E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW
CAIRNS
FRIDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2020

SUBJECTS: Impacts of Coronavirus; tourism and regional economies; climate change.

NITA GREEN, SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND: Hi my name is Nita Green and I'm a Labor Senator for Queensland based right here in Cairns. Today I'm really lucky to have our Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers here in Cairns to speak directly to businesses and tourism operators who are feeling the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak. A week ago I stood right here in Cairns and called for the Prime Minister to come to Cairns to listen to people directly and to step up the Federal Government's response to give businesses the certainty and the confidence that they need during this difficult time. We know that since then the travel ban has been increased for another two weeks and that just creates more uncertainty for businesses here in Cairns and across the Far North Queensland region. As I've said before Labor has approached the necessary bans in a bipartisan way because they are based on medical advice. We understand that these are necessary measures that need to be taken but we also want to see the Federal Government give confidence and certainty to businesses that are considering whether to lay people off. There are people in Cairns who are losing their jobs right now. There are people who don't know whether they will be able to pay their rates bill, rent bill, or insurance bill now and into the foreseeable future.

I'm really glad that we have got Jim here today because he is the person in the Labor team who I've been talking to about this issue for many weeks. I've been raising this issue with him and with Anthony Albanese. They are very aware that people in regional Queensland do not feel like the Federal Government has a plan or has their back at this really difficult time. We know that this is a Prime Minister who doesn't show up when people need him. We know that this is a Prime Minister who fails to show leadership in times of crisis in our country. I am again calling on the Federal Government to step up its response, to come here and talk to people directly and I'm really grateful that Jim has done that today. Thank you.

JIM CHALMERS, SHADOW TREASURER: Thanks very much, Nita. Nita Green is an amazing advocate for the businesses and workers of Far North Queensland and Queensland more broadly as well.

[BREAK FOR HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD]

We are here to meet with tourism operators who are doing it tough at the moment because of the impact of Coronavirus and the implications of the travel ban which has just been extended again. We've been speaking to the Chamber of Commerce and we'll be speaking to a number of business groups and tourism operators about what the Federal Government needs to do to support businesses here that are doing it tough. This is one of the world's great tourism destinations but it is going through a rough period because of Coronavirus and the travel ban. Something like every fourth tourist here in this part of the world comes from China. The travel ban has had implications here, tens of thousands of cancellations and all of the issues which flow from that for tourism. The retail and education sectors are doing it tough as well. The economy is doing it tough and we need the Federal Government to come to the table and support the businesses and the workers of Far North Queensland. We've got the local council coming to the table and doing the right thing, the State Governments has certainly come to the table and done the right thing. All of the business organisations are working together in a very cohesive and effective manner. It's not good enough that Prime Minister Scott Morrison is missing in action when it comes to businesses here in Cairns and the impact of the Coronavirus.

I wrote to Josh Frydenberg, the Treasurer, on behalf of businesses here at the urging of Nita Green and other colleagues. I said to the Treasurer, please tell us what advice and what support you will be providing the businesses of Cairns and the broader community so that they can not just survive what's going on at the moment, but succeed in an otherwise very difficult environment. It was disappointing but not especially surprising to get back from the Treasurer the usual rant about the impacts of Coronavirus but very little in the way of constructive contributions so that businesses here can plan and get the support that they need and deserve. We'll be talking with businesses about that today. It's not good enough that we've got the council, business groups, and the State Government all doing the right thing but a Prime Minister who is missing in action at a difficult time for Cairns and Far North Queensland.

Before I take your questions I want to say a couple of things about Anthony Albanese's announcement today that Labor will have a target of net zero emissions by 2050. This is going to be good for the economy, good for jobs and good for the environment. A region like this understands better than most the costs of doing nothing on climate change. They understand the opportunities of doing something meaningful when it comes to investing in renewable energy. Everybody knows how much tourism relies on the reef and that's one obvious reason why we need to do something about climate change. It's also about cheaper and cleaner energy for local families and local businesses. It's about more jobs and higher wages. If you read the CSIRO report, and the reports out of Melbourne University and respected global institutions, all of them say the same thing which is that there are substantial costs associated with doing nothing on climate change and there's a lot to be gained here in this part of Australia, and for Australia more broadly, if we take climate change seriously, set this target and we work towards it so that we can have cheaper energy and lower emissions for families and businesses.

The LNP approach is a recipe for higher emissions, higher energy prices, lower wages, less economic growth, less jobs and all of those associated problems. We call on Warren Entsch to stand up to the climate sceptics in his partyroom in Canberra and get on board. Australia needs to do something meaningful on climate change on behalf of this region and all the Australians and businesses around the country that need and deserve lower energy prices and cheaper and cleaner energy.

Over to you.

JOURNALIST: I guess you're saying that they're missing in action. What do you suggest they do to support regions like Far North Queensland?

CHALMERS: If you listen to the business groups who are united on their calls for action they are getting good outcomes out of the council and the State Government, but their asks of the Federal Government are largely being ignored at least so far. More needs to be done when it comes to the Federal Government promoting tourism into areas like Cairns and the surrounding region. At the very least they should come up with a plan for tourism and for operators who are being so badly affected by the Coronavirus. If they come up with some good ideas and put money behind it we will support it in a bipartisan way. But so far Morrison, Frydenberg, Entsch and others have all been missing in action when it comes to businesses doing it very tough in a very difficult period.

JOURNALIST: Jackie Trad said she'd be holding meetings with state counterparts on how to bring the Commonwealth to the table. Have you had any discussions with her about that moving forward?

