LUCY WICKS MP, MEMBER FOR ROBERTSON:
Good morning everyone. It’s a great honour to have both the Prime Minister and the Premier of New South Wales, alongside state and federal ministers and of course our hard-working local representatives, including the Hon Scot MacDonald, the Hon Taylor Martin and Liesl Tesch, the Member for Gosford.
Today is a very significant occasion. It is a very important occasion, 3,000 families in my electorate are set to benefit from the NDIS, almost 4,600 across the Central Coast. This is a game-changer for people who are living with disabilities. It’s something that we are incredibly proud and honored to support.
On a personal note, can I say that when I first came to the Central Coast over 30 years ago now, the school that I was attending actually was collocated with Fairhaven on these very grounds. It was such a privilege to be able to interact with the students of Fairhaven and us together in the playground at recess and at lunch. So, I’ve always felt a very special association with Fairhaven. I want to pay tribute to the Chairman Clive Blunt and to the CEO Monique Cardon - who do an incredible job – and the participants at Fairhaven. We honour you and we say thank you for everything that you do.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well thank you Lucy and thank you very much for welcoming us here and Monique thank you so much for all the great work you and your whole team do here at Fairhaven.
You know, the great news is, that because we have a strong economy - delivering more jobs, record jobs growth in Australia, bringing the Budget back into balance a year earlier, ensuring the federal Government lives within its means - it enables us to guarantee the essential services Australians rely on, need and deserve. One of those is the NDIS.
This great national enterprise and its participants deserve to know, are entitled to know, that the funding is there to support them, now and into the future.
Gladys, the agreement we've signed today.
THE HON GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES:
Very exciting.
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s an indication of the partnership, demonstration of the partnership, we've made to secure long-term funding here in New South Wales. A real partnership between New South Wales and the Commonwealth, the type of cooperation and commitment, a shared passion for serving and supporting the people who need our support the most, the NDIS participants, we're doing that in partnership together. That is because, whether it is in Gladys' Government, with the great financial management she's shown, or the strong economy we've been able to promote and develop - bringing better budget outcomes, living within our means, guaranteeing the essential services in New South Wales and in Canberra - working together, we're able to guarantee and provide those essential services. The NDIS, this great national enterprise, deserves that support.
So, Premier, I will ask you to say some words about this as well. Then after that, I might ask Dan Tehan, the Minister for Social Services, to say some more about the NDIS on the national level and how we're hoping that other states will emulate the leadership you've shown today.
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES:
Thank you, Prime Minister and to Lucy and to my state and parliamentary colleagues.
We know Fairhaven has always been a magic place but today it becomes a historic place. It’s the first time in our nation that the state and federal government has come together to sign the NDIS agreement.
We’re proud to be the first state to do so. We believe strongly in supporting people with a disability, but more importantly, in ensuring they have greater control and choice over their lives through their carers and through their advocates.
It’s extremely humbling today to be able to do this. Because not only does it secure the funding, but it also makes sure that the transition continues to be as smooth as possible. I want to pay tribute to my State Minister for Disability Services, Ray Williams and also Scot MacDonald, who is a local representative up here, for their hard work and advocacy. Because these things don’t happen by accident, it takes a lot of hard work. I'm thrilled with the progress that's finalised in the signing of the agreement today.
This will change lives for the better, into the future. This place now is historic, but also, it means that all of us can move forward with certainty to ensure the funding is there, but also that the transition goes as smoothly as possible.
Can I say that we've made sure we've kept a keen eye, a close watchful eye, to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks, that everybody is taken care of and everybody has the opportunities to make the best quality of life for themselves and their families that they can.
That's exactly what the NDIS is about and I'm thrilled to be the first Premier, the first state leader, to sign off on the agreement. I know other states will as well. But I hope this demonstrates my state's commitment, my Government's commitment, to improving the lives of everybody, all of our citizens, no matter what their circumstances.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you very much, Gladys. Dan is joined by the Assistant Minister for Disabilities, Jane Prentice. So Jane, why don't you guys talk a little bit about what’s happening at the national level with other states?
