Topics: US election; Cost of living; Greens popularity; Adam Bandt; Housing; Qantas; Flight upgrades.
KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Welcome back to the show. It's time to talk today's headlines with Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and National Senator Bridget McKenzie. Good morning ladies. Nice to see you this morning. Bridget, I’m loathe to get there… I won’t…. maybe I will [referring to the Senator’s outfit]. Anway. Amanda, I've just got back from the US and I reckon your Government does have a sticky problem. It's a brutally simple question that that might end up ending your Government. If Aussies are asked are you better off than you were three years ago? It’s potentially a government killer.
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Karl, of course we are very concerned and focused on cost of living. That’s been our number one priority to fight inflation and to support cost of living where we can. I think there's some very different circumstances here in Australia to overseas and we've been working very hard. We've halved the inflation rate which peaked before we came to Government and we are really working hard in delivering cost of living help. That's been our focus but also of course building Australia for the future – that's where we've been focused.
KARL STEFANOVIC: I know, I know all of that. But I'm telling you, and you must be, there must be, inside the Government, you must be absolutely aware and incredibly nervous about Aussies answering that question to the negative?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, like I said, we've been really focused on how we can support Australians through this really difficult economic time. And as you point out, there is global difficulties across the globe and what we are doing is working in Australia's interests to support Australians. That's been our number one focus and we will continue to do that as we move forward as we set up our economy and our country for the future as well.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay Bridget, in a huge blow for the Greens, party leader Adam Bandt has been rated the third most unlikable federal politician behind Lidia Thorpe and Pauline Hanson. The Greens party on the nose. Does that make a difference for you?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE, NATIONALS SENATOR: I think what you're seeing is the Labor Party fighting the Greens for inner city votes of left-wing extremists. And Australians don’t appreciate extreme views, whether it's from the Labor Party or the Greens. You've seen the issues around Israel have affected everyday Australians. And now you've got Labor and the Greens trying to outspend each other. And Australians rightfully take a dim view of that. I think if the Labor Party and Amanda's team wants to actually get rid of the Greens, they need to be serious and put them last on their preferences come the election.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, no, no. That's not going to happen, Amanda. You're going to, you may well have to do a deal with them to form Government.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, what we're focused on is actually in the next two weeks of Parliament, there's an opportunity for the Greens and the Liberal Party to stop blocking our housing bill. I mean, when I'm talking to people about their frustration with the Greens and indeed the Liberal Party, it's the negativity, it's the wanting to block constantly the really important measures that we want to put in place to address housing supply. People shrug their shoulders and don't understand why the Greens and the Liberal Party are voting together to block our housing bill.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Alright. And Bridget, you can't exactly smash the Greens when you might need them to do a deal with them on your dodgy Qantas inquiry. And it's not going to get up without the Greens, is it?
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Well, Karl, I really disagree with your description there. It's clear that the Prime Minister still does have serious questions to answer about his personal and financial relationship, and what influence...
KARL STEFANOVIC: I think it’s done, Bridget.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: No, what influence that had on Australian travellers paying more. So if the Greens…
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Oh Bridget, talk about more front than a department store.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: And here we go, Amanda interrupting Bridget.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I mean come on, Bridget.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Bridget, I do know you can handle yourself. It was unfairly pointed out by one of my colleagues on the show that you do resemble a Qantas pilot this morning. Which I think is terribly unfair.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: I thank the Qantas pilots around the country…
KARL STEFANOVIC: … for upgrading you [laughs].
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: … for landing me safely every single day. But at the end of the day, the protection racket it has to end. And Australian travellers should come first.
KARL STEFANOVIC: I think it definitely needs to be cleaned up. Just finally a once in a decade event is taking place in Victoria today. The very rare corpse flower famous for smelling like dirty feet is in bloom. Bridget, I want to know what you think the most offensive smell in Canberra is.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Oh, Karl, you've stumped me. So, many offensive smells in Canberra. Um, the smell of Prime Minister's past.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Gee, that took a turn.
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: What’s Amanda’s? Prime Ministers present?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I was going to say Lake Burley Griffin, but if you're going to get like that, I'll say 16 undeclared flights.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Oh, come on, keep it nice!
BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Vote for the inquiry Amanda. Let’s clean it up.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah, clean it up. Hey, thank you, ladies. Really appreciate it. Good on you.