PETER STEFANOVIC:
Treasurer, good to see you. Thanks for joining us bright and early this morning. You’ve just been on a tour of the promised land in Far North Queensland, Cairns and tourism. You’ve seen it, you’ve seen the damage up there when it comes to the tourism sector and it’s been absolutely decimated. So, what are you going to do about it?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
The first thing is we have been providing extensive support already into the Cairns and to the Townsville and to the Whitsunday regions and to the economies right across Queensland’s tourism dependent areas. Yesterday I had a good opportunity to be in Cairns and also in Townsville and to hear first-hand about how the impact of COVID is still quite severe for a number of businesses. We’ll have more to say in coming days but we have already announced in last year’s budget additional measures that continue to roll out across the economy that is putting more money into people’s pockets that can be spent at those tourist destinations. The other message that I heard from the tourism leaders over the course of recent days in Queensland is the importance of keeping those domestic borders open. Yes, in Cairns they rely heavily on the international tourist dollar, but if more Australians are packing their bags, jumping on a plane and going to Cairns or Townsville or to other parts across Queensland then that will be good for those local economies and, of course, good for jobs. With the roll out of the vaccine, Pete, we’re hopeful there will be less of those stop start border closures.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Are you considering aviation grants and interest free loans?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I know you’d love me to announce new measures on your program today, I’m not about to do that. We’re still working through the final details of that package. The Prime Minister, myself, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Tourism and Trade Minister will have more to say in coming days.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay. But you are considering it? It’s on?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Again, you can play this game of what’s in and out. What you do know is the Morrison Government has been with these communities every step of the way. It would be remiss of me not to point out, as I’m standing here in Queensland, that we have already delivered from the Federal Government over $28 billion to Queenslanders. That’s more than three times what the Palaszczuk Government has just committed to over the next 4.5 years. We’ve actually walked the talk when it comes to supporting Queensland businesses and Queensland families and that’s what we’ll continue to do.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Beyond Queensland and the tourism sector, in particular, what about wage subsidies for apprentices and changes to migration. We’ve had several conversations over the past year or so, even at the Budget last year about those huge drops in migration levels. What sort of changes are you expecting in that space?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
As you know, with the international borders closed, that’s had a dramatic impact on net overseas migration. The number of people coming to this country, either to work or to live or, indeed, to study. Once the virus is contained more globally and we can be surer of the health impacts that can be controlled, we will move to loosen those border restrictions. But we’ve got to follow the medical advice, we can’t move ahead of that when it comes to the international borders. So we’re continuing to look at those particular settings. When it comes to apprenticeships, the Prime Minister is making a very substantial announcement today which will bring the total amount of money we’ve committed to apprenticeships to $5 billion over the last 12 months. We announced last year that we would provide a 50 per cent wage subsidy to businesses who took on apprentices, whether they were in the trades or whether they’re in the retail industry or whether they’re in the hospitality industry. We saw a take up of 100,000 within just five months. We’re uncapping the program, we’re extending the program. That will see tens of thousands of more apprenticeships taken up here in Australia and that’s a good thing for the long term prospects for our economy.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Treasurer, Julie Bishop says there is a club of ‘big swinging dicks’ – they are the words she used – that tried to stall her career. What do you know about that?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I just know what you’ve put to me and it was written about previously, many years ago. But Julie Bishop has had the last laugh. She became Australia’ first female Foreign Minister and did an outstanding job in that role. She became Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, a position that I’m very privileged to hold right now as her successor. She made a big difference in public life. She has very much had the last laugh when it comes to her career or any attempts, as she said, for people to stymie her.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Who is in this club?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I don’t know and, again, I don’t want to know.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay. Just finally, lots of questions about whether or not we should become a republic this morning, Treasurer. The Royals are at war. A lot of people asking do we really need them. What is your position on this?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
This is not the time to kick-start that debate. Obviously, I didn’t actually watch Oprah Winfrey and, again, I’ve just seen reporting of that story. But clearly there have been troubles in the House of Windsor and I am not about to add to that speculation.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
But you are for a republic?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I have been, absolutely. I have been on the record of stating that in the past both in print and in interviews. But it is not the pressing priority right now. The pressing priority right now is for Australia to effectively respond on both the health and the economic front to this pandemic. That’s what we have been doing effectively. I am here in Queensland talking to businesses, talking to families. In coming days I will be joining the Prime Minister to announce further measures.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Yep, fair enough too. Thank you for your time this morning.