Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
TRANSCRIPT
Today Show with Karl Stefanovic and Chris O’Keefe
22 February 2024
Topics: Youth crime, wages
E&OE.
Karl Stefanovic
So joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash and 2GB’s Chris O’Keefe, both in the studio. Nice to see you. Chris, “you are going to die.” That is terrifying.
Chris O’Keefe
It’s appalling. And we get the situation where Queensland is not safe, south east Queensland is not safe. As someone who lived in south east Queensland for a few years, my wife’s from Queensland, I speak to people and friends of mine who live up there and this stuff is going on every second day. And we see it with this gentleman here having a knife held to his throat. At what point is the Queensland Government actually going to do something about it? You know, they’ve just turfed out the police commissioner Katarina Carroll, she’s clearly the fall guy here. When is the premier going to actually do something about it? Annastacia Palaszczuk sat on her hands, Stephen Miles just laughs his way through things, and this is the reality of people’s lives. And this is, you know, one of the most urbanised parts of Australia and we’re just allowing it to let this go on like this. It’s just unsolvable or something?
Karl Stefanovic
No it’s shocking, and Michaelia is your guy ready up there? Because he’s going to have to do something about it.
Senator Cash
Absolutely Karl, and I agree with Chris, the Queensland Government has given up. What is the one thing we all want to do each day? Get up in the morning and live our lives in peace. I mean to see what this family has gone through, this is one of the most serious and emotional issues in Queensland. You have a complete failure of leadership under the Labor government, but what is worse is you have a Premier who actually laughs at questions about youth crime. Enough is enough.
Karl Stefanovic
Alright, Australian workers have enjoyed an annual pay increase for the first time in almost three years boosted by public sector workers pay. Michaelia, the public service, they’re okay, what about everyone else?
Senator Cash
Well look, we always welcome a wage increase, but this is a drop in the ocean compared to what Australians are currently going through in relation to the cost of living crisis. I mean, I’m out there every day talking to people and I put this question to them: do you feel better off today than you did when Mr. Albanese was first elected? And they look at you stunned – absolutely not. What is worse though, is when you look at what the employers of Australia are saying. They are saying that the IR changes that the Albanese Government has legislated are going to kill them. You need to increase productivity in Australia to have sustainable wage increases. That’s not what you’re going to see under this government. And as I’ve said, always welcome a wage increase, but this a drop in the ocean compared to the pain that Australians are going through.
Karl Stefanovic
Productivity’s been on the slide for a little while. Chris, on the matter, what they say, what they do, what the tax cuts are that are coming, it’s a real battle royale.
Chris O’Keefe
It is a battle, but it’s better than nothing. And we got nothing under the Coalition for a very long time.
Senator Cash
That’s actually wrong. We had consistent real wage increases under the Coalition Government.
Chris O’Keefe
Yeah, but you didn’t have inflation going at 8%.
Senator Cash
We didn’t put in place policies that contributed to [INTERRUPTED]
Chris O’Keefe
Come on Senator, this is just a lie. So the UK, the United States, every OECD country, oh don’t worry about it, it’s our responsibility.
Senator Cash
No, not at all. But you look at the policies that this government has put in place and they are putting pressure on inflation, which then puts the Reserve Bank in a situation [INTERRUPTED]
Chris O’Keefe
The RBA absolutely disagrees with you. They said that there is nothing in the government’s policy agenda that is inflationary. It’s a worldwide issue.
Senator Cash
It is home grown inflation, I’m not denying that, and the Albanese Government, though, is exacerbating it with the policies they are putting in place, and in particular, the industrial relations policies, which is centralising the system, and you should decentralise and give power back to employers and employees.
Karl Stefanovic
I think we’ve got clarity on that issue.
Chris O’Keefe
One thing on productivity, every time we talk about productivity improvements, it generally means people lose their jobs. I’m talking about artificial intelligence, it’ll be great for employers. Artificial intelligence for productivity, that means people lose their jobs.
Senator Cash
I disagree. You work smarter, not harder, and that’s what technology enables you to do. You work smarter, not harder and you can actually also allow people more flexibility in the workplace, which is what employees today want.
Chris O’Keefe
And pay less wages… [UNINTELLIGIBLE]
Karl Stefanovic
As much as I love this tension between you two and sitting in the middle- [INTERRUPTED]
Senator Cash 05:18
First thing in the morning!
Karl Stefanovic
Finally, I want to take a live shot of Travis Kelce. I’ve got a plane tracker on him. Chris, you love this stuff. Right now flying over the Pacific Islands about an hour and a half away from touching down in the city just getting himself ready.
Chris O’Keefe
The replay of what? The Super Bowl or his Love Island appearances?
Karl Stefanovic
Could be. You know what? Some of those planes have illegal satellites, so he’s probably watching us right now. Michaelia, you must be a big fan of Tay Tay?
Senator Cash
Oh, look, all I can say is how fabulous that to celebrate the Super Bowl, he’s coming down here. I mean, come on down to Australia is what I say. We will turn it on for you.
Karl Stefanovic
She didn’t have a bar of WA though.
Senator Cash
Look, you know, 96,000 people every night, 10 out of 10 to her and she’s always welcome in the West, don’t you worry about that.
Karl Stefanovic 05:58
And you Chris?
Chris O’Keefe 05:59
I love Taylor, absolutely. I would just hate to be the person trying to get out of Sydney Olympic Park. It’ll take you half the day to get out of the place.
Karl Stefanovic
That’s me, and it’s Layla as well. Thanks guys, appreciate you being here.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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