Prime Minister
PAUL MURRAY: Prime Minister, good evening. Congratulations on, among other things, the clarity of today.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you, Paul. But, I mean, we're getting great advice from the medical experts panel. We've got a great team working together as part of the national cabinet and, of course, the Federal Cabinet as well as which has been meeting regularly. There's a lot of people working very hard to keep Australians as safe as we can, but also to keep Australia functioning, keep Australia running. And a lot of changes, as I said today, and there'll be a lot more, but Australians are up to the challenge.
MURRAY: A lot of people see snippets of things on the news or may read things, of course, tomorrow in the paper. But this is a chance to hear from you. So I want to ask a few pretty obvious and clear questions here. Why do you think this is going to go for more than six months?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is the advice we're getting on the run of the virus and a lot of the modelling that we have done. I mean, it could be longer than that. The reason I'm making that point very clear is there seems to be a view, and the Chief Medical Officer was pointing this out as well, that somehow you can just turn the tap off for two weeks and all of a sudden we've got through the coronavirus. That's just not true. And people who are thinking about it in those terms are really not understanding, I think, the scale of what's happening here. I mean, of course, as you've been rightly saying, I must say, night after night and for some time now, eight out of 10 people who will contract this virus; most of us being relatively healthy, then it'll be a mild illness. But our goal here is to really focus on supporting the needs and protecting the most vulnerable in our community, which, of course, are the elderly. But there are those undergoing chemo treatment, there are people in remote indigenous communities, there's a whole range of people who are vulnerable to this virus. And when the rest of us do the right thing, we're protecting them and we're saving their lives. So six months is indicative. I certainly don't, at this point, think it would be any less than that. But we need to understand that the things we do, social distancing measures, all these things, we need to be able to keep doing, not just for a week or two, but for the next six months. And so when we designed the things that we're doing, we're designing them to be sustainable but also scalable. We can tighten it up more and more as time goes on.
MURRAY: It feels like schools is the issue that either parents are making their own decisions about or it's the one that you're being asked an awful lot about. On Monday in New South Wales, apparently, 25 percent of students weren't at school, apparently between a third and on its way to half in Victoria yesterday. Put simply, why do we have to leave schools open? And what do you want to say to the parents tonight who are lineball about their kids going to school tomorrow?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, first of all, we need to take decisions in relation to health advice. And the health advice that we have is that the coronavirus has a very limited impact on younger people, particularly children. When you look at what has happened in China, the rate of infection in those areas is around, I think, about 2.4 percent. And in the majority of cases there, we understand that they contracted it not at the school, but actually from in their homes and with adults and parents and in the broader community. So the health advice is that by keeping schools open and children going to school, they are not highlighting this as a risk for parents or the kids. I mean, Jenny and I, we send our kids to school and we believe that is the right decision because we're following the advice of the medical experts who are in turn advising the government. The second issue is this. I can understand if a parent is in a position for their child to stay home and they feel particularly strongly about this and concerned about the health of their children and they don't accept that advice. Well, I mean, we're all responsible for our own kids. And so I'm not making a judgement about that, but what I am saying is that if we closed schools down where there isn't a health reason for doing it, then the dislocation and disruption that that provides more broadly can be frankly very dangerous, very dangerous on a couple of points. The first one is it could compromise about 30 percent of our health workforce. Second, it will further disrupt what happens in the economy and the costs there are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of jobs because of the dislocation. I mean, right now, getting supermarket shelves stacked is important. And jobs like this, roles of nurses and doctors and others who need to get about what they're doing, well, schools remaining open - they're not a child minding service, it’s the school. And the last point I'd make is this, Paul. As I said before, what you do, you've got to keep doing for the next six months. You shut them down, they won't open again. And that means your children will miss what is effectively a whole year of their education. Now, if there's not a good health reason to do that and risk the child's education or cause the rather significant economic costs of tens of thousands of jobs, if not more, as well as compromising, most importantly, the health workforce we need to protect the most vulnerable then, you know, you should keep the schools open. And that's certainly the advice we have. And that's why I've formed such a strong view on this based on the medical advice I've received. But not just me - every Premier, every Chief Minister. We are all as one on this.
