Joint press conference, Mabel Park State High School, Queensland

 

JIM CHALMERS, TREASURER:

I want to pay tribute to the Palaszczuk Labor Government, and I wanted to thank, in particular, Grace Grace, and Shannon Fentiman and Cameron Dick, for this really quite remarkable investment in our local community. Our whole local community appreciates the investment from the state Labor government in our area, and what it means for the future of our young people in particular. Logan kids do deserve the best and today they get it. This is all about teaching and training our young people for the jobs and opportunities of the future. And the Albanese Labor Government wants to work with the Palaszczuk Labor Government, and with local communities like ours, to make sure that our young people in particular, get the investment that they need and deserve, when it comes to ensuring that they can have a bright future. We want more opportunities for more people in more parts of Australia, and investments like this from the state government today are an important part of the story.

Today, there's an investment in Mabel Park which is crucial. Later today, I will be joining Minister de Brenni, turning a sod on the Rochedale park 'n' ride, another crucial investment, and also towards the completion of the Priestdale- Rochedale Road intersection as well. This is a demonstration that governments in Canberra and in Brisbane can work closely together, to make sure that local communities get the investment that they need and deserve.

What we need to do in this country right now is to bring people together around our big economic challenges, in particular. We welcome national unemployment at three and a half per cent. But that brings with it opportunities, to make sure that more people in communities like ours can actually access those opportunities and access those jobs. So our government, the state government, and the Jobs and Skills Summit in September is all about bringing people together under Anthony Albanese's leadership, to make sure that we're addressing these big challenges together. One of those challenges is making sure that we teach and train our young people for the jobs and opportunities of the future. And that's why today is so important. I think we're going to hear from the Principal and then over to you.

AIMEE ARGIRO, ACTING PRINCIPAL, MABEL STATE HIGH SCHOOL:

Thank you everyone for turning up today. It's fantastic to see our government representatives, local members and our community members. This building is really about inspiring our student's futures, and it brings all of those things together. It brings together the multicultural school that we are, the multi-faith prayer space, it's got STEM, it's got performing arts, and it's really inspiring our students to achieve. Thank you.

GRACE GRACE, QUEENSLAND EDUCATION MINISTER:

There's certainly a buzz in the air, there's no doubt. Thank you to Acting Principal Aimee Argiro for that, and I know Mick Hornby would love to be here, but he's teaching and Principal at the moment at Indooroopilly State High. But I know him and his team did a great job working with Aimee to deliver this great building. So thank you to Michael Hornby as well, and we're happy to take questions - all of us.

JOURNALIST:

Minister, the chaos around Parliament yesterday - the Opposition repeatedly sort of stood up and claimed the Premier's comments in the morning were sexist. Does a late night rendezvous suggests any kind of impropriety? What do you make of those comments?

GRACE:

Look, I think the Opposition has form in misrepresenting the truth. You only have to look at the laptop fiasco and you only have to look at the state archivist spin that they put on that. I was there yesterday, and the Premier withdrew, and she has stated that it's a misrepresentation of her intention, and I back her 100 per cent.

JOURNALIST:

Should she apologise?

GRACE:

She has withdrawn, that's the appropriate thing is that she has withdrawn. She has claimed that it's a misrepresentation, I back her 100 per cent. And can I add that the Leader of the Opposition hasn't apologised for misleading the people of Queensland, on the laptop fiasco for months, weeks and days, and badgering the Government in relation to those issues, which were completely baseless and found to be a complete and utter fabrication of the truth. They've got form in this area. I was there yesterday, and I stand by the Premier's comments.

JOURNALIST:

Some of the women in the photos felt quite offended by the comments, do you think she should apologise to them?

GRACE:

Look, the Premier has made a statement in relation to misrepresentation of her intention. My understanding is it was in relation to the Speaker and the use of the House. She has withdrawn and she's made a statement, and I back her 100 per cent. Once again the LNP misrepresenting the truth, trying to beat something up that is totally baseless.

JOURNALIST:

Treasurer, can I ask you quickly on coal, the ongoing disagreement I guess, with the Queensland Resources Council. Does this ongoing war hurt the Palaszczuk Government's standing in regional Queensland? They claim you're not backing regional Queensland with this royalty hike?

