EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Good morning, Josh.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Good morning Ed, lovely to be with you.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Good on you, mate. Let’s go through the job figures, first of all. They are quite positive in some respects; not so good in Victoria, for the obvious reasons. But just take us through what’s going on.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, since the start of the crisis around 1.3 million Australians Ed, had either lost their job or seen their hours reduced to zero. The good news is around 700,000 of those are now back at work. The job numbers have been particularly strong in New South Wales where there’s been 315,000 new jobs created. Importantly, jobs are going to women and to young people in higher numbers. But, obviously the situation in Victoria is very different to the rest of the country. We’re subject to the stage 4 restrictions, and it is Treasury’s analysis that there will be significant job losses in Victoria, with a number of people seeing their hours reduced.
LUKE DARCY:
Josh, no-one’s looking at the figures more closely than you, as the Federal Treasurer. I suppose maybe this is the unanswerable question, but everyone’s sitting around, is this going to be the V-shaped recovery where we bounce back post-COVID-19 quickly or do you see it a bit of a longer, slower build before we get back to normal?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Look, I think this is going to be a long and bumpy recovery. There’s no doubt about that, because what we’ve seen with Victoria is the second wave. You’re seeing new cases in other parts of the world as well. So, the virus is far from beaten, even if you make progress on the health front. But the formula is clear, Darce, if you get the virus under control you can ease the restrictions and people start coming back to work. That’s why the Morrison Government’s absolutely focused on giving Victorians every support that we can; whether it’s the deployment of 1,700 Defence Force personnel, special medical teams, AUSMAT teams, as well as releasing from the medical stockpile millions of masks, gowns and gloves and other PPE. That’s what we’re focused on, as well as of course, the additional economic support with the expansion of JobKeeper and the commitment of paid pandemic leave to Victorians.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
You’ve done a great job on that, there’s no doubt about it. Hey, Josh, can you just give us a quick snapshot: where are the jobs coming back and where are they falling over at the moment, particularly in Victoria?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, the jobs are coming back in areas where the restrictions are eased. So, hospitality, accommodation services and retail. We’re starting to see jobs come back around the country in those areas. The sectors that are doing it tough, of course, are the ones that are related to the international borders being closed, like aviation and like tourism. But the situation in Victoria, Eddie, is very different because, as you know, whether it’s in construction or whether it’s in manufacturing, there may be some economic activity going on but it’s significantly reduced to what it was pre these stage 4 restrictions.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Hey, Josh, quickly, can I ask you one question? You would have seen the 60 Minutes story about the branch stacking. We were just talking before you came on air of how you got politicians like yourself at the serious end doing great things and just both political parties just still have these people and the machinations of the party and the branch stacking, which drives everybody insane. What was your response to what was going on last night?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Look, I saw the program, and obviously the conduct and the language within the program will be of real concern to Liberal Party members, and I share those concerns. Subsequent to the program I spoke to the President of the Victorian Division, the State Director, as well as the Leader of the Opposition, and the Liberal Party will deal with those matters internally. With respect to the allegations against Michael Sukkar and Kevin Andrews, they’ve put out a statement, they’ve strongly rejected those allegations, and they’ve referred them for review to the Department of Finance, those matters and I think that’s the appropriate thing to do. But I will say to you, Eddie and Darce that the Liberal Party that I joined, the Liberal Party that I love, is a very proud party and people should be joining the party based on its values, that’s the power and spirit of free enterprise, the individual and freedom more generally. It’s the division that has helped such greats as Sir Robert Menzies and David Kemp and Margaret Guilfoyle and Peter Costello and Jeff Kennett and many, many others. That’s what’s guided people to join the party in the past and that’s what should guide them into the future.
LUKE DARCY:
Josh, we’ll change gear for a moment, I know you’ve got huge issues to deal with and massive economic decisions but we love the fact that you’ve actually jumped in on some individual cases and given some hope. And Peter Coll, our Kilsyth roofer who was trying to work through a situation, his daughter tragically died of cystic fibrosis and he’s got a son suffering with cystic fibrosis, so thanks for your help with that one and making sure JobKeeper got through to his business. He was really trying to look after his employees, which is a great story.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Yeah, he’s a very passionate guy, and I spoke to him personally on the phone and obviously worked with the Tax Office. And as you said on your program, guys, he was praising the Tax Office, and you don’t hear that very often.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Exactly.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I think you want that guy’s private number, don’t you? Was it Adam or…
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
He’s a wonderful man, Adam. We think he’s sensational. And with that…
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
He’s got a pay rise now.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
What’s that?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
He’s got a pay rise now.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
And also you might have just heard, Jarrod Fox who was the young man who died on the job last week, I know behind the scenes you’ve been really pushing some corporates as well to really look at the GoFundMe page, and we’re getting up around $200,000…
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Is that right? Fantastic.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Just on behalf of the family, Josh, I know that you don’t want to talk about this, so we won’t, but I just want to make sure that people realise that you have really led the way as well behind the scenes and you’ve done that as a private citizen. So we thank you for all the support here on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast for you getting involved personally in a lot of these things and making them happen. And you’re a man of great heart. We appreciate somebody being in the top job, particularly in Treasury, who’s got an eye to people and what’s going on. So finally, if we just wrap it up…
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Thanks, Eddie, and thanks for bringing attention to the public for those issues. You know, that story about Jarrod, who I’ve never met, of course, it was tragic and my love and thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to all of his friends. Because we’ve all got young kids, we’ve all got friends who have had tragic circumstances at one stage or another in their lives, and whatever we can do as a community to help, I think, makes us all stronger and people’s lives better.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
And one final one. You’ve been in isolation for two weeks yourself. You’re coming out today, so welcome back to the…
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
The real world.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Yeah. But you’ve got a bit of a sense of it yourself, haven’t you? Anyone moving out of Victoria has to go into isolation. What’s been the overwhelming reaction to you? Because you’ve been flat out. You’ve got all your screens.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Yeah, that’s right.
EDDIE MCGUIRE :
And you’re probably working twice as hard, but how’s it been for you?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, you know, two weeks without stepping foot outside the front door is certainly different, but the hardest part is to be away from your family. You know, I’ve got young kids, and thank goodness for FaceTime. But I really miss them, and I’m going to be up here for quite a period yet with the budget to be delivered on October the 6th. Look, if anyone’s going through isolation, number one tip: make sure you choose your good movies. If you can, rent some sort of exercise bike or do your own push-ups or whatever because you’ve got to stay physically fit as well as mentally fit for those two weeks. And don’t bring in too much ice-cream because that’s a weakness for me and I’m sure a weakness for many of your listeners.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
And a weakness watching Carlton and going berserk on the TV.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
You’ve got to have the footy. We were pretty good, I thought, against the Suns. I thought that was pretty good. So, anyway.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Certainly…
LUKE DARCY:
Eddie was a bit excited when Jack Newnes kicked the goal after the siren.
JOSH FRYDENBERG :
Yeah, that was a ripper.
LUKE DARCY :
That changed isolation. Good on you, Josh. Thanks for checking in, as always. Josh Frydenberg, the Federal Treasurer.
EDDIE MCGUIRE:
Good on you, Josh.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Good to be with you guys.