DAVID KOCH:
Treasurer, good morning to you. Many of those who marched are angry over a lack of action, a lack of leadership in Parliament. Is the Government listening? Is it sinking in?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
We are listening, we are acting and yesterday, was a very powerful moment outside the Parliament. We have committed more than $1 billion to improve frontline services, counselling, create safe spaces in order to tackle the very serious issue of violence against women. The statistics are absolutely horrifying, Kochie. To think that one in four Australian women over the age of 15 will at some point experience intimate partner violence and the numbers are a lot higher among indigenous communities so this is a national scourge and this is a national challenge. We must do better and we will do better.
DAVID KOCH:
Look, I must admit, I was shocked. The Prime Minister’s comparison with protests in Myanmar and shooting. Just - I couldn’t think but help think; why would you say that? Who is advising you or written that for you? Do you need to get more women as advisers to actually sort of direct you firsthand on what to do?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
To be fair to the Prime Minister, and I was sitting right behind him when he made that statement, he was championing Australia's democracy and he was championing the cause of those outside the Parliament and he was also sharing those frustrations that were being expressed. He was reinforcing the fact that his Government is acting and will continue to act. So I know people have taken pot shots at him, but the reality is, he is providing the leadership that we need and these are very important issues.
DAVID KOCH:
You can understand why people are reacting, it really was a poor choice of words and, certainly, the scrutiny is on the Government for that leadership. Let's move on to your wheelhouse and that, of course, is the economy and tax and monetary policy. Australians can expect around $12 billion in tax cuts between now and September. How will the tax cuts help low and middle income earners?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
If you are earning $60,000 as a nurse or a teacher, you will pay $2,160 less tax compared to back in 2017-18. We believe in the fundamental principle that people should earn more and keep more of what they own. That is why we have legislated such significant tax cuts through the Parliament. In last year's Budget, I brought forward stage two of those tax cuts earlier than was originally legislated for and then, we still have stage three to roll out. We are abolishing a full tax bracket so as significant structural reform and 95 per cent of taxpayers across the country will pay a marginal rate of tax of no more than 30 cents on the dollar. That is a very significant structural change which, dare I say, the Opposition has yet to fully commit to even though it has been legislated in the Parliament.
DAVID KOCH:
Really good signs in the economy, particularly the job market, job vacancies. Really strong at the moment which is great with JobKeeper coming off the end of March. Hopefully that momentum in jobs will keep a lot of people in work. Still a lot of state premiers saying, you have got to do more. Annastacia Palaszczuk pleading for an extension of JobKeeper. Do you get a bit annoyed with this, thinking the states should be doing more? Why is it always up to the Feds?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Just so your viewers are left in no doubt who has been doing the bulk of the heavy lifting, we have committed as a Government, $251 billion in our direct financial response to COVID, that is the equivalent of 13 per cent of GDP. That is more than twice what all the states and territories have committed, combined. We have already put $150 billion out the door. So we would welcome the states to do more. You’ve heard it before, not from me, when they say never get between a state premiere and a bucket of money, they seem to always be asking the Commonwealth to do more, I would like them to do a little bit more. But where I think they can make a difference to the economy and to Australian workers, is to keep the borders open as Gladys Berejiklian has so effectively done in New South Wales. We will have more cases, it is inevitable that we will have more cases. It is about having a proportionate, targeted response to those new cases, not big state-wide lockdowns which create a loss of confidence and ultimately, a loss of jobs.
DAVID KOCH:
Absolutely. Treasurer, appreciate your time. Thank you.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Always a pleasure.