Interview on the Today Show with Deborah Knight

EO&E…………………………………………………………

DEB KNIGHT, THE TODAY SHOW:

And Easter cease fires in campaigning, with Labor today promising big spending, to end violence against women. Joining me now is Labor’s Anthony Albanese from Melbourne, and the Coalition’s Simon Birmingham is in Canberra for us this morning.

Good Morning to you both.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, MEMBER FOR GRAYNDLER:

Good Morning Deb.

DEB KNIGHT:

Albo, we will go to you first. The number of women and children being killed we know is a national disgrace. Doubling federal spending is a big commitment. But isn’t the bigger issue changing the culture of violence against women in Australia?

ALBANESE:

It is Deb, but you need to do both. You need to provide support for women and children fleeing domestic violence situations and we are doing just that. With support for emergency accommodation, with support for refuges, but also were providing advice, in terms of financial advice, legal advice and as well we are providing support for education campaigns, including promoting respect through age appropriate programs in schools. We need to really tackle this scourge.

One woman dies every week in Australia, at the hands of a partner or a former partner. It’s a disgrace and government has got to show leadership on these issues.

DEB KNIGHT:

So Simon, will we see more from the Government, will you match Labor’s announcement?

SENATOR SIMON BIRMINGHAM:

Well Deb, just in the Budget handed down a few weeks ago, were we announced a new $328 million investment in support for domestic violence services that provide assistance in legal support, in housing support but also critically go to change those cultural  aspects that you spoke about. And that’s so essential right across all aspects of our education system, of our cultural debate.

We have also worked really hard as a Government and our plans are focused on how we continue to drive economic empowerment of women as part of the 1.3 million jobs that we have created across Australia. We have got women’s workforce participation at the highest level ever. We have got the gender pay gap at the –

DEB KNIGHT:

But Labor is doubling federal spending here with this announcement, will you do more?

BIRMINGHAM:

Deb, we are not going to go through with this election campaign and match every time Bill Shorten says he is going to spend hundreds and millions of dollars – more double spending –  because that’s the reason Bill Shorten is also applying $387 billion of extra taxes on Australian’s.

DEB KNIGHT:

Ok.

BIRMINGHAM:

He will always spend more, but we have already taken leading steps in this space, a comprehensive package announced in the Budget already. In many ways this is a catch-up measure from the Labor Party, given those Budget leadership styles that we showed.

DEB KNIGHT:

Ok, now. The latest polls show that Clive Palmer is very much on track to be king maker in this election. The former Liberal Premier, Colin Barnett, has come out today warning any deal done with Clive Palmer will damage our relations with China and risk voter backlash.  

Simon, why would the Government want to risk doing a deal with someone like Clive Palmer?

BIRMINGHAM:

Well Deb. We have a compulsory preferential voting system in Australia, so everybody has to allocate preferences. So we are urging, and will urge, until 6pm on election day, for people to vote 1 for the Liberal and National Parties. That is our plain simple message and they should do that –

DEB KNIGHT:

So you are not going to do a deal with Clive Palmer?

BIRMINGHAM:

We have to recommend on how to vote cards where preferences go, just as the Labor Party does. The Labor Party has probably done a deal with the Greens. Who knows where they will put Clive Palmer on their how to vote cards.

DEB KNIGHT:

Let’s go to Albo for that. Would you risk doing a deal with someone like Clive Palmer? We know that Albo, Labor has been in talks with him too. He is mercurial at best, we know that and he hasn’t paid his workers his entitlements. Why are either party talking to him in this?

ALBANESE:

Deb, Deb. We are not talking to him.

DEB KNIGHT:

Labor has been talking to him.

BIRMINGHAM:

You have been.

ALBANESE:

We are not talking to Clive Palmer.

BIRMINGHAM:

Labor Senator Anthony Chisholm. The CFMMEU.

ALBANESE:

Not once. Not once. Not once have we been talking to Clive Palmer about preferences because we understand it’s a recipe for chaos.

BIRMINGHAM:

That’s not true Albo.

ALBANESE:

A recipe for chaos. That’s why we are putting One Nation and Clive Palmer, we are not in negotiations with them. We know what happened last time Clive Palmer was in Parliament. There was absolute chaos, people were swapping parties. Clive Palmer was falling asleep during Question Time. This is a recipe for chaos.

BIRMINGHAM:

So Albo, one question –

ALBANESE:

The Coalition should listen to Colin Barnett and not do deals with Clive Palmer or with One Nation.

BIRMINGHAM:

So Albo will the Labor Party be preferencing the Liberal Party ahead of Clive Palmer?

ALBANESE:

Well the fact is, we are not negotiating with Clive Palmer, or with One Nation, or with –

BIRMINGHAM:

If you don’t it’s meaningless Albo. It’s meaningless talk from you. Have you got a deal with The Greens?

ALBANESE:

No, no, no we’re not.

BIRMINGHAM: Have you done a deal with The Greens again?

ALBANESE:

What you are doing is providing a recipe for chaos with electing these people into Parliament, who swap parties –

DEB KNIGHT:

We will see what voters have to say in three weeks’ time.

ALBANESE:

More chaos.

BIRMINGHAM:

No doubt there’s deals with the Greens again from the Labor. The Greens who vote against national security legislation, who vote for higher taxes every time, that’s who Labor is happy to cuddle up to.

ALBANESE:

Well, Clive Palmer and One Nation. If you’re comfortable with that Simon, than good on you. I know Simon Birmingham will be –

BIRMINGHAM:

One Nation will be at the bottom of our how to vote cards in the Liberal Party, the PM has already said that. Hello Deb. Sorry.

ALBANESE:

You’ve got this, you’ve got this One Nation extremist in the Hunter, who is going to get National Party preferences ahead of Joel Fitzgibbon. It’s already been announced. And in Queensland you are playing footsies with One Nation.

DEB KNIGHT:

All right, let me interrupt you there, fellas.

BIRMINGHAM:

The PM is being crystal clear that One Nation will be below the Labor party on how to vote cards.

DEB KNIGHT:

Simon, Albo. We know the PM has tried to represent himself as a real man of the people, but and I wanted to end on this. The PM disappointed the crowd yesterday, when refused to skol his beer in a Townsville pub. Simon, if it’s good enough for Bob Hawke, surely it’s good enough for ScoMo?

BIRMINGHAM:

Well, we have come a long way in 30-40 years. You were just talking before Deb, about the type of culture that we promote in Australia and the type of messaging and the PM obviously wanting to show you can have a beer, but you can do it responsibly too.

DEB KNIGHT:

So, Albo, is it a bad look. We know you are no stranger to a skol. You put away a tinny in pretty swift time in 2015, in front of a crowd. I think we have the pictures of that as well.

There you go. Bad look Albo?

ALBANESE:  

Well, that’s in a footy dressing room, down here in Melbourne for the Rock Dogs for the community cup. That’s coming up as well. We’ve got a function. It’s a charity actually, that looks after people. So if I could do that for charity that’s a good thing.

DEB KNIGHT:

I think I need a beer after our session this morning. Good on you fellas. Thank you so much for joining us.

ALBANESE: 

At least Scott Morrison didn’t have a light beer chandy, which is what Tony Abbott had on the campaign trail. Now, that was a shocker.

DEB KNIGHT:

There is that, followed by an onion tracer. Alright fellas, thank you so much for joining us this morning we will leave you to it.

BIRMINGHAM:

Thanks, Deb.

ALBANESE: 

Thanks, Deb.

[ends]

Media Contact: Coalition Campaign Headquarters: T: (07) 3557 7533 / E: media@cchq.org.au