Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News – Afternoon Agenda
TOPICS: Energy, Future Funds plan, cost of living, industrial relations, Albanese’s anti-mining, anti-resources, anti-Western Australian plan
10 April 2025
E&OE
Andrew Clennell
Well, joining me live from Perth now is the Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Workplace Relations Minister Michaelia Cash. Michaelia Cash, thank you for your time. Can I start by getting your reaction to the energy minister’s debate today and the Sky News Treasurer’s debate last evening?
Senator Cash
Well, in the first instance, in relation to last night’s debate, I think when Graham Richardson, Andrew, a Labor luminary, says both sides did pretty well, that’s pretty much a clear endorsement that Angus Taylor set out a clear plan to get Australia back on track. If I look at Jim Chalmers, though, to me, he looked like a used car salesman. I mean, this guy will sell you a used car. The bumper is falling off, you know, the car is belching smoke, but my God, has he got a good deal for you. I mean, Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese, they keep telling Australians how good they’ve got it under Labor, and then they say, trust us, in their case, the bad news is it will only get worse under a future Albanese-Greens-Teal Government. The matched reality on the ground compared to what Jim Chalmers said last night, Andrew, could not be more stark. I haven’t found one person in Australia that can actually say to me, “I am better off today than I was when Anthony Albanese was first elected.”
Andrew Clennell
Alright, Michaelia Cash, what about the energy debate? Are you considering pulling out of the Paris Agreement if elected? Because Ted O’Brien left a bit of room for that.
Senator Cash
I think Ted O’Brien set out a very clear and consistent plan for cleaner, cheaper and consistent energy in Australia. He also showed the Australian people exactly what our plan was going to do by way of price reductions for them going forward. Chris Bowen, on the other hand, continues to not tell Australians what is the total cost to get to net zero by 2050 of Labor’s renewable-only pipedream. And the message I have for the Australian people is this, believe what you see in your bill. Because I can tell you, it doesn’t matter who you talk to, Andrew, they do believe what they see in their bill, and their bill matches their lived reality, not the lies they were told 97 times by Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese.
Andrew Clennell
It’s fair enough to have a go over electricity bills. But can I just bring you back to this particular question? Have you given, as the Shadow Cabinet, has the leadership group given, any consideration to pulling out of the Paris Agreement?
Senator Cash
There’s no plans to pull out of the Paris Agreement, and I don’t think that is what Ted O’Brien said. I think Ted O’Brien was very, very clear, we have a plan for cheaper, cleaner and consistent energy that is less expensive than Labor. That is the clear message that Ted O’Brien had for the Australian people today versus more of the same from the clown Chris Bowen.
Andrew Clennell
Alright. Michaelia Cash, you couldn’t have been clearer about that. Thank you for that. But I want to move now to something you said about Donald Trump on the Today show two months ago. Have a listen to this.
Senator Cash (Recording)
You need to be able to show that you can have a working relationship with this administration, and that is something the Coalition has done previously and successfully when in government, and I can assure you it will be something that the Coalition does successfully again.
Sarah Abo (Recording)
He’s quite emboldened this time around though, Michaelia, it could be a different president to manage.
Senator Cash (Recording)
He’s showing that he’s a man of action. The American people, they expect action, and that is what they’re getting. And they’ll get the exact same attitude under a Peter Dutton Government.
Andrew Clennell
Okay, they’ll get the exact same attitude as Donald Trump under a Peter Dutton Government. Do you stand by that statement?
Senator Cash
Peter Dutton is someone who will always act in Australia’s best interests. Peter Dutton is someone who, just like the former Coalition Government when dealing with the Trump administration, will make sure they are there actively negotiating in Australia’s best interests. The Australian people on May the third, the decision they have to make, Andrew, is, who do they believe over the course of the Trump administration, which is going to be longer than the next federal government in Australia, they have a four-year administration, we have a three-year government, who is going to be able to deliver the best results for the Australian people. Peter Dutton was part of the former Coalition Government that actively engaged with the Trump administration and successfully negotiated that we would not have a tariff placed on steel and aluminium. Contrast that now to the situation with Mr Albanese, who, as a commentator said the other day, has pretty much vacated the field when it comes to dealing with the Trump administration. He congratulates himself…
Andrew Clennell
Michaelia Cash, is Donald Trump hurting your campaign, though? I mean, you’ve compared Peter Dutton there to Donald Trump. You know, two months later, that doesn’t look so great, does it? I mean, and people are out there comparing the two.
