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LAURA JAYES: Trade Minister, Steve Ciobo. Steve Ciobo, thanks so muchfor your time. Just on this announcement today, were you surprised?
STEVEN CIOBO: Well, look. We've been seeing lots of media speculation forthe last couple of months about the timing. I think what matters most is what'sgoing to be in Australia's national interest. Certainly from the Government'sperspective, we think the time has well and truly come when it's time the Senateeither took the decision to move ahead with the agenda that's been laid outbefore it, the mandate that's been given by the Australian people to the CoalitionGovernment or face the decision of the voters. I think the whole reason we havea double disillusion option under the constitution is to overcome deadlocks. Wehave a deadlock with the Senate. The Labor Party, the Greens, the crossbenchdon't seem to care about the will of the Australian people, so this, frankly,is the best way to resolve it.
LAURA JAYES: It's a bit risky, though, isn't it? You've declared yourhand. We've got a 103-day campaign ahead. Labor know what's coming. So thereare risks here.
STEVEN CIOBO: There's no risk at all in going to election. I'm veryconfident that we have the support of the Australian people. I'm very confidentthat Australians are very frustrated at the obstructionism that we see from theSenate. I think Australians are frustrated that the Labor Party continues toplay all sorts of crazy games. We just saw last week where the Labor Party hadadopted one position in relation to, for example, Senate reform and it wentthrough the committee process. Gary Gray, himself, belled the cat, when GaryGray turned around and said that Labor's position made him sad. This is comingfrom a Labor frontbencher -
LAURA JAYES: You're saying this is not a game. This is not a strategy.This is a double dissolution, because you want to get the ABCC legislation, theregistered organisations bill through. You wouldn't rather go to a doubledissolution to sort out the Senate?
STEVEN CIOBO: What I'm saying is that if we need to, because the Senatecontinues to snub its nose-
LAURA JAYES: But wouldn't a DD be preferable, because you'd kill offtwo birds with one stone if you like?
STEVEN CIOBO: We will see. This is a decision for the Senate. They caneither respect the mandate the Coalition has. They can either accept the fact.These are the facts in relation to the Australian Building ConstructionCommission. We know that when the ABCC was last in operation, we saw a 20 percent increase in productivity in the construction sector-
LAURA JAYES: Sure, but there is not a blanket opposition from thecrossbench to this legislation. Many of the crossbenches have put forward quiteconstructive amendments. Why won't you consider things like a federal ICAC?
STEVEN CIOBO: Well, because we have already put forward, through the ABCC,a specific piece of legislation that goes to the very core of the problem.Laura, let's not lose sight of the fact that we just had a Royal Commissionrecently into the trade union movement. That Royal Commission found examples ofsystemic abuse, systemic corruption in the union movement. We know that thereare linkages between the trade union movement – hang on, let me answer yourquestion-
LAURA JAYES: But my point is, if you really want to see this restored,though, why wouldn't you consider the amendments? Why wouldn't you be a littlebit more pragmatic?
STEVEN CIOBO: Well because we have a mandate from the Australian people.The Australian people said to us at the last election that they recognise thatthe ABCC is good for Australia. It boosted productivity by 20 per cent in theconstruction industry. We are talking about a million people that are employedin this sector. We've seen industrial disputation increase by 34 per cent sincethe ABCC was abolished. The writing is plain as day. The writing is on thewall. The Coalition could not be more clear. We say to the Senate, we say tothe crossbench, 'Get on board with this. Enough of the delays. Enough of thereferrals to committees'. Five times it's gone to a committee. Let's just geton with the business of making decisions in Australia's national interest.
LAURA JAYES: Speaking of delays, is this really the most importantthing? What about your tax reform package? Are we going to see all of that inthe Budget? Are you going to use the Budget to actually produce some big bangtax reform, seek a mandate for something substantial?
