SKY NEWS NEWSDAY WITH TOM CONNELL
E&OE TRANSCRIPT | SUBJECTS: Household debt in Queensland; Reports to the AFP; Aged Care Royal Commission Report.
TOM CONNELL, HOST: The end of Jobkeeper will of course change the situation for a lot of Australians out there. For some there is a concern the increased personal debt will be harder to pay off. Joining me live now is Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles, who joins us from our Brisbane studio. Thanks very much for your time, again. Queensland in particular, have a higher rate- Queenslanders, a higher rate of increased personal debt. Do you see a problem here? And if so, is this one the federal government needs to address?
RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, I think there is a problem, Tom, and it’s absolutely a matter for the federal government. I mean, what’s being reported today in the Courier-Mail is that Queenslanders have on average $4,000 in unsecured debt. That’s way above the national average. People are relying on maxing out their credit cards or on using services where by now pay later. And I think all of this is a function of the recession that we’re going through and the difficulties that we’ve seen through COVID-19. But more than that, I think it lays bare the fact that before we hit the coronavirus crisis, our economy wasn’t in great shape. And, and what COVID-19 has put into stark relief is the difficulties that people are facing and what’s really important now is that as we move beyond COVID-19, that we actually have a plan for our economy, for building jobs within it, which sees Australia come out of this much better than we went in.
CONNELL: We’ve got Jobkeeper of course ending at the end of this month, Labor has been calling for something, but a sector specific approach to replace it. Now, if that’s the case, people that have racked up this personal debt won’t necessarily be helped right, they’re just right across the economy. So is there any particular prescription for this issue you’re suggesting or not yet?
MARLES: Well, I think there needs to be a plan across the economy for how we deal with the immediacy of the next month or so but also how we rebuild the economy going forward. But, you’re right in highlighting that the immediate issue here is that 27 days from now, as things stand, Jobkeeper comes to an end across the economy. In Queensland, there’s something like 240,000 Queenslanders who rely on Jobkeeper. This is a State where tourism is a huge industry, where the impact of the necessary closure of our international border is felt very acutely. And the fact of the matter is that if Jobkeeper does come to an end, and there is nothing done here, we’re going to see thousands of businesses go bust, we’re going to see tens of thousands of Australians lose their job and in the context of the personal debt that people are experiencing already, that’s only going to make things worse.
CONNELL: Well, can I just clarify then Labor’s position? Are you saying Jobkeeper should continue in some form across the whole economy, or just sector specific?
MARLES: I think there needs to be an answer from the federal government about how the transition of Jobkeeper is going to be done in a way which takes into account the reality of the economy that is in front of us right now. There are areas – and it’s for the government to explain that. I mean, there are clearly sectors in the economy, and tourism is an obvious one where, you know, we’re not back to business as normal by the end of March, where the international border is still closed, for example. And that’s having a really significant impact on a whole lot of businesses across this State.
CONNELL: Right, and a lot of them are calling out for–
MARLES: There are–
CONNELL: I’m just trying to–
MARLES: No–
CONNELL: I’m just trying to clarify your position. Is it, when Jobkeeper ends are you saying there should be something right across the board? So Jobkeeper, as we know it continues even if it might be a smaller amount, or are you saying sector specific is fair enough from April?
MARLES: What we’re saying is that it is for the government to make this explanation clear about how it is going to transition from Jobkeeper in a way which is – takes into account the realities of what’s going on in the economy. Mentioned tourism, in Victoria, you still see a very significant reliance on Jobkeeper as well, given all the difficulties that have occurred in that State. What we are talking about is a stark ending to Jobkeeper on the 28th of March as is currently planned, and that’s only 27 days away. Then in lots of areas, we’re going to see businesses go bust and I really, you know, we can talk about whatever ideas we might have. The fact of the matter is that the people in the driving seat are the government. This is not a decision –
CONNELL: That’s true –
MARLES: – for after the next election, this is a decision about next month. And they need to make a call on it.
CONNELL: Labor enjoyed saying, it was our idea for a wage subsidy, i.e., Jobkeeper, so why not get ahead of the curve this time and tell Australians what you think the economy needs from April?
MARLES: Well, what we’re really making very clear, Tom, is what the economy does not need is for a stark ending of Jobkeeper across the entire economy, which will see thousands of businesses go bust and tens of thousands of people lose their job. And you’re right, we do make very clear that when COVID-19 first hit, it was the Scott Morrison’s Government’s view that a wage subsidy was going to be bad for the economy; it was going to be dangerous. And it was actually Labor which argued for a wage subsidy, which ultimately has come in the form of Jobkeeper. That was a critical measure, which has got our economy and lots of people through the hardships of the last 12 months. But we’re not at a point in lots of areas of the economy, where we’re back to business as usual. And aviation is another example, but people can see it plainly, they can certainly see it plainly in Brisbane. I think that the question of the personal debt issue, which has been described in the Courier-Mail today just highlights another way in which we can see how there’s been a tremendous impact associated with the recession, and to see Jobkeeper just end across the board at the end of this month will be devastating.
CONNELL: I want to get on to another couple of minutes just quickly. The first one is this troubling one of an historical rape allegation against a Cabinet Minister. It can’t go any further, it won’t go all the way through New South Wales Police, for example, because of the tragic situation that the woman making the complaint did suicide. But wouldn’t any other inquiry that looked into this, be it Parliament, otherwise, come up against the same issue that the claims can’t be fully tested?
MARLES: Well, you know, obviously, I’m in the difficulty of – I’m in the difficult position of not knowing all the details here. I think all that, you know, I can say, and we can say as an Opposition is that these matters need to be referred as they have been to the appropriate authorities, they need to be investigated as much as they can be. And in saying all of that, you know, the starting point is, is just to acknowledge the tragedy, which has played out here and, you know, express my sympathies and thoughts for the family and all of those concerned. I think ultimately, it is a matter for the Prime Minister then to satisfy himself that the Cabinet Minister in question is in a position to continue to act while whatever processes are underway are complete. And really, that’s a matter for the Prime Minister.
CONNELL: We’re due to hear from him today. And finally, the Aged Care Royal Commission report being released today. Just interesting to read already, though, a philosophical disagreement between the two Commissioners. One thinks perhaps government paying more- and that might be hypothecating, you might be talking about a levy, which is a tax. The other thinking it’s about the user paying more. Where do you sit on this?
MARLES: Well, let’s see what the report ultimately says today. But one thing which is really clear in my mind is you don’t need a report to tell you that the system is broken. And for all of those who are in aged care, for all those who have a loved one who is in aged care, it is plain to see that this is a system which is not offering dignity across the board to every elderly Australian. And that has to be the goal of the system. And however it’s done, it is really for the Government to make clear when the report is handed down how they intend to fix this system so that it does provide the dignity that older Australians obviously deserve.
CONNELL: Richard Marles, appreciate your time today.
MARLES: Thanks, Tom.
CONNELL: If you or anyone you know is feeling distressed, you can call Lifeline 13 11 14. You can also visit lifeline.org.au
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