Laura Jayes:
Let’s go live now to Canberra. Michael Sukkar is the Assistant Treasurer and the Housing Minister and joins us live. Thanks so much for your time, Minister. First of all, there’s one case in Western Australia. It’s being defined as an outbreak?
Minister Sukkar:
Yes, Laura. The Health Minister and the Prime Minister have been briefed by the Acting Chief Medical Officer on this single case in Western Australia and as a Federal Government we know that this is going to be an extraordinarily difficult time for Western Australians and of course the State Government is making a range of decisions in relation to – as you rightly point out – the definition of an outbreak. We stand ready to assist them in whichever way we can and we’re confident that they’ll be able to get on top of it very quickly.
Laura Jayes:
You say the Prime Minister has been briefed as well as many federal health experts. One case, as you say, defined as an outbreak as that has been put forward by Premier McGowan. Is there something that you know that we don’t? Is a five day lockdown justified?
Minister Sukkar:
Well, Laura, my understanding is that these decisions have all been made on the basis of medical advice so that’s what I know and in that respect, I’d say you and I know about the same amount. But the Prime Minister and the Health Minister have been briefed, in detail, by the Acting Chief Medical Officer on a range of issues, presumably including the process by which the State Government has made the decision in relation to the five day lockdown. As a Federal Government, our view is that we should stand ready to support Western Australians in any way that we possibly can, but of course these decisions are taken by state governments and in this case, the McGowan Government.
Laura Jayes:
Okay well the Prime Minister’s first big speech of the year at the National Press Club today and I’ve got to say, 2021 is shaping up much like 2020 at this point. Now we know that JobKeeper is going to end in March but will there be any replacement to it for those industries that are still struggling?
Minister Sukkar:
Well Laura, to touch on your first point, the Prime Minister will outline today in his speech, the enviable position that Australia is in both from a health perspective and of course the fact that our economic recovery is well underway. I think that it’s fair to point out with respect to JobKeeper that economic activity is 5 per cent higher this financial year, 4.5 per cent higher next financial year, higher than it would have otherwise been due to direct fiscal support from the Morrison Government. So in that respect, the JobKeeper program has been rightly lauded as having done an amazing job for the economy. In the end, we will continue to assess what targeted assistance, if any, is required but there’s no blank cheques, the Prime Minister has made that clear and we’ll keep an eye on what that targeted assistance requires. Let’s remember JobKeeper has done an amazing job, it is fuelling the economic recovery that, as I said, is the envy of the rest of the world. For example, from October to November we saw 35,000 fewer employees and some 7,000 fewer businesses on JobKeeper so we’re seeing that tapering quite strongly. 736,000 new jobs in the last six months so it’s undoubtedly done an amazing job for the economy, there’s no blank cheque but of course we’ll continue to keep an eye on areas of the economy that might need targeted assistance.
Laura Jayes:
What areas might they be?
Minister Sukkar:
Well Laura you don’t have to get your crystal ball out to work out roughly the areas of the economy that will continue to suffer. Let’s remember one of the main points that the Prime Minister will make today in his press club speech is the $1.9 billion to the RACGP, the AMA and logistics enterprises to make sure that we can rollout the vaccine seamlessly throughout the year but that in itself means that a level of Covid uncertainty is going to continue. So that’s the focus…interrupted.
Laura Jayes:
Let’s point out, Michael Sukkar, vaccine delivery is the key to our economic recovery at the moment. So why have we delayed it? Why didn’t we try and do it sooner?
Minister Sukkar:
Well, Laura, I don’t accept that we’ve delayed it. When you look at the enviable position that Australia is in, we have jumped one hurdle after another, there’s no doubt about it. I think that in your opening remarks, you were very correct to point out that there are some hurdles ahead and I suspect that the biggest one will be how we rollout the vaccine. There’s been no delay, the vaccine and the funding that will be announced today I think should give Australians comfort that it will be rolled out seamlessly. There will be difficulties along the way, I have no doubt. As we’ve seen with Western Australia in the past 24 hours, things will come out of left field that we can’t necessarily predict but as Australians have seen over the last 12 months, the Morrison Government can competently deliver on the health and economic outcomes that have meant that we are leading the world in so many respects.
Laura Jayes:
Just finally, as a Victorian, we saw Kevin Andrews lose his preselection yesterday. He really made history by doing that. Why did he lose it?
Minister Sukkar:
Well Kevin has made history in many respects. He’s been in Parliament for 30 years, he was a Cabinet Minister in the Howard Government and the Abbott Government, he helped us return to government. I think he’s made a phenomenal contribution to Australia, to the Liberal Party and to the Liberal Party in Victoria. We are very proudly a democratic institution. We will have a new candidate at the next election, a very accomplished candidate who has got big shoes to fill in Kevin Andrews, but I am sure will be able to do that. So rejuvenation of a political party is important.
Laura Jayes:
Impressive CV, as you say Michael Sukkar, but the branch members obviously didn’t think that was enough. Is this an ominous sign? Can we take any lessons from this for the Victorian Liberals?
Minister Sukkar:
No, Laura. I don’t think we should read too much into it. Kevin has been in Parliament for 30 years. He has achieved an enormous amount. I think that we all accept that nothing lasts forever including political careers. I know that everybody in the Victorian Liberal Party has thanked Kevin for the enormous contribution he has made. To reach the heights of cabinet minister in a government, to help us return to government. These are things that everybody respects and as I said, big shoes to fill but we’re confident that his successor will be able to do that.
Laura Jayes:
Yeah and an election later this year, of course, Michael Sukkar?
Minister Sukkar:
Laura, I like how you throw those little ones at the end. I’m not going to bite.
Laura Jayes:
Okay well we’ll take that as a confirmation. Thanks so much, we’ll speak to you soon.
Minister Sukkar:
Good on you, Laura. Thanks.