Senator Cash
Peter Dutton will always act in Australia’s best interests, and he has made that clear. Acting in Australia’s best interests is what we did, Andrew, last time we were in Government.
Andrew Clennell
So he’s not like Donald Trump?
Senator Cash
Absolutely not.
Andrew Clennell
So he’s not like Donald Trump. He’s not a man of action like Donald Trump?
Senator Cash
Oh, now you just want to play games with words, and that’s fine. Peter Dutton is a man who is decisive. He is a man who will make decisions in the best interests of the Australian people. Anthony Albanese, on the other hand, let’s talk about what he’s shown the Australian people to be, someone who would promise them the world prior to the last election, life would be better under him. You know, your energy prices would go down by $275, their lived reality, Andrew, is something that is fundamentally different. And the Australian people, when they go on May the third, and in pre-poll prior to that to cast their vote, the clear questions they need to ask themselves, do I feel better off today than I did three years ago when Mr Albanese was first elected? And the clear answer to that is no.
Andrew Clennell
I want to move on. You’ve announced windfall revenue to go to the Future Funds, including this Regional Fund. But haven’t successive governments already been taking windfall revenue to pay off debt? For example, the Labor Government’s done it with about $250 billion, I think. I mean, can you explain how this will work, and why is it different to current arrangements? They’ve returned 70% of windfall revenue to paying off debt, which I would have thought, you know, as much as they can be criticised for other measures, that at least is a good thing.
Senator Cash
The Labor Party have been reckless with the Australian people’s money. This was confirmed but a few days ago by the Treasurer, when they released the Pre-Election Fiscal Outlook. Look at the Pre-Election Fiscal Outlook. It now has debt in Australia heading towards $1.2 trillion, Andrew. When Labor run out of money, what do they do? They actually go after yours. We are saying to the Australian people, we are giving you a clear commitment that going forward, you will be the direct beneficiaries, legislated, of any windfall commodities. That is a good thing for the Australian people. That is showing the Australian people that, unlike the Australian Labor Party, who have been reckless, who have no other plan other than rising debt and deficit, we have a clear plan to reinvest back into you and back into future generations the windfall gains that governments are able to make.
Andrew Clennell
Excuse, perhaps, my ignorance on this. But will you be retiring debt with that money, or are you putting it in a fund and using the interest from that fund to retire debt? How does it work?
Senator Cash
Basically, in terms of any of the windfall gains, 80% of that windfall gain will be placed into those funds, as you would have heard from Peter Dutton this morning, the Regional Fund, and coming from Western Australia, that is something that is just so important to us. It will grow to 20 billion. It will have an initial injection of 5 billion, and then basically, it will take care of itself. After that though, in perpetuity, 80% of those windfall gains will be placed into, under legislation, so no one can ever get out of this again, into these Future Funds. This is a clear commitment from Peter Dutton, from Angus Taylor, from David Littleproud and a Coalition Government to the Australian people.
Andrew Clennell
How will debt be retired? How will debt be retired then, if you’re taking that windfall revenue to do that?
Senator Cash
We’ve been clear, there will be parameters for this fund. One of those parameters will be that you can use it to retire debt. You can use it also, in the longer term, to actually invest back into economic infrastructure. You may need to, at a certain time, invest into national security, or simply, as under our Regional Fund, as David Littleproud said this morning, to ensure that our regions have exactly what they need. It may well be that you have a region that cannot even afford a swimming pool, something that we here in the cities take for granted. That is something that you could look at the funds actually investing in. But again, this is a clear commitment and a difference between the two major parties. We have a plan…
Andrew Clennell
A Future Fund that pays for swimming pools? That’s possible?
Senator Cash
When was the last time that you went to rural and regional Australia and talked to them about the type of facilities they need to be invested in? That makes huge differences. We have said that we will invest in the infrastructure that our rural and regional communities need. But again, Andrew, what is this, basically? It’s a fundamental difference between the two parties. We have a clear commitment to get Australia back on track. We have a plan that will do that. But more than that, this is our commitment to the Australian people, that under a Peter Dutton, David Littleproud Coalition Government, we will legislate that, going forward, you, but more than that, your future generations, your children and your grandchildren, they will be guaranteed to benefit from these windfall gains.
