Australia Day, meningococcal vaccines; education funding; a strong economy and balancing the Budget; US & North Korea relations; NRL & AFL grand finals
Prime Minister
KEIRAN GILBERT: We’re joined live now by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Prime Minister, thanks very much for joining us.
PRIME MINISTER: Hey Keiran.
GILBERT: Australia Day obviously a focus today for you, are you proposing a new national day for our Indigenous people, what date are you thinking and how would you see it being honoured?
PRIME MINISTER: Well all I’ve said is we should have a chat about that. I mean what I have particularly been saying today is that those Councils that want to use citizenship ceremonies – which are supposed to be about new citizens, bringing Australians together – those Councils that want to use that as some sort of political football to make some other political points, well, we’ll get someone else to book the hall and run the ceremony. That’s what we’ve said to Byron Shire Council, they won’t have the opportunity to run those ceremonies. Whatever else they do is their business, but Australia Day is our national day. It’s on the 26th of January. We don’t have to tear down Australia Day to ensure that we’re also acknowledging Indigenous Australians, our Indigenous peoples, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. And I’m happy to have a chat about how we can do that.
I mean there are already things like NAIDOC Week and things like that and I think that’s all good. In the ACT they have a day on the 27th of May to recognise the ‘67 Referendum. But it is our oldest living, the world’s oldest living culture and I think we’ve got a story to tell about how that culture continues to live successfully and as such a key part of our nation.
But Australia Day, 26th January 1788, that is the day that our history changed in this country. And so to pretend there was some other day where that happened, I think, is just not being honest. That’s the day and we’ve got to come around together and deal with everything.
GILBERT: Yep. The former Prime Minister John Howard used to use the term “a black armband view of our history”, do you think those Councils like Byron Shire are adopting that view of our history?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you know, I don’t think it’s helpful. Self-loathing doesn’t make the country stronger. I mean I said in my first speech that I’m for a full, high-definition, technicolour, you know, look at our history. We’ve got to look at it all and there are some scars, some deep scars of our history over the last 230 years. But there is so much to celebrate. I mean we don’t have to be so down on ourselves all the time. I mean our country is the envy of the world, we should celebrate it and we don’t have to bring, you know, days like Australia Day down, to actually raise others up. I mean this is why I think it’s the same when I talk about taxes and the economy. You don’t have to punish some people for others to do better. I mean, you bring Australians together and we’ll all do better.
GILBERT: On a few other issues, I know you’ve got an announcement to make this morning, but I want to ask you about a few other things that have been developing the last few days. The New South Wales Education Minister Rob Stokes said the funding deal that you announced doesn’t treat every student with fairness. You suggested that once Rob had the chance to look at the details you were sure that he would see that his comments doesn’t weigh up with what you’ve announced. But he hasn’t changed his view, have you spoken to your New South Wales counterpart the Premier Berejiklian?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah we’ve had a few chats about this and Dan Tehan has been talking to the Minister and I’m sure they’ll see the benefits of this programme which will see, you know,$1.5 billion invested in schools in addition, in New South Wales. That’s on top of the record funding we’re putting into state schools in New South Wales. I mean there’s more money for state schools, there’s more money for independent schools, there’s more money for Catholic schools. So that’s what I think parents want and that’s what we’re delivering. And the only reason we can do it, is because we’re running a strong economy. I mean it’s the reason why today we’re announcing $52 million for vaccines for meningococcal for young people, between 14 and 19. That’s going to benefit 1 million Australians over the next four years. You can only do this if you run the strong economy. And so whether it’s on education, hospitals – on the weekend I announced the MRI licenses, $170 million, 30 new licenses. A strong economy delivers that not politicians’ promises.
GILBERT: So you’re confident you’ll get them across the line in the end, that NSW Liberal Government?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah I am.
GILBERT: Okay, the final Budget outcome for 2017/18 is out today. Is it the plan for a return to surplus, to balance, in 2019/20 and that pre-election promises will be funded from extra revenue and a growing economy rather than further cuts?
PRIME MINISTER: Well we have been focusing on growing the economy and getting investment moving in the country. And that’s why we’ve seen and we’ve been focusing on getting people off welfare and into work. These have been the key reasons why we’ve seen the improvement in our bottom line as a Budget. We’ve taken strong decisions on expenditure, we’ve taken strong decisions around how we’ve tightened up entitlements. All of this together has improved a much stronger Budget position so we can do the things that I’ve just been talking about, whether it’s our infrastructure investments, our investments in health services. We’ve had a trajectory to get the Budget back into balance first in 2021 and in this year I announced that would come forward to 2019-20 and we remain on track for that. We’ll just continue to stick to that plan. By running a strong economy, we are able to stick to that plan, that’s why we’ve kept our AAA credit rating, which last week was upgraded. As you know Kieran, that was under a lot of pressure, ever since the last election. Straight after the last election in July they put the AAA credit rating on a negative watch, said you’ve got two years. Well, we spent those two years and we’ve got it back up at a stable, through the effective financial management and you’ll see some of the dividends of that today when the Treasurer and the Finance Minister outlines that final outcome for 2017/18.
GILBERT: President Trump said this morning on North Korea that a lot of very positive things are happening with Kim Jong-un and he’s going to be meeting Kim Jong-un again in the not too distant future. Do you welcome that development?
PRIME MINISTER: Well of course I do and to quote the President on so many other issues; “Let’s just see what happens.” And I commend him for his efforts and I’m looking forward to catching up with him later in the year. But this is a very significant issue and I’m pleased that he feels he’s making that progress.
GILBERT: Do you plan to visit the White House anytime soon, is that on the agenda?
PRIME MINISTER: I have no immediate plans no, I have got plenty to do just here. I’ll have the opportunity looking forward to that at the G20 later this year, as well as catching up with Vice President Pence at the other major summits. I mean I haven’t gone off to the United Nations this week, it’s their General Assembly Week. I’m represented there by the Foreign Minister. There’s a lot to do here Kieran and I’m 100 per cent focused on right here.
GILBERT: There’s a big focus on the weekend, I’ll get in early, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t ask you your tips for the big ones?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I’m backing the Roosters in the NRL and I would love to see Perth bring it home in the AFL. My team is out, Cronulla is out in the AFL, they were taken out by the Storm. The Storm were the better team last weekend, sadly for us. But I think the Roosters will come home on the day, I think they’ve been the consistent team all year and I don’t know whether Billy Slater will be in or not, we’ll see. Cooper Cronk will be a big loss but Latrell Mitchell being back in for the Roosters I think will be a big bonus for them. I can’t give you much commentary on the AFL because as you know I’m not an expert on that game by any stretch, but I think it’ll be a great spectacle and I’m looking forward to being there with the thronging crowds in Melbourne.
GILBERT: Yeah should be superb as always. Thanks so much Prime Minister, we’ll talk to you soon.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks mate, cheers.