JIM CHALMERS MP
SHADOW TREASURER
MEMBER FOR RANKIN
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC BRISBANE DRIVE
MONDAY, 3 MAY 2021
SUBJECTS: Morrison Government threatening to jail and fine citizens returning home from India; Brisbane Labour Day; Workers and the recovery; Deloitte Access Economics Budget Monitor; Childcare.
KATE O’TOOLE, HOST: From today, anyone who arrives in Australia within fourteen days of spending time in India faces the threat of fines or even prison. This move has been criticised by human rights groups. Some lawyers say it should be challenged in the courts, but the Prime Minister has defended the move and denied arguments that it is racist. Jim Chalmers is the federal Member for Rankin, and he joins us now. G'day, Jim.
JIM CHALMERS, SHADOW TREASURER: G'day, Kate. Nice to talk to you.
O’TOOLE: Happy Labour Day to you, we'll get to that in a moment though. Is the Indian travel ban a necessary part of protecting Australia from COVID-19?
CHALMERS: I think it's pretty drastic. And I can see why a lot of people are very anxious about it, particularly people who have been trying to get home for some time. We're talking, in lots of instances, about Australians of Indian descent. And so, given how distressing and concerning things are over there at the moment, you can see why people are so anxious. I also can understand why some people would think it's unAustralian, really, to have people trying to get home to safety and unable to do so. Obviously, we're always conscious of the health advice, we always try and be constructive, even where drastic measures need to be taken, but hopefully this pretty extraordinary step doesn't last too long.
O’TOOLE: So, you accept that this is happening off the back of health advice, and therefore, you know, you'd do the same thing?
CHALMERS: Well, I'm not sure about that. We don't have access to exactly the same health advice. I think the health advice is obviously that we need to do something relatively drastic, to make sure that what's happening in India doesn't happen here. But the Government did get sprung today, trying to pretend that the actual penalties for people coming home were somehow, you know, the consequences of health advice. Obviously that's not right, and the Chief Medical Officer said so. So, I guess the point we're making, we've always been trying to be really constructive about this, we do have a deep, continuous respect for the health advice, but it's a drastic measure. I think a lot of people would consider it unAustralian, so hopefully it doesn't last too long.
O’TOOLE: How long would you expect? I mean, in your mind? Initially, it's two weeks. Are you expecting things to shift at the end of that two weeks?
CHALMERS: Well, I think the Prime Minister indicated today on another programme that they would review it sooner, which seems to be a bit of a response to some genuine community angst about this. So, let's see what advice they get. Let's see where they end up with it. I guess the point that we're making is it's a very difficult situation in India. And for a lot of Australians of Indian descent, I think in Brisbane, in the next hour or so, there's a candlelight vigil in King George Square there, not far from where you're broadcasting. And I think a lot of people will be there to show their solidarity with the people of India. And I think in terms of Australians of Indian descent, I think we do owe it to them to make sure that if drastic steps like these are taken, they're properly explained by the Government. And also, that they don't exist for a moment longer than is necessary.
O’TOOLE: On ABC Radio Brisbane, you're hearing from Jim Chalmers, who is the federal Member for Rankin, and also Labor's Shadow Treasurer. So with the Budget, only, not very far away, that report from Deloitte Access Economics becomes pretty interesting reading, particularly when it says the forecast for revenue for this financial year is looking $21 billion better than projections. That's great news isn't it, Jim?
CHALMERS: Well, there's no doubt that the Budget is improving a bit off the back of the economy recovering from the worst recession we've had for almost 100 years. So a lot of that's welcome, but it's also entirely expected that the Budget will improve as the economy does. The main difference that we have with the Government about all of this, is that we think that the credit for that recovery in the economy belongs to the Australian people, who've done so much for each other to limit the spread of the virus. Deloitte Access Economics made that point today as well. They said, that's the main factor, along with some difficult decisions taken by States, and things like the really high prices we're getting for our commodities, especially iron ore. So there's a lot that is pleasing about how things are playing out, but there's still a lot that's concerning too. Almost two million Australians can't find a job or enough work. And so, for a lot of people, what looks like a recovery on paper still feels like a recession. They're still doing it tough. And we need to remember them as well.
