PRIME MINISTER:
Well it’s been great to be here with John McVeigh here in Toowoomba and we’ve seen the jobs, the economic growth that has been delivered by our investments in infrastructure, by our commitment to the Second-Range Crossing as we’ve seen underway, 1800 jobs direct and indirect. We have spoken to some of the team there today. We’ve landed at the new Wellcamp Airport. What a great project the Wagner family put together. That airport is enabling the best produce of the Darling Downs to find its way on to the dining tables of China and Asia within 24 hours of it being produced. And it is able to do that because of those big free-trade deals that we have entered into, because of our commitment to free-trade.
We know that free trade and open markets delivers jobs and you can see it. The airport wouldn't be there without those export opportunities. The Second-Range Crossing is going to bring Toowoomba; its people, its businesses closer to their markets. And of course, the Inland Rail which we have just had a very good discussion with John and the Mayor about today, we're going to build and that again, those three big pieces of infrastructure, Inland Rail, the airport, the Second-Range Crossing, they are delivering and will continue to deliver the strong jobs growth we need right across Australia and right here in Toowoomba. What a strong city, what a strong economy, we are supporting it, we're backing it every inch of the way with our investments delivering here in Toowoomba jobs and growth.
And of course it's a very strong community and it's wonderful to be here at the Vanguard Laundry which is - congratulations guys - is a great example of the strength, the big heart of the Toowoomba community, helping people recovering from mental health issues, we have supported it with $1 million of federal money, but most of the money has come from the community, donations large and small. It's a great tribute to the strong, big hearts of the people of Toowoomba.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, we saw a state LNP member defect to One Nation last week. Are you concerned that Federal MPs in your party might be considering doing the same?
PRIME MINISTER:
No.
JOURNALIST:
What would you do if one was to defect?
PRIME MINISTER:
We have got a very strong team, and you can see here, I'm here with John McVeigh, of course who followed on from Ian Macfarlane, great tradition of strong LNP representation here in Toowoomba. We're very well represented. The city is very well governed, your worship, and we’ve got strong leadership from our side of politics.
JOURNALIST:
Still on that, I think you are the first Liberal Prime Minister we’ve seen since 1998 come to Toowoomba, now that’s nothing to do with One Nation gaining support in this area?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm delighted to be back in Toowoomba. It is a beautiful city. It's no accident that it is such a tourist destination, no accident that it's doing so well. It's a beautiful city with a strong community and great opportunities which, I'm pleased to say, that we are able to support through our commitment of these vital elements of infrastructure that are delivering the big growth in jobs and the economic opportunities going forward.
JOURNALIST:
More broadly [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
We certainly are committed to ratifying the TPP and we'll be talking to the other parties in the Senate in order to achieve the passage of the legislation. As I discussed with the Japanese Prime Minister on the weekend, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a very important element in continuing to build those open markets and free trade in our region. Now, I know protectionism is popular in some quarters. I have seen Bill Shorten out there trying to turn himself into a protectionist. Really, Hawke and Keating would be ashamed, absolutely ashamed, of that type of populism. Let's be quite clear - the big open markets, the big free trade agreements that the Coalition has delivered have created and are continuing to create jobs right across Australia and right here in Toowoomba. The airport alone is testimony to that.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Shorten seems to think you're wasting your time pursuing the TPP given the circumstances, what do you say about that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Let me say, just in terms of the TPP, historically, American Presidents have campaigned against free trade deals, President Obama did, President Clinton did, but then in office have generally supported them. So that's the first point.
The second point is that there are 12 countries in the TPP - the United States is obviously the largest economy - but there has been active consideration among the other countries in the TPP as to how the agreement can proceed without the United States or proceed pending the United States making a decision. So we all recognise we have a vested interest in continuing to support open markets.
Now, let me make another very - this is a very important point of differentiation. Bill Shorten, as I said - Bill Shorten is a shallow populist. He is a disgrace to the legacy of economic reform that his predecessors as leaders of the Labor Party demonstrated, Hawke and Keating in particular. Now, there are arguments being made for greater protectionism in other economies, but my job as Prime Minister of Australia, and frankly Mr Shorten's job for someone who wants to be Prime Minister of Australia, is to promote policies that deliver jobs, better-paid jobs for hardworking Australian families here in Australia. That is our job. That should be all of our jobs. That's John's job, that's what we want to do.
We are committed to delivering stronger economic growth, more jobs, better jobs, for hardworking Australian families. And we know that what is in Australia's interest is having greater access to those big Asian markets. That is clearly in our interest and you see it here in Toowoomba very, very plainly.
So whatever the arguments for protectionism might be, in North America or in Europe, right here in Australia, open markets, free trade, getting our fantastic produce, our fantastic services, our education, our tourism, making that more available to those big markets in our region, that's in our interest. So I'm not - you know, people can talk about protectionism as a global issue, and it is a global issue, it's a big threat frankly to the global economy, but it's very clear right here in Australia our interest as Australians, as Australian hardworking families, is to have access to more of those big markets. That's what we have delivered and that's why you have seen the growing opportunities around Australia, particularly in regional Australia and especially here in Toowoomba.
JOURNALIST:
Barry O'Sullivan has criticised you for not acting soon enough on Sussan Ley. Do you think you should have done something sooner?
PRIME MINISTER:
What I have announced is the most far-reaching reforms of the way in which politicians' expenses, business expenses are managed in a generation, if not longer. So these are very big reforms. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that every Australian understands and recognises that their politicians will spend their money prudently, getting value for money, spending it with even more care than we would spend our own. Let's be very clear - the Australian people pay our bills and they have every right to be satisfied that when we spend money on travel expenses or accommodation, we're doing so as a legitimate business expense.
Now, you know, John and I, both actually, came into politics not in the first bloom of youth. I was 50 and he was in his late 40s, so we had long careers in the business world and we don't - we reject this term ‘entitlement’. We are talking about expenses, and so when politicians spend money, as I said, on travel or accommodation, they have got to be able to demonstrate that it was well spent and the system, the changes that I have proposed, will clearly do that. There'll be monthly reporting, and there'll be an independent watchdog to make sure it's all done right.
JOURNALIST:
Have you received an invitation to the inauguration in the US?
PRIME MINISTER:
The answer is no, and I am very busy here as you can see as Prime Minister of this country looking after the interests of hardworking Australian families, and ensuring that we will continue to see the great opportunities opened up for our businesses that drive the jobs and the growth that Australians need and deserve and that our children and grandchildren, the young people here today, can look forward to in the future. That's our commitment.
So thank you all very much. Thank you.
[ENDS]