E&OE TRANSCRIPT
SUBJECTS: Melbourne Cup; interest rates; infrastructure projects; Israel-Hamas war; Daylesford tragedy
EMMA REBELLATO, HOST: So, we are here at Flemington, of course, for the big race and one person who will be attending is Bill Shorten, Government Minister. Thank you very much for joining us this morning.
BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Pleasure.
REBALLATO: What is it about Cup Day that you enjoy?
SHORTEN: I like seeing people come together and having a party. Flemington's is my racetrack. I used to be the union rep for jockeys and stable hands and gardeners here. So, I've been following it on off for 30 years. That sounds so long. So, I just like, how spring carnival, a lot of people dress up, they come out, they have fun, it's a really good celebration.
REBALLATO: So, the race that stops the nation is of course happening at 03:00 this afternoon. But something that a lot of Australians will be looking at is happening half an hour earlier and that will be interest rate rises. Where do you think this is going to land and how do you think Australians will cope with it?
SHORTEN: Well, the Reserve Bank's, independent of government, I hope it stays static, I'll be honest, but I know a lot of mortgage holders are doing it tough, but the bank will make its decision independently. For the Albanese Government we know that inflation and cost living issues, that's why we put in a whole heap of measures from childcare to parental leave to energy support. But people are doing it tough at the moment. I think it's hard out there, I really, really do.
REBALLATO: We know the IMF last week came out saying that governments, both national and state governments, really need to look at infrastructure spending to slow that down, to take the heat out of the economy. Is that something that your government is doing?
SHORTEN: We're reviewing all our infrastructure projects to make sure they're value for money, it is important that we keep building infrastructure because our roads and our energy grid, we need to keep updating them. We want to make sure they're value for money. So, the Minister, Catherine King's, looking at a number of the projects to just make sure they stack up. So, I think that's important. I think some of the challenge for the inflation market at the moment in Australia is that we've got the terrible things going on in the Middle East. Petrol prices are up, that is a spike and that's on top of Ukraine war and challenge around energy prices globally. So, it is tough and I know the government's doing everything it can to try and help with cost living without it, but make sure its spending policies aren't putting upward pressure on rates.
REBALLATO: I want to ask you about the Middle East in a moment, but something else that's happening in Victoria that's made the news that a lot of families are suffering is what happened in Daylesford on Sunday night. What's your reaction to that and what sort of support is being put to all those people?
SHORTEN: That was an unbelievable tragedy. Daylesford's such a beautiful part of the world. The idea that a family's enjoying their Sunday evening of a long weekend in a beautiful beer garden at a great pub in Daylesford and then all of a sudden six people are gone, I feel for the family. I also feel for the people who work at that pub, the people who run that pub and other people. That sort of stuff doesn't happen in Daylesford. The police will do their investigations, but I know there's a lot of support for the survivors and for the people who happen to see this dreadful incident.
REBALLATO: The Middle East, it's something that's grabbed a lot of attention and rightly so. With what's going on in Gaza at the moment, the Greens yesterday in the Senate staged a walkout in support of Palestinians. And I guess going against the Government's stance on this, what is your reaction to that?
SHORTEN: I don't think the Greens walking out helps a single soul anywhere. I think that is just political grandstanding. I don't know how that helps. No one thinks that helps. I think the Government's got the right line of link. We want to make sure that we're supporting humanitarian pause, we want to see relief get through to innocent Palestinian civilians. But with the Greens going back to that, they don't walk out over Hamas. So, I just think these guys are opportunists and I don't think it's worth me spending much more oxygen on them.
REBALLATO: Does the Government need to be a bit firmer in its it's saying it wants to ceasefire, but does it need to be firmer in its messaging to the Israeli government?
SHORTEN: No, I think we're getting our message right. The government I mean, this most recent shocking conflict is triggered by Hamas crossing the borders into Israel. I think the Government's made its position clear that Israel has a right to defend itself. We also want to make sure that to the extent that it's possible, that the rules of war are followed. And that means these civilians, these Palestinian civilians, are just not their fault. And it's just shameful. It's just what we're seeing is very difficult to watch.
REBALLATO: Minister well, we are here at Flemington for the big race, Melbourne Cup Day, just before we let you go, so you can go and enjoy yourself today. What's your tip for Melbourne Cup Day today? Who's your tip?
SHORTEN: My tips are normally still running. Free advice is worth what you pay for. But the Freedman, they've got a horse running ‘Without a Fight’. They're very skilled. Mark Zhara's riding it. That's horse three. And I think Chris Waller is a good trainer. I got to hear him speak yesterday, so you'd always look at whatever he's got in the field too. But, hey, it's fun day and I think at this time of the year, people just need to be able to have a bit of a laugh.
REBALLATO: Bill Shorten, thank you very much for joining us.
SHORTEN: My pleasure, thank you.