E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Senator Fatima Payman, housing, election speculation
KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and National Senator Bridget McKenzie. I look forward to this every week. Amanda, you are first up. Intimidation, is that how Labor does things?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Look, I obviously understand that Senator Payman has made a choice and obviously she's broken the rules and as a result she's been suspended from participating in the Labor Party meetings. The offer is always there, if she would like to be part of that again, then she will have to abide by the rules.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Who's rattling her cage?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I'm only aware of people that have reached out to her and encouraged her, but it's ultimately been her choice. It's been her choice about what she does and ultimately, when you're in the Labor Party, you have to abide by the Labor Party rules. We work together and that is exactly what we do as a party and Senator Payman decided not to participate in that.
KARL STEFANOVIC: So you're denying there's any intimidation?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, I am not aware of any intimidation. Obviously, this has been a very difficult time for her, but I am only aware of people that have reached out to her.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Ok, Bridget, if Fatima was a member of the Coalition, I mean you'd have given her a cuddle and said everything would be all right, wouldn't you, that’s the way the Coalition deals with these things?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Well I'm finding Amanda's answers quite problematic. In the Coalition, obviously, we don't expect MPs to disregard their conscience. They have a free vote, each and every vote, and is Amanda seriously arguing that Senator Payman is the only person with a conscience in the Federal Labor Party? I think what we've seen from the Prime Minister…
AMANDA RISHWORTH: [interrupts] Sorry I did not say that Bridget…
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: …he's distracted. He's weak and distracted and if he had acted on this when it occurred, it's a bit like permissive parenting, he wouldn't be in the problem he is now. The fact remains that Senator Payman was actually voting in accordance to the Labor Party Conference Platform. And the problem is that Caucus isn't and they're going to be under pressure, not only in the Senate now that they've lost a vote, but they're going to be under pressure in Western Sydney seats as Islamic Teals come after Labor.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay. Amanda, it's a fair point. I mean, she's giving you a massive up yours. You don't have the stomach for expelling her given the message that would send to some of those electorates.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Let's be very clear. Senator Payman has been suspended from the Labor Party. She's not participating in the Caucus processes or the other processes until she's willing to abide by the Labor Party rules. The Prime Minister has been very clear about that and the Party has been very clear about that. But to somehow suggest, Bridget, that you all in the Liberal Party are voting with your conscience is just absolutely not true. And I think, really your assertions around the Prime Minister are just absolutely wrong.
KARL STEFANOVIC: The Coalition is all about solidarity though Bridget, right?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Well, it's not one of our principles. It's a Labor Party principle, like we are freedom, they are solidarity, it's a fundamental difference.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: How many times have you crossed the floor Bridget? How many times have you crossed the floor?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: A couple.
KARL STEFANOVIC: All right, let's leave that one there. Amanda, I know you've been busy, you and Richard Marles getting out the tool belts on the weekends to build all those new homes you promised. It's one every two minutes now. That's impossible, right?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Better get a move on, Amanda.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, you know, I love how Bridget is laughing at this. This is absolutely because of policy disarray by the former Government. The former Government had no plan to build houses. We have a plan. 1.2 million houses. Now, they could help us, instead of just being a policy desert when they were last in government, they're actually voting against important housing policy in the Senate. They're actually voting against build-to-rent policy that would help build more affordable rentals.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Bridget?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: So we've got a plan here. Bridget should probably just get on board.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Bridget at least they're building something. I mean, you haven't got your plans before council yet.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: That's the issue, Karl. They're actually not building anything. We've got 163,000 new builds, that's the lowest you know, new starts in 11 years. We've brought in over half a million new arrivals to this country in 2023 under Labor and they did not prioritise the skilled trades to actually help us get the housing built for these people.
KARL STEFANOVIC: All right, I need to get to this one last. Finally, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is reportedly implementing a quiet shift in budget strategy, freeing up funds for other priorities, such as cost of living assistance. Amanda basically, that's political speak for getting the war chest ready for an early election. When are you pushing the trigger?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I would not like to speculate on an election…
KARL STEFANOVIC: Come on, Amanda, it's only you and I talking…
AMANDA RISHWORTH: …that’s well above my pay grade. Well above my pay grade, but look, obviously there will be an election. It's no secret there will be an election next year, probably in the first half of the year. And, of course, we are, like any government, focusing on our priorities making sure that we are ready for what comes next and what our vision is for a second term. That is our priority.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Ok Bridget. Why wouldn't they go early? You guys aren't ready for it yet.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Well, I think the Australian people are wanting to head to the ballot box. They're sick of a government who's causing inflation, putting pressure on rental prices and keeping mortgages high, higher than they need to be, thanks to their fiscal policy. I think what you're seeing with the PM office having to sign off on every piece of spending, it is a bit like the dictatorship that Dan Andrews used to run in Victoria and he doesn't trust his Ministers.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Bridget, Scott Morrison had five portfolios. Scott Morrison had five portfolios secretly sworn in!
KARL STEFANOVIC: You two are electric. Love having you on. We'll see you next week.