Doorstop interview
E&OE
QUESTION:
Minister Morrison after you have heard George Brandis’ arguments against the idea of a referendum are you coming around to his way of thinking?
MINISTER MORRISON:
Those matters were dealt with last week. The government’s focus is on jobs, that is our focus, that’s what the Cabinet’s focused on, what the party is focused on. Those matters will resolve themselves in a proper way in good faith and I have no doubt about that. What the Government is focused on are the issues that are of most concern to the Australian people and that is jobs. What that is, is dealing with the scourge of ice running through our communities, what that is, is dealing with the issues of domestic family violence where we have made a lot of progress in recent weeks. In recent weeks, while people have been focused on other issues in the media and others, we held the first national round table amongst culturally and linguistically diverse communities, focusing on the issues of family domestic violence in those areas. We have been able to boost funding for 1800RESPECT, we have been able to work with the sports organisations to get new programs rolling out to deal with communications in those areas as well. So there’s a lot of fundamentally good, strong work being done by this Government, the fundamentals of this Government I think are very strong and while there’s been some superficiality in debate and commentary in recent times I think the Australian people should rest very easily that this is a Government that is focused on their concerns, on their issues and putting forward very practical and constructive things which address their concerns.
QUESTION:
Do you now advocate for a referendum or a plebiscite?
MINISTER MORRISON:
My position on these issues is well known.
QUESTION:
So you haven’t changed your position, Minister, can we clarify please?
MINISTER MORRISON:
My position is well known, Latika.
QUESTION:
How does holding a $100 million referendum or plebiscite fit with the government’s narrative on debt and deficit?
MINISTER MORRISON:
My position on those issues is well known. Those matters will be addressed within normal processes of the Cabinet and the party, and so I have nothing further to add to them. What I’m focused on is jobs, what I’m focused on is the portfolio responsibilities that get people off welfare and into jobs.
QUESTION:
Do you think some of your colleagues have lost focus on their portfolio responsibilities or amongst the backbench?
MINISTER MORRISON:
No, I don’t.
QUESTION:
You talk about the focus on jobs; a lot of your colleagues would lose theirs if the current opinion polls were reflected at an election.
MINISTER MORRISON:
That’s why it’s important to remain focused on jobs, which we are.
QUESTION:
Ray Hadley was very anxious about the idea of Malcolm Turnbull returning to Liberal leadership; would he really be any worse?
MINISTER MORRISON:
You should talk to Ray then, if you want to ask Ray a question. I talk to him every week and we had a good chat about that this morning.
QUESTION:
Are you hopeful that in the next fortnight the Government will settle on how it’s going to take a public vote to the public and what model it will take? Do you think it needs to be done as soon as possible in order to get your message out?
MINISTER MORRISON:
I’ll defer those matters to the Prime Minister and others to make commentary on. What I do know is this, we dealt with this matter last week, we dealt with it with a disposition to ensure that the people of Australia got to voice their position on these issues, and that’s where it remains. Now – and that’s where it will remain, I have no doubt. The issue that is before the Government now, having dealt with that issue, which was brought upon us last week, is to get on with the job of dealing with the economic challenges that the country faces, which we are addressing every single day. Dealing with the fiscal mess that we inherited, we are pursuing savings and reform through the Senate, when it comes to the welfare bill of this country, which eight out ten income taxpayers have to go to work every day to fund. That’s what we are dealing with to invest in new areas, such as childcare, which has a $3.5 billion Jobs for Families package which needs to be funded. We have a plan to fund that. The Labor Party and the Greens reject funding that plan so they have no childcare policy at all. We do, and I’m pursuing that through the Senate. That’s what’s focusing my attention.
QUESTION:
Are you also pursuing the Paid Parental Leave changes and how are you progressing?
MINISTER MORRISON:
Yes, I am.
QUESTION:
Are they progressing well?
MINISTER MORRISON:
We are in discussions.
QUESTION:
When do you think you’ll have that measure passed?
MINISTER MORRISON:
When and if it’s passed, and that is a matter for the Senate.
QUESTION:
Before the next budget, Minister?
MINISTER MORRISON:
When and if it’s passed.
QUESTION:
What’s your response to the Human Rights Commissioner’s comments on double dipping saying that it’s a potential breach of human rights?
MINISTER MORRISON:
I find it extraordinary that the Human Rights Commission would consider this a priority matter when those who would not get a second payment have an average family income of $150,000. A family income of $150,000 and the Human Rights Commission is addressing whether people get two payments instead of one. I think that says a bit about their priorities.
QUESTION:
Are you confident that the four week freeze period for young jobseekers on the dole will pass the Senate?
MINISTER MORRISON:
There still remains opposition to our measure that would end the process of school leavers going from the school gate to the Centrelink front door. The Government is very committed to those measures and they will go to the Senate. If they are not supported by the Senate they can expect to see those measures again.
QUESTION:
Just back to David’s question, do you even accept that family payments are a human rights issue? Is welfare a human rights issue?
MINISTER MORRISON:
A welfare payment is something that is provided by the taxpayers of this country and it has to be done in an affordable and sustainable way. Our welfare safety net has to focus on those who are most in need, most in need. The good thing about Paid Parental Leave is that the 18 weeks Paid Parental Leave has meant that those who previously didn’t get it, those who were working for small businesses, not for large companies and large public sector agencies, those who didn’t get it at all, are now getting it and the research and the evidence shows that they are taking those 18 weeks and that’s fantastic. What the research also shows is that families who have two lots of payments aren’t taking the 26, there’s been no change in the number of people taking 26 weeks after these measures were introduced. People are taking the payment, but it doesn’t seem that there has been any increase in people taking longer periods with their children. In fact, for single parent families it actually went down, which goes against what the objective of that original policy was. So what we are doing is we are seeking to have a fairer paid parental leave scheme, one that turns it from a union deal into a genuine safety net and we think that’s the fairer way to go. There are savings attached to that and if the Labor Party and the Greens don’t support those savings, well the Greens won’t be fussed about a Budget balance but if Chris Bowen is serious about his budgetary plans then he needs to outline where he’s getting the billion dollars from. That’s simple. I mean, we are very up front about the measures, why we are doing them and what we are hoping to achieve and the savings that will result. If the Labor Party doesn’t agree with that, which they clearly don’t, then where are their alternative savings?
QUESTION:
Minister, you’ve talked about the detail there on the Bill, what about the principle, is your Bill on double dipping even a human rights issue?
MINISTER MORRISON:
I don’t see – it’s certainly a first world issue, let’s put it that way. It’s a first world issue and I think Australians have more deep concerns about this, and what we are doing is ensuring our welfare system is well targeted, focused on those most in need, and ensuring that there are savings in the Budget that can address the fiscal disaster we inherited from Labor. They can offer a commentary on that and they are welcome to do it but the Government doesn’t share their view.
QUESTION:
As a senior Minister for NSW and a former State director of that division, have you made enquiries into how Dyson Heydon got invited to that event?
MINISTER MORRISON:
I have no knowledge about it to be honest. It doesn’t fall within my responsibilities and thankfully I left the State Director’s job a long time ago. Thanks very much.
(ENDS)