AMANDA KELLER:
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull – hello.
PRIME MINISTER:
Hey, great to be with you!
AMANDA KELLER:
And nice to have you on our programme, thank you.
75 per cent increase in school funding over the next decade – that’s a wonderful thing. There are some complaints I know this morning people saying will it be distributed where its most needed and People saying people in most need might dip out. How can you guarantee it’s going to be fair for those who need it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, that’s exactly the commitment and we are delivering on the vision that David Gonski set out all those years ago which is that government funding for schools, whether they are within the government system, or the non-government system should be needs-based, so it should be focused on the needs of the student and it should be consistent and fair across Australia.
And so that is what we are delivering on. The Federal Government funding will be needs-based, it will be consistent across Australia and that is our commitment.
It is a massive increase in funding but above all it is going to ensure that the kids that need the most funding get the most funding and so forth. It is a very, very equitable. It is the Gonski vision and we are delivering on that.
What Labor had, you know, they ran around talking about Gonski this and Gonski that – they were not delivering on that. They had 27 different deals, Amanda, which were all contradictory.
This is going to be consistent, national, needs-based and fair.
AMANDA KELLER:
Because Australian kids, when you look at the figures have been slipping against international standards – is this the hope that this will lift the standard for Australian schools?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, well it is – that’s why we are doing Gonski 2.0.
See, what David Gonski did the first time, back in 2011, was the talk about funding, and that he said then that the next bit of work needs to be looking at how we ensure that we get the best schools, the best teachers and the best outcomes for our children and grandchildren in our schools.
And so that’s the work that the new review will do, focusing on ensuring that we lift those standards because you’re right, I mean, we’ve been spending more but by international comparisons we’ve been slipping backwards, particularly in mathematics and reading.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
So you’re off to the US of A on Thursday to meet with Donald Trump. I hope your people have got you in premium economy, that’s a long flight!
(Laughter)
PRIME MINISTER:
That’s right. Yes. I’ll be flying over the courtesy of the Royal Australian Air Force.
We’ll get there late on Wednesday night New York time and we’ll be there for Thursday and be back in Australia late on Saturday night our time.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Are you worried it might be a little bit awkward because, you know, for what the media would report that the last time you guys chatted on the phone it was kind of awkward? So how are you going to go face-to-face?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I’m sure we’ll be fine. The reports of that telephone conversation were not accurate – they were very exaggerated in fact and it was, we had, the President and I had a frank, forthright and courteous call. We are both people with a long background in business and I think, I’ve got no doubt that we’ll get on fine.
AMANDA KELLER:
Considering that he’s invited the President of the Philippines, who is rather notorious, to visit the White House and he says he’d be honoured to meet Kim Jong-un – if he doesn’t roll out the red carpet for you I think there is something wrong!
(Laughter)
PRIME MINISTER:
Well as you know it is a great event that we are both going to be attending. It is on the Intrepid, the aircraft carrier in New York and it is the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea and there will be both Australian and American veterans.
And this was the sea battle in 1942 which was the first time the Japanese were turned back and defeated. They had an invasion force that was going to, that would have unquestionably had it got through taken Port Moresby. It would have isolated Australia from the United States. And this was a momentous battle, a momentous battle where the Royal Australian Navy and the US Navy fought side-by-side.
It was the first sea battle which was fought by aircraft alone where the ships, the two navies, the two combatants didn’t actually see each other. It was really critical turning point in the war.
You know, 1942 was so bleak.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Yep!
PRIME MINISTER:
Singapore had been lost. Our Army was either in the Middle East or captured by the Japanese. The Japanese had swept through South East Asia. I mean, it looked, Australia was fearful of and expecting an invasion and so this was a great, a great turning point in the war. So it is really a time to celebrate that, to commemorate that and honour that rock solid alliance between Australia and the United States.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Do you know what I learnt about Donald Trump? He suffers from bathmophobia and that’s a phobia of walking down stairs or slopes and that is why Theresa May was holding his hand when he was going down some stairs when she visited him.
AMANDA KELLER:
You might have to help then!
(Laughter)
PRIME MINISTER:
That’s all news-
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
I’m just giving you a heads up!
(Laughter)
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you!
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Just grab his hand, instantly grab his hand and say you’re with me now!
PRIME MINISTER:
Okay, thanks for the heads up.
AMANDA KELLER:
I look forward to Sean Spicer explaining it all to us in future days!
(Laughter)
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
What? Why the Australian Prime Minister is holding our President’s hand?
(Laughter)
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, right okay, I’ll bear all that in mind!
(Laughter)
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Just a simple thank you, Malcolm – that would be fine.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you, thank you!
AMANDA KELLER:
And you know what? In ten years’ time you might be flying out of Badgerys Creek, you never know.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Exactly!
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah, I know, isn’t that exciting?
AMANDA KELLER:
About time.
PRIME MINISTER:
We are going to build that airport. It is going to be a catalyst for growth and jobs and investment and opportunities in Western Sydney. It’s long overdue.
AMANDA KELLER:
Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER:
And my Government is going to build it.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Yep. I’m a bit dirty about the skate park because I was looking forward to grinding my axle a little bit later on but you can’t have it all.
(Laughter)
AMANDA KELLER:
Can’t please everyone Malcolm - you just can’t.
PRIME MINISTER:
Okay, well it was great to talk to you both.
AMANDA KELLER:
Safe travels – thanks Prime Minister.
BRENDAN ‘JONESY’ JONES:
Thank you Prime Minister – good luck.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ENDS]