TRANSCRIPT
SKY NEWS AFTERNOON AGENDA WITH ANDREW CLENELL
8 March 2023
E&OE.
Andrew Clennell
Well, let’s bring in the Shadow Workplace Relations Minister, Michaelia Cash and let me ask about interest rates first of all. We’ve seen rate rise after rate rise and yet the government carries on like Teflon really. You must be wondering when people are going to get annoyed at the government over this?
Senator Cash
Well, we’ve always said prior to the election that if an Albanese government was elected (and it was), life wouldn’t be easy under Albanese. This is now playing out and it’s not just Andrew in relation to the interest rate rises. It’s playing out literally across the board. When you look at where inflation is at – a 30 year high. When you look at now where the cash rate is at – an 11 year high, nine consecutive interest rates under this government. Food inflation – That’s actually the issue now. If I go down to the local shopping center, people will actively stop me and say – can I tell you how much more I am now paying for groceries? When I’m in the eastern states, it’s often the increase in their electricity bill. So it is now not just interest rates, it is playing out in so many areas of what is so important to families across the board.
Andrew Clennell
But it is a global phenomenon, isn’t it? You just have to wear that?
Senator Cash
You know, we accept that there are global factors. We were in office for nine years. We also dealt with a once in a century pandemic. You look at the economy though, that Labor inherited from us. It was an economy that on any analysis was the envy of the rest of the world. And the comments of the Reserve Bank Governor, in terms of what he said today – I mean, he was very honest. He said though, any decisions they make going forward do have to take into account the prevailing economic conditions. And you look at a number of factors – one of those factors is the impact of government decisions. And it’s the impact of government decisions that you now see playing out in so many areas to the detriment of the Australian people. Life is actually costing them more under Labor.
Andrew Clennell
But they’ve capped electricity and gas prices. Which you opposed? I mean in the short term that’s had some effect, right?
Senator Cash
Well hold on, your electricity bill in the eastern states is still going up. Government intervention in the energy market never ends well. But in particular, the one word and you and I have had this discussion before, which has not been mentioned by the Albanese government is supply. You need to actually increase supply into the market. And they have done everything but that, they are actively discouraging a further supply coming into the market. But what is worse, they are discouraging gas companies from doing anything further in Australia and actually making investment decisions which will see them go offshore.
Andrew Clennell
All right, all right. I wanted to ask you, we had Tony Burke on earlier about this SDA / McDonald’s action, the government joining. An interesting decision given he used to be an organizer for them. As a former Attorney-General and IR minister, what’s your opinion of his intervention here? He also mentioned his intervening in a TWU dispute.
Senator Cash
Well look. What I hope it’s not, I really hope it’s not Andrew, is a dispute between two unions – an internal Labor Party matter. Because there’s two unions involved here – there’s the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union and the SDA…….
Andrew Clennell
Are the retail unions tied to the Shine Lawyers are they? All right, well you were in Laverton last week to see the effect of the no cashless debit card in that community. What did you see?
Senator Cash
That is exactly correct. So you’ve got two unions here who are both bringing the action. The first thing I’d say is this any dispute between an employer and employee as to entitlements – absolutely, the courts need to sort that out. An Attorney-General though, you would only normally ever intervene when there is an important point of law that needs to be decided. I’d like to know what the point of law is here and whether or not the courts have actually requested the intervention. But as I said, what I hope it’s not is an internal Labor dispute in relation to two unions – the RAFFU as it’s known (The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union,) and the SDA which Tony Burke was happy to admit is his former employer.
Well it’s actually worse than I could ever have imagined. To be shown a photograph of an Indigenous woman who had sustained a kicking for over an hour in the Shire car park because of the alcohol fueled violence was absolutely devastating. What more does the Albanese government need before it listens to the voices on the ground in Leonora and Laverton. To talk to the shop owners, to have them actually say to my face – we can tell you now that when the cashless debit card was in place, our meat sales and our vegetable sales went up. As soon as it was withdrawn and people transitioned off it. Absolutely the records show, meat and veggies not being sold but guess what is noodles and Coke. Go and talk to the publican or those associated with the publican. They’re very upfront, it’s a legal product they’re selling but guess what, they’ve now got cartons of spirits walking out the door. But what I found, I think most horrific is that people are now actively withdrawing directly from the ATM up to $2,000 in a hit, and they’re literally drinking it.
Andrew Clennell
So you just need the card. You said in your adjournment speech last night, people said the cashless card wasn’t perfect but it’s better than the situation?
Senator Cash
Wasn’t perfect, but it made a hell of a difference compared to where they are now after it’s been withdrawn.
Andrew Clennell
Alright, just finally I wanted to ask – you we’re an NSC when decisions were taken on the AUKUS agreement about to be announced early next week by Anthony Albanese. What do you make of this finally coming to fruition?
Senator Cash
Well, I have to say this is one of the great legacies of the former Morrison government. We had always as you know as a Coalition said the security of our nation and the security of our people, that is a fundamental responsibility of the Commonwealth Government. I really do commend both former Prime Minister Morrison and Defence Minister at the time, Peter Dutton on taking this step. This is an historic moment for Australia. It is an historic moment.
Andrew Clennell
But he doesn’t want the British subs first?
Senator Cash
Well no, Peter was making the comments though, based on all of the information that he had to hand as one of the key people involved in actually seeing AUKUS come to light. He’s also made it clear we’ll back the decision that the Albanese government makes but what we will also do is we will hold them to account in relation to this decision. Ensure that we have the submarines that we need, that are going to actually provide us with the best capability possible and that are delivered on time and within a budget. But again in relation to AUKUS, I was very proud to be part of the NSC and the cabinet that actually saw this historic agreement come to fruition.
Andrew Clennell
Michaelia Cash, thank you for your time this afternoon.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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