E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Budget; Teal MP Monique Ryan’s husband removing political signage; Brisbane Olympics.
JAMES BRACEY, HOST: Welcome back to Today. The Albanese Government is this morning banking on voters looking past a decade of deficits as they prepare to hand down their fourth Federal Budget, focusing instead on the nation's books being in better shape now than they were at the end of the pandemic. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Minister for Social Services and the NDIS Amanda Rishworth and political strategist Scott Emerson. Morning to you both. Great to chat with you. A busy day today. So, let's get into it. Amanda, is it fair to be asking Australians to look past the Budget when Australia's debt will reach $940 billion this financial year?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE NDIS: I think what's important is to look at the action that we have taken. We inherited a mess from the Liberal Party, and we've been working very diligently and responsibly to put the Budget in a better nick, quite frankly. We've turned two Liberal deficits into surpluses and now we're reducing the deficit this year and reducing the debt so that Australians are paying less in interest than they otherwise would have.
JAMES BRACEY: Scott, it's been reported today young people are battling bracket creep. 63 per cent of Australians aged 45 and over are too scared to retire. Should Labor really be asking them to be hanging on?
SCOTT EMERSON, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Well, I think we know, James, this is a cost-of-living Budget. People are struggling. It's got to be a cost-of-living election coming up in a matter of days being announced. The problem for Labor is that people are feeling it very hard out there. They are doing it tough. And when Jim Chalmers’ selling point is a decade at least of deficits going forward, it's a hard sell. The problem also for Labor is it didn't intend to bring down this Budget. Their expectation was that they would be in the election already not have to reveal these numbers. Because of Cyclone Alfred that all got delayed.
JAMES BRACEY: Yeah, the Budget no one saw coming. And as it comes out today, Michelle, apparently so do the claws. Footage emerging of Peter Jordan, the husband of Teal MP Monique Ryan, tearing down a poster of his wife's Liberal rival. Now, Amanda, things are getting really ugly out there.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say that we have pretty civil elections here in Australia compared to other countries. But of course, that obligation relies on all of us to continue to act civilly. I know from time to time in my state and around the place posters do get taken down and vandalised. And it's important that if people feel others are doing the wrong thing to go through the appropriate channels.
JAMES BRACEY: All right. The other big issue today, after four long years, Brisbane's Olympic blueprint is being unveiled. Really looking forward to seeing what they've got for us today. Scott, we're finally going to have a concrete plan. Will it be enough, though, to calm the farm?
SCOTT EMERSON: Well, I think the problem for Premier David Crisafulli is he did say repeatedly before the election that there wouldn't be any new stadiums. What everyone is expecting today is that there will be a new stadium at Victoria Park. I guess his argument will be we've got to do it right. We're going to be on the world's spotlight in 2032. We've got to have appropriate stadiums. All the previous Labor government had a was all over the shop. It was three years of wasted planning. So, today is the big day, the D day. What will be interesting is if they scrap the Brisbane arena, which is going to be funded by the Federal government, and get that $2.5 billion reallocated to the other stadium and other facilities.
JAMES BRACEY: Amanda, a lot of work's got to be done between now and 2032. Can Brissy pull it off?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: I am very hopeful that Brisbane can pull it off because it's such an exciting opportunity. Of course, the Federal government will work with the state government. We, of course, need to make sure that for our contribution, we're getting value for that. Any investment provides a lasting legacy for Brisbane beyond the games. But look, we are ready to work, of course, across the board to make sure that this is the best games that Australia could possibly put on.
JAMES BRACEY: There's a lot of heavy reading ahead of us today with the budget and Brisbane's big announcement. Thanks so much for your time today, Amanda and Scott.