Subjects: Prime Minister's visit to the United States; Joint Parliamentary Inquiry into Family Law and Child Support.
EO&E...........................................................................................................................................
DEB KNIGHT:
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton joins us now, along with Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles. Good morning to you both.
PETER DUTTON:
Morning Deb.
RICHARD MARLES:
Morning.
DEB KNIGHT:
Didn't get an invite, but you're here with us, so that's good. Now President Trump; he is laying out the red carpet, but how important is this visit, Peter? Will it actually see concrete results?
PETER DUTTON:
Yes it will. Obviously we've got a very significant trading relationship with the United States, people-to-people relationships, but most importantly I think in this age, and for the foreseeable future, the military alliance we have with the with the United States is absolutely essential and the conversations about what's happening in the Middle East, what's happening with Iran, what's happening in our own region will be the centre piece of the discussions the Prime Minister has with the Secretary of Defense and State, as well as obviously the President.
DEB KNIGHT:
Fuel price is a big issue obviously. Are we likely to see some sort of deal where Australia can tap in on those giant oil reserves in the US to protect our own supply?
PETER DUTTON:
No, I think the debate will concentrate about what's happening in the Iran situation at the moment. I think it's obviously a very crucial period to watch what is going on. The United States has taken a strong position and Australia similarly has taken a strong position.
DEB KNIGHT:
Could we be involved in military action?
PETER DUTTON:
We've said that we will provide assistance so that we can see safe passage of oil tankers because if we see a disruption there, that will see a spike in prices at the bowser here. So it's in our national interest to make sure that there is free movement of those oil tankers.
DEB KNIGHT:
Now, in terms of the big issues, China will be the big elephant in the room really. Richard, is it going to put Australia in an increasingly difficult position, where we've got a very close relationship obviously with the US, but how do we walk both sides? That diplomatic dance of being friends with the US while Trump's got a trade war with China?
RICHARD MARLES:
Well, I think we've had an alliance with the United States since 1942, so that's a decision that's very much central to our national security and our world view, but I think what's really important for the Prime Minister when he speaks to the President, is to make clear that it's in Australia's interest to have an open trading America, and a trade war and trade tension between America and China is not in Australia's interests. So it's really important.
The Prime Minister will go there, he'll get his happy snaps. He'll do all of that with his mate, but he's got to come back here with more than just a baseball cap – and an ill-fitting one at that – he actually has to come here with some results, and that's in relation to trade.
DEB KNIGHT:
Alright, we'll see what it delivers. Now we've big economic news delivered here at home as well. The Treasurer, all smiles with the Budget in its best position in more than a decade – that announcement yesterday – but it's really not cause for celebration, is it Peter? The jobless rate is on the way up, the economy is so sluggish that it looks like the Reserve Bank might have to cut interest rates again, possibly as early as next month.
PETER DUTTON:
Deb, we've had a sliding doors moment in Australia here. If the Labor Party had won the last election, the debate now would be about the abolition of the negative gearing regime, there'd be a doubling of capital gains tax. The housing market would be in a slump.
DEB KNIGHT:
Okay, they didn't though, but you did, and the economy is not doing as well as it is.
PETER DUTTON:
So now the outcome is that we're back into surplus – so we can start to pay down Labor's debt, which is incredibly important.
RICHARD MARLES:
You haven't yet.
PETER DUTTON:
We can put more money into the services that we need to. We have got a relatively low unemployment rate. We have got, I think, some sluggishness in parts of the economy which everybody recognises, but we need to make sure that we're boosting the economy and we're doing that through the program that we've got and getting back to budget instead of spending money on pink batts and all of these crazy ideas that Labor did.
RICHARD MARLES:
That was a long time ago, Peter, pink batts.
PETER DUTTON:
We're still paying for it, Richard.
RICHARD MARLES:
If you're going there, you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
PETER DUTTON:
Really?
RICHARD MARLES:
You've doubled the debt in the last six years. That's actually your record. Six debts is what you've produced, for all the talk and household debt is going through the roof, wages are low. Like, anyone who goes to the supermarket knows how tough it is, knows the decisions they have to make about what they can't afford; and I tell you what, no Liberal talking points are going to make it easier for them when their making their decisions at the checkout.
DEB KNIGHT:
And it's a point though; the average Australian, they aren't feeling flush with cash. They've got big bills to pay, they're seeing power and fuel prices going up as well. It seems to be the disconnect between the economy and family budgets.
PETER DUTTON:
Deb, I will put our record against Labor's any day of the week. The debt that we incurred, the recurrent expenditure that was locked in…
RICHARD MARLES:
…you doubled it.
PETER DUTTON:
…locked in by legislation introduced by the Labor Party that meant that we had to expend spend money on programs. You wouldn't support those…
RICHARD MARLES:
You've had to double it?
PETER DUTTON:
You wouldn't support cuts…
RICHARD MARLES:
Is that the line?
PETER DUTTON:
…you wouldn't support cuts in the Senate to try and bring the budget back to balance.
RICHARD MARLES:
…we supported tax cuts…
PETER DUTTON:
…Labor has been a disaster back in the Keating years where they racked up debt, high interest rates. They were a disaster over Rudd and Gillard. You could only imagine how bad it would be if Shorten was prime minister now.
RICHARD MARLES:
So let's be clear, 28 years of uninterrupted economic growth and you've just had a go at Keating who created it?
PETER DUTTON:
You think it's just good luck? You always say it's good luck that somehow that we returned the budget to balance and start paying your debt down.
RICHARD MARLES:
It's good luck that you've been the beneficiary of Labor governments.
PETER DUTTON:
Oh please.
DEB KNIGHT:
Alright. I want to ask you about this one. I want to ask you about this; One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson has been appointed co-chair of this inquiry into the Family Court.
PETER DUTTON:
She's appointed Deputy Chair.
DEB KNIGHT:
Deputy Chair sorry. So she has very publicly cited that she thinks women are lying about domestic violence to get custody of their children because of her own son's bitter marriage breakdown. Is it wise to appoint someone in that position when you want an unbiased result from this inquiry? Because clearly she's got an agenda?
PETER DUTTON:
Deb, I would say most Members of Parliament – and I don't think this is a partisan thing, I think Richard and I will agree on this – I mean one of the most trying conversations, most difficult conversations you have with constituents – mums and dads who come in, who love their kids, but the relationship's separating; grandparents who you see are in tears because they can't see their grandchildren – and the system is difficult because there are so many diversities in the cases that you see. So I think it is right that we have a new look at the way in which the family law system works.
DEB KNIGHT:
Is Pauline Hanson the right person though to be in that role?
PETER DUTTON:
Well Pauline Hanson is passionate about a lot of issues. Now she was wrong in relation to some of the comments she made during the course of the week, but her view is worth no more no less in relation to matters that she's compassionate about and she can contribute like any other Member of Parliament to the Committee and I hope that we can find a better system for families into the future.
RICHARD MARLES:
So I do agree with Peter that this is an area which is really fraught; I've talked to those constituents as well and that's a familiar and consistent experience that every MP's had. I'm just not sure how you move forward with a Deputy Chair of this Committee who's starting proposition is that women lie. I mean this is a difficult issue which she is going to make worse and so it's hard to see how this inquiry is going to make anything better.
DEB KNIGHT:
Well we've got 12 months to see what this inquiry comes up with and we'll see if the recommendations are actually taken on board. Gentlemen, we thank you for your time this morning.
PETER DUTTON:
Thanks Deb.
RICHARD MARLES:
Thanks Deb.
[ends]
