SKY NEWS – FIRST EDITION
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
SUBJECT/S: Investing in our Apprentices; 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz; Australia Day; Government terms
HOST, PETER STEFANOVIC: Anthony Albanese is pinning his hopes of re-election on tradies with a promise of $10,000 to keep apprentices on the job. Joining us live from Canberra now, the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles. Richard, it’s good to see you. Thanks for your time as always. There has been a slow take up of more generous programs here in the past. So, what makes you think this is going to work?
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES: Well, firstly, Happy New Year, Pete. It’s good to be back. Well, I actually don’t think that’s right. If you look at what Labor has done since we’ve come to power, introducing free TAFE, we’ve seen half a million Australians take up that opportunity. That is an extraordinary number of people entering into the TAFE system-
STEFANOVIC: But they don’t stay there.
MARLES: Well, when you provide- well, I don’t know that’s true either. I mean we are seeing people work their way through the TAFE system and get more qualifications and when you provide incentives of these kinds, young Australians are taking them up with both hands. And this $10,000 incentive for people to take up trades in the construction industry is what we need to see happen in order to get the workforce to build those 1.2 million homes-
STEFANOVIC: There was a previous coalition plan on this though that was nixed, wasn’t it, because of a slow take up?
MARLES: Well, as I say, what we have done is actually invest in TAFE, which is not what the Coalition did. I mean the Coalition have took a whole lot of money out of the TAFE system when they were in power. That has a fundamental part of this. We’ve been investing in TAFE in a way that federal governments have never done before and we are seeing enormous numbers of people take up the opportunity of getting skills through the TAFE system and this will build upon that and do so in a critical industry where we need more people in order to build those homes. And it’s, it’s a great opportunity for young people and I fully expect people will grab it with both hands.
STEFANOVIC: And we can hope it works. And it’s all well and good, but thousands of construction companies have gone under this year. So, who’s going to employ the apprenticeship?
MARLES: Well, we need to have more people in the construction industry. And I mean what we know, Pete, is that from a Federal Government point of view, the most important contribution we can make to seeing more homes in this country in relation to housing prices is the question of supply. And it’s why we’ve been working with state governments, working with local governments around faster approval rates. But it’s also why we are now taking this step to see more people in the industry. There’s no question, but if there is a demand to build houses and that’s what we are seeking to create, there’ll be the company to build them.
STEFANOVIC: Yeah, but I mean, but that’s, that’s the point, isn’t it, that thousands of construction companies have gone under because of conditions out there. So, I mean it’s great if we can get so many apprentices out there, but the problem is whose going to employ them? Does there need to be more, more for those businesses?
MARLES: Well, I mean building these number of homes is a challenge but it’s one that the nation needs to meet. We are doing that by speeding up the approval process in what we are doing, working with state governments and local government that creates the demand to build the houses. A critical part of the puzzle is to make sure there’s the workforce supply and that’s what this policy will do and in the process give a fantastic opportunity for young Australians.
STEFANOVIC: Okay. Another point I’d like to ask you about this morning, Richard. A petition has almost achieved its goal of 10,000 signatures this morning to try and stop Penny Wong from representing Australia at the Auschwitz anniversary that’s coming up because it claims she hasn’t been sensitive enough to Jewish people. Is she the right person to send?
MARLES: She is. Penny is Australia’s Foreign Minister and along with Mark Dreyfus, our Attorney-General, they are exactly the people who should be representing our nation at this very solemn occasion, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This is a very significant international moment. Australian Foreign Minister in Penny Wong will do an excellent job in representing Australia there. But I think what we need to be doing is focusing on what this commemoration is about. Remembering the Holocaust and remembering all that Auschwitz represents so that it never happens again. And that ought to be the focus of our attention and that will be the focus of the attention of the government and both Penny Wong and Mark Dreyfus in representing us at this commemoration.
STEFANOVIC: Okay. A new poll out this morning shows views are hardening around Australia Day. A surge in support for January 26th. Are you pleased about that?
MARLES: Well, I like Australia Day. I mean, it’s important obviously that we are sensitive to our history and to every Australian in the context of it. But it’s also right that we should celebrate our country and the day on which we do this is Australia Day and I’m looking forward-
STEFANOVIC: On January 26th.
MARLES: To this weekend to Monday. Yeah, on January 26th. I look forward to this weekend. Every Australia Day, I host an event for the Young Geelong Person of the Year, which I award. I’ll be doing that this evening at the City of Greater Geelong Council Rooms. So, I’ll be engaging in Australia Day activities as I do every year, and I know Australians around the country will do that. It is a time to have a sense of pride about our nation. It’s a time to engage in our local communities and to celebrate them as well. And that’s what I’ll be doing this weekend.
STEFANOVIC: It is- good point. And just because I’ve got another minute up my sleeve here, Richard, just a final point I want to ask you, and it’s about government terms. I know the Prime Minister talked about this over the Christmas break and it often emerges close to an election, but I’ve always felt governments can achieve more in four years than three. Do you think the federal terms should be changed to match those of the states?
MARLES: Look, I mean, this is a debate that comes around periodically, as you say. I mean, at the end of the day, none of that happens without a constitutional amendment. And we know the history of going to the people in relation to changing our constitution. I think the fact of the matter is we’ve got three year terms at a federal level. That’s life. We work with it and we look forward to the next election where hopefully we will achieve a mandate to govern for another three years.
STEFANOVIC: So, you wouldn’t want to commit to something like that. You know, I know referendum is not a popular word at the moment, but would you prefer four years than three?
MARLES: Look, our focus is not about having a referendum in changing the constitution-
STEFANOVIC: Just personally?
MARLES: Well, I’m about dealing with the world as you find it. And the reality is that we’ve got three year terms. What we need to be doing in these terms is dealing with the question of cost of living. And that’s why we’re focused on that. That’s why we put in place tax cuts, why we’re putting in place energy relief. And we want to make sure we’re telling that story at the next election and building on that in the next term.
STEFANOVIC: Good to have you with us. Richard Marles, thank you so much. Talk to you soon.
MARLES: Thanks, Pete.
ENDS