DOORSTOP INTERVIEW | PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA

E&OE TRANSCRIPT | SUBJECTS: Victoria; Comments by the RBA Governor on Jobseekers.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Let me just start by saying, as a Victorian, we can all understand the anxiety that’s being filled in Victoria today. But I take heart, and I think every Victorian and every Australian should from the quick response of the Victorian Government and the fact that it’s underpinned by the best medical advice. It’s really important that we are following that advice. And when you look at what has occurred around the country, and the way in which state Premiers have been acting in when there’s been the slightest hint of an issue, the medical advice is saying go, hard go early. And to this point in time, that’s been successful. I don’t think anyone is taking anything for granted in terms of how this plays out. But at this moment in time, we’re in good hands in terms of medical advice, which has been provided, and we should take a great deal of confidence with the swiftness of the Victorian Government’s response.

JOURNALIST: What did you make of the RBA Governor’s comments yesterday about the Jobseeker rate?

MARLES: Well, his comments reflected comments that we’ve been making for some time now, that the underlying rate of Newstart as it existed before the coronavirus pandemic started was too low. It doesn’t surprise me at all, that that sentiment is echoed by the Reserve Bank Governor.

ENDS

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