SUBJECTS: Peter Costello, Newspoll, Australian Building and Construction Commission.
JOE O'BRIEN:
Financial Services Minister Chris Bowen joins us now to discuss the government's perspective on government's perspective on this. Good morning.
CHRIS BOWEN:
Good morning, Joe.
O'BRIEN:
Was Peter Costello Australia's greatest Treasurer?
BOWEN:
No, I wouldn't say that by a long shot. And the first thing to say is good luck to him. We wish him well in his retirement. Anybody who has been Treasurer for a long time has worked hard, as has anybody who has been in Parliament for a long time has worked hard. In all seriousness, we wish him best wishes and good luck.
O'BRIEN:
He has produced many more surpluses than Labor Treasurers?
BOWEN:
His job was to manage the biggest boom since the 50s. That's a very different job to managing the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression. They're very different tasks.
Peter Costello once said Wayne Swan was the luckiest Treasurer. I think Peter Costello is probably the luckiest Treasurer in Australian history in all fairness.
O'BRIEN:
The Drovers Dog could've led Treasury through that period?
BOWEN:
When you're dealing with a commodity economy in the middle of a commodity boom, you are facing a very different set of issues than those we are facing now. There are some good things that Peter Costello did; his international engagement with the G20; his engagement with Indonesia during the Asian financial crisis is worthy of note and recognition, but really, we have to be fair about this. He was Treasurer during what was a very good time internationally, very good time for Australia, and we would say that he didn't make the investments necessary, he didn't manage that boom, as we would've in those circumstances. But look, today's not a day to be overly critical. He has worked hard. While we'd disagree with many of the things he says and does, good luck to him and good luck to him in his retirement.
O'BRIEN:
In relation to him not becoming PM, was that because he was selfless or didn't have the courage to go for it?
BOWEN:
That's for others and others more versed in Liberal Party internal politics to judge. The criticism is he didn't step up to the plate. If you want to grab the leadership in Australia, you need to step up to the plate. He didn't do that. He didn't have what some people would call the ticker to do that. But he has made his decisions. I'm sure he is comfortable with them. I'm sure in his retirement he feels he has made the right decision for his party. That's a matter for him. Good luck to him.
O'BRIEN:
He is on his way out. You're facing Malcolm Turnbull now definitely unless someone else in the Liberal Party decides to challenge for the leadership. He seems to have a spring in his step. The polls are looking good. You're on for a real fight aren't you?
BOWEN:
We don't take the next election for granted at all. It will be a tough fight. From the Prime Minister down we're not taking that for granted. But what we're also doing is focussing on the challenge at hand, the great economic challenge at hand. But no doubt this is a fillip for Mr Turnbull but his also lost his excuse, his supporters have lost an alibi. Mr Turnbull and supporters have said "If only Peter Costello would go away we'd have clear air." Now that's happened...
O'BRIEN:
He has gone away and they're 4 points up in the polls already!
BOWEN:
Given that he only announced his retirement yesterday, I'm not sure you can make that link, in all fairness! But look, Malcolm Turnbull has used Mr Costello as an alibi. That's now been removed. He now needs to show leadership on the economic and environmental challenges facing the nation. The Liberal Party will make their internal judgments accordingly.
O'BRIEN:
There are few challenges facing the Labor Party, in particular the stoush with the union movement. That will come up in the caucus meeting today. Why should building workers be singled out and subject to these powers by the building industry watchdog?
BOWEN:
I would go to the Wilcox report, Murray Wilcox is not anti-union, he has been noted for his fairness on these matters. He did a very thorough report and indicated while he'd like to recommend that the ABCC be abolished he couldn't do so, because there continues to be elements of troublesome - of a troublesome nature in the construction industry, which for the time being need to be dealt with through the ABCC. It's a very compelling report.
I think the Deputy Prime Minister has done an absolutely first-class job in putting together a way forward, which deals with those concerns, but also does so in a fairer manner. There's always robust discussions around these matters in the Labor Party caucus. This morning will probably be no different, but I think the Deputy Prime Minister has really done a first-class job and I'm sure the caucus will recognise that.
O'BRIEN:
Aren't you betraying your heartland here?
BOWEN:
No, not at all. There are fundamental issues of principle here. Unions will continue to play a very important role in the Australian economy, and in promoting fairness and we've restored the balance in workplace relations. But the other fundamental principle is there is no place, no place for unlawfulness or violence in any Australian workplace, whether they be building sites or other workplaces and we'll have a very hardline approach on that and make no apologies for it.
O'BRIEN:
Chris Bowen, thanks very much for that.
BOWEN:
Thanks, Joe.