ABC News 24 Capital Hill with Andrew Greene
ANDREW GREENE:
Mitch Fifield, welcome to Capital Hill.
MITCH FIFIELD
Thanks Andrew
ANDREW GREENE:
You’ve just been involved in the launch of some TV commercials ahead of Carers Week. What is the message that needs to be given to those millions of Australians, who through unpaid work, are looking after their fellow family members?
MITCH FIFIELD:
The message is to be ‘care aware’ for the community. There are about 2.6 million family carers in Australia. The value that’s been put on the efforts that they undertake is about $40 billion. There’s no way the community could ever hope to replicate what they do. It’s important that we’re aware that in every workplace in the country there’s likely to be a carer and we’re encouraging people through Carers Week to take a break for carers. To have a morning tea, to have an afternoon tea, to pause and to let carers know in the workplace that they have the support of their co-workers.
ANDREW GREENE:
The reality for many people is that may not be possible. Is there more for the government to do to help carers?
MITCH FIFIELD:
There’s more to do for carers and I think particularly for younger carers. There are over 300,000 carers below the age of 24 and they typically have to juggle their family caring responsibilities, work and study. Inevitably something has to give, and all too often it’s study that gives. Which is why the government is going to put in place some young carer bursaries. Up to 150 bursaries up to the value of $10,000, to make life a bit easier for those young carers. But sure, there is more that needs to be done.
ANDREW GREENE:
If we could turn to a related issue, the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Will the Abbott Government be sticking to what has been promised in the election?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Yes, we undertook before the election that we would honour the bilateral agreements between the Commonwealth and the states and territories…
ANDREW GREENE:
So all the time frames?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Honour the time frames and also the announced spending. The NDIS is something that should be beyond partisan politics. We made a point of that in opposition, and I hope that the new Opposition will treat the NDIS the way we did. It’s just too important to be mired in day-to-day politics.
ANDREW GREENE:
But you won’t necessarily stick to some of the locations that Labor was talking about for trials?
MITCH FIFIELD:
There are a series of launch sites which commenced in the middle of this year. Some additional launch sites will start in the middle of next year. They are the launch sites which have been agreed between the federal government and the states and territories. It was disappointing that during the election campaign that Labor sought to play politics with the NDIS. They did some phony announcements; they put out some press releases to say that here are a series of locations which will next benefit from the NDIS. That press release, those press releases, had no status. There had been no negotiation, no discussion with the states and territories. It was a stunt. Launch sites beyond what we currently have will be determined by negotiation between the federal government and the states and territories. But the good news is that every part of Australia will get the National Disability Insurance scheme.
ANDREW GREENE:
Is it necessary to change the name? What will that cost?
MITCH FIFIELD:
It will cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The reason we are looking at changing the name is because it hasn’t been embraced, the name DisabilityCare, by people with disabilities. Many people with disabilities find the name patronising. Australians with disability don’t so much want to be cared for, but they want to be supported into independence. And we also think it’s important to revert to the original name – National Disability Insurance Scheme – to underpin the insurance principles of the scheme. But we’re not going to make the mistake of the previous government, who wasted tens of millions of dollars rebranding the scheme as DisabilityCare. They blew that money. They confused people. And they didn’t convey any information about the scheme through those advertisements. We’re going to take a no frills and low cost approach to changing the name. We’re going to use the existing printed stock. We’re going to take our time. That way, it won’t cost millions and millions to change the name, which it otherwise would have.
ANDREW GREENE:
If we can turn to your role as the Manager of Government Business in the Senate. How do you feel about working with the diverse group who will be here on July 1?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Looking forward to the challenge of being Manager of Government Business in the Senate. The Senate is an ever-changing chamber. From one election to the next, its character will be different. But we’re looking forward to getting to know the new senators who will start on the 1st of July. I think it’s important that we take all senators as we find them. That we treat them with respect. I’m sure we’ll be able to have a good association with the new senators.
