20-October-2008
Portfolio Media Releases, Infrastructure, The Economy
Topics: Infrastructure, Government’s financial package, opinion polls
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Andrew Robb, thank you for you time. The Australian’s reporting this morning that one of the next steps the Government may take to prop up the economy is to fast-track about $600 million worth of spending on small infrastructure projects. Is this a measure that you’d support?
ANDREW ROBB: Well, we are quite supportive of infrastructure spending in itself, but also the fast tracking of infrastructure spending to try and deal with the financial… the impact of the financial meltdown. But when you do fast-track any expenditure, especially in the infrastructure area, it puts a much greater onus on the Government to make sure that there are very objective criteria and that it’s very transparent. We can’t have the community feeling that there may be an undue political process at play. Therefore there’s great onus on the Government to get it right in terms of procedures.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: It’s a bit rich though to warn about potential Labor pork-barrelling after there was so much criticism of the Howard Government about its regional partnership scheme.
ANDREW ROBB: There was a lot of politics played by the government about the regional partnerships but the subsequent senate inquiry has suggested the process was a very valid one and that many, many very important projects were supported by the regional partnerships. That’s why we’re not opposed to infrastructure spending and we’re not going to play politics with it, but the government has been…
ASHLEIGH GILLON: But you are playing politics with it by suggesting…
ANDREW ROBB: If the government does not have clear and transparent processes than people will be concerned about how the decisions were taken and was there a political influence. Clearly with this one that they’ve announced this morning the decisions in the end will be ministerial decisions that puts even more, greater onus on the government to make sure that there is a clear and transparent process and they can defend the decisions that have been taken. If they do that, not a problem.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: But these decisions will also be overseen by Infrastructure Australia, wouldn’t they? Which is of course an independent, statutory body.
ANDREW ROBB: Well again, that’s not clear. They’ve said that they will go through a process but that process has not been spelt out yet. The Building Australia Fund legislation is not in the parliament. It’s all a matter of trust at the moment. We’ve been told a lot of fine sounding sentiments and that’s great if it’s followed through but we want to see it. We want to see that there is the working that are done to work out what projects take precedence, that that’s on the table and everyone can have a look at it and make their own judgements.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: You’re part of the opposition’s economic team, one of the other options available to the government is bringing the forward the $10 billion worth of tax cuts. Is that something the opposition would like to see on the table?
ANDREW ROBB: Well, that was something we certainly felt was a serious option. The government has decided to spend half of the surplus. These issues going forward, they need to see what surplus actually materialises,. Of course the surplus that was predicated in the budget last year was one that was due by 30 June next year. Well, we’ve got to see now how the economy performs and whether that surplus in fact does materialise.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Next month Kevin Rudd may be attending a series of meetings with George Bush and other European leaders about the global financial crisis. The Opposition has repeatedly attacked Kevin Rudd for being Kevin747 but do you think this sort of trip would be worthwhile?
ANDREW ROBB: Well, we are in the middle of the worst financial meltdown since 1929 and it’s very important that the government of the day be well abreast of what’s occurring and if the prime minister is invited, I’m not sure he is invited yet, but if he is invited it’s quite proper for him to make a judgement. If he feels he needs to be there, he needs to be there.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: So we can’t expect to have any more quips about 747?
ANDREW ROBB: Our comments about 747 were well placed I think. In the first term, the first year, less than the first year, Mr Rudd had spent, long before this financial meltdown occurred, I think in excess of 50 nights away. Now, there are a lot of issues to get on top of here. A lot of issues which we felt where not being addressed and I think our comments and our concerns were well placed. But we are in the middle of a financial meltdown and if that the government feels it must be there, that is there call.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Looking at the latest poll results out today, Labor’s now more popular than it was at the last election. What do you think this is saying about your effectiveness as putting forward an alternative government?
ANDREW ROBB: Well again we are in the middle of the biggest financial meltdown since 1929. It’s a matter of great moment and it’s not to be unexpected that the community would gravitate around the government of the day and give support and encouragement to get on with dealing with that major crisis. But interestingly, I thought, the same poll showed that Malcolm Turnbull’s favourability had jumped 10% to 55% percent – I think as high as its ever been for an opposition leader
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Still 15 points or so behind Kevin Rudd as preferred Prime Minister.
ANDREW ROBB: That’s true but the point is that in the middle of this meltdown the Opposition Leader’s favourability has jumped significantly and I think what it does say is the community also supports the approach that’s been taken by the Coalition to keep the government accountable yet giving support for the direction that the government’s taking in dealing with this major issue.
ASHLEIGH GILLON: Mr Robb, thank you for your time.
ANDREW ROBB: My pleasure.
Media Contact: Stuart Eaton, 0433 298 620