LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
We’ve got the top dog, he wants in, he’s waiting on the phone so let’s welcome him to our show, Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull.
GUY CLIFTON:
Hello Malcolm! Good morning!
PRIME MINISTER:
G’day, good morning. Great to be with you. How excited are you guys?
GUY CLIFTON:
Oh mate.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Oh Malcolm, I’m sweating all the time I’m so excited.
GUY CLIFTON:
The town is absolutely alive and I’m glad you bring the whole Cowboys into the Grand Final thing because you are a Roosters supporter, aren’t you Malcolm?
PRIME MINISTER:
I am, I am and I was heartbroken when they were knocked out of the competition by the Cowboys, but I am over that, I’ve got over that and I’ll be supporting the Cowboys, barracking for the Cowboys.
GUY CLIFTON:
Okay! You will be!
PRIME MINISTER:
I will be yeah.
GUY CLIFTON:
We weren’t sure because after of course the Roosters got a plucking - and I’m saying plucking with a ‘p’ there - by the Cowboys, we thought you might be, you know ‘#TeamStorm’.
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
#anyonebuttheteamthatgotmineoutofthecompetition
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Yeah, pretty much.
GUY CLIFTON:
Yeah, that’s right.
PRIME MINISTER:
No I think, look, it is just an amazing Cinderella story isn’t it? I mean, no one gave you a chance. The Cowboys, were they eighth in the finals?
GUY CLIFTON:
Yeah, they were.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah, so, what an extraordinary climb back and to do all of that without JT is amazing.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Are you going to the Grand Final on Sunday?
PRIME MINISTER:
We’ll be there! I will be there.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Okay, are you going to leave the baby and the beers at home, so there is no controversy?
[Laughter]
GUY CLIFTON:
Wasn’t that a storm in a teacup!
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s a bit late for baby Alice. She’s better in the afternoon.
GUY CLIFTON:
While we are on the whole footy thing, what do you make of the airlines upping the airfares the moment the Cowboys got into the Grand Final?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah well look, I’ve heard about that, I’m concerned about it. I actually just put the phone down to Alan Joyce who is the Chief Executive of Qantas.
GUY CLIFTON:
Wow.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Yes?
PRIME MINISTER:
Now Alan has said to me that they have put on some extra flights, some extra services and he is looking to put on some more. And I have encouraged him to do that.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Good on you! Hey, can I just ask, I know, we know the President of the United States has Air Force One. What do you get around in Malcolm? Is it a new plane or is it like an old Ansett one or what is it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, John Key who is the former prime minister of New Zealand, nicknamed the Air Force plane that flies me around ‘Wombat One,’ which I think is a fantastic name.
[Laughter]
It’s a great name!
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
‘We are coming in now, Wombat One’.
PRIME MINISTER:
Wombat One! Yeah, it must be about 10 or 12 years old. It’s a 737, it’s a Boeing Business Jet.
GUY CLIFTON:
Right.
PRIME MINISTER:
And they’ve got a couple, they’ve got two of those.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Cool.
PRIME MINISTER:
And they mostly fly me and the Governor-General but they’re used for other purposes as well.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Party planes!
[Laughter]
GUY CLIFTON:
Wombat One.
PRIME MINISTER:
Hard work, all the time.
GUY CLIFTON:
They sound big and clunky and chunky don’t they? Wombat One.
Hey while we’ve got you on, we’ve been doing a lot of content of the show recently concerning same-sex marriage. The postal survey, it started a couple of weeks ago, how do you make, well what do you make of the survey so far Malcolm?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Lucy and I support ‘yes’. We voted ‘yes’ in the survey and you know you would’ve seen me post it on Facebook, us actually posting the surveys back. So I encourage everyone to get their survey back. My impression is - and we’ll get some official figures early next week I believe – but my impression is that there’s been a very high turnout. You know, a lot of people said everyone will just throw it in the bin, they won’t participate. I think its going to be a very high turnout, particularly for a voluntary postal vote. It’s now in the hands of the Australian people, but I think that while there’ve been a few ugly incidents, overall the debate has been very respectful and that’s been good.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Okay.
GUY CLIFTON:
And if it does come to pass and it passes through Parliament and all that, how long before same-sex couples will actually be married. Is it a pretty quick turnaround after that or?
PRIME MINISTER:
Let’s say it gets passed, it should be fairly, it should be very fast. I mean once a bill is passed through the parliament it’s simply a question of getting the Governor General to sign off on it. Whether a same-sex marriage could occur before Christmas I couldn’t say, but it will follow very rapidly. Once the people have spoken – assuming they say ‘yes’ of course that’s the big assumption – assuming that people say ‘yes’ Parliament will ensure that the will of the people is carried out rapidly.
GUY CLIFTON:
Alright.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Alright, good to hear.
GUY CLIFTON:
Well we’ve learnt he’s voting ‘yes’, he flies around in Wombat One.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Yes.
GUY CLIFTON:
Devastated the Roosters are out, but he is supporting the Cowboys.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
Good to know.
GUY CLIFTON:
So we like that.
PRIME MINISTER:
And congratulations to Michael Morgan too, by the way.
GUY CLIFTON:
Yes!
PRIME MINISTER:
Halfback of the year.
GUY CLIFTON:
Yeah, runner up for Dally M.
PRIME MINISTER:
That’s right, so look it’ll be great and you know I was last up in Townsville with Gavin Cooper, you remember at the site of the new stadium which we’re funding $100 million into. I made my attempt of doing the marking the try line.
[Laughter]
Definitely indicating I should stick to my day job I think.
LAUREN TEMUSKOS:
That’s good.
GUY CLIFTON:
And that’s how Malcolm Turnbull got paint on his new shoes everyone.
[Laughter]
The Prime Minister of our country, Malcolm Turnbull, thank you so much for being so generous with your time, appreciate it. Go Cowboys!
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ENDS]