LUKE HOWARTH:
Well, good morning everyone. I'm Luke Howarth, Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services and Federal Member for Petrie. It's really good to be here at the Dolphins today in the Moreton Bay region, along with the Treasurer, the Honourable Josh Frydenberg and the LNP candidate for Lilley, Ryan Shaw, as well as the CEO of the Dolphins here, Tony Murphy, and of course, the super coach here, Wayne Bennett. As well as the juniors, this is the biggest junior club in Queensland, and you've seen some of the boys and girls running around here passing the ball with the Treasurer. As the federal member for this area, we're really proud of what the Dolphins have achieved here in Moreton Bay. It's a wonderful club and we love to see kids playing sport like the kids that we've just been talking to here now.
The Australian Government has been really happy to invest into the Dolphins, some $8 million over the last few years, and as a federal member for the area, I can really see how that's helping the local community here on the Redcliffe Peninsula and Moreton Bay. We don't just have the Dolphins playing here, and of course, the Dolphins entering the NRL next year with some of the games being played here, but we also have the A‑League soccer being brought here with the Brisbane Roar playing here regularly, and of course, the Warriors playing all their home games here this season. We've also had Murray teams and school teams playing here, and we've had movies filmed here as well, with Little Rock recently filmed. So, what this investment of the stadium has done for the local economy has been really important. Treasurer.
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, thanks very much, Luke. Firstly, Tony, thank you to you and to the hierarchy here at the Dolphins for inviting us down. It's so exciting to see your plans for the future and to hear about how the Dolphins will be in the NRL from next year under the guidance and the expertise of Wayne Bennett, a Queensland and League legend. Thank you very much, Tony, and Wayne, and the team, for the very warm welcome. As Luke said, the Coalition Government has provided $8 million to the club to expand out this stadium and to put in women's changing rooms, to provide great facilities for younger players, for the women's teams, for the men's teams, and it's very exciting to hear about the future.
Luke, thank you for welcoming me here into Moreton Bay. You're a great local member. You're extremely passionate about your community, but of course, what you do as well as an Assistant Minister has been very helpful, particularly in the area of youth unemployment. I know the work that you've done in that area and to see the youth unemployment rate come down to its lowest level since 2008, and to know that we've created 1.7 million new jobs since we came to Government, and a third of those have gone to young people. And I know how hard you've been working to create jobs whether it’s in trade apprenticeships, or in other areas for young people. So a real credit to you. And Ryan, great to be with you as well and all the very best for the challenge ahead.
Well, I'm here today in Queensland, indeed, for a couple of days to meet with local communities, to talk about our Government's plans to build for the future and also to outline what we are doing to strengthen the economy. It's very pleasing to know that here in Queensland, the Morrison Government's tax cuts have delivered more than $6.5 billion to 2.2 million Queenslanders. That's more than $3,000 each on average, of people who are benefiting from those tax cuts here in Queensland. The Morrison Government has been there every step of the way for the people of Queensland since the pandemic began. More than $30 billion in direct economic support. More than 725,000 Queensland workers have benefited from JobKeeper. And Tony was telling us here how he's got more than 200 staff, and JobKeeper was a lifesaver for the Dolphins business. More than 150,000 businesses across Queensland benefited from the cash flow boost, and then our support for Queensland pensioners, veterans, carers and others on income support. Nearly a million people here in Queensland were benefiting from cheques of up to $750 from the Coalition Government. The net result is that the Australian economy has stepped back from that economic abyss that we were facing early on in the pandemic when Treasury thought the unemployment rate could reach as high as 15 per cent, to the point now where the national unemployment rate is 4.2 per cent. Here in Queensland, it's 4.7 per cent. Let's bear in mind that the national unemployment rate was 5.7 per cent when the Coalition came to Government, now the national unemployment rate is at 4.2 per cent. And here in Queensland, there are 350,000 more people in work since the Coalition came to Government and that's something that we're very proud of, and that's something we really want to build on. So our focus is on tax cuts to put more money into people's pockets, and our focus is on creating jobs right across Queensland, right across the Australian economy.
And finally, there is no doubt that right now Australia, like the rest of the world, is still battling COVID. And the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, but the medical experts tell us that it's 75%per cent less severe than previous variants. And we've started to see in New South Wales and in Victoria a slight reduction in the number of ICU patients and ICU admissions. And the experts again tell us that they can see that Omicron is reaching its peak. That could be good news for Australians, both in terms of the health outcomes, but also in terms of the economic outcomes, because we know right now that COVID is putting real pressure on our supply chains. We continue to take a number of steps to strengthen the economy, but Australians, this year as we begin 2022, can go forward with confidence, they can be optimistic knowing that we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, one of the lowest mortality rates in the world and one of the strongest economic recoveries anywhere in the world.
Are there any questions?
