Interview with Karl Stefanovic - Channel Nine, Today Show
KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: A US report is casting fresh doubt over AUKUS this morning just as Deputy PM Richard Marles arrives in Washington DC. Amanda Rishworth joins us now along with Greens leader Larissa Waters. Nice to see you ladies, appreciate it. Amanda, is AUKUS dying a slow and expensive death?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Absolutely not, Karl. Our three countries, the US, UK and Australia have been committed to this arrangement. It is really critical for decades to come. Of course, we will keep working very closely across the board. I would note that in the US there is bipartisan support for this arrangement. Obviously, one of the most focal areas have been the submarines. But of course, there’s other work underway which have been autonomous maritime exercises. They’ve already been conducted between Australia and the US, so there is plenty of work going on and plenty of commitment.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Does Richard have another big check with him this time?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Richard has been to the US on numerous occasions. This is not the first time he's been. He's working very hard with his US counterpart as well as his UK counterpart. But this is a really important arrangement that we have in place in Australia and we're going to keep working on it and get it done.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Larissa, do you think it's dead in the water?
LARISSA WATERS, GREENS LEADER: Look, it's unravelling with every passing week and yet we keep on giving checks to an increasingly erratic Trump-led US. This is a dog of a deal. They're subs that we may never receive anyway. It's costing us an absolute motza, and tying us closer to Trump's America is not making us any safer. We need a strong and independent foreign policy.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay, back home and tax reform was talked about at the talkfest, and one idea in particular caught my mind. I just want to rule it in or out today definitively. Amanda, a radical proposal to tax spare bedrooms in family homes in a bid to fix the housing crisis. Are you going to introduce a bedroom tax?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, there was a lot of ideas put forward at the summit. As the Prime Minister has been very clear, we have a tax policy that hasn't changed, and that involves giving tax cuts to every Australian worker. That's where our focus is, and that's where our priority is. Of course, there are a lot of ideas, as you saw at the productivity roundtable.
KARL STEFANOVIC: You can rule that one out, though, surely.
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, as I said, our focus is and our commitment and tax policy is giving tax cuts to every Australian worker.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Well Larissa, that wasn't a no.
LARISSA WATERS: Well, look, I'm sure there are all sorts of wacky ideas proposed, but what unfortunately wasn't seriously engaged with was the good suggestion by the ACTU, which is Greens policy, to actually address those tax perks that have made housing increasingly unaffordable for a whole generation. Unless we get serious about changing those negative gearing and capital gains tax settings, we're just going to continue to see house prices skyrocket and young people and ordinary Australians will be completely priced out of the market for decades to come.
KARL STEFANOVIC: There's tension boiling at the moment too, I can feel it. Amanda, are you going to do a deal on environmental reform with the Coalition to speed up development approvals?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, let's be clear. Larissa talks about the important challenge around housing. We need to get more houses built. And of course, there's many houses, plans to build houses, and they're just caught up in just red tape. And so we want to see real reform when it comes to the environmental protection laws. We want good environmental protection, but we don't want projects being just absolutely tied up in red tape. So, the choice will be the Greens and the Coalition. Will they support more houses being built? Will they support good environmental protections on one hand, but importantly, getting projects off the ground and not just tying them up in red tape?
KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay, so, Larissa, how do you feel about being thrown into the ice bath to tackle global warming?
LARISSA WATERS: Well, look, we're pretty keen for reform to our environmental laws. We know they're not working. We know that nature's being trashed. We need laws that actually act on the climate crisis, protect nature. And of course, we will always stand for making sure everyone's got a home, a roof over their heads in this wealthy country. So the offer's there. We're looking forward to those discussions with Government or they can choose to do a deal that will just pave the way for more big business profits, trash nature and leave ordinary people behind with the Libs.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, I think we know both sides of that one. Alright, finally, Ted ‘Teddy Bear’ O'Brien has been quietly needling the Treasurer over his spending, calling him the Candyman. So, the Candyman responded yesterday.
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KARL STEFANOVIC: Amanda, is he the Candyman?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, I have to say, we’ve got an excellent treasurer in Jim Chalmers. And I have to say, if I was Ted O’Brien, I would not be giving up my day job. He shouldn’t be in the performance industry, because it’s pretty limp.
LARISSA WATERS: Well, I think Question Time makes all politicians look like Wonka’s all the time. And we’ve got serious issues that we should be focused on rather than zingers, as much as I love a zinger.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Alright, and we’ll let it rest there. Thank you ladies, enjoy the day.
ENDS