MURRAY: Today, it was the airline industry. Earlier in the week there was talk about sporting codes. No doubt next week there will be another industry that says they're going to need help. It’s a very wide ranging question, but I'd like to get an insight into the thinking and the decision making here. How will you decide what industries get assistance? Which industries are bailed out? Which industries are protected? Which industries get payments? Because, quite obviously, there's 25 million people in the country. There's multiplicity of businesses. And not everyone is going to get something from the Federal Government next week.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, first of all, we're not taking a sectoral approach, as the question suggests. I mean, we have a sectoral fund with which we funded the fee relief that we provided the aviation sector yesterday and there'll be some targeted issues around tourism and other measures like that and particular parts of the country that might be more adversely affected than others. But the broader support, the broader measures are going to be far more widely across the economy. I mean, last week what we did was we focused on how we can do things to boost demand, support small business, trying to keep people in jobs, but also where people have investment plans at the moment that they would keep them in place with the tax incentives that we put around those investments. That was the task last week and that task remains incredibly important and we'll be legislating for that when the Parliament resumes on Monday. The task we have now, particularly following the decisions that we've taken for basically shutting down borders, I mean, we've said Australians can't travel overseas and effectively the same is true of anyone coming here to Australia. That has a very dislocating and significant impact on the Australian economy. The social distancing measures that are put in place around gatherings and so on, it’s going to have a very significant impact, not just in the event sector or the tourism sector or the aviation sector. This will domino right across the economy. The next package of measures that the Treasurer and I are working on with the Cabinet is to really cushion the blow for those small businesses more broadly, how they're going to be impacted in terms of their cash flow again but also, sadly, those who might find themselves with not as much work as they had before. Sole businesses who won't be able to make their sole business operate to the same level or at all and to ensure that we cushion the blow for them by making the safety net a lot stronger and a lot wider to catch more, because we're going to have to do that to support people through the many months ahead.
MURRAY: What about those casual workers? There are people watching us right now, particularly in regional Australia, who might be working one or two retail jobs. That's the money that they have to pay all of their bills. When demand in certain sectors closes or slows because of the obvious limitations that are about to come to Australian life, what do you want to say to people who are that type of a worker, particularly in regional Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, two things. The first one is that's why we'll be taking action to bolster and support the safety net that's available to people during these times. And we understand the need to do that and we'll be moving strongly in that direction. The second thing, Paul, is that the virus, as significant as the economic impact is, and it's very significant. We haven't seen anything like this for decades and decades and from a health point of view, we haven't seen anything like this since the end of the First World War. So this is on a scale that none of us have seen before unless we have been around this planet for a very, very long time. And what I'm saying to them is it has a finite life, this virus, it will run for a period. I'm saying at the moment we are estimating no less than about six months. It could be longer. It could take us into the end of the year. But we'll have to just wait and see. But it will end at some point. There is no problem with the financial system. There is no problem with the economic fundamentals. This is a virus that has basically pushed pause on the entire global economy, including our own domestic economy. But the pause button will come off and the economy will restart again. And so what we are all doing together is getting through this period, because on the other side, I want to say that there will be a bounce back. There will be a return. There will be that upkick. And on the other side of that, we will get through there together. Then we'll be able to start rebuilding again after this, what will be a very difficult period of time. I'm not diminishing that for a second. And that's why we'll be improving the safety net structures and cushioning the impact of what will be very real. We all know how it is already being felt right now in those communities down where you are, up in North Queensland, over there in Geraldton in Western Australia, all around the country. I want to assure people that we are very conscious of the very real situations that people are facing. And we are not resting a moment in putting in place the supports we think we can really deliver to help you.
