PETER STEFANOVIC:
Treasurer, good to see you. Thanks for joining us this morning. So why didn’t you go to the march yesterday?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, I didn’t go to the march because the Prime Minister offered a meeting to the leaders of that March, and they turned him down, and I think that was unfortunate. But I think yesterday was a powerful moment outside the Parliament. Attention was brought to a very important issue, an issue that we take very seriously, an issue that we’re acting on - namely, domestic violence, sexual violence against women. We must do better. We will do better as a nation in tackling this scourge.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
The problem is that women feel like they’re not being heard, and while this tidal wave of tears and rage swept across the country, some of the most senior members of the Government didn’t go. It’s not exactly a great message to send.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, as I said, Pete, the Prime Minister, in good faith, offered an opportunity to meet with the organisers to hear their concerns, for them to outline their issues to both him and the Minister for Women. Unfortunately, that was turned down. Now, there was obviously a mass gathering yesterday bringing attention to a very important issue. But it’s an issue that we’re acting on. We’re putting in place a series of measures across the country. We’re investing billions of dollars in order to tackle domestic violence, including launching a new information campaign to help educate Australians about that scourge. This is something that we are all collectively in together and something that we all must do something about.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Christian Porter says that he will testify in a rape trial. Does that put an end to any argument for an independent inquiry?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, you’re not going to expect me to comment on matters that are now before the courts. Both Christian Porter and the ABC will have their day in court.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Have you spoken to him lately?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Yes, I have. I’ve stayed in regular contact with both him and Linda Reynolds, and I look forward to them both joining us in Cabinet again soon.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
He did mention that he was having difficulties mentally during that press conference that we saw a few weeks ago. Has there been any improvement on that front during your conversations with him?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I actually found that he was in good spirits despite the challenges that he has faced over the recent weeks. I mean, events of recent weeks would take their toll on anyone, Pete, as you could understand in the glare of the nation’s spotlight and that focus on him. Of course, you know, he has vigorously denied those accusations against him and now he and the ABC will both be able to put their case in court.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay. More countries overnight, Treasurer, are halting the AstraZeneca rollout because of blood clots. What concerns do you have, if any, about that?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, yesterday the Prime Minister, the Health Minister, the Chief Medical Officer and other senior members of the Government, including myself, met with the Chief Medical Officer and heard firsthand how the vaccine rollout will continue. Both the European equivalent of our TGA, as well as the World Health Organisation, have said that the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective and they have not found any causal link between the vaccine itself and blood clots. We also know in the case of the United Kingdom where more than 12 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been rolled out, we haven’t seen those trends or patterns or problems across that community. We will continue to proceed with the vaccine rollout of AstraZeneca and, of course, that is a vaccine that we are making here in Australia through CSL.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay and no plans to halt at this stage. New figures though the huge effect that tax cuts are having on our economy, Treasurer. Inflation, though, still a problem, not to mention wage growth at record lows. Is there any plan to bring forward stage three tax cuts?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, stage three is, as you say, legislated tax cuts. It was only last week that the Leader of the Opposition was asked in a public gathering at a business summit to confirm his Party’s commitment to those legislated tax cuts and he wouldn’t give that guarantee. We, as a Coalition, fundamentally believe in Australians earning more and keeping more of what they earn. Already $9 billion in tax cuts has gone into the pockets of the hard-working Australian families. Another $12 billion will go out. That’s a total of $21 billion, a significant amount of money. If you’re a teacher or a nurse on $60,000, you are paying $2,160 less tax compared to what you were paying in 2017-18. This is a significant boost to people’s household disposable incomes and will help generate more economic activity. We have also legislated - and that’s stage three of the tax cuts - a significant structural reform where we’re abolishing a whole tax bracket. You’ll see 95 per cent of taxpayers pay a marginal rate of no more than 30 cents in the dollar. One big tax bracket, Pete, between $45,000 and $200,000. That’s a significant structural reform and it’s time that the Labor Party committed to the tax cuts that we’ve already passed through the Parliament.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay. But are you going to bring forward stage three at all?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
We’ve got no plans to bring forward stage three.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Stage three is legislated. I think that’s important. What we did do in the most recent Budget is we brought forward stage two. People are seeing the benefit of that with more money in their pockets right now.
PETER STEFANOVIC:
Okay. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, appreciate your time, as always. Talk to you soon.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
My pleasure.