Leon Byner:
Let’s talk to the Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar. Michael, thanks for coming on today.
Minister Sukkar:
Good day, Leon.
Leon Byner:
I wonder how many products have been bought by people that they thought would be effective, because you just have to read ‘hand sanitiser’ and think ‘oh yes, put that in the trolley’, and it may not be effective?
Minister Sukkar:
Yeah, Leon there is no doubt that based on the work that the ACCC has done, that there have been a range of sanitisers on the market, often sanitisers that have been hastily purchased given the huge demand for them this year, that really don’t do the job, as you’ve alluded to. In order to be effective against a virus like the coronavirus you need at least 60 per cent alcohol content. Anything less than that means that it’s not really doing the job and that is the reason for these changes, to make sure that consumers are getting the benefit of the product that they’ve paid for and not a worthless hand sanitizer that doesn’t kill those germs.
Leon Byner:
All right so it’s going to take some time for these labels to filter through to the consumer where they’ve got them on the shelf so in the meantime, what do you do?
Minister Sukkar:
Well the ACCC does enforce product information. So, for example, where existing sanitisers have been identified as being inadequate for some reason or another, the ACCC is dealing with those. Given that, I suspect, hand sanitiser is going to be part of our everyday life for a bit longer, the ACCC and the Morrison Government formed the view that it was better to get ahead of it and make sure for consumers that we have very clearly on the labels, the alcohol content to inform their decisions. There is a six month period before the rule comes into effect and that basically allows for all of the stock that is currently on the shelves and in the warehouses, to be sold. Now that stock is, by and large, good and those sanitisers are doing the job and of course the manufactures need time to create their new labels and processes in their manufacturing facilities so that will give them the time to do that. But consumers should be confident that sanitisers on the market at the moment are doing the job but this is to make sure that the very small minority that aren’t, are no longer on shelves in the future.
Leon Byner:
While I’ve got you there, as Assistant Treasurer, I want to talk about the fact that there’s another $250 payment coming up for people at the end of this month. Tell us about this?
Minister Sukkar:
As part of the Budget, we’ve put in place two additional $250 payments for millions of Australians on income support and in December the first of those, which is a $250 payment, largely to the cohort of Australians who received the previous $750 payments which were put in place during the pandemic. This is a recognition in the Budget that those people require a bit of extra support and we think that the first payment coming up in December is very timely.
Leon Byner:
All right so there’s that one and then is there one after that as well?
Minister Sukkar:
There’s a further payment in March, a second $250 payment.
Leon Byner:
So just to be sure as to whether you can expect it or not, the category that you would need to be in is what?
Minister Sukkar:
The categories are pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card holders and that will be the first in December and the second in March.
Leon Byner:
All right well there’ll be a stack of people that will be able to get that. I just wanted to clarify who it was because we often get people saying ‘am I going to get the money or not?’
Minister Sukkar:
Yeah, Age Pension recipient or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card holders.
Leon Byner:
By the way – it’s almost a tongue-in-cheek question – how is the Budget looking?
Minister Sukkar:
Leon, I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humour this year. The Budget is doing the job that it needs to. We spent seven years speaking to Australians ad nauseam about the requirement to get our fiscal house in order, we got the Budget back to broad balance. That then gave us the fire power that we needed for the rainy day and the rainy day did arrive but the reason why strict budget management is necessary is that you do need to put money away for a rainy day. We’re spending that money now because it is raining, figuratively speaking, but once unemployment gets back down below six per cent, we will focus again on ensuring that we get the budget back in the black. I can promise you that even though there has been unprecedented support this year in direct and indirect support, over $500 billion, we have scrutinised every dollar. We don’t spend it wantonly but this year was the year that Australians needed that support and we were there to provide it.
Leon Byner:
I guess that in Cabinet you would be reflecting regularly on how important it is to get the borders open so that people can trade, visit each other and do what we normally do and do it without thinking twice?
Minister Sukkar:
Yeah obviously as the Assistant Treasurer, I think about it in economic terms but just as an ordinary Australian I have thought about it at a very personal level. My parents live interstate and they’re getting on a bit and there are just so many families like mine who have that desire to connect with their loves ones and being blocked by a border in that way is really devastating for a lot of people. So I’m really keen to see all the borders open as soon as possible, to reunite Australians as much as anything, but we do know that there’s a significant economic benefit to ensuring that we can have free movement of people in our country and let’s remember that we’re one country.
Leon Byner:
Yes, look I need to ask you this. Has the Federal Government got a tag on when all the borders will be open with every state or are you not knowing? Because normally these things are discussed and you talk to the Premiers and you have your meetings and your Cabinet so what’s the latest on that?
Minister Sukkar:
Well these things are discussed at a National Cabinet level between the Prime Minister and the Premiers and Chief Ministers and there is obviously a broad framework by which most members of the National Cabinet agree to on what would inform the decision making on borders
re-opening. Queensland obviously noted recently that they’ll be reopening borders on 1st December to New South Wales and Victoria. But in the case of Western Australia, the Premier of Western Australia has quite strongly said that his government reserves the right to open their borders at a date of their choosing. So that is not something that is laid-out necessarily but we’ve been very keen to say to states that if you are choosing to close your borders, what is the objective criteria by which we can, as Australians, have some certainty of movement? Because we’re coming into holiday season, Leon, and as you know, people won’t want to be booking trips for holidays or trips to see family if they think that the borders could be closed at the drop of a hat because of a small cluster in one state or in one area.
Leon Byner:
So we don’t know nationally when all the borders will be open yet?
Minister Sukkar:
Well all of the states and territories bar Western Australia, as far as I’m aware, have stated to some level of certainty, what their arrangements will be, but these are ultimately decisions for the State and Territory Premiers. So as quickly you can make the decision to open them, they can be made to close them but, all things being equal, most of Australia other than WA will be open by Christmas.
Leon Byner:
Michael, thank you. That’s the Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar just giving us some information about a couple of things that I reckon you need to know about.