DAVID KOCH:
Federal Treasurer, Joe Hockey joins me now from Canberra to explain. Back to his uni fighting weight, by the look of it too! Joe, are you embarrassed about the video coming out?
TREASURER:
No, no, Kochie! In fact, it's a reminder that I did, once upon a time, have brown hair rather than the grey hair I have now but – 27 years ago – and that was when the battle was fought on university fees and free education and the battle on free education was lost and the world's changed a lot in 27 years. Now, we want to have an education system that looks forward and provides opportunities.
DAVID KOCH:
So you were wrong back then?
TREASURER:
Well, I lost the argument, Kochie.
DAVID KOCH:
Were you wrong?
TREASURER:
I thought things – when I was 21 – I thought things would be free and now, at the age of 48, I know they're not, especially as Treasurer. The fact is, we've got to pay our way, but also, we've got to make sure that, these days, the money goes back to the universities to allow them to offer more places for people.
DAVID KOCH:
Ok, alright. But a lot of viewers are calling you a bit of a hypocrite this morning. What do you say to them?
TREASURER:
Oh look, people are entitled to a view and – 27 years ago Kochie – I mean, really? I'd like to see footage of you 27 years ago! It probably would be a very different David Koch and people are entitled to their views. I don't deny anyone a right to have a say but fair dinkum, I think we are a bit more mature with our debate. What we're doing now, is very different to what happened 27 years ago, because now, we are providing places at TAFEs, we are providing opportunities for apprentices to get loan; it's a very different system mate.
DAVID KOCH:
It's going to be a tough road to get the Budget through as well. We saw photos this morning of Malcolm Turnbull having dinner with Clive Palmer. You've sent Malcolm in to do a bit of PR. Has he reported back to you? Has Clive Palmer changed his views at all?
TREASURER:
Well look, I don't think Malcolm was sent in, I'm sure it was just a coincidence running into each other.
DAVID KOCH:
That's what you guys do... Oh, bull!
TREASURER:
Hang on, hang on, Kochie. Don't ascribe the values of the media to the values of politicians here. We don’t…
DAVID KOCH:
Hang on! Years ago, you and Kevin used to talk together, you were mates and you and Bob Katter!
TREASURER:
You facilitated that, you facilitated that!
DAVID KOCH:
You're Bob Katter's mate. You go in campaigning for his view, don't you, on behalf of the Party?
TREASURER:
OK, well, let's ignore that part. The fact is, we do talk, we do talk. Look, I don't know – I don't, thankfully – I don't know what the private diaries are of either Clive Palmer or Malcolm Turnbull. I'll leave them to explain it.
DAVID KOCH:
You had no idea they were having dinner?
TREASURER:
No, no, I didn't. I honestly didn't. I had other things to do last night, and how good they were.
DAVID KOCH:
I'd love you to comment on this too, because there are certainly cracks starting to appear in the Budget. Did this go to Cabinet, when Mark Scott from the ABC put the future of Peppa Pig on the ABC in doubt? Malcolm Turnbull has tweeted this morning, saying “Peppa’s is one snout we are happy to have in the ABC trough”. Did Malcolm get Cabinet approval for this, to break ranks?
TREASURER:
No, what on Peppa Pig? I think it's a bit of a try-on from the ABC. They've been asked to take a 1 per cent cut, and they haven't, you know, the ABC hasn't had that sort of cut for years. Other organisations right across the government have had them. I think they can find a 1 per cent saving to save Peppa Pig. I think that's a bit of a try-on.
DAVID KOCH:
So you're happy for a Peppa Pig subsidy?
TREASURER:
Well mate, let me tell you - I've seen too many episodes of Peppa Pig over the years, so personally, I'm happy to see the end of it but in the interests of the kiddies, keep it going.
DAVID KOCH:
Joe Hockey hates Peppa. Thank you, Joe.
TREASURER:
See you later.
DAVID KOCH:
There we go!
TREASURER:
There you go! What's that in the middle of your forehead? Is that hair?
DAVID KOCH:
It's a sun dial.
TREASURER:
See how we change Kochie? You were such a handsome man one upon a time.
DAVID KOCH:
Oh, shut up! Sam, take it away.
SAMANTHA ARMYTAGE:
Thank you, gentlemen.