PRESENTER:
Joe Hockey, Tony Abbott the Prime Minister said that this wasn’t going to be a talk fest, is it?
TREASURER:
It is not going to be a talk fest. There will be two days of talks but there will be outcomes. Karl, at the beginning of the year, the Prime Minister and myself agreed that if we were going to spend all this money hosting the world’s leaders – in the true Australian tradition – we needed to have real tangible outcomes that delivered jobs and growth. That’s what we’re focussed on.
PRESENTER:
Do we get a forecast for what we’re going to see?
TREASURER:
We’re hoping that we’re going to see a lift in global growth by two per cent within five years, by an additional two per cent. That means tens of millions of new jobs and importantly, job opportunities even here in Australia, significant opportunities. We are going to crack down on the tax cheats, I think that is hugely important as well. We are going to be focussed on infrastructure and just as infrastructure is being rolled out right around Australia, there is an opportunity for Australia to lead the world and that is what we expect out of the weekend.
PRESENTER:
We’ll get on to some of the more specific things in just a second. We just had the Queensland Police Commissioner walk past and we will talk to him in a little bit on a couple of security issues, if you don’t mind? Vladimir Putin, these warships, the response to that. There are some reports in regards to us sending another ship out there to check if everything is alright. What's the latest on that?
TREASURER:
The bottom line is we obviously will do whatever is necessary for the security of the nation and it is not unusual for other countries to bring warships into the region when their leader is in our country.
PRESENTER:
It is provocative, isn't it?
TREASURER:
I don’t particularly see it as provocative. It does not surprise me. Russian ships have been going into these sorts of situations for years. I think given previous tensions with President Putin, I think it is seen as provocative but I wouldn’t read too much into it.
PRESENTER:
So we’ve now got what, three or four ships of our own out there now? [inaudible]
TREASURER:
I am not going to go into it but I say to you don't worry, don’t worry we have it covered.
PRESENTER:
I'm not worried about it as long as you're not worried about it, Joe.
TREASURER:
That’s right, don't worry. The Australian people shouldn’t worry. The Australian Government will always protect our people.
PRESENTER:
I think the Australian people are a little bit concerned about these three jihadists who managed to get out of the country to go and fight their own particular war without us knowing. That is a bit of a concern isn’t it?
TREASURER:
Well that’s right, we have stopped potential jihadists previously. I have yet to get a briefing as a member of the National Security Committee on these particular instances but it is very hard to stop everyone from leaving the country and we obviously need to get more information about it.
PRESENTER:
Back to Brisbane – it is looking incredible. The city is well prepared.
TREASURER:
You should be proud as a Queenslander.
PRESENTER:
I am, I flew in last night, I’ll be honest, I know it has been an inconvenience for a lot of people but the benefits of this I can see now into the future are going to be significant, I would have thought, putting Brisbane again onto the world map, not that it has ever been off it but it is showcasing the best of Brisbane. No dramas here security-wise, Brisbane is ready, really ready to go?
TREASURER:
Absolutely, I inspected the police facilities yesterday, amazing facilities. It’s cost a lot of money but it is a legacy for Queensland security that we have put in place. Everyone is working together, federal agencies, all the police services around Australia have come together. I have no doubt that everything has been done that can be done to protect everybody.
PRESENTER:
OK, international tax cheats, I know you are hoping to crack down on those like IKEA, Google, trying to get some of that tax back for us has got to be a priority, doesn’t it?
TREASURER:
Absolutely, and companies that engage in tax evasion are thieves. They are stealing from us and from our community. So, the only way we can address this is by global action. We can have all the measures we want in Australia, but there will still be ways that they can try and reduce, significantly reduce, or even evade their tax obligations in Australia. So, we’ve got a coordinated effort, it’s been part of the discussion over the last year, it’s certainly part of the discussion this weekend.
PRESENTER:
Is it realistic to do something about that, or [inaudible]?
TREASURER:
Yes it is, yes it is, absolutely, and it’s taken a lot of effort but we are going to do it.
PRESENTER:
There has been also, a lot of chat over the last couple of days about the China and US climate pact. Does Barack Obama, given his hostile environment in the Senate and also in Congress in the US, does he carry any stick in regards to that anymore?
TREASURER:
That’s a matter for him. I mean, what’s most important…
PRESENTER:
You can make that judgement though, is it realistic what the US has promised that they’re going to be able to do?
TREASURER:
I’ll leave that to you but what I can say is, the most encouraging thing to come out of those discussions is that China and the United States are talking to each other. That’s very important for the world. The biggest and second biggest economies in the world talking together, terrific, if come to an agreement, terrific.
PRESENTER:
Are you sus on that though? [inaudible]. Do you think there is anything that is realistic that is going to come out of it?
TREASURER:
I hope there is, I hope there is.
PRESENTER:
And are we going to be embarrassed by not doing enough?
TREASURER:
No, no, our emissions reductions over a 30-year period are the same as the United States. So look, we are doing our bit, we’re doing our heavy lifting but this weekend we are going to focus on jobs and growth and that applies as much to Australia as it does to the rest of the world.
PRESENTER:
OK just before we go, because I know you’ve got a busy schedule, there’s a lot of media here from around the world.
TREASURER:
It’s amazing, isn’t it?
PRESENTER:
Well not many here behind us, in fact, there’s no one here. However, I do want to talk just briefly, if we can, about Jacqui Lambie and also Clive Palmer. It was a match made in heaven and now the marriage is falling apart. What side are you on? Whose side are you taking?
TREASURER:
My view is if they are in that sort of situation they should get family counselling. I think the Government actually offers vouchers for that sort of …
PRESENTER:
The problem is that no amount of counselling is going to save that marriage?
TREASURER:
How do you know?
PRESENTER:
You think they are going to be OK?
TREASURER:
You never give up on a marriage.
PRESENTER:
Really?
TREASURER:
Apparently.
PRESENTER:
Have you spoken to Clive about the situation or are you closer to Jacqui? Malcolm has got Clive handled and you have Jacqui handled? (inaudible)
TREASURER:
Karl, no, Karl, I just say to you, that is a matter for Palmer. He can do what he wants. I'm focussed on jobs and growth.
PRESENTER:
Of all the questions that is the one that got you.
TREASURER:
[inaudible]
PRESENTER:
Joe Hockey, marriage councillor.