O’TOOLE: Obviously, there'll be a lot more to discuss when the Budget is revealed, but an early announcement has been that investment in childcare, that the government's announced, $1.7 billion, they say, of additional money in that area. Do you welcome that announcement?
CHALMERS: Well, I think it's a missed opportunity, Kate. When you look at the detail of what they're proposing, it really does look like something to just try and get them through an election, rather than something to get Australian parents back to work, or working an extra day. It's very complex. It only applies to second and third kids and onwards. And it doesn't really do enough to tackle a problem that has been getting worse and worse for much of the last eight long years the coalition has been in Government.
O’TOOLE: And I know that some people will hear this and think about $1.7 billion going into childcare and say that, you know, have the mental responsible of, if you have children you should be able to afford the services that the children need, so what's the argument for greater support in this area?
CHALMERS: Well, I think anything we can do to take the pressure off working families is really important. And the beautiful thing about proper childcare reform, of the type proposed by Anthony Albanese and Amanda Rishworth in our team, is that you can take the pressure off Australian working parents at the same time as you're engaging in what is a genuine economic reform to strengthen the economy and get it growing, and make sure that people can participate in it productively. So, it ticks a lot of boxes, when you do it right. Our fear about what the Government's proposing, is that, you know, it's a bit of a sort of a political stop-gap. A bit of a missed opportunity. They could have done some real good here. Instead, they've done a bit of a half-hearted attempt. And the tragedy of that, which goes back to your question about the spending, is every single dollar is borrowed here. There's more than a trillion dollars of debt in the budget, so you want to make sure you get maximum bang for your buck. And I don't think the Government's doing that.
O’TOOLE: On ABC Radio Brisbane, you're hearing from Jim Chalmers, who is the federal Member for Rankin, on what is the Labour Day public holiday. What does that mean to you?
CHALMERS: Well, Kate, that means that for the first time in a long time I'm coming to you from a park. And you might be able to hear my youngsters raising hell in the background! But I've been at Labour Day for most of the day. I was at the march earlier on in in Brisbane, along with thousands of local workers and unions. Labour Day is always important, but I think it's especially important as we emerge from this pandemic, because Australian workers really do deserve the lion's share of the credit for what Australia's been able to achieve the last year or more. I think Australia's success is directly attributable to what people did for each other to limit the spread of the virus, and all the essential workers that kept the wheels of the place turning. So, it was a good opportunity to be there, and to thank them personally for what they've done.
O’TOOLE: The eight-hour day though, it's interesting to think about that now, and such a revolution at the time, but now with technology, it gets chipped away at don't you think? Like, is there any such thing as an eight-hour day now, when you take the office with you in your pocket wherever you go?
CHALMERS: Well, probably not, but I think there has actually been some really welcome recognition in the last few weeks actually, I've been reading a bit about people understanding and realising that when people are contactable all the time, not just by phone but by email and the like, then it's much harder when people are at home, so we need to be respectful of that. I think everyone, every employer, can probably do a better job of recognising those boundaries.
O’TOOLE: And I guess as a politician who's working on a long weekend anyway you'd expect…
(CHILD CRYING)
O’TOOLE: Oh! It sounds like you've got a child you need to take care of! What happened? Is it OK?
CHALMERS: Yep, she's good.
(CHILD CRYING)
O’TOOLE: Oh, who are we hearing from right now, Jim?
CHALMERS: That's little Annabel. She's OK. Her brother's going to look after her.
O’TOOLE: It's alright Jim, you can go and look after Annabel, that's okay. We'll catch up with you again another time. There's always another opportunity.
CHALMERS: Thanks for that. Sorry about that, Kate.
O’TOOLE: Not at all! And I sort of wish that I was in the park too, it sounds lovely out there!
(LAUGHTER)
O’TOOLE: Give Annabel our best, thank you.
CHALMERS: I will, thanks.
O’TOOLE: On ABC Radio Brisbane, Jim Chalmers, Member from Rankin, Opposition Treasurer, and also playground supervisor, and scooper-upper of Annabel, as well, from the playground today.
ENDS
