MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Treasurer, a very good morning to you.
JIM CHALMERS:
Morning, Michael.
ROWLAND:
So are these foreign investment changes all about restricting access to Australian projects, the countries that wish to do Australia harm?
CHALMERS:
No, this is all about making sure that we've got the right kind of robust framework to screen foreign investment proposals to make sure that they're in our national interest, and right now we treat investments from right around the world more or less the same.
We want to streamline it for the less risky investments so that we can devote much more time and energy and resources to screening the sorts of investments that we're seeing in critical industries, like critical minerals, critical infrastructure, critical data and the like.
So this is all about strengthening the foreign investment framework to make sure that the investment is in the national interest. We want to maximise the right kind of investment, but we want to minimise risk, and that's what these changes I'll announce today are all about.
ROWLAND:
Okay. I asked you that question pointedly because we have this news broken by the ABC about Indian spies being booted out of Australia in 2020 caught trying to steal defence secrets, secrets about airport security. Will the government now look at India, supposedly a close friend, in a different way when it comes to foreign investment applications?
CHALMERS:
Our foreign investment regime applies equally around the world. The tests that we apply are robust tests, they'll become even more robust as a consequence of the changes that I'm making, the overhaul that we're announcing today but that is a non‑discriminatory regime.
We look at who is making the investment, what the structure of that investment is and in what industries are they proposing to invest, and that applies equally no matter where it comes from, from around the world.
ROWLAND:
Is the country that tries to spy on us a friend?
CHALMERS:
I don't really propose to get into those stories that we've seen on the ABC in the last day or 2. I think the heads of our intelligence agencies, they make information available in a very deliberate way. I don't want to get into those kinds of operational issues in any way.
ROWLAND:
You must have a view though, Treasurer, excuse the interruption, as a senior minister, about what those reports are.
CHALMERS:
I've obviously seen those reports, obviously I've considered them. Obviously in our own structures and processes, we discuss those kinds of things, but it's not something I'm prepared to go into.
ROWLAND:
Are they the actions of a friend? I mean it's a simple question.
CHALMERS:
We've got a good relationship with India and with other countries in the region, it's an important economic relationship, it's become closer in recent years as a consequence of efforts on both sides, and that's a good thing.
ROWLAND:
Okay. This all happened in 2020. As far as you know, were efforts made to express Australia’s concern to the Indian government at the time?
CHALMERS:
Not that I'm aware of, Michael. As you know we were in opposition at that time, and so that would be a question best directed to our predecessors.
ROWLAND:
Okay. Now, listen, let's talk about – so many things to talk about, Bonza airlines going into voluntary administration. Do you have questions about the timing of this because it happened so suddenly yesterday?
CHALMERS:
I think it's really disappointing to see what's happening with that airline. I feel for any stranded passengers, that's one of the reasons why the Transport Minister, with her usual level of diligence, has made sure she's been speaking to the other airlines to make sure that we can try and get people home where they are stuck.
If people are in that position, we encourage you to call the other airlines or to call the Department of Infrastructure hotline, which has been set up. This is a very unfortunate set of events for the workers at that company and also for people who are stuck. We are doing what we can to make sure that alternative arrangements are being struck.
ROWLAND:
National Cabinet meets today to talk about the unacceptably high toll of women dying from gender‑based violence. Can Australians, particularly Australian women, Treasurer, expect concrete steps, concrete solutions to emerge from this meeting?
CHALMERS:
I think so, Michael. I don't want to pre‑empt the important discussions that are happening today. I think every leader, I hope every Australian, recognises that this is a national crisis, and we need to do more, and we need to better, and that's what today's National Cabinet is all about.
ROWLAND:
Okay. For instance, where we have suggestions that bail laws across the country, including in your home state of Queensland, are way too loose, allowing violent perpetrators to commit murders on women, do you agree in general bail laws need to be tightened on this front?
CHALMERS:
I think it's one of the things that needs to be considered. No doubt that will be discussed by the leaders today at National Cabinet.
I think the important thing about that suggestion is that it recognises there's not one thing that we need to do here. Women aren't safe enough in our communities and in our society. It is a national crisis. We need to do more and better, and we need to look right across the board. And part of that is about the level of investment in services and in support, part of it as well is having a look at the various legal arrangements to make sure that they're up to scratch.
I don't think anybody who looks at this objectively and thinks about all of the women who are lost to violence thinks that we have everything right; we don't. I think that's been acknowledged from the Prime Minister all the way down.
Today is an opportunity to reconsider some of these things, and if part of that is the way that we invest in services and in prevention, then obviously we've got an open mind to that too.
ROWLAND:
Okay. Treasurer, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.
CHALMERS:
Thanks, Michael.