CAMERON DICK, QUEENSLAND TREASURER:

No, that's not correct.

JOURNALIST:

How long do you expect this war with the Queensland Resources Council to continue? Will there be any kind of meeting or olive branch that you'll put out to them?

DICK:

There isn't a war. We have a coal royalty regime that will deliver for the people of our state.

JOURNALIST:

Treasurer, you were sitting next to the Premier yesterday, did you believe the comments were sexist?

DICK:

No, I stand by the Premier's comments and I think Minister Grace said very clearly, she said that this morning and I support her comments.

JOURNALIST:

In hindsight, late night rendezvous... would that be an appropriate term to you?

DICK:

No, I don't have anything further to add to what the Premier has said. She's been very clear, and so has Minister Grace.

JOURNALIST:

Thank you, Treasurer, just on the Grand Final discreetly. What was your reaction to Queensland being snubbed?

DICK:

Well, the NRL has missed the opportunity to deliver the Grand Final in the best rugby league state in the country. And we did a great job last year, our people embraced that opportunity. But I understand the decision the NRL has made. We love rugby league, it's the greatest game of all. Our Government has supported that sport. We've brought Origin to Townsville, we bought the Grand Final here. We kept rugby league going during the pandemic. That was the gift the Queensland gave to rugby league and the nation. When our world was falling apart, we kept rugby league going. But look, we just hope that there's two Queensland teams in the Grand Final and wherever that's held, we'd like to see a Queensland team win the Premiership.

JOURNALIST:

Well, further to that, we've seemingly wanted to pay more, wanted it more, and then we were snubbed. What does that say about how the NRL views Queensland?

DICK:

We've got a very positive relationship with the NRL, we've got two very fine Queenslanders on the NRL Commission, Kate Jones and Peter Beattie, so our voice is heard on the NRL Commission. We work very closely with Peter V'Landys and Andrew Abdo, and we'll continue to do that and into the future.

JOURNALIST:

More diplomatic than your colleague second-class citizen Steven Miles. Describe to Queenslanders in terms of the look in [inaudible]

DICK:

The NRL is a national sport. We love it in Queensland, we're going to continue to support, particularly grassroots rugby league across the state, and continue to provide opportunities for Queenslanders, and also provide opportunities to the NRL.

JOURNALIST:

So we're not second class citizens, you believe?

DICK:

We're the best in the country in Queensland, and the NRL has missed an opportunity to host the Grand Final in the best state in the country, in the state that loves rugby league.

JOURNALIST:

Jim, can I ask you just quickly, is there any update on the 50/50 health funding that states have sought from the Federal Government?

CHALMERS:

We want to work with the states. We recognise that there's incredible pressure on state hospitals and on the health system nationally when it comes to dealing with COVID, but also all of the other usual pressures. And what Anthony Albanese has tried to do, what Cameron and I have tried to do at the treasurer's level, is to see where we can find common ground. We need to recognise that at the same time as the states have significant funding pressures, so does the Commonwealth Government - I think there is that recognition. We can't do everything that we would like to do, but working together is a pretty good start. We've had a decade now of needless division, and that's been costly for the Australian people. So bringing people together, whether it's a national cabinet, whether it's at the state or Commonwealth treasurers’ level, as Cameron and I have been doing, whether it's the Jobs and Skills Summit, we want to bring people together around these big challenges. We've got our fair share of economic challenges, and we've got our fair share of health challenges as well, and we give ourselves the best chance to rise to the occasion if we work together.

JOURNALIST:

The former Prime Minister spent a bit of time on Facebook yesterday, memes and comments and things like that. What do you think that says about the former Prime Minister's approach to this issue?

CHALMERS:

Scott Morrison thinks he's had the last laugh. Scott Morrison thinks he's had the last laugh, but the joke's on Peter Dutton. Peter Dutton has had two big failures of leadership in two weeks. First of all, on the Jobs Summit, failing to recognise this national moment to come together and collaborate, cooperate. And secondly, failing to condemn strongly enough his bizarre dictatorial behaviour that has been revealed this week from the former Prime Minister. So, Scott Morrison thinks he's had the last laugh, but this is no laughing matter. We are talking here about the dictatorial, if not maniacal behaviour, from the former Prime Minister. Peter Dutton had an opportunity to condemn it strongly and didn't take it, so he's failed at his first two tasks of leadership. And anyone who thinks that Peter Dutton would be less dictatorial then Scott Morrison, has got rocks in their head. If Australians are worried about this dictatorial behaviour that we've seen from Scott Morrison, they should be aware that Peter Dutton, given the opportunity, would be just as bad if not worse.

