CATTERNS:
We might just move on because Senator Mark Arbib, the Assistant Treasurer, is standing by.
HARMER:
And the interesting thing of course is that we all saw those statistics during the Howard years. I think put through a record amount of legislation and the Gillard Government's putting on a bit of pace as well they've got lots of legislation coming up. I know that the Prime Minister did say that this was, you know, her time of consolidation and getting through a lot of legislation.
CATTERNS:
So we thought we'd just have a quick look at some of the changes that are coming about this year. Senator Mark Arbib hello and welcome.
MINISTER ARBIB:
Good morning Angela. Good morning Wendy.
HARMER:
Yes you guys are heads down, aren't you? There's heaps of stuff coming through. What are your big ticket items do you reckon?
MINISTER ARBIB:
Well look, January 1 was a very big day for the government, a very big day for families. There were some major changes to Family Tax Benefit A. Families of teenagers 1619, they are going to be better off, they're going to be about $160 a fortnight better off, $4,200 a year better off. So that was a big change that has been put in place to try to improve the lot for families.
The system we currently have in place at the moment really doesn't work for families with older teenagers, the current tax benefit system when teenagers get to 16, actually the amount of money families get drops right away in some cases by 67 per cent so it's a really good change there for families.
The same in terms of students, really trying to back in students from regional areas and we're expanding out the youth allowance so kids and teenagers going to university in Bathurst, Goulburn, Forster. They'll now be able to access the youth allowance which will provide some extra funding for them.
So there's some really good changes going on there, but there's also, nationally, some big changes. I mean over the next 12 months we are of course bringing in the Minerals Resource Rent Tax which is going to provide a fair share for Australians making sure they get access to superannuation, making sure small businesses get the tax cut. There is plenty going on, this really is a year of delivery and work.
HARMER:
Yeah well that's right. We look at the list here there is mental health care reform, free hearing tests up to the age of 26, disability impairment rules, primary health care, it goes on and on and on.
CATTERNS:
Where is the National Disability Insurance Scheme at?
MINISTER ARBIB:
Yeah the work is going on there as well. We're working off the Productivity Commission recommendations.
HARMER:
Yeah you should get on to it more quickly if you ask me.
MINISTER ARBIB:
We are actually, that is something that was discussed and debated at the last National Conference. It is something that every Labor Party member wants to do because it is so important for those families, those people who have a disability. We know how important it is and we are working towards getting that in place, but it has to be done properly and it has to be done in a way that is responsible and the budget can actually handle.
HARMER:
What do you think? What is your rate of change of legislation like in comparison to the Howard Government? They were accused of wholesale changes I suppose and doing things very quickly. You complained a lot about that at the time but it seems, as I say, you are putting in a fair bit of pace yourselves.
MINISTER ARBIB:
Well I think in the last couple of years of the Howard Government they became pretty complacent, in terms of change. Really it was a Government that ran out of steam. In terms of education, we were one of the only countries in the western world that was taking money out of education, in terms of health Tony Abbott was the Health Minister who cut $1 billion out of the health budget. So it really was a Government that in the end was sitting on its hands.
Labor came into power and really it has been a period of change and reform. What we are trying to do is set the economy up for the future. We are facing some big challenges overseas, we've got the developed world, developed economies now stagnating, we've got Asia, the rise of the Asian century. We're trying to position the economy, that's what the NBN is all about, trying to help businesses, help families so we can compete overseas.
That's the work that the Government is doing. It is a big amount of change but at the same time the challenges that we all face are pretty large and we've got to make sure that families are really getting the best education for their kids, they're getting the best health services, at the same time they're benefiting from infrastructure. That's why our Ministers everyday are out there working, got their heads down and bums up.
HARMER:
See that's a good question, are you able to sell this stuff?
CATTERNS:
Well that's right, it's a lot of changes but are you taking everyone along on this road with you?
MINISTER ARBIB:
Reform is hard and when you're dealing with issues as big as climate change and global warming. We're talking about the carbon price this year which is going to be introduced in July.
It is not easy work and these are massive reforms and sometimes it is difficult to sell and especially when you're trying to reform across different areas. Again, the Howard Government ran out of steam and we've had to take up the challenge and deliver in all these areas - deliver in health, deliver in education -
CATTERNS:
Senator, I just want to interrupt because we've only got about 45 seconds until the news and I did want to ask you about the conscience vote which you will all have next month when Stephen Jones introduces the legislation, or introduces the same sex marriage bill. Will you be voting yay or nay?
MINISTER ARBIB:
Yeah, look, I need to see the legislation and what he's proposing, but at the last national conference I got up and said I support same sex marriage. For me it comes down to this, it's very personal, I've got two daughters, two young kids. I tell them every day that they can do anything, that they can go out there and conquer the world. I never want to them to come to me when they're older and say: "Dad, I'm gay and I want to get married" and I never want to say to them that they don't have those rights. So from my perspective I support it.
CATTERNS:
Thank you very much. Thank you very much for your time and happy new year.