SABRA LANE:
Josh Frydenberg, good morning, you’ve been speaking with the Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas. What help is the Federal Government prepared to give Victoria?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, we’ve had constructive discussions. We understand that this is a very difficult time for Victorian families and businesses, an extended lockdown, the fourth lockdown that Victorians have gone through. Every day of this crisis the Morrison Government has stood by not just Victorians but also Australians more broadly and we’ll continue to provide the support to those who are in need.
SABRA LANE:
The substance of that question; what help are you prepared to give? The Budget made provisions for lockdowns. Have you got ideas on what you might be able to do to help Victoria?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, we are working through options. I’m obviously not go to pre-empt any of those options with you this morning, other than to say that the principles that have guided us from the start of this crisis and determined the type of economic support that we’ve provided will continue to guide us to the end of this crisis. Namely, that our support will be targeted, it will be temporary, it will be measured and will use existing systems. But we do recognise the pain that Victorians are right now experiencing.
SABRA LANE:
And isn’t the Victorian situation another example of where temporary and targeted response makes sense?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well again, we do have existing programs that continue to roll out, but we also understand that with an extended lockdown as opposed to the initial one week that was announced by the Victorian Government there are other consequences of that lockdown. We want to ensure that the businesses and the families continue to be supported in their hour of need. I mean, you only have to look at the circumstances in which Victoria has gone into its fourth lockdown. If you take the period from the initial nationwide lockdown last year, if you discount that period, Victoria has gone through 140 days of lockdown compared to an average across the other states and territories of just six days. So Victorians have experienced a terrible time over the course of the last 15 months.
SABRA LANE:
The perception is the Commonwealth doesn’t want to help for fear of setting a precedent here. Is that right?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, what we said for the initial one week of the lockdown is that the state had the capacity to respond, and they did announce a $250 million package for businesses and we welcomed that. But with the announcement of an extended lockdown we’re taking into account the implications of what that means, even though the lockdown for this second week is not as broad as the initial first week.
SABRA LANE:
What about an emergency payment similar to what’s on offer immediately after a natural disaster?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, there are options that we are considering, and that is one of many that we have looked at. The point is there is a need in Victoria for continued support. The impact on kids not being at school, parents working from home, businesses having to close their doors is very substantial. We saw yesterday in the National Accounts that the economy nationwide is bouncing back strongly. Indeed, in Victoria they had bounced back pretty strongly, going from a high of 7.4 per cent unemployment last year to 5.5 per cent in April. But this extended lockdown is hitting businesses and confidence hard.
SABRA LANE:
Getting back to normal would mean reaching herd immunity ASAP right across Australia through vaccination. Is it possible to speed up vaccinations? Is that possible? Are you discussing that within the Federal Government at all? Are you talking about a public timeline so that everyone knows what we’re working towards?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, we are certainly working towards speeding up the vaccination. I mean, everyday we’re seeing more people take the jab. Indeed, over the last seven days we’ve seen 700,000 jabs being delivered. It took 47 days for the first million jabs to be delivered and it’s taken 13 days for the last million jabs to be delivered. So we are seeing an expedited rollout, particularly in a state like Victoria where people who may have been previously hesitant have decided to go and get the jab, and we welcome that and we encourage more people to do so.
SABRA LANE:
Are you able to speed it up even further?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, we are taking all possible steps to do so. We’re working with the state and territory governments. We’ve got more than 5000 contact points across the country, whether it’s GPs or whether it’s particular larger clinics that are being run by state and territory governments. So, we’ll continue to partner with the states and territories to roll out the vaccination as quickly as possible. But as you know, it has hit some hurdles early with supply as well as the application of the AstraZeneca vaccine to those who are aged under 50.
SABRA LANE:
The Victorian lockdowns happened because there’s been a leak from hotel quarantine. Why won’t the Federal Government build a new stand-alone quarantine facility?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, we did put half a billion dollars in the Budget, Sabra, for an expansion of the Howard Springs facility in the Northern Territory to take it up to 2000 people. So we have…
SABRA LANE:
Sorry, and Jane Halton actually recommended that it be increased to 3000. You’ve only done it to 2000.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, we’ve put half a billion dollars to 2000, and we do have an application from the Victorian Government for a stand-alone quarantine facility that they have approached us to help fund and we’re giving consideration to that and as the Prime Minister has already indicated, we’re favourably disposed to that application.
SABRA LANE:
Why isn’t there a quick decision on that?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, again, our officials have been working through this particular program. In any time you’re spending large amounts of Government money you’ve got to work through all the options and the details. But we’ll have more to say about that pretty shortly.
SABRA LANE:
Treasurer, thanks for your time this morning.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
My pleasure.