, because that's what was needed. But what we've demonstrated is we know when to start and we know when to stop. During the pandemic, Labor would have spent an extra $81 billion because they wouldn't have known how to stop. And that means right, right now, they wouldn't have been able to deliver this much needed cost of living support that we've delivered. That's why it’s responsible, it's targeted and it's temporary.
VAN ONSELEN: Labor's intimated that this is a booby trapped Budget that sort of intimates that they think they might win the election, you’re planning to win obviously?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Labor always gets ahead of themselves. We're certainly not getting ahead ourselves. We're dealing with the real economic circumstances that families and businesses are facing right now. Now, if Labor doesn't think the cost of living pressures are real, if Labor doesn't think that that cost of living support is needed now, well, they should say so, and they should set out their alternative. But we know it is real. And that's why we've been able to respond. And once again, we're doing it from a position of strength. The Budget has strengthened. The economy has strengthened. It has strengthened faster and stronger than all of the major advanced economies in the world, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France. And that means that's why we can do that and that's why it's responsible.
VAN ONSELEN: One of the economic features at the moment, though, is higher inflation, and that inevitably tends to lead to higher interest rates. How do these spending initiatives, if you like, work at the same time as those pressures that are inflationary that feel like they don't necessarily gel?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, inflation, as you know, is about how quickly costs are rising. This is about cutting those costs. It's about cutting one of the most important costs that actually drive so many other prices. And that's the price of fuel. But because it's temporary, because it's targeted, that's why it's responsible, because we know when to start and when we know to stop. And that's why last night, S&P, the ratings agency affirmed Australia's AAA credit rating because they knew we'd got the balance right.
VAN ONSELEN: Just on the fuel excise cut. How do you guarantee that it gets passed on at the bowser and it just doesn't get gobbled up by the, you know, petrol stations?
PRIME MINISTER: The law and the ACCC, which is our cop on the beat and the Treasurer has done a fine job in ensuring that the petroleum producers and retailers will be will be watched very closely. Now, it'll take us a couple of weeks before this gets to the bowser because, you know, petrol stations have advanced purchase their fuel and they've purchased fuel on the old excise rate. And in rural and regional areas, then they hold those stocks for longer. So it will take a couple of weeks for that to flow through. So I'm not expecting to see that price change dramatically in those first couple of weeks. But I do expect it to change. I do expect it to pass on because Australians have worked hard to ensure that they can keep more of what they earn, whether that's through lower excises or lower taxes.
VAN ONSELEN: What are you most proud of in the Budget?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there are many measures in this Budget. What I'm most proud of, frankly, that the Australian people who have made this possible. We've come through the last couple of years, principally not just because of strong economic management of our government, but principally overwhelmingly because of the resilience and character of Australians. That's what strengthened our economy. That's what enabled us to achieve this. And we've assumed that at all times we backed them in. That's what our economic policies do. You know, I love Australia because I love Australians and Australians are the ones who've enabled us to do what we did last night, backed in by our strong economic management.
VAN ONSELEN: Last night, one of your Liberal Senators Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, and she teed off hard on you and one of your ministers, Alex Hawke. She said, you're not fit to be Prime Minister. How do you respond to that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, I understand Connie's disappointment. 500 members the Liberal Party had decided that she wasn't going to be on on the two slots on our Senate ticket. She's made similar criticisms of both of my predecessors when things haven't gone that way. I understand her upset. If she has any concerns about those issues, she can take them to the party processes that we've established to deal with those issues with the Federal and State Party.
VAN ONSELEN: The timing is pretty deliberately destructive, wouldn't you agree?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I understand she's disappointed about losing the preselection.
VAN ONSELEN: Do you worry, though, that this is a pattern of criticism that you faced? I mean, the text messages with Gladys, the Deputy Prime Minister, he's apologised, and now Connie Fierravanti-Wells saying what she said.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, on the first matter, as you know, the Premier herself has not confirmed those matters. But what I can say to you …
VAN ONSELEN: To be fair Prime Minister, I've got the text like ...
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you haven't shared where you got them from and who you got them from. And I'm not taking your word for it, Peter. And I don't know if Australians will, either. What I know is that as a Prime Minister, I've led this country through one of the most difficult times. From time to time, people will disagree with the way I want to do that and they'll say things when they disagree with me. But what Australians always will know is I'll stand up for them. Right now, they need cost of living support, and in the future they need a strong economic plan, which is what this is investing in our regions, making sure paid parental leave is giving families real choice. Ensuring that we're reducing the cost of living, whether it's for medicines or whether it's at the bowser and ensuring that we're delivering for Australia, the infrastructure, the dams and all of this, which will unlock the wealth of this country, which means we can guarantee the essentials Australians rely on for medicines all the way through to paying for our defence forces to keep Australians safe.
VAN ONSELEN: Prime Minister, thanks so much for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Peter.