MURRAY: There are some amazing stories that we are hearing this week, in particular, of big brained Australian scientists, Australian research projects, that are working their backside off and geez, they seem to be getting very close to a link in the chain that is really going to help with the treatment potential vaccination that comes down the track. Those same organisations, or at least a couple of them, have also been saying that they are looking for some research money. Obviously, you're proud of the work that they are doing. But is there some sort of a surge in financial support that is coming the way of the researchers who might help us get out sooner rather than later?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh yeah, we announced $30 million extra for that just last week. And every year we put over about, I think, $76 million a year into the sort of virology research, and we're a big believer in a big funder of research in the medical area. And that's why we've seen, I think, such a wonderful and exciting and talented group of people forming together in all sorts of institutes around the country. I mean, the great one up there at the University of Queensland, which I know you've been focused on, Paul. The Doherty Institute, which we established, effectively, through the research centre down there in Melbourne, which I visited a few weeks back. I was getting advice from them and seeing how they were working on these very issues. So, yes, absolutely, it's part of the response. And I'm very proud of what Australian scientists and researchers are doing, so much so that other philanthropists around the world are actually identifying Australian research centres as being one of the places they think they should be sending their money because they believe that we've got the right people to get the job done. And I think they're right.
MURRAY: You talked today, and I thought it was important that this was mentioned today, about the misinformation. Literally yesterday there was a text message that was being traded around the country that purported to be the inside word on what was about to happen, which was effectively total shut down. There was a B.S. recording that was supposedly of a health minister telling people that the joint was about to shut down. How do we combat this stuff? Because, understandably, people will all sit there and we'll all pay attention to the official stuff. But if people feel that, you know, somehow there's an inside word, an inside tip, Australians, by our very nature, are always keen to know something before we get told. How do we tackle misinformation, including on things like social media, that seem to be making things way worse than they need to be?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as you say, Paul, Twitter is not real. It's not real life. So don’t believe it.
MURRAY: Yes, correct.
PRIME MINISTER: If there's something that is there that is posted by the Commonwealth Medical Officer or the Australian Government or the New South Wales or Victorian Governments or those health experts that are the ones that are actually defining the advice that is framing government policy, then, yes, they are official, that is the official information. And, you know, I commend you for the research and other things that you're publishing, particularly on those numbers of cases that are actually of people that have been able to come through the virus. And that's an important stick as well. And so the recovery statistic, because there is a recovery, and that information is the important information and we seek to counter it, and that's why the Chief Medical Officer or his Deputy is out every day. That's why the Health Minister is out there every day. That's why I'm here on your programme tonight.
For those who engage in this activity of feeding out spurious and misleading information, that is a very dangerous and reckless thing that you're doing and you're a danger to your fellow countrymen and women. And that is something that I think is absolutely despicable behaviour. It's not funny, it's not clever. It is downright dangerous. And for the many Australians in this country right now whose lives are at risk from this in vulnerable areas and you're not helping them and you should wake up to yourself if you're doing that.
MURRAY: Just finally, to everyone who is watching us in lounge rooms around the country, you've got a direct chance to talk to them now. Anything you want to say directly to the people who have heard so much?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I want to thank Australians, the vast majority of whom have been seeking to sensibly and calmly deal with what is a great shock. I mean, this virus has continued to grow day by day around the world, and it's unprecedented in terms of our own lived experience today. And I want to thank those Australians who have been helping their fellow Australians and supporting them and making sure that those who are in self-isolation, when they've been taking the meals or just checking in on them. Those have been looking after the elderly, those who've been doing the right thing. I want to say thank you, because you're the Australians who will ensure that we will get through this together. And I want us to all be encouraged to take that approach. We will get through this. Life has changed. Life will keep changing as we go through these next many months. And we will seek, wherever we can, to let you know what the next set of decisions that are coming. I want you to be very encouraged by the National Cabinet. This is the first time this has ever happened. As you say, Paul, Team Red, I'm going to put it around the other way. Team Blue and Team Red. Whichever way you want to call it. Five Labor, four Liberal, all working together with a sense of unity and purpose and cooperation that you would expect us to do, particularly in a situation like this. And I've got to say, I'm very privileged to be part of that group of people who are working so closely together to get this right. All we're focused on is you, on Australians and to ensure that we can get you the right support, the right health support, the right advice, so you can make the best decisions for you and your family. But the overall message is this, Paul, we're going to get through this. Australians are amazing. We're an incredible country. And on the other side, we will bounce back strongly because that's what we do.
MURRAY: It's all about hope over fear. It's all about clarity. It's all about resilience. And it is all about recovery. That's what Australians do best. We're being tested, but we're just being tested in a new way that we will pass. Thank you, sir.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Paul. All the best.