Andrew Clennell
Michaelia Cash, ever since WorkChoices occurred before the 2007 election, governments and oppositions have been gun-shy when it comes to going to elections with IR policy. We saw that again, I think, with the recent Jane Hume working-from-home debacle. Will you be coming to us with an IR policy prior to the election? Will you be tying things together? You’ve already dumped, I see, suggested changes to the Same Job, Same Pay legislation, I think I’m right in saying that. You’ve said you’ll be changing the rule on casuals. Will you be seeking to reverse the right to disconnect legislation?
Senator Cash
We’ve already made that commitment. That is complex, it is confusing, and you currently have employers, in particular, smaller employers, that are no longer picking up the phone to their employees because they are too scared to do so, and that they may face an $18,000 fine. So yes, we will get rid of the cost, the complexity and the confusion, in particular that is impacting smaller employers in Australia. But Andrew, can I just pull you up there on industrial relations policy, we have made an incredibly significant announcement, Peter Dutton, myself, and James Patterson, and that is in relation to cleaning up the construction industry in Australia that has been infiltrated by organised crime, by the CFMEU.
Andrew Clennell
No, I accept that. I accept that. The RICO laws.
Senator Cash
That is a significant announcement.
Andrew Clennell
I guess I’m talking about things that affect ordinary people, as opposed to that sort of crime-fighting endeavour.
Senator Cash
Andrew, again, I’m going to have to disagree with you.
Andrew Clennell
This is such a rare thing, Michaelia Cash, but okay, alright.
Senator Cash
It is, I know, that’s good, it shows you that this is a good, robust interview. But no, no, I’m going to have to disagree with you there, because when the Australian people, you talk about the ordinary Australian people, when they are paying 30 per cent more for their hospitals, 30 per cent more for their roads, 30 per cent more for their schools, and that has a flow-on effect to what they pay for their houses, I am sorry, but that is a policy that directly affects mums and dads in Australia.
Andrew Clennell
Alright, Michaelia Cash, I’m about to get wrapped here. I’ve got a shorter show than Sunday, so hang on. Quickly. Multi-employer bargaining, will you change the laws on that, yes or no?
Senator Cash
We’ve already said that is subject to a review process, just like Same Job, Same Pay.
Andrew Clennell
Well, hang on, Peter Dutton said he’s not changing Same Job, Same Pay. You’re saying it’s subject to a review process?
Senator Cash
It’s subject to an in-built review mechanism in Labor’s legislation, and the government of the day has to review that legislation, because there is an inbuilt review mechanism. So if Labor, the Greens and the Teals get over the line, they also have to review that legislation.
Andrew Clennell
Could it change?
Senator Cash
There are no plans to change it at this point in time, because it is subject to the review which the Labor Party themselves put into the legislation. It is as simple as that.
Andrew Clennell
Alright, Anthony Albanese launches his campaign in Perth on Sunday. Well, you’ll be crossing over here, so we’ll be crossing, you’ll be over here for your launch. What’s your view on him doing the launch in Western Australia, and what’s the big announcement for you? I’m tipping against housing. But anyway.
Senator Cash
Well, let’s just be very, very clear. Anthony Albanese, when he comes to WA, needs to front the Western Australian people and tell them why he has been the most anti-mining, anti-resources and anti-Western Australian Prime Minister our great state has ever seen. He needs to front the Western Australian people and tell them why he’s kicked the can down the road on making a decision on the North West Shelf. Talk about gas, that’s how we get gas in Western Australia. He needs to tell our farmers why he is destroying their lives and their livelihoods with his ideological decision on banning live sheep export. He needs to tell the Western Australian people exactly what he is going to do when he legislates his nature-positive, mining-negative laws, which he said, he said, “I’m doing it after the next election.” He needs to go down south and tell the people of the South West why, despite the community saying, “We do not want your giant offshore wind farm,” despite all of that, he’s going ahead with it. So Anthony Albanese, you need to stand up, front the Western Australian people and answer those questions. You have been, without a doubt, the most anti-WA, anti-mining and resources Prime Minister this country has ever seen. And when you harm WA, Andrew, you harm the national economy. And that’s Anthony Albanese.
Andrew Clennell
We’ve got to go, yes or no, is it housing on Sunday, the big Liberal announcement?
Senator Cash
Oh, come on, that’d be unfair.
Andrew Clennell
Yeah, alright, well I am unfair on occasion. Michaelia Cash, thanks very much for your time.
ENDS
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