JOURNALIST:
Would consumer confidence, and in turn the nation's economy, be in a better spot right now if the Federal Government were better prepared through the ordering of more rapid antigen tests for example, for the Omicron wave?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well the first thing to say is Westpac recently said that consumer sentiment has stayed in positive territory and we need to recognise, despite all the challenges that the Australian economy has faced, it remains remarkably resilient. You only have to look at the headline unemployment numbers, you only have to look at the investment and the pipeline, whether it's in business investment, non‑mining investment, mining investment and of course, housing investment, all is strong as well as Australia being able to maintain its AAA credit rating. Now we have, from the start of this pandemic, put billions of dollars into the funding of tests. Initially it was with the PCR test where we picked up the full tab through the Medicare system and a 50/50 split with the states when they were conducted through state clinics. More than 53 million tests at a cost to the Commonwealth of $2.5 billion. Now with Omicron which is, as I said, highly transmissible, more people are using those rapid antigen tests. And the good news is that there are millions of those rapid antigen tests making their way into Australia. Just in the last two weeks alone, we've seen 7 million tests being delivered into Victoria. The Commonwealth has provided more than 6 million rapid antigen tests to the aged care sector, where there is obviously a more vulnerable population. We're providing 10 million rapid antigen tests to the states and to the state clinics. And overall, more than 200 million rapid antigen tests have been provided. Now in schools in Victoria and in New South Wales, there will be regular rapid antigen tests for teachers and students. And that's a good thing because that's going to help keep the schools open. We, as the Federal Government, are going 50/50 with the states to provide up to 66 million tests, so up to ten for a quarter, for more than 6.5 million Australians who are pensioners or others on income support. Some more tests are coming to Australia. The global supply chains of rapid antigen tests are under pressure. But the key point here is if anybody is sick watching the programme right now, if anybody has symptoms, if anybody is a designated close contact and they need to go and get tested, then they should do so at a state clinic where they can get a PCR test or a rapid antigen test and get the results very quickly.
JOURNALIST:
Treasurer, the deputy Prime Minister says that families and businesses are hoarding RAT tests, rapid antigen tests. What evidence does the Government have of this?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, obviously these rapid antigen tests are high in demand and as I said, more supply is coming online. There are two key issues here. There's the supply question and then there's the access question. With respect to supply, we've got more than 200 million that are on order and that is going to be available to people right across the community. With respect to access, we've taken a decision with the states through National Cabinet to provide equitable access for those members of our community who are financially less fortunate, and that's why we're providing that concessional access. But importantly, National Cabinet and the medical experts who brief National Cabinet, have underlined the fact that rapid antigen tests are not to be used as a universal screening tool that should be used in every workplace every day. That's not its purpose. We're focusing on the most vulnerable cohorts and we're getting more supplies to them. And we're obviously working with the states to get them to schools as well. So the focus for us is on supply and access. I don't begrudge Australians who are wanting to go out and get tested, but if they're sick, if they're sick, then they need to go to a state clinic where they can get that test free of charge, PCR test or rapid antigen test, and get the results soon thereafter.
JOURNALIST:
Why start the free rapid antigen test programme for concession card holders today if chemists say the supply just isn't ready?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, the Health Minister, Greg Hunt, has spoken to the head of the Pharmacy Guild, and that programme is starting with up to 1,000 pharmacies and then building the 4,000 pharmacies as more supply comes online. So we're working closely with the pharmacy sector to provide those tests to people who want them. But at the same time, whether you're a pensioner, a carer or a veteran or another member of the broader community, if you're showing symptoms, if you're sick or you're a designated contact, you can go to a state clinic at no cost to yourself and get that test immediately.
JOURNALIST:
Treasurer, you mentioned the Omicron wave is showing signs of peaking in the east. What would your message be to those like the WA Health Minister who say states like New South Wales and Victoria are in orbit‑name lockdowns?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
I don't agree with that. I have lived through a very extended lockdown in Victoria. My children, like millions of other children across the state, were out of the classroom for the better part of more than a year. And we also know that that had a really big impact on small businesses as well as on people's mental health and wellbeing. So even though you want to avoid getting COVID and you want to follow the health precautions, if you get COVID, like myself, like Luke, like so many other Australians, it does knock you about for a few days and it affects everyone differently. And if you're unvaccinated, you're a much higher risk. If you've got comorbidities, you're at a much higher risk. But it's not as severe as the Delta outbreak, and it's certainly far better than being in an extended lockdown, which I've lived and experienced. And it's not something that you want to go back to.
JOURNALIST:
Treasurer, the PM's WeChat account has been taken over. Should Australian politicians stay off the platform permanently, given most accounts are run by hired agencies in China, and therefore subjected to local laws, which clearly can result in the censorship?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, it's more than passing strange that the Labor opposition leader can go on to WeChat and the Prime Minister of Australia can't, and that's just not good enough. And obviously it’s something that we would like to see rectified because it's a method of communication to the Australian‑Chinese community, which is very important and it should be on offer to politicians of all political persuasions. And it shouldn't be a political football that is used and so I would obviously like to see people being given access and it’s very, very disappointing to see the Prime Minister being prevented from having that access.
JOURNALIST:
Has the Government been able to figure out who was behind that hacking and if any messages from the PM’s account were sent?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, look, in terms of those specific details, you can direct them elsewhere. The key point, though, is the Prime Minister hasn't been able to use WeChat as he would like to do as a means to communicate what he and his Government are doing. I haven't been able to do the same communications as others who are competing against me politically in my own patch, and so it should be offered as a medium much more broadly and it's not acceptable that it's not.
JOURNALIST:
Treasurer, we’re here at the Redcliffe Leagues Club, we’re here on the field, there’s a sin bin right behind you. Should people like Senator Gerard Rennick, who referred to the Prime Minister as pathetic last week, be sent to the sin bin? Or are you just allowed to disrespect the Prime Minister like that?
JOSH FRYDENBERG:
Well, obviously I’m working very closely with the Prime Minister and I can tell you that every single day he's doing his best for the Australian people and that has helped deliver the results that we're now seeing with the lowest unemployment rate in more than 13 years, with one of the highest vaccination rates anywhere in the world and one of the lowest mortality rates anywhere in the world. You don't get those results by chance. You get that by Australians pulling together and strong leadership by the Prime Minister and working through the States and the Territories at National Cabinet. I obviously disagree, as Luke does, with Gerard Rennick on many issues like vaccinations, but my focus is on producing the best possible results for the Australian people. I want them to get vaccinated, I want them to get the booster shots, I want kids 5 to 11 to go and get vaccinated and I want Australia to get through this pandemic, and everything we're doing on both the economic front and on the health front is towards that particular goal. Thank you.