JOURNALIST:
Just quickly on your comments today at the luncheon, you talked about the South Australian Government and other State Government’s needing to be accountable. What exactly do you mean by that?
TREASURER:
Well, the South Australian Government, like all of the other State Governments, is now enjoying windfall revenue from GST. Every last dollar of GST is received by State Governments and the South Australian Government is receiving that windfall and I think it is important that scrutiny is placed on the State Governments as to how they use that money…
JOURNALIST:
Where is that lacking?
TREASURER:
…and I think the scrutiny should involve looking at reducing State taxes, I think that is a very big part of it because with the additional GST money we wouldn’t want to see it wasted, it should be put to good use and State Governments should be held accountable for their own tax bases.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Costello, Mitsubishi here in South Australia, Friday a big decision on its future. What can the Federal Government do to help with that?
TREASURER:
Well, the Federal Government has dispatched the Industry Minister to Tokyo, he has been speaking to the Mitsubishi Company, he has been pressing the case for Australia and for South Australia in particular and the Federal Government is lobbying the Japanese company very strongly on behalf of Mitsubishi Australia and South Australia. And everything that can be done is being done at that level to…
JOURNALIST:
Will it be enough?
TREASURER:
…well, an announcement, we are lead to believe is on Friday, I don’t know what the announcement will be, but everything that can be done is being done on behalf of Mitsubishi and South Australia.
JOURNALIST:
Have you looked at any specific Budget measures in relation to Mitsubishi or…
TREASURER:
Well, look, it is, I think, over recent years the Federal Government has made a couple of hundred million available to Mitsubishi Australia, which is doing well. The problem is the Japanese corporation which is not doing well and the owners of the Japanese corporation, Daimler Chrysler, which don’t want to put more capital in, so everything that can be done in Australia has been done, everything that can be done in Tokyo is being done and we will get an announcement on Friday.
JOURNALIST:
What is your reaction to Trish Draper’s association with a guy called Derek Sands, it was in the paper today. He has been a prime suspect in a police murder investigation, do you see it as damaging to the Liberal Party and to her political future as well?
TREASURER:
Well, I don’t know him at all obviously, and if what you say is the case you should direct your inquiries to the police.
JOURNALIST:
Why was he allowed to go overseas with her on a tax payer-funded trip to Europe? Why should tax payers have to pay for something like that?
TREASURER:
Well, you have alleged something against him and that is a matter for the police. If what you have alleged is true, you should direct your questions to the police.
JOURNALIST:
Do you know if Trish Draper was aware of the allegations against this man?
TREASURER:
I don’t know the allegations myself, so I can’t comment, but if somebody is making allegations against a person, that is a matter for the police.
JOURNALIST:
Is it appropriate for politicians to take anybody overseas with them on trips?
TREASURER:
It is appropriate for them to take their spouses and de facto spouses, they are the rules…
JOURNALIST:
Does that include lovers?
TREASURER:
…they are the rules, and the relevant Minister has been asked whether or not that was within the rules and he said it was so, of course.
JOURNALIST:
Is within the rules okay by you?
TREASURER:
Yes, of course.
JOURNALIST:
In that…
TREASURER:
Within the rules of course is ok, that is why you have rules so you stay within them.
JOURNALIST:
But specifically on that example, she wasn’t living with him…
TREASURER:
No, hang on, the Minister involved, who administers the rules has been asked this question and he has said it was within the rules.
JOURNALIST:
Are you concerned about the potential impacts of this in the lead up to the Federal election?
TREASURER:
I think in the Federal election what people want to know about is what can the Government do to help families, what can we do to reduce tax, how can we encourage retirement savings. They want to know about our plans for a stronger economy and that is what we are doing, we are talking about all of those positives. Now, the Labor Party had the chance today at the National Press Club, to make good on its promises. Mr Latham has been promising everything to everybody so today he had the chance to say what he would actually do and he said, nothing. No tax rates, no thresholds…
JOURNALIST:
But would he necessarily do that at a media press club?
TREASURER:
…well, it is the National Press Club, it is the Shadow Treasurer’s response to the Budget. The Labor Party for the last week has been criticising the Government’s tax plan and saying they have a different one, so today was the day when they could stand up and deliver it. And no rates, no thresholds, he didn’t tell you how much it would cost or where the money was coming from. Now, Mr Latham has been puffing up promises to everybody but he can’t put any detail on it because his promises can’t be believed. And that is the important thing that you saw today, when it came for the rubber to hit the road, all you saw was more waffle. Labor’s good on waffle, but weak on policy.
JOURNALIST:
You had a message today for candidates that they really had to rise to the challenge in South Australia in key marginal seats, how critical are those marginal seats to winning Government again?
TREASURER:
Absolutely critical, absolutely critical. In the South Australian marginal seats I think the future of the election will be determined, and I have been with a couple of those candidates in marginal seats. I have been with Kym Richardson, I have been with Simon Birmingham whilst I have been here and they are very impressive candidates.
JOURNALIST:
So Makin would be another one of those key marginal seats?
TREASURER:
They are, all marginal seats are key seats and we are aiming to win them all. Thanks.