JOURNALIST:

Sorry to take you off topic again, as a rugby league fan, surely you were a bit disappointed with that decision yesterday?

CHALMERS:

As a Queenslander, of course. I thought we did an amazing job hosting the Grand Final. And like Cameron, and like the other ministers here, like every Queenslander, you want to see more rugby league played here. So it was a good opportunity, I think, to play another grand final in the best rugby league stadium in the country. I think this needs to be settled going forward. And I think the best way to settle this, is whoever wins the Origin in the middle of year, should get to host the GF later in the year. And then we can get away from this kind of circular annual conversation about who hosts it, and we can play off to the Grand Final in the middle of the year. That means we would host it this year, that means we would host it most years, and that would settle it going forward. But as Cameron said more seriously, we've got a great relationship with all levels of government with the NRL - very well run, very well advised. It is a tremendous sport. A lot of kids here are into it, girls and boys. And so we want to see it played at the highest level, we want to see it played in the best stadiums, but we understand and recognise that the NRL has got a lot of competing pressures to weigh up, and that's what they've done.

JOURNALIST:

As the local member, we had a crash on the Logan motorway last night. Some people got stuck there for about 7 hours. Have you been briefed on the matter? Do you have any details around what happened and maybe why people were stuck there for so long?

SHANNON FENTIMAN, QUEENSLAND ATTORNEY-GENERAL:

We haven't been briefed but of course, I could put a call into the Minister and expect to be briefed today. And of course, whenever anything like that happens, it's incredibly concerning but we have record investment going into the area. I'll find out more about that.

JOURNALIST:

Attorney-General, did you tell the Premier about Jackie Trad's indemnity application before you granted special appointment?

FENTIMAN:

We've talked about this at length. Everything to do with that indemnity application was in accordance with the guidelines and we take advice from the independent crowns.

JOURNALIST:

What's keeping you from telling Queenslanders the costs of Jackie Trad's?

FENTIMAN:

We have said once the costs are finalised, so once the matter is finalised before the court and costs are determined, and there's a cost assessment, then costs will be released.

JOURNALIST:

Is the decision to keep the costs hidden based on the advice [inaudible]

FENTIMAN:

We're not keeping costs hidden, we'll release the cos ts once the matter is finalised, because costs can't be determined until the matter is finalised before the court. The matter is ongoing.

JOURNALIST:

There are calls to reform poker machines in Queensland after a record amount, $301 million, was spent in July - that's huge. What's your response?

FENTIMAN:

We take gambling harm minimisation very seriously. We know that gambling is incredibly complex and it has terrible effects not just for the individual, but for their family as well. Last year, we released our new gambling harm minimisation plan, this budget has a record $7 million invested in gambling harmonisation. Of course, there is always more to do. But we also have a bit before the Parliament which also strengthens the ability for the Commissioner of Gaming to attach gambling harm minimisation initiatives to gambling licenses, so we are doing what we can.

JOURNALIST:

Seven million for harm minimisation though, when 300 million is getting fed through these in one month - that's surely just a provocation.

FENTIMAN:

Well, of course that's just on the strategy, there are many other programs that the Government runs to support people with problem gambling, including financial counselling and counselling. So, that's just the money for the gambling minimisation initiatives, including the new gambling survey. It will be the first household survey since 2017. So we can get a very good picture of how this is playing out in our families and our communities, so that we can make better decisions to make sure we're doing everything we can to tackle it.

JOURNALIST:

Certainly you recognise, this must be a damaging issue.

FENTIMAN:

We know that gambling is complex. We know that problem gambling has many impacts on families, which is why we've worked with the community on our new strategy and will continue to make sure that we're doing everything we can to support them.

DICK:

Just before we close, I just wanted to also acknowledge Professor Megan Davis is a very fine Queenslander on the Commission, she has just crossed my mind. So we've got three Queenslanders fighting for us, and we know that makes a majority on any body.