Campaign Transcript

TRANSCRIPT OF TREASURER CHRIS BOWEN PRESS CONFERENCE SYDNEY 31 AUGUST 2013 E & O E PROOF ONLY _____________________________________________________________ SUBJECTS: Johnny Warren Institute funding announcement; Coalition costings; Polls. _____________________________________________________________ CHRIS BOWEN: Well thanks for coming everybody. Its absolutely great to be here in Bossley Park on this spectacular day to make a really great announcement. Im pleased to be joined by my friend and colleague, Ed Husic, the Member for Chiefly and the unofficial convenor of the parliamentary friends of the Western Sydney Wanderers. Also, Jamie Warren the President of the Johnny Warren Foundation and Les Murray, Craig Foster and Emma Highwood. As well, of course, the Mayor of Fairfield City, Frank Carbone. Well, today were announcing that the Rudd Labor Government is committing $10 million in funding to the establishment of Johnny Warren Institute; building on the work of the Johnny Warren Foundation which was established ten years ago and has done such great work in developing the skills of young Australian footballers. Its time now to take this to the next stage and Im delighted that the Rudd Labor Government is able to commit this $10 million in funding which will see the Institute up and running. Im particularly delighted that the Johnny Warren Foundation working with Mayor Carbone have decided to make Fairfield City the home of the Johnny Warren Institute. Im particularly delighted given the contribution of Fairfield City and Western Sydney to Australian Football that well host the Institute. I know the Mayor is working through with his Councillors and staff and with the Foundation identifying the sight, identifying the contribution of Council, and making sure that work can continue and progress. Western Sydney is very important to football and of course weve produced 50 per cent of Australias Socceroos over the years have come from Western Sydney, some great names. I have to declare my interest, before you ask, my conflict of interest. Ive grown up in the same street as Harry Kewell, in Smithfield, around the corner

here. He use to beat me when we played street soccer, we use to call it in those days, hes a couple of years younger than me, I use to be annoyed when he beat me but now I dont feel so bad given what he has gone on to achieve. He showed great passion and great commitment for the game. He would every afternoon be out kicking the soccer ball against his parents B and D roller-door, getting the skills up and developing his great passion for the game of football. And of course he is a great role model for young people around this area and around Australia more generally as are all of the people who have represented our Nation in the sport of Football. And, as I say, 50 per cent of them have come from Western Sydney the home to many great football bodies, Club Marconi just around the corner here of course, a very important and famous one but many other institutions as well. So this is a very good day for Football, a very good day for Western Sydney and Im very pleased to make this announcement. Happy to take questions. JOURNALIST: Minister, Kevin Rudds ramped up his attack on the coalition accusing them of committing fraud on the Australian people, has he gone too far? BOWEN: No, this week weve pointed out that theres real questions to answer on the Oppositions costings and where cuts will come. And weve seen Mr Abbott over the last 24 hours say well release all that at the end of next week, well hello, the elections next Saturday! The end of next week does not give the Australian people enough time to see their policies and their cut in full. And as I say, if you dont know what theyre going to cut, dont vote for them. Because if you did know what theyre going to cut, you wouldnt vote for them. JOURNALIST: But youve accused them of essentially deceiving the Australian people, thats a very strong line. BOWEN: Well, if youre not going to put your cuts out until the last minute, after the advertising blackout, after people have had the chance to fully examine their cuts then you are not being upfront and honest with the Australian people. You know Ive had two debates with Mr Hockey in this election campaign, there was meant to be a third one with him next week, hes pulled out. Hes pulled out of the third and final debate. Why? Well maybe he doesnt want to face the question as to why we still wont see costings and cuts announced as late as next Wednesday in a five week election campaign. We were told constantly, the line was Youll see it all in good time before the election. Well, Thursday or Friday before polling day is not in good time before the election. JOURNALIST: Your claim that the Coalition had a $10 billion hole in their costings has been rebuffed by public servants, has this taken the sting out of your attack? BOWEN: No, I dont accept the premise of that question. We were very clear when we made this announcement. We released in the interest of openness and transparency the Treasury and Department of Finance advice to us. We made it

