KARL STEFANOVIC:
Treasurer, good morning to you. Thanks for your time. The pandemic isn't over. This is a hell of risk is it not with the livelihoods of hard-working Australians?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, JobKeeper has been a remarkable success story. Let's not forget when we announced the program on 30 March last year, Karl, Australia was staring into an economic abyss. Treasury thought the unemployment rate could reach as high as 15 per cent. That the fall in GDP could be more than 20 per cent. Since then we've seen the economy strengthen, the labour market prove to be enormously resilient and the unemployment rate fall to 5.8 per cent. The advice from Treasury is that it would be counterproductive for the economy to leave in place JobKeeper as the economy strengthens because it would prevent workers moving across the economy to more productive roles. We need to bring it to an end, but other economic support from the Morrison Government does continue.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Very difficult. There are a number of stories in today's papers. I think definitely travel agents have got a massive couple of weeks ahead to try and survive. A lot of them won't be able to and a lot of their workforce won't be there. How do you allay their fears about the future and how do you sympathise with them? How do you show them empathy?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
We put in place targeted programs and support measures for specific sectors and indeed for regions that have been heavily impacted by those international and state border closures like travel agents. We've announced more than a quarter of billion dollars in direct support to travel agents. We also announced a broader package with half price airfares to destinations across the country. That is designed to get more planes in the air and more tourists on the ground. We also announced an arts and entertainment package just the other day, with $135 million in direct support to host live events. That will help save and create jobs for roadies, for front of house crew, for all those workers across the entertainment supply chain. Whether it's in hospitality or in accommodation or, indeed, transport and logistics. We're very much focused on continuing the economic support in a targeted way, where it's necessary. But at $90 billion, the JobKeeper program has to come to an end and that is the advice to Government from Treasury.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Unions have suggested your Government introduce a lift to the minimum wage to compensate. Would you consider that as an option?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, the best way to drive higher wages is to get more people employed. That is what the focus of our Government has been. The unions will always seek higher minimum wage and obviously the employer groups will push back on that. We have an independent mechanism to decide the minimum wage and governments make submissions to that process and that will continue to be the case.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Let's move on. Why did it take you so long to, the Party so long, to do something about Andrew Laming. You've known for years about his disgraceful behaviour.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, his behaviour has been unacceptable. He's obviously apologised for that, but more importantly he's now engaging in counselling and getting the other support services that he needs to correct that behaviour because he falls well below community standards. Not just the expectation of how a politician should conduct themselves, but how anyone across our broader society should as well. We've made that very clear. Andrew has announced he's not contesting the next election. The Prime Minister and I have welcomed that.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Why wouldn't you get rid of him before that? Are you afraid of a by-election?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Again, the onus is on him to go through these training programs. He's announced his intention to come back to the Parliament for the Budget sitting. It's important he goes through these processes and he has acknowledged that his behaviour has been wrong and unacceptable. He's got more work to do.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Come on Josh. The guy needs to go. He needs to put his hand up and take responsibility for his actions and get out.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
He’s not contesting the next election. He was elected by his constituents to represent them in the Parliament. And as part of a Government, he has obviously advanced the interests of the Australian electorate in terms of responding to this pandemic. That's what the Morrison Government's focus has been on. That's what we have delivered.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
So you think it's acceptable for him to stay in Parliament when he took a mobile phone photo in 2019 of a bottom of someone who was in underwear, her underwear was clearly visible. Two other Queensland women last night complained about Dr. Laming’s alleged harassing behaviour, including taunts on social media. Do you think it's acceptable for him to still be in Parliament?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I don't think his behaviour is acceptable at all. In fact, I think it's demeaning of women. And he has again taken steps to correct his behaviour. That's where the focus is now on. In terms of his position in the Parliament, he's announced he's not contesting the next election. He was elected by his constituents. He remains in the Parliament but he's got to improve his behaviour. It serves as a lesson to all.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
He should go now. You should go do a by-election. Are you too nervous about a by-election, is that the whole reason?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, that's your view Karl.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
It wouldn’t just be me. I'm telling you this behaviour is unacceptable for someone in Parliament.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I agree with you. It's completely unacceptable. The way forward is for him to engage in this training, in this counselling, to apologise for his conduct and to ensure that he corrects his ways and it is a lesson to everyone that this type of behaviour has no place in our community, let alone in our Parliament.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
The backlash seems to be hurting you in the polls this morning, Treasurer. It's been a terrible six weeks for the Government. The blows just keep coming.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, it's no surprise to see the reflection in those polls. But the Prime Minister knows that his focus must be on helping to steer our country through a pandemic which is ongoing. And today we're talking about the end of JobKeeper, but we're also talking about the resilience of the economy. Let's not forget Australia has out-performed all major advanced economies. That has meant we've avoided the falls in unemployment that you've seen in other countries, or the falls in GDP. That's just not just numbers on a page, Karl. They're the jobs of your viewers this morning. They're mums and dads, brothers and sisters, our workmates and friends. Through the action of the Morrison Government, the unprecedented economic support that we've provided, we have avoided the devastating fate of other nations. That should not be glossed over. That really matters to people's lives.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Finally, we've got dramas this morning with the cyber attack on the Nine Network. What are you doing about Vlad?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, no names this morning. What I can say is that this cyber threat is very real. It's more pervasive than people think and know. We are as a Government investing record amounts of money in ensuring that not only government systems are equipped to deal with this cyber threat, but that we're working with the business community and the private sector more generally to ensure that their systems are best in class. Because this threat is not going away. Whether it's other governments or whether it's criminal organisations, cyber security is the new battlefront. It's the new front line. It's where there is a war every single day.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Treasurer, thank you for your time today. Always appreciate it.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
All the best.