Subjects: 2016 Federal Election; business tax cuts; Medicare.

EO&E…

KIERAN GILBERT:

This is AM Agenda, with me, the Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Scott Ryan. Last night the Prime Minister on the ABC said if you don’t like our tax cuts you can get rid of us in three years, you can chuck us out. Can you explain his thinking in terms of that scenario?

SCOTT RYAN:

The point the Prime Minister was making last night is that over the next three years, our ten year enterprise tax cut plan really only applies to small and medium size enterprises. So the tax rate is reduced to 27 and a half percent to support small businesses and over the next three years that increases to business with a $25 million dollar turnover and businesses with a $50 million dollar turnover. So he was making the obvious point that we have elections every three years in this country. We’ve outlined a plan to support long-term business investment, but obviously, every three years, there’s an opportunity for the people to pass judgement.

KIERAN GILBERT:

That’s quite a blunt message though- if you don’t like it, throw us out. They could take those – even more imminent than three years, they might do it in eleven days.

SCOTT RYAN:

I think it’s a statement of the obvious Kieran. I think the Prime Minister was being honest and saying we have elections every three years. It’s important that governments outline long-term plans and we’ve outlined our plans over the period of the Budget. We’ve fully-funded them unlike the Labor party, but we’ve also outlined where we want to take the business tax system over the ten years, because you actually need to provide businesses with certainty about their investment time frames so they can understand their rate of return. And the point the Prime Minister was making was just as people in eleven days have a chance to pass judgement and decide who they trust to grow Australia’s economy, they have that chance every three years.

KIERAN GILBERT:

You’d be encouraged by the Herald Sun Galaxy Poll today suggesting that the issue of the Budget bottom-line is a key priority. Economic management, what was it, 80 percent think that reducing the deficit prioritised over more spending on services.

SCOTT RYAN:

The poll in the Herald Sun today, I read it this morning, outlines exactly where people’s real concerns are, and people are concerned about the Budget deficit, people want an economic plan that supports the growth in the economy, jobs for themselves and their kids. From a Victorian point of view, I’ll also note the overwhelming support to build the East-West Link which was scrapped by Daniel Andrews, and Bill Shorten supports the payment of a billion dollars to not build a road, I mean it’s unprecedented in the history of this country. The important point is, it reflects what I’m feeling on polling booths and around the community, Kieran. Which is, despite debates amongst politicians, the overwhelming concern of the Australian people is about having a government that understands the country needs a long-term economic plan, it needs a responsible, honest government that will speak honestly to the people about our challenges and outline how things like business tax cuts, things like an innovation agenda will help support the transition of the economy and better jobs for them and their children.

KIERAN GILBERT:

Now, Labor is running this campaign on Medicare, warning that a Coalition Government could privatise Medicare. I know Malcolm Turnbull has ruled that out but you can hardly cry foul over a scare campaign given the Coalition’s own record on that front. Not the least of which the most recent one, warning about a Labor-Greens alliance when Bill Shorten has ruled out any such prospect. Again, as blunt and unequivocal as the Prime Minister’s bang.

SCOTT RYAN:

Kieran, I think you do it a courtesy to call it a campaign. It is nothing less than a lie. It is clear that Labor has no plans for the economy, they don’t want to talk about their agenda for the future of Australia and Bill Shorten has resorted to a blatant lie to try and scare Australians and hide the fact that Labor has no agenda for the future of the country. It is not going to distract the Coalition; the Coalition is going to bring the country together. The country wants to support a Government that has a long-term economic plan. And we are not going to be distracted by the games of politics.

KIERAN GILBERT:

(over the top)

You’re (inaudible) scare campaign yourself.

SCOTT RYAN:

The difference here is that under the Coalition bulk billing has reached the highest rate that I can remember. 85 per cent of people are being bulk billed when they need to visit a doctor. Unlike the Labor Party, when we warn about the risk of a Labor and Greens Coalition, that actually happened only a few years ago. Labor said they wouldn’t do things before the 2010 election and then they actually did it.

KIERAN GILBERT:

(over the top)

Tony Abbott broke promises on health a few years ago.

SCOTT RYAN:

The Coalition has always been a strong supporter of Medicare. This campaign  by Bill Shorten is nothing less than a lie. He even had his own Shadow Minister yesterday talking about how they might need to outsource elements of the payments system like information technology. It is hypocrisy and it is a lie.

KIERAN GILBERT

Minister, thanks for your time. Scott Ryan there in Melbourne.

(ENDS)