ED KAVALEE:
Guys, we're joined on the phone by the Treasurer of this country, it is Josh Frydenberg everybody.
DAVE HUGHES:
Good morning Treasurer.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Good morning Hughesy, good morning Erin, good morning team.
ERIN MOLAN:
Good morning Treasurer.
DAVE HUGHES:
Ed Kavalee.
ED KAVALEE:
He's probably aware of who I am. Now, Treasurer, she's allowed to have one boring, long‑winded political question so it's first. Erin, here he is.
ERIN MOLAN:
It's not boring for people who actually‑
ED KAVALEE:
Come on, let's have it.
ERIN MOLAN:
Okay, Treasurer, first of all congratulations, I know how much work goes into this. You've released a budget that addresses so many important social issues of our time, which is wonderful. I want to ask you in simple terms; how do we pay for it given we are lowering taxes?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
By growing the economy. Growing the pie will enable us to ensure that our economy gets stronger over time. It's been really important in this budget to continue to focus on jobs, so you've seen investments in skills and in infrastructure, in the digital economy, and as you say, Erin, there's also tax relief for families and support for businesses to invest. If you look around the rest of the world, the virus is still raging. Europe's gone into a double‑dip recession. We cannot take the gains that we've made for granted. That's why we've got to secure that recovery and that's what this budget's all about.
DAVE HUGHES:
It's a crazy thing to think that we're better than ever. I find that hard to believe, Josh. Have you fiddled the figures? I mean how can we have more people in work and how can we be going so well with bloody this last year and a half? It's just nuts.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, Hughesy, the labour market has surprised on the upside and it's been really pleasing to see the people who had lost their jobs get back into work. And if you compare what's happened in this recession compared to the 1990s recession, the recovery's been five times faster, which is incredible. But again, there's a lot of uncertainty out there. You only have to turn on your television to see those terrible images in India, to see more than 800,000 new COVID cases a day, to realise the virus is still with us. We can't take our health for granted. We've got to continue to provide those COVID health measures which we've done in the Budget, and we've got to keep that pressure in terms of creating jobs as well.
ERIN MOLAN:
There's been a lot of talk about what you've done for women in this budget and included in that in health, domestic violence, childcare as well, which I know is not just a female issue. Just summarise for us the benefit to say women say between 30 and 50.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well in terms of childcare, particularly families where they have more than one child in childcare, it's just not worth it to go and work an extra day in the office or in the shop or indeed at home. Too much of that money gets eaten away with childcare fees so we're providing up to a 95 per cent rebate for families who have more than one child in childcare.
DAVE HUGHES:
That's huge. Huge.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Domestic violence is really a serious issue and we've seen an increase in some of those numbers through the pandemic. So for women who are fleeing domestic violence situations we're providing cash support to help them get back on their feet, we're providing safe houses, we're providing legal assistance and counselling. With respect to women's health, we've listed a number of drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme with respect to breast cancer, we've also ensured that there's more money going towards screening, osteoporosis and the like and other areas of health concern.
DAVE HUGHES:
Great.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
So, there's a lot of things in this budget to help do that.
ED KAVALEE:
Treasurer, thank you. Now on the front page of the paper, we know it's great, there's a lot of tradies listening to us, tradies on the tools, they can get a tax‑deductible ute, which is great, we love that. Hughesy's going to get himself a fleet of them. But here we go. Now a long, long time ago the GST was brought in and part of it was to get rid of the cash economy or try and get some tax on that, which we both applauded, and then Hughesy's been going on about how you will often go to his comedy shows and laugh and have a great time.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
That's true.
ED KAVALEE:
However. No, no, now hang on, Treasurer, this is fair enough. This is a story that I don't think he told us that he was going to do this joke or do this story on stage, this is true, saw you and thought "I better not tell this story in front of the Treasurer”, so luckily I've got it recorded. Treasurer, have a listen to this.
PLAYS EXERT
“I was on the dole for seven years. Seven years turned up to Centrelink full of shame, thinking, my father's saying, "Get a job mate". So, I'm like, "Dad, I've got one. I'm just getting paid cash".”
ED KAVALEE:
Treasurer.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well look, when Hughesy goes home today he'll wait for that knock on the door.
DAVE HUGHES:
Yeah, I heard him laugh.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
We never forget.
DAVE HUGHES:
I heard you laugh.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
And even though he's a Carlton supporter we love him dearly.
ERIN MOLAN:
You know, Treasurer, he's an Eels supporter now.
DAVE HUGHES:
Go the Eels, mate.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
What about Melbourne Storm?
DAVE HUGHES:
No, Parramatta Eels. Come on, Josh.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I shouldn't swear. I shouldn't swear on Sydney radio.
DAVE HUGHES:
Thank you, Treasurer.
ED KAVALEE:
Thank you Treasurer.
ERIN MOLAN:
Thanks Treasurer