THE HON DAN TEHAN MP, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES:
Thanks, PM, Jane, Lucy, Ray, Premier, other parliamentarians. Can I start by just commending New South Wales for the leadership that they've shown in joining with the Commonwealth to sign this agreement? Can I say to all the other state and territory governments; we now have a blueprint to ensure the ongoing financial sustainability of the NDIS. The leadership that New South Wales has shown can be shown by each other state and territory to ensure that we get a truly national approach to the full implementation of the NDIS.
Negotiations with South Australia and Victoria are going extremely well, I look forward to also increasing the pace of those negotiations with the other states and territories. Because as the Prime Minister has said, this is about guaranteeing an essential service for the Australian people. Ensuring that we're looking after people with disability, that is what this groundbreaking NDIS scheme is all about. That’s why these negotiations are so important.
Can I end by just saying personally to Ray; thank you for the approach that you've taken in your cooperation with me. What we‘ve been able to achieve, I think, has been groundbreaking and it means we do have a true blueprint for the rollout for the rest of the nation. I’ll get Jane to say a few words?
THE HON JANE PRENTICE, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES:
Okay, well I'm delighted to be here with everyone today at this fabulous venue. I think one of the best places we ever visit is an ADE because the workers are always so happy and they make a great contribution.
But I would also like to congratulate New South Wales. It is so important to give the vulnerable people in our community the confidence and the security that they deserve. That's what signing this agreement has done today. So, congratulations.
THE HON RAYMOND WILLIAMS MP, NSW MINISTER FOR DISABILITY SERVICES:
Thank you, Premier, Prime Minister. It’s often said, we get the very, very best outcomes when we work together, state and federal governments. That’s exactly the case today; a once-in-a-generation, greatest social reform to happen in our generation. We have delivered the National Disability Insurance Scheme, ensuring the lives of people with disability are improved in the future, that people with disability can lead the best possible quality of life.
Their funding is secured, that’s through the great financial management of both our Premier's efforts in the New South Wales Government, our Prime Minister in the Federal Government. They’ve delivered record funding on behalf of people with disability, maintaining our priority that people with disability are our community, they deserve to live in our community and they deserve to live the best possible quality of life that they can.
Thanks, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Very good. Well, do we have some questions?
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister you’ve obviously met some of the workers here today. Can you tell us how will this benefit them and others here in the community, this agreement?
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s security. It’s knowing that the funding for the NDIS is going to be there now and in the future.
That's critically important. So, this shows the respect and the love, the love that people with disabilities, the most vulnerable people in our community, the love that they deserve from all of us in this great national enterprise. An enterprise that we must ensure is fully funded and we're able to do that - as Ray said - because of strong financial management in New South Wales and at the federal level. We're in a position to provide that certainty. That's what a strong economy and a well-managed Budget delivers.
JOURNALIST:
Having a Liberal state government probably doesn't hurt?
PRIME MINISTER:
It is an enormous assistance!
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES:
We manage economies well!
PRIME MINISTER:
If you want strong economies, more jobs, better jobs and budgets - federal and state finances that can afford to provide the essential services - you need Liberal governments.
LIESL TESCH, MEMBER FOR GOSFORD:
Premier, this is something people with disabilities have been calling out for a long time. Under your government, we have seen the employment rate of people with disabilities go from 4.7 to 2.9 with new targets not looking promising on the horizon. What are we going to do New South Wales to increase employment for people with disabilities?
PREMIER:
I’m more than happy to answer that, we have the lowest unemployment in the nation. In fact, not only do we have increasing policies to ensure that people with a disability have greater access to employment, but it’s one of my Premier’s Priorities to increase diversity in the workplace. I've made it one of my absolute priorities, because people with ability, I say, people with ability - and we've seen plenty of those this morning - have a huge contribution to make. I'm incredibly proud of the contribution people already make, but of course, we would like to see that improve and increase.