ANDREW GREENE:
Presumably you’re involved in the preference deals that were made in the lead up to the election. Have you had a chance to speak to senators like Helen Kroger who’ve missed out and what have you had to say to her?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Preference arrangements are matters for the party organisation. As a senator, I wasn’t involved in that. But yes, I’ve caught up with Helen Kroger. She’s understandably disappointed. She’s a good contributor and we will miss her from 1 July next year.
ANDREW GREENE:
Another Victorian, Sophie Mirabella, does she have a role within the Coalition now that she isn’t in the Parliament?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Sophie will remain an active member of the Liberal Party, I have no doubt. I look forward to Sophie’s contribution in the future. She’s still someone who has a big future in the Liberal Party.
ANDREW GREENE:
If we could turn to the question of Parliamentary entitlements. You’re a regular participant in the Pollie Pedal tour around Australia…
MITCH FIFIELD:
But no lycra. I don’t don lycra.
ANDREW GREENE:
I think we can possibly get you to impress that on your leader as well. But if we could turn to the question of entitlements. Is it necessary for people other than the leader to look at possibly paying back their entitlements?
MITCH FIFIELD:
The Pollie Pedal is a great exercise in community engagement. Over the past two years, the bulk of the money raised by the Pollie Pedal has gone to Carers Australia, in excess of $500,000. Next year the Pollie Pedal will also be dedicated to raising funds for Carers Australia. And at each stop along the way Mr Abbott, and myself, meet with carers, meet with people with a disability, meet with the organisations that support them. It’s a very important opportunity to hear direct from carers and from people with disability. It’s a good thing for a party leader to do, it’s a good thing for a Prime Minister to do. And it’s a good thing for me as Minister to do.
ANDREW GREENE:
Should that be the standard? If you don’t carry out parliamentary business while you’re on tour like Pollie Pedal than you shouldn’t claim for it?
MITCH FIFIELD:
The Pollie Pedal is an important community event, and I myself claimed travel allowance for it, as is appropriate. But the rules are there. It’s incumbent upon all members of the Parliament to follow the guidelines. And where there is an error, then that money should be repaid.
ANDREW GREENE:
Would you like to see politicians perhaps look at cheaper alternatives for travel, as suggested by your fellow Senator Nick Xenophon.
MITCH FIFIELD:
I think we should all look to minimise costs wherever we can, whether it be in terms of…
ANDREW GREENE:
Economy fares?
MITCH FIFIELD:
…whether it be in terms of our travel or accommodation arrangements, we should look to be sensible and reasonable. I take the same approach as we were discussing earlier to the name change for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, reverting back to NDIS. If it was pushed and done in a short timeframe it would have cost millions. But we’re looking to minimise costs wherever we can.
ANDREW GREENE:
And what about overall scrutiny? Does there need to be perhaps greater strengthening of the arrangements that are in place now?
MITCH FIFIELD:
I think it is important to recognise that there are already some important accountability mechanisms in place. All Members and Senators’ expenses, be they office or travel, are tabled in the Parliament every six months. And are provided there in quite some detail. I think that’s an important accountability mechanism. There’s also the opportunity of Senate Estimates hearings three times a year, when the officers of the Department of Finance, who look after Members’ and Senators’ entitlements, are there to be quizzed and provide updates as to Members and Senators’ expenditure. So there are some important accountability processes in place. But we’ve all got to follow the guidelines. And where there’s an error, money should be paid back.
ANDREW GREENE:
And we’ve been asking every politician this week, have you seen the need to repay anything in the past few weeks?
MITCH FIFIELD:
No, I haven’t. But it is not an uncommon thing for Members of Parliament from time to time, where there’s an error, for monies to be repaid. But there are sometimes errors on the side of the Department of Finance as well. It’s important for both sides to make sure that they’re square.
ANDREW GREENE:
Mitch Fifield, thanks for joining Capital Hill.
MITCH FIFIELD:
Thanks indeed.