TONY JONES:
As I said, the federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is on the line, and, Treasurer, as I say – good morning – there’s quite a number of issues I want to deal with, if you don’t mind?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Sure, Tony. Nice to be with you and your listeners.
TONY JONES:
Yeah, and it’s a pretty tough day. I know that the Prime Minister is in Tasmania, as he was yesterday. And he would just be feeling it, as all Australians are at the moment, in regard to the tragedy there with the jumping castle and the loss of five young lives.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Yeah, I think every Australian’s heart is broken today and everyone grieves with the families and with the local community. And it’s just come at such a terrible time for everyone. And I spoke this morning to my federal colleague Gavin Pearce, who’s the local member that takes in Devonport, and he is as shocked as everyone and said that the community is rallying around those affected families. And we just pray and send our love to them all, but pray for the speedy recovery of those injured children as well.
TONY JONES:
Yeah, that’s right. And we’ll certainly keep tabs on that as the day goes on. And we’ll issue the information that tells us about the GoFundMe pages which have been set up. So, Treasurer, as I said, there’s a number of issues I want to talk about, not least the forecasts out of the midyear budget and the reliance on states not shutting down and going into lockdown. What’s your message to Premiers dealing with Omicron outbreaks? And we’ve seen the numbers today – more than 2,000 in New South Wales; here in Victoria over 1,500 – 1,510 – so it’s not going away any time soon, is it?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, it is a reminder that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic and there are still major health challenges ahead of us. But it’s not a time to panic. It’s not a time to over contract. The state premiers and the Chief Ministers of the territories need to stay calm and to carry on. We do know from the Chief Medical Officer of the Commonwealth that while Omicron is highly transmissible the early signs are that the variant is less severe than other variants and that our vaccines are a proven defence against the virus, including also our treatments that we’re providing.
So, we need to maintain the momentum of the recovery. Lives and livelihoods depend on that. And yesterday’s job numbers were particularly strong showing what the economy is capable of when you ease restrictions. There were 366,000 new jobs created last month, Tony. That’s the highest in a particular month on record. Around 60 per cent of those jobs went to women, around a third went to young people, and there are 180,000 more Australians are now in work than before the pandemic began. And that shows our economic plan is working and it also shows that Australia has had a stronger economic recovery than any major advanced economy in the world.
TONY JONES:
And I suppose what it also shows is that we’ve got business owners who are willing to take a punt. And in these times it is a bit of a punt, isn’t it, when you sort of grow your staff?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, you must grow and innovate and hire. And, in fact, the biggest issue now for many businesses is workforce shortages. They want more workers in hospitality, in agriculture, in construction, in mining, in IT and professional services. It’s a common refrain that I hear from business owners big and small. And as you know, we’ve ended that pause on our international borders, so now we are getting international students and skilled workers coming in. That should help meet some of those workforce shortages. But we’re also heavily investing, Tony, in job training programs. We’ve put 450,000 job training places and around 250,000 of those have already seen enrolments. And we’ve not got a record number of trade apprentices who are in work at over 200,000 right no. So there are some positive signs about the training and skills part. But we also need to have those international workers.
TONY JONES:
So, I mean, the one thing I was looking for when I started wading through the stories regarding what transpired yesterday – tax cuts.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, there’s a lot of speculation about what may be in or out of the budget. But, as you know, I’m not going to add to that this morning.
TONY JONES:
No, but that’s what we want to know – when are we getting money?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, firstly, our government’s track record has been very clear. We’ve cut taxes at every opportunity. So for households we saw in the September quarter the biggest set of tax cuts and tax relief that we’ve seen in more than two decades. We’ve seen small business tax cuts – company tax rates go down to the lowest level in 50 years. And we saw strong business investment in yesterday’s numbers off the back of the tax incentives that we've provided. So we use our tax system, Tony, to put more money into people’s pockets, to encourage aspiration, to reward effort, but also to generate more economic activity and more jobs.
TONY JONES:
Okay. Other issues, as I said, getting quite a few messages from people frustrated with having to pay the full $10 or $15 for the rapid tests, the rapid COVID tests. And you look around other countries – the UK, for example, they’re free; in Germany I think they’re less than a dollar; New Zealand in some situations are even giving them out for free. Is there any possibility at all that we will follow the lead of other nations around the world and at the very least subsidise these?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, we do actually pay for a number of tests. We pay 100 per cent through the commonwealth for funding for Medicare tests, and there’s a 50‑50 funding arrangement with the states. And that has remained unchanged. So if you’re getting a test through Medicare then obviously we’re paying for it. And then we’re doing a split with the states. So that has remained unchanged. And if people are feeling sick or have the COVID symptoms or are attending a mass testing clinic without seeing their doctor, they should be able to access some of those programs.
TONY JONES:
From where? What’s the process of getting it through Medicare?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, people who are sick or have those COVID symptoms, if their tests are ordered by a doctor then that is done through the Medicare process.
TONY JONES:
Right, okay. But I think you’ve got situations at the moment, Treasurer, whereby people are going to family functions, people are going to work functions and they would just like to have, you know, a small stockpile, if you like, at home to say, “Okay, well before I go and see Nanny and Pa or my old aunty and uncle, I think I should actually do a test at home.” But it’s just becoming cost prohibitive.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, there are arrangements that we have in place with the states for a 50‑50 arrangement. And, again, that, Tony, has remained unchanged. If people require a test as a result of a state or territory public health order, then, again, that is done under those existing arrangements.
TONY JONES:
Okay. Moving on, we’re going to get a Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy has been nominated as an ambassador to Australia, which, look, I think it’s pretty exciting. I mean, you as a politician would be absorbed by the whole Kennedy story, and you just can’t get enough of it because it’s a never‑ending story.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, the power of Camelot, isn’t it? And people obviously have great affection for the family and she is a highly accomplished person as well as having served as the ambassador to Japan. So we await confirmation by the Senate, but we welcome the nomination. And it underscores how important the bilateral relationship is to both countries. Australia and the United States face an increasingly complex strategic environment in our own backyard. As you know, that’s required extra spending on defence, which we have done. And at the same time partnering with the United States and the United Kingdom through this new AUKUS arrangement. So having a heavy hitter from Washington here in Canberra is going to be very helpful.
TONY JONES:
Okay, then, I know you’re on a pretty tight schedule so I’ll let you go. I’m not sure if we’ll talk before Christmas, but if we don’t, I hope you have a terrific one with your family. I hope you get to have some sort of a break, and we’ll talk to you next year, I’m q sure.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Thanks, Tony. Looking forward to going with the family to Lorne, going along the beach, playing some cricket and spending some time with the family. And I wish all your listeners a very merry Christmas and to your and your family, too, Tony. God bless.
TONY JONES:
Thank you. The federal Treasurer joining us there in Josh Frydenberg. Playing a bit of cricket. I hope he’s a better bowler than his boss. I saw Scott Morrison on the news the other night. Not as bad as John Howard.