CHALMERS: We've had discussions with the State Government and I want to commend Jackie, Kate Jones, Premier Palaszczuk and all of the Queensland Ministers and the local members here. They do understand just how difficult it is for businesses to deal with Coronavirus and the impacts of the travel ban and that's why they announced that package which included things like fee relief for businesses, advertising and other important steps. The State Government is doing what they can and I commend them for it. Council is doing what they can, businesses are doing what they can. The missing piece in this puzzle is the Federal Government under Scott Morrison who likes to talk about what a big deal Coronavirus is and make excuses about the impact on the economy that was already weak before the Coronavirus hit. He hasn't come to the table or to Cairns and said this is what we are going to do about it.

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible].

CHALMERS: I would sit down with the business groups, the State Government and the council and I would work out what kind of contribution the Feds could make. That's what we're doing today because what we want to do is say to the Federal Government, you have been missing in action to date and it's time for you to come to the table, here are some constructive ideas. They're not even listening to businesses. They talk about the impacts of Coronavirus but they do nothing to help businesses doing it tough. That's why we're here today, to listen to businesses, to take their ideas to the Federal Government and try to pressure them into some action.

JOURNALIST: Senator, would you like to see a member of the Federal Government's front bench or even the Prime Minister come to the Far North to do exactly what the opposition is doing?

GREEN: I don't think we've even seen the local member turn up to important events and important discussions. I think Warren Entsch has been missing in action. I do think that someone senior in the Government should get on a plane today and come here to talk to people about what the impact is going to be on jobs. We know that this is a Government that beats its chest about supporting regional jobs. Michael McCormack talks a lot about supporting regional jobs. He's done a lot to protect his own job lately. What he should do is come here and talk to people about how they are going to help protect jobs here in regional Queensland.

JOURNALIST: I mean, how frustrating is it? From the State Government you've had the Tourism Minister and the Deputy Premier all here within weeks of this happening but you've heard nothing from the Federal Government?

GREEN: It's symptomatic of a Federal Government that doesn't have a plan for the economy generally. Jim has been talking about this a lot. It's symptomatic of a Government that isn't able to show compassion or care about what is going to happen to people on the ground. I think that they have displayed over the last couple of weeks an eagerness to talk about themselves, to talk about their own jobs and to fight amongst themselves about the leadership of this country. I don't understand why they don't feel like Cairns is a place that should be listened. Cairns is being left out and the Far North Queensland region deserves better. Warren Entsch should pick up the phone and bring the senior leadership team here to learn about the problems, to see how great Far North Queensland is and to encourage people to come. We know there are some issues and challenges that are being faced but we also want to inject confidence into the economy. We've got amazing hotels coming online next month. We've got the Great Barrier Reef which is an asset to everyone. There is no reason for people not to come here and so what I want to do is raise these issues but also encourage as many people to come and visit Far North Queensland. Book your holidays here now. The Federal Government should be asking people to do the same.

JOURNALIST: Warren Entsch said that they were talking about it last week when we chased him for comment. Is he yet to say anything to you then about what the plan is moving forward?

GREEN: I haven't had any discussions with Warren Entsch about this issue. He has not told me what those discussions are. I'm sure that there are conversations happening in the background. I know that they are being lobbied by various members of this community but to say nothing until now when this Coronavirus started weeks ago is not good enough.

JOURNALIST: Have you reached out to him at all?

GREEN: I don't need to reach out to Warren Entsch to know that he's not doing his job. He should be standing up with tourism operators and telling people what is going to happen and what they're going to do to match the amazing efforts of the State Government. I don't need to speak to Warren Entsch directly to know distinctly that he's not doing the job that he was elected to do.

JOURNALIST: I know that Michael Healy, the state member, has been talking to Warren Entsch about it. Why don't you feel as the Senator up here that you should also be talking to him and pushing him personally?

GREEN: I've been speaking to our senior leadership team and they've been speaking directly to the Government. Jim wrote a letter to the Treasurer directly and raised these issues. I've been giving speeches in Parliament about this. I've been talking to local tourism operators. I was at the meeting last week with tourism operators raising their concerns. I'm doing everything that I possibly can to raise this issue and put it on the agenda. It is up to Warren Entsch what he wants to do. If he wants to reach out to me I would welcome the conversation.

JOURNALIST: What sort of planning or feedback are you hoping to get from businesses, especially after yesterday talking about the national economy and saying that the economy can't grow if Queensland's economy isn't growing?

CHALMERS: Absolutely. We can't grow the national economy unless we grow the Queensland economy. We can't grow the Queensland economy unless we grow these regional economies. This part of Queensland is so heavily reliant on tourism, on retail, on hospitality, on accommodation, on education services. This is a very difficult time and we need to make sure that businesses are supported. That's the most immediate and most pressing priority. More broadly we need to do what we can to invest in infrastructure. We need to make sure that we're training are really good workforce. We need to make sure that businesses are getting the kind of tax incentives they need to invest in the future because if they do that then that means jobs and higher wagers for workers.

There are a whole range of things that the Government should be doing but are not doing. Since they won the election in May they've been on a victory lap. They haven't come up with a plan for the economy, for climate change, for the impacts of Coronavirus. Across the board that inaction from Morrison, Frydenberg and others is actually costing our local communities and our local economies. That inaction is a recipe for less jobs, for lower wages, for less economic growth, less prosperity. What we've been doing since the election is being as constructive as we can and saying the Government needs a plan for local economies. That's how we grow as a national economy in aggregate. They've been missing in action there just like they've been missing in action in Cairns.

ENDS