26-October-2011
Portfolio Media Releases
Topics: Global economy, pokies mandatory pre-commitment.
E&OE
GLEN BARTHOLOMEW:
Concerns over the Global economy are rising, as European leaders hold talks to head off a full-blown debt crisis. At the same time, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned against a move to a new protectionism, and pledged that Australia will continue its commitment to free trade.
The Prime Minister has also urged Europe to act on debt, but that call has brought some criticism from the Opposition’s Finance Spokesman Andrew Robb, who says Australia doesn’t have the credibility to comment on world economic issues. Andrew Robb speaking to Marius Benson:
MARIUS BENSON:
Andrew Robb, you’ve been critical of Julia Gillard for lecturing Europe, but isn’t it fair that she’s talking on international issues, she is addressing a forum at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, she’s about to head to Europe for the G20?
ANDREW ROBB:
Well it’s certainly appropriate to talk about international issues, but much of what she said over the recent few days is somewhat hypocritical, to lecture Europe on living within your means, when this Government this year, will, at best, spend $22 billion more than they raise in the middle of a mining boom, smacks of gross hypocrisy.
MARIUS BENSON:
Do you agree with the general sentiments expressed by Julia Gillard when she talks in favour of free trade, against protection, and says that Australia will allow the fifty least developed nations free access to Australian markets without any protective barriers?
ANDREW ROBB:
The Prime Minister is correct that we must be aware of any sort of lurch back into protectionism; that will really slow the world down, every economy, but at the same time, the Prime Minister again needs to be consistent, they are presiding over the growth, or the development, of one of the biggest telecommunications monopolies around the world.
We’re the only country in the world that’s re-nationalising telecommunications, and that is precluding all sorts of other companies and other parts of that business from investing in that sort of activity. That is, again, another form of major protection and this is something the Prime Minister never wants to talk about.
MARIUS BENSON:
Can I go from international issues to a local issue which is poker machine controls; Tony Abbott was speaking in western Sydney at an RSL last night and he predicted the Opposition would rescind the Government’s planned pokies recommitment legislation. Is that firm Opposition policy? You’re in charge of developing Opposition Policy. Is that Opposition policy?
ANDREW ROBB:
The Opposition hasn’t yet adopted a firm position, but there clearly has been a lot of discussion and concern amongst my colleagues that this smacks of just further nanny state, knee-jerk reaction.
Of course the Coalition would like to deal with problem gamblers and assist that case, but all analysis that we’ve had so far of this mandatory pre-commitment shows that it will do nothing.
It will do nothing, but add a huge cost on clubs and pubs and RSLs and all the rest, without doing anything about problem gambling and it smacks of just pure politics to help the Government maintain one vote from Tasmania, to stay in office.
MARIUS BENSON:
Can I clarify that policy position, because Tony Abbott last night said that he predicted, the Opposition would oppose the legislation, and if it were elected to Government, would rescind it. That’s not Opposition policy?
ANDREW ROBB:
It’s not a confirmed policy, but I would agree with Tony Abbott that that is likely to be our position. It’s a political stunt, and we would, I expect, then rescind such legislation, and do things that are constructive towards problem gambling.
MARIUS BENSON:
But the party room hasn’t voted on that yet?
ANDREW ROBB:
Well we haven’t seen any legislation yet.
MARIUS BENSON:
Is it appropriate for the leader to be getting out ahead of the formal process of the Opposition developing policy?
ANDREW ROBB:
Well the Leader, on many occasions, will reflect on public debate that’s going on without setting policy for the Opposition. It’s quite appropriate for him to have said what he said.
MARIUS BENSON:
But it looks like this will be the policy of the Opposition when the time comes.
ANDREW ROBB:
Well I think that reflects the mood of the party room and we’ve seen nothing in the party room and in our analysis of this initiative by the Government which suggests it’s anything other than just a nanny state move inspired by politics which will do nothing to assist problem gambling.
MARIUS BENSON:
Andrew Robb, thank you very much.
ANDREW ROBB:
Thanks Marius.
ENDS