22 June 2011 in Media
SCHILLER:
Well Question Time has been a fiery affair lately especially with Tony Abbott’s plebiscite pledge. Julia Gillard really got stuck into him in Parliament and here to talk about that and other things are our two normal Federal MPs, Federal Liberal MP for Mayo, Jamie Briggs and Federal Labor MP for Kingston, Amanda Rishworth. Good morning Jamie and Amanda. Where do you both stand on the plebiscite, we haven’t had too many plebiscites in Australia and it looked like it was going to get up and then Steve Fielding an Independent MP who is well known for stunts has now not backed it. What do you guys think?
RISHWORTH:
Well look from my perspective I think this is just one of Tony Abbott’s many stunts that he likes to pull. I mean yesterday he confirmed that even if there was a plebiscite, and even if that plebiscite voted in favour of action on climate change, he wouldn’t necessarily abide by it. So I think we have seen here that this is merely a stunt, that Tony Abbott wants to play around with and not actually serious about tackling it. And I think what it really does is hide the fact that he actually doesn’t believe in climate change, doesn’t want to do anything about climate change so he’s pulling these stunts in a desperate bid.
SCHILLER:
Jamie what do you think about this?
BRIGGS:
At the end of the day what this is about is giving Australians a voice on this issue . . .
RISHWORTH:
Why wouldn’t he listen to the voice Jamie?
BRIGGS:
Well he said he would Amanda, actually, let’s be fair. What the Labor Party has said, the desperation here is Serious Fundamental Injustice Week, the week of course where a sitting Prime Minister was stabbed in the back last year. The Australian people face another fundamental injustice is that the Prime Minister, just four days before the last election promised that there would never be a carbon tax under a government she led. Now of course what the Government is now trying to do is implement a carbon tax prior to taking it to the people, and what we say is, take it to the people, test it with the people . . .
RISHWORTH:
But we won’t necessarily agree with it, that’s what you say, we won’t necessarily abide by the results. $80million and we won’t necessarily abide by the results. That’s what Tony said, he said there is no guarantee he would abide by the results.
BRIGGS:
He didn’t actually Amanda. Amanda just – I think the interruption highlights just how desperate the Labor Party are on this issue because they know the Australian people are just sick of politicians saying one thing at an election and another thing immediately after, and this is one of the great misleads of modern election campaigns. Julia Gillard was – just up until days until she knifed Kevin Rudd in the back said she was a loyal deputy and then of course she knifed him in the back and she told the Australian people she’d never put a carbon tax on and she went and put a carbon tax on so, what are you so scared of Amanda, why are you so scared of democracy.
RISHWORTH:
What we are doing is going through this reform, we are talking with people, we are going through our normal democratic process, which is elect members to Parliament and they will get a vote on this issue . . .
BRIGGS:
Did you tell the people of Kingston that you were going to put a carbon tax on?
RISHWORTH:
This is just a stunt once again, just a stunt, because if it wasn’t a stunt, why wouldn’t Tony come out and say yes, whatever the people say I will abide by. He hasn’t said it. He has said I’m against a carbon tax, so no matter what the people say, I’m against it. Typical of the Opposition Leader, all opposition and no leader.
SCHILLER:
Can I ask you guys speaking of you know, you mentioned knifing in the back and all that type of stuff Jamie, assassination day, a very dramatic term which apparently Kevin Rudd has called this Friday. Amanda are you preparing to mark that day or how do you think that will be handled in Parliament?
RISHWORTH:
Well look I think if people want to look to the past that’s up to them, but as a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Government that is looking towards the future that is working on some very big issues including rolling out the National Broadband Network, putting a price on carbon, keeping our economy strong, all of these things are things that we are working on for the future. I don’t think people want to see politicians navel gazing and I think it’s important that we move forward and make sure that we are actually looking to the future. I think that’s what people want their politicians to do.
SCHILLER:
Moving forward is back. Do you think Kevin Rudd is out of control?
RISHWORTH:
I think Kevin Rudd is doing a very good job as the Foreign Minister and I think Julia Gillard is doing an excellent job as the Prime Minister and I think they both, I have said this numerous times, they are both very suited to the roles that they are in and I think we are working well as a Government. We have got some tough reforms, but we are not going to just shy away so that you know, unlike the opposition that has just a few three word slogans and few stunts, we are actually working in the national interest to actually make Australia better.
BRIGGS:
Julian I think the fascinating bit here of course is that Kevin Rudd has called it assassination day. Amanda talks as though looking towards the future or moving forward, I mean the fact is, if we just look at their last election campaign, Amanda Rishworth did not tell the people of Kingston, did not once tell the people of Kingston she wanted a carbon tax. Did not once tell them and I think it is only fair that Amanda goes back and asks her electorate . . .
SCHILLER:
Speaking of the past, Nick Minchin obviously gave his last speech in the Senate, ended his 18 year career and he said one of his greatest regrets is not tapping John Howard on the shoulder and getting him to go just before the last election. Is this accepted now in the Liberal Party that that was a big error?
BRIGGS:
Look Nick has said that before and I tend to agree with him. It was a great shame that Peter Costello never became Prime Minister of our country. He would have been a fantastic Prime Minister and I think it was an unfortunate way that in the end the Howard Government which was a very good government, ended and Nick has said that before. I agree with his analysis. He was a senior member of that Government and you know I think is being quite frank with people about how it all ended. I mean at the end of the day these things are difficult, dealing with personality disputes, but basically the difference between the Howard Government of course which was consistent, dedicated to good policy and the farce you are seeing with Kevin Rudd being knifed in the first term of Government and now what we are seeing with Julia Gillard, is so stark that’s not even funny.
SCHILLER:
Can I ask you guys finally did you see the SBS documentary Go Back to Where you Came From last night. It trended top globally on Twitter, it was a revealing documentary/reality show on the plight of refugees. I am sure it might re-open the debate in a different way. Did you guys see it and would you care to make a comment on it?
RISHWORTH:
I have to say I didn’t see it unfortunately or fortunately the Parliament was sitting last night, so I wasn’t able to see it, but I think shows like that and I saw the lead up to it and the advertising and sundry articles about it, I think shows like this that shine the spotlight on people’s experience and where people come from and to breakdown some of those discussions and barriers between people are really important. So I look forward to trying to see it at some point.
SCHILLER:
Jamie did you see it?
BRIGGS:
Same situation as Amanda. I was here last night in Federal Parliament, but and I agree with what Amanda said. It is a difficult issue for a lot of people to understand and people – the UNHCR estimates there are approximately 10 million who are described as genuine refugees throughout the world. These are people who can’t return to their homeland and for genuine fear of persecution and it is – Australia has a role to play in accepting a fair amount of genuine refugees, and we do. We take one of the largest per capita in the world and I think that’s a good thing.