When you have the strongest jobs growth in the nation here in New South Wales, the job numbers that came out last week were overwhelming. 500,000 jobs created in New South Wales since we have been in Government, 100,000 in the last year alone and unlike some other parts of the nation, the vast majority of our jobs are full-time, which means they’re sustainable.
I'm also pleased to say that in addition to diversity in the workplace, we're also seeing that all new jobs are taken up 60 per cent by women. So, we're seeing greatest participation rates in New South Wales than we've ever seen. Of course, having a diverse workforce is not only good for the individual, but it's good for all of us, because diversity and people with all abilities, making a contribution, makes our communities stronger. I'm incredibly proud of our record and I look forward on building on it into the future.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well said.
JOURNALIST:
With regards to the upcoming by-elections, how is it acceptable to leave voters in five electorates unrepresented for another two months?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the by-election date is set by the Speaker and as you know, he set it following advice from the Australian Electoral Commission. It will ensure the people that are re-elected, or elected, in those by-elections, will be able to take their seats in the Parliament when it resumes in the August sittings.
So, it’s the Speaker's decision and all of the reasons for it were set out in his statement in the House yesterday.
JOURNALIST:
Were you involved in any discussions about July 28 being set as the date? How do you respond to the charge put to the Electoral Commissioner that the choice was partisan?
PRIME MINISTER:
Firstly, the Electoral Commission is utterly impartial and non-partisan. You saw the way in which the Electoral Commissioner rejected the suggestions of partisanship in the Senate Estimates Committee yesterday.
It was outrageous of the Labor Party to make those accusations or inferences. The reasoning behind the date was all set out, clearly.
Look, if Bill Shorten had wanted to have the by-elections in these electorates earlier, his members should have done the right thing and resigned last year. It was perfectly clear, it was in black and white in the High Court's decision in the Canavan case, that if you were a dual citizen at the time you nominated, you were ineligible. There were three Labor members and one crossbencher in the House of Representatives who were dual citizens at the time they nominated and were clearly ineligible.
Now, Bill Shorten thought he could get away with it.
He thought he could get away with it and leave them there, sitting there, drawing their parliamentary salary, spending their parliamentary expenses, for all of those months when it was clear that the highest court in the land had said they were not eligible to sit there.
So, why are the by-elections being held in July? Why are they being held in 2018?
They are being held now, because Bill Shorten did not do the right thing by the Australian people and by the Constitution and ensure that his ineligible members resigned last year, when John Alexander did or when Barnaby Joyce did.
Our members did the right thing. The Labor members decided to deny it, deny the legal reality, in the hope that they would get away with it.
Well, finally, the law caught up with them.
JOURNALIST:
Do you believe you should back away from your foreign interference laws, given the reaction from China?
PRIME MINISTER:
We are committed, absolutely committed, to our foreign interference laws. We're absolutely committed to protecting our Australian democracy and ensuring that it is Australians who decide who will sit in our Parliaments and what the policies of our governments will be.
Every Australian expects us to do that. They expect me to do that. My job is to stand up for Australian democracy and ensure that it is not interfered with and if there are foreign interests or governments or political parties that wish to have a voice, then they should do so openly and transparently.
We are a robust democracy. All that we are seeking to achieve, is the protection of our Australian democracy and our Australian sovereignty and we will never take a backward step on that.
JOURNALIST:
Premier, I’ve just got some questions for you about licensing laws as well. What impact are you hoping these changes will have on Kings Cross?
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES:
Obviously we need to make sure we continue with the right balance. First and foremost, to keep the community safe, but where possible exemptions will be granted. That’s what we’ve spoken about this morning.
JOURNALIST:
Is this proof the government went too far with the ban in the first place?
PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES:
No, I feel very strongly that we’ve ensured community safety first and foremost. But we have in some instances, relaxed the laws where appropriate; if there’s major events, if there’s live music, we’re taking a very balanced approach. I think that’s what the community wants us to do. The community wants to know that we’re keeping the safe, first and foremost, but also that we have a balanced view to what’s required in terms of live music and entertainment, especially around major events, when people are in Sydney.
[ENDS]