Interview with Michael Rowland, News Breakfast, ABC
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Treasurer, good morning. So, you're in Winton, you're touring regional and country parts of Queensland selling the government's Employment White Paper. Practically what measures can the government do to boost employment in those rural and regional areas that desperately need it?
JIM CHALMERS:
Good morning, Michael from beautiful western Queensland. Our Employment White Paper recognises that regional Australia makes a huge contribution to our national economy, and so it needs to be front and centre in our economic plan, and it is in this Employment White Paper. The sorts of measures that we have included in there, making sure that we get the right training, the right people into the right parts of Australia so that they can grab the immense economic opportunities that exist in these parts of Australia. But also, more specifically when it comes to things like the Net Zero Authority, things like the National Reconstruction Fund, making sure that government is a very willing and enthusiastic partner investing in our regions because if we want our economy to be strong and dynamic and inclusive, regions need to be a bigger part of that story. And that's why I'm here.
ROWLAND:
Okay. At the same time, we have employer groups this morning continuing to criticise the government's workplace relations reforms arguing – some groups do – they overshadow some of the attempts this employment paper is trying to achieve in terms of getting more employment, what do you say to that criticism?
CHALMERS:
We don't pretend that we have an identical view to some of these peak employer organisations when it comes to our important industrial relations changes. But what the White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities does is it shows that really right across the breadth of our economic plan, there is more that we have in common with employers, but also with workers and their unions, there's more that we have in common than where we disagree – whether it's the skills agenda, whether it's encouraging people to work more if they want to do that, whether it's early childhood education, the whole productivity agenda. There's a lot of common ground here and actually if you look at what the peak business organisations have said about Working Future, about our white paper, they have been very positive about large swathes of it. We understand there is not unanimity about all of the industrial relations changes. We understand that, we respect that, we take these views on board but we are working very closely with the employers and with the workers to make sure that we can prosper together. We do that by making it easier for workers to grab great opportunities and we're making it easier for employers to find great workers, and if we do that in every part of Australia, not just our cities and suburbs, but our regions as well, including in beautiful Outback Queensland, if we do that, then we can prosper together.
ROWLAND:
You are in Winton, which as we mentioned is the birthplace of Qantas. Do you reckon the Qantas founders, Treasurer, will be rolling in their grave at the moment given what's going on at that airline?
CHALMERS:
I think everybody recognises that Qantas has got a big job to do to regain trust and credibility amongst its customers and amongst the country more broadly. This parliamentary inquiry is an modern way to make sure that the leaders of Qantas are accountable, that they do have to explain what has happened here. And I think the new CEO, Vanessa Hudson, has made it really clear that she understands that Qantas has a lot of work to do. And I think it's important that should be their number one focus, to try and regain that trust and credibility.
ROWLAND:
Do you agree with the Cabinet colleague, Bill Shorten, that Qantas Chairman Richard Goyder should also go.
CHALMERS:
What I've tried to do, Michael, when it comes to these decisions about chairs and boards is to recognise that that is ultimately a decision for the Qantas board. Our job is to make sure that we get the broader settings right in the economy. I think whether it's Richard Goyder, Vanessa Hudson, really anyone associated with that company, which has had a proud history in this country, I think everybody associated with that company has a big job to do to regain trust and regain credibility, and that should be the focus.
ROWLAND:
Finally, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews ceases to be premier at five o'clock this afternoon. What in your view is his legacy?
CHALMERS:
It's an immense legacy, really quite a remarkable contribution to that great state of Victoria, remarkable in its longevity, remarkable in its impact. And I think really almost a decade now, giving absolutely everything to running that state. I think he will go down in history as one of the most consequential premiers since Federation, and after all of that time, and after all of that total commitment, he's earned the right to spend time with that wonderful family of his and I wish him well.
ROWLAND:
Treasurer Jim Chalmers in Winton, thank you for joining us this morning.
