ALLISON LANGDON:
Treasurer, a very good morning to you. Why are you so unhappy this morning?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, obviously we welcome some of the easing of the restrictions, but they don't go far enough. There's been a callous indifference in Victoria from the Government to the loss of jobs and to the plight of small business. Just look at the statements yesterday, Ali, from the Australian Hotels Association, from the Council of Small Business, from the Australian Industry Group, from the Business Council of Australia. They have said that yesterday's announcement was inexplicable and unacceptable. In their words, businesses are losing hope and that there was a lack of consultation. You see, in New South Wales where they dealt with much more cases than we see in Victoria today, the cafes, the restaurants, the pubs, the clubs were all open. People could get about their daily lives. It's fine to lift the travel restrictions to 25 kilometres but if the businesses aren't open people haven't got anywhere to go.
ALLISON LANGDON:
But Treasurer, at least they’ve got a date now, November 1?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
But why isn't it today? Why isn't Victoria following the course set by New South Wales who have set the gold standard with respect to contact testing and tracing and with respect to getting about allowing people to go back to work. You see, Ali, the numbers tell a very tragic story of what's happened in Victoria. There's more than half a million Victorians who are effectively unemployed. The effective unemployment rate in Victoria today is 14 per cent, it’s just 7.5 per cent in New South Wales. More than 1,000 Victorians have lost their job everyday of this lockdown on average. Now, that is unacceptable given that there has been the success and the progress in bringing down the number of daily cases.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Do you think it would be easy though, if you tried to work with Daniel Andrews as opposed to coming out and attacking him?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well it's about supporting Victorians. It's Victorian businesses and Victorian workers who need that support. It's not about Daniel Andrews. It's actually about delivering for Victorians. That's why the Morrison Government has provided already $31 billion to Victorian families and businesses and that is why an expected 60 per cent of Australians who are on JobKeeper in the December and March quarters are expected to come from Victoria.
ALLISON LANGDON:
What will yesterday's decision mean for your Budget forecasts?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well again, we will update our forecasts at the end of the year but clearly the quicker people can get back to work in Victoria the better.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Okay. Now the New Zealand travel bubble, Victoria and WA both say that they were blindsided when Kiwis arrived in their state, they’re not part of this arrangement. How has it been so poorly managed?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Again the facts tell a very different story for the Victorian Government here. Their own Chief Medical Officer was present at the meetings where this was discussed, and apparently no concerns were raised. And as you know, the states are controlling the people who move in between their borders, we control the international borders and that's the way it's been. If you wanted to go to Western Australia you would need a certificate. Daniel Andrews didn't put that in place in Victoria and now, you know, he obviously has to answer the question why.
ALLISON LANGDON:
But, I mean, you’ve now got two states that are upset with you. What it goes to show is that you are not all working together on this one, and that you haven't brought them along. How is it that they didn't know that this was happening? Because WA says they didn't either.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well again, there was a documented meeting of the health medical officers and again those issues weren't raised by Victoria or the other jurisdictions.
ALLISON LANGDON:
AFL Grand Final, two big, very proud Victorian teams, but of course it's not going to be in Melbourne, a massive blow to the economy.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Yeah, I mean, again this is the consequence of the phase in hotel quarantine. It's very sad to see the game be lost to the MCG where it's always been. But, again, Victorians will cheer on their teams. Unfortunately my team is not in the Grand Final but Melbourne Storm is. So best of luck to Melbourne Storm. Great to see the Melbourne Vixens win and, you know, all the best to Victorian teams this weekend.
ALLISON LANGDON:
I mean there's two arguments here that Dan Andrews could have used it as a reward for everyone doing such a good job during lockdown. The other, of course, that it's too dangerous to loosen the reigns over such a big weekend. So who are you barracking for?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, I'm going for both teams to have a good game. My team is Carlton. I can't choose another club. I’ve got one club…
ALLISON LANGDON:
Yes you can. Alex does all the time. He changes his team. You should too.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I'm a loyal Carlton supporter and Melbourne Storm supporter. I’ll stick with that.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Pick and stick. Alright. There's a message in there for Alex I reckon. Thank you Treasurer.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Thank you.