Topics: Parliament being recalled, ABCC legislation, double dissolution, Tony Abbott.
E&OE…
KIERAN GILBERT
Joining me now is the Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, and the Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate, Scott Ryan. Your take on a few of those points made by Mark Dreyfus? Fundamentally he has said that the Prime Minister has not made the case that this is necessary that in fact days lost on construction sites have gone down since the abolition of the ABCC.
MINISTER RYAN
Despite the hyperbole of Mark Dreyfus there, this is an entirely normal parliamentary procedure, it has been used – I understand – 28 times over the last century. And there is nothing more appropriate than the Prime Minister saying: this legislation is a priority of the Government. We legislated it when we were in office last time, Labor – under Bill Shorten when he was the minister – got rid of it, we promised to implement it at the last election. And the Senate has constantly deferred consideration of this as recently as a month ago when we did try and reintroduce it at the start of this year and the Senate voted to send it off for a third, fourth, or fifth enquiry to prevent its discussion before the end of the Autumn session of Parliament. So, this an entirely normal procedure and the Prime Minister has made clear that it is a Government priority and if the Senate refuses to consider it, or doesn’t pass it, or puts up unacceptable amendments then quite frankly the people will make a decision at an election. There is nothing more honest or transparent…
(Interrupted)
GILBERT
You say it is normal and has been used 28 times, but since 1961, as Mr Dreyfus pointed out only four times including in 1974 and ’77 that Parliament prorogue to allow the Queen to open the new sessions, in ’68 for the death of Harold Holt. These four cases since 1961…and none since the 1980s.
RYAN
The point is Kieran…
GILBERT
It’s rare.
RYAN
…There has rarely been an obstruction like this [as there has been] with this particular legislation. There have been five enquiries into this in the Senate, even last week when Labor and the Greens allegedly tried to bring it on for a vote they made clear that they were still never going to vote for it, they were going to filibuster it. So, what we have done here, is that the Prime Minister has made clear there is a Constitutional mechanism to resolve this and that will be a vote of the people if the Senate refuses to pass it. Now, that has been used before in Australia, it is written for this very specific purpose. Three weeks the Senate has been given to consider it again and to make a final decision or the Prime Minister will take it to the people. There is nothing more open, transparent, or honest than that.
GILBERT
What about the cost involved? You heard what Mark Dreyfus said about that that this is a waste of money to bring the Parliament back, the proroguing of it, end the business and start again across this three week sitting, is that a waste of money?
RYAN
No, Labor has tried to prevent consideration of this Bill through filibuster parliamentary technique for years. This was a specific promise we took to the election in 2013, it was something we took to the election in 2010. It was legislated before Labor and the Greens got rid of it and we have to be honest here, Labor are trying to protect those who donate millions and millions of dollars to them, as are the Greens. This is a very important piece of legislation. Anyone involved in this sector, particularly those in my home state of Victoria, knows how important it is. And when Mark Dreyfus talks about people’s civil liberties, I have had people in my office say that their liberty to be safe at home, to be free from intimidation in the workplace has been put at risk. I have heard some horror stories, as the royal commission has, about some of the tactics used on building sites in Australia. And what we are trying to put in place is a mechanism to provide safety and security for those businesses and workers.
GILBERT
Let’s look at the comments made by Tony Abbott because as you said the Building and Construction Commission was taken to the election in 2013 as part of the Abbott government mandate, he says that the Turnbull Government is seeking re-election, basically, on the Abbott government record. What is your reaction to that? Is that fair enough?
RYAN
I think there are some elements of Tony Abbott’s prime ministership that are core elements of Coalition policy and that actually go back to John Howard’s era. I think we have all in the Coalition given due credit to Tony Abbott for stopping the boats, for bringing back those policies with a great deal of strength and fortitude that John Howard had first implemented that stopped the illegal people smuggling trade. That is a core Coalition policy, and that will remain so. Similarly, Tony Abbott undertook a great deal of work, in terms of our domestic security and our international security and that is an element of the continuity that the Prime Minister spoke about. But there has also been some change since last September. After reconsideration and after another round of consultation we have decided to move forward with an effects test and some changes to the Competition and Consumer Law that were not on the table previously. Senate reform has now been legislated, and that is a significant institutional reform, and there is a range of issues that…
GILBERT
Tony Abbott says he was going to do that anyway. Tony Abbott said that was going to be the last thing that he planned to do in this Parliament if he was still Prime Minister. So can the new Prime Minister claim that as well as a point of difference with his predecessor?
RYAN
I think to be fair, both Malcolm Turnbull and Mathias Cormann deserve a great deal of credit for that legislation going through last week. It has been done and I wasn’t aware, and I am not sure how many Senators were aware that it was going to be done but I think what happened last week was an example of the runs being up on the board. So, we need to give Malcolm Turnbull and Mathias Cormann credit for that.
GILBERT
Do you agree with the former Prime Minister that Mr Turnbull is running on the Abbott record? Is that an accurate statement?
RYAN
No, I probably wouldn’t use those words. I think there are elements of Tony Abbott’s prime ministership as I mentioned before, particularly on international and domestic security, and particularly on stopping the illegal people smuggling trade that are a core part of Coalition principles, values, and philosophy. And Prime Minister Turnbull is as strong a supporter of those as Tony Abbott was, who is as strong a supporter of it as John Howard was. But there has been change since September and I think what people – when they go forward to an election – actually vote on the next three years. They actually vote…
GILBERT
Is it unhelpful that the former prime minister is seeking to defend his legacy on the very day that Malcolm Turnbull is seeking to (inaudible) from the opposition?
RYAN
Not at all. I wouldn’t say that at all, I think as a former prime minister he has the discretion and the ability to speak on a wide range of issues and I have no issue with him doing so at all.
GILBERT
You wouldn’t like him to rein it in at all?
RYAN
I think Australians actually want to see their politicians talk about a wide range of issues. The biggest criticism of politicians is that we are robots, not that we actually talk about a broad range of issues.
GILBERT
Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Scott Ryan thanks for your time I appreciate it.
RYAN
Thanks Kieran.
(ENDS)