Interview with Sarah Abo - Channel Nine, Today Show

SARAH ABO, HOST: Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth and Greens Senator Nick McKim. Good morning to you both, good to see you. Amanda, let's start with you. So quite the contrast to their last Oval Office meeting, which is good to see. Zelenskyy even dressed up for this occasion. But is this going ahead in a more positive way that we would like to see, or is it just appearances?

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Well, first I would say that I think the US and European leaders have played a very constructive role. They have supported Ukraine in their defence, but now they are really involved in the peace discussions. 

Of course, we've said on a number of occasions we can't achieve peace without President Zelenskyy being involved. Obviously, part of that is recognising the sovereignty of the Ukraine. So, important step. We welcome any step that gets us to the end of the war in Ukraine because this was an illegal invasion by Russia.

SARAH ABO: I mean, Trump wants to see a peace deal rather than a ceasefire as the most pressing issue for him, and he hasn't ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine. Is the Prime Minister's plan to join them, Amanda?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, look, as the Prime Minister has said, we would look if there is a global response. We would consider any peacekeeping request. It would go through the normal go through the Cabinet processes.

SARAH ABO: So there's a chance we could see Aussie troops in Ukraine?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, what the Prime Minister said when it comes to peacekeeping, that we would consider any global response on its merits.

SARAH ABO: OK, so he hasn't ruled it out. Nick, would you back Aussie boots on the ground?

NICK MCKIM, GREENS SENATOR: I think it's way too early to start talking about that. We need to be really careful before we deploy any Australian troops into any theatre around the world. But I just genuinely hope that we can see peace now. It's just profoundly distressing to think about the brutality and the deprivations that millions of Ukrainian people have faced for years now. 

Any step towards peace should be welcomed, and we do welcome it, but it's got to be durable peace, ultimately, and it's got to be peace that is acceptable to the Ukrainian Government and the Ukrainian people. Let's just hope we can make some strides towards that.

SARAH ABO: Yeah, I mean, when you look at that line-up, it's quite a show of force, isn't it? So let's hope that they do reach a conclusion sooner rather than later. 

Well, let's come back home now. And Australians are apparently open to tax reform, but are warning against any changes to the GST ahead of today's economic roundtable. Amanda, is the GST off limits?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say the Treasurer's been really clear about not wanting to constrain any ideas, but I think the historical statements by the Prime Minister and the Treasurer have made their position on the GST pretty clear. We're looking forward to having a focus on how we lift productivity in this country. 

It's a really important discussion. It's a way that we can build momentum and potentially build some consensus. That's what this productivity roundtable is all about.

SARAH ABO: Alright, the Treasurer does say as well not to expect a comprehensive timeline for delivering any changes. Action instead to be rolled out over the next three budgets. So, Amanda, does that mean that the 8.8 million Aussie families forced to choose between heating their homes or putting food on the table won't see any changes to that situation?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, firstly, I would say that we took a very comprehensive plan to the election and we're delivering right now. Energy bill relief, tax cuts…

SARAH ABO: [Interrupts] But right now Aussies are having to choose.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, we are delivering tax cuts. That's where our focus has been on income tax cuts. We've seen seven consecutive quarters of real wages growth. We're going to keep working. We know that people are doing it tough, and that's why we have unashamedly focused on cost of living, and we will continue to focus on cost of living. 

Of course, this roundtable is talking about how we build productivity into the future, in the decade ahead. But that will not stop us being absolutely focused on cost of living, which we're doing right now.

SARAH ABO: Well, Nick, at least we know the Treasurer was able to consult the PM's dog Toto last night at the lodge. He might have had some ideas.

NICK MCKIM: Well, Toto might have had some ideas. Maybe he would have suggested to the PM and the Treasurer that they make big corporations pay their fair share of tax and could do things like put dental into Medicare, which would mean free universal dental care for everyone in the country. Now, that would be not only a massive benefit to people struggling under cost-of-living pressures like you just mentioned, it would also be extremely popular. 

I mean, the Greens are an ideas factory. We're happy to put our stuff on the table. And I will say this, we've got a position of power in the Senate in this Parliament and we've been very clear we're happy to work constructively and collaboratively with the Government. If they want to put forward reforms that address some of the major challenges like housing, like climate change, like the other societal challenges, cost of living, that people are facing, we are here to work collaboratively and make those ideas work.

SARAH ABO: All right. I reckon Toto might have had a thing or two to say about elbow socks there as well. Everyone knows the socks need to match the shoes, not the pants. Prime Minister, this is a fashion faux pas on a grand scale. I'm just going to put it out there. You'd have to agree with me, surely, the two of you.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I'll pass that feedback on to him. In a very- maybe a bit more diplomatic way, Sarah.

SARAH ABO: You've got to be forceful sometimes with some issues. Alright guys, we've run out of time. Thank you so much for joining us this morning.