STEVEN CIOBO: What we're going to continue to do is make decisions thatare in Australia's national interest in the same way that we have been doing.Let's not lose sight of the fact that in the last month, for example, it's beenthe Coalition Government that's delivered a $1.1 billion National Innovationand Science Agenda. We've delivered a $1.6 billion Defence White Paper -
LAURA JAYES: Sure, but these are already things that have been announced.Will you use these as an opportunity to seek a mandate for some of those morecontentious issues to look at the tax mix switch once again?
STEVEN CIOBO: Look, of course we are. What we'll also use it for is achance to seek a repudiation from the Australian people against Labor's kneejerk negative gearing policy, a policy which is going to drive down houseprices, a policy that has been incredibly poorly thought through, a policywhich will see the complete erosion of a fundamental tax principle that hasexisted in Australian tax law for years and years and years, and that is theabolition of negative gearing. Plus, Labor's going to increase capital gainstaxes by 50 per cent, so I think you also get clarity on that, as well.
LAURA JAYES: How do you sell the company tax cut whilst also removingthe deficit levy for higher income earners?
STEVEN CIOBO: Well you're the one saying that they'll be a company taxcut. No one has said that there will be or won't be-
LAURA JAYES: Are you ruling it out? Are you ruling it out?
STEVEN CIOBO: What we have said is that what we'll do with the tax isrelease the details in the Budget. We're going to take forward the Budget. Itwill be a blueprint for the Australian economy, the same as it is every yearand Australians will be able to see in the Budget very clearly what the Coalitionplans to make sure our nation stays strong and to make sure we drive jobs andgrowth into the future.
LAURA JAYES: What should the role for the former Prime Minister TonyAbbott be in this election campaign?
STEVEN CIOBO: Look, that's ultimately a decision for Tony Abbott. TonyAbbott is the former Prime Minister -
LAURA JAYES: Isn't it a decision for Malcolm Turnbull?
STEVEN CIOBO: Tony Abbott is a former Prime Minister. He's a man thatcarries a high degree of respect. When he speaks, people listen to what he hasto say. It's up to him in terms of the role that he wants to play.
LAURA JAYES: He took the lead, though, when he was Prime Minister, onthis ABCC legislation, so should he be the front man, if you like, for thatonce again?
STEVEN CIOBO: I think people expect the executive, that is the Prime Minister,the Treasurer and others, to take the lead in terms of the national debate andthat's precisely what we have been doing and will continue to do. Having in thestable, so to speak, people like Tony Abbott, I think is a credit, an extrashot in the arm for the Coalition, because it demonstrates that not only havewe got a breadth of talent, but we've got a depth of talent, as well.
LAURA JAYES: Yes, but will he be treated like just another backbencher,or will he be given an elevated role?
STEVEN CIOBO: I can't predict, ultimately, what role he'll play. As Isaid, that's a decision for Tony Abbott.
LAURA JAYES: But he has shown in recent weeks how effective he can beat campaigning. He was down in Tasmania at a Liberal Party meeting giving aspeech. I think even those within your party noted how effectively he can cutthrough and has a message. What role do you think he should have, once again?
STEVEN CIOBO: I think that every member of the Coalition has animportant role to play, both in terms of advocates for their localconstituency, but also because I think that they carry the unique insights andlived experience that they've had. In Tony Abbott's case, this is a man who wasthe former Prime Minister, who led the Coalition to victory at the lastelection, who has got a constructive role to play and wants to work as part ofthe team. I also think, though, that Australians want to know and in fact areresponding very warmly to Malcolm Turnbull's very clear vision for the futureof our nation, his inclusive approach to national politics, his bold plans forwhat our nation can look like into the future and his focus that he brings onour approach to innovation and the adoption of innovation as our economy transitionsaway from resources and energy towards a more innovative economy. Frankly, it'sa good problem to have, to have both people like Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbottand a full plethora of people that make up the Coalition. I think that we havea strong, united, focused team that are going to make decisions in Australia'snational interest.
LAURA JAYES: Trade Minister, thank you for your time.
STEVEN CIOBO: Pleasure.