crystal clear in that press conference that one - we had commissioned this work, not the Opposition. Two - it was done before the election was called, not in the caretaker period, therefore not under the Charter of Budget Honesty. We said that, this was work commissioned before the election was called. And three - that different assumptions would lead to different outcomes. For example, I pointed out that the Opposition promising to cut the low income superannuation bonus or payment. Now this is a very retrograde move in and on itself, taking money away from potentially one in three working Australians earning less than $37,000. People who can least afford it. But theyve claimed $3.7 billion for this save. Now, Ive pointed out that if you think its going to start on 1 July 2014 then the save is much less than that. But if youre going to make it retrospective and take the cut over a longer period of time going back well then you would make more money. Mr Hockey could clear this up today, release you costings, release your cuts, put them out for all to see. You might criticise our press conference earlier in the week but we put our documents out. Mr Hockey, show us your costings, show us your cuts. JOURNALIST: A new opinion poll in the Financial Review shows youre trailing Ray King in your seat of McMahon. Are you in danger of losing your seat? BOWEN: Well, let me tell you this. I grew up here, I went to school around the corner, I went to primary school around that corner. Representing this area is very important to me. Its been important to me for the nine years that Ive represented the area in Federal parliament and nine years before that I represented the area on Fairfield Council. Its not a fly-in fly-out operation for me. Its been more vocation for all that time. Getting more resources for this area, getting more support for this area, dealing with challenges and as a member of Cabinet, of course ensuring that we continue to grow our economy which benefits this area. Now, Ive never taken the view that any vote is to be taken for granted, Ive worked and earned every vote. Its not a fly-in fly-out operation. I still live here in this community unlike the Liberal candidate who doesnt live here in this community. This is not a game, this is real, like Ed, who grew up in the area he represents, its what we do, its what we believe in and well go out there and well be earning every vote until Election Day. JOURNALIST: The poll has you only getting 46.9 per cent of the primary vote, is a week long enough to turn that around? BOWEN: Well, a week is plenty of time to be talking to people about our positive plans for the future, about the Oppositions cuts and what theyll mean for this area and I dont think that every opinion poll thats always published is necessarily always accurate but Ill tell you what, what Im focused on, is Im focused on getting the job done for this area where I grew up and continue to represent and its been my gre at honour to represent for the last nine years and I will be working very hard to represent them for the next three years as well.

JOURNALIST: Kevin Rudds blamed the media, hes blaming News Corp for Labors bad polling, when is Labor going to take responsibility for its position in the polls? BOWEN: Well, its perfectly appropriate to point out that sometimes coverage in election campaigns is not always what everybody would call fair and balanced, thats a perfectly appropriate thing to point out, with all due respect to all of our good colleague journalists here. And there are newspapers which have taken an editorial position frankly to campaign against the Government. Weve said all along, thats their right, they can do that. But when you take an editorial decision to campaign against the Government or political party then you have to expect that to be pulled out occasionally and be commented on. Were focused on next week, on being very competitive at this election. I believe that this election will be close, I believe that we have a good case to put and obviously well all take responsibility for the result whether it be a win or otherwise. JOURNALIST: In terms of the coalition releasing their costings, weve seen an announcement about the latest asylum seeker policy to cut aid. Whats your reaction on that? BOWEN: Well, I havent seen the details on the announcement, Ive seen some speculation, obviously a leak of the Coalitions announcement today and no doubt the Minister for Immigration will respond in more detail when that announcement is made. But Ill say this, our approach is, although many would say its too hard line, is to take people to Papua New Guinea and say that is where you will be settled, that is where youll be settled. So that is what well need to do in order to persuade people from coming to Australia by boat. We make no apologies for that policy; its the right policy, its right to be hard-line on these issues. JOURNALIST: This policy (inaudible) by boat. Do you think the Government should BOWEN: - Well, well have a look at the detail that the Opposition has announced; there are measures in place, which have been in place for some time, under various Governments. Well have a look at the detail of what the Government annou nces, what they say often the devils in the details of these things. ENDS