FRAN KELLY: The Opposition says its ready and willing to fight a double dissolution and it will not try to derail the special sitting of the Senate by trying to delay, frustrate consideration of the ABCC Bill. Mathias Cormann had made his way in the Parliament House studios for Labor Senate Leader Penny Wong. Penny Wong, welcome to RN Breakfast.
SENATOR PENNY WONG, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE: Good morning, good to be with you again.
KELLY: Can I just deal with the polls for a moment. They show Labor equal or in front of the Coalition today. Is Malcolm Turnbull now the underdog in this election?
WONG: No, I think its very clear, whatever the polls say, this Opposition is in an election against a Government that doesnt have a plan, but obviously we are still the underdog.
KELLY: Why?
WONG: Its a one term government and we all know how hard that mountain is to climb, but I think people are responding to the fact that weve got a Prime Minister who doesnt have a plan for government. People look to Malcolm and had very high hopes for him, but since hes been Prime Minister I think theyve seen him float ideas some very bad ideas, such as withdrawing funding to public schools and really you have to ask, what is his plan for government.
KELLY: Do you honestly think though that voters are ready to forgive Labor for the disunity that brought you to so much chaos and dysfunction just three years ago?
WONG: Well, ultimately that is a matter for the Australian people. They have to make a judgement at the election about which party they want to trust government with and I think the Liberals have demonstrated an enormous level of division, whether its at the leadership level, or most recently on the weekend with some very hard fought and bitter preselection battles, obviously the most high profile of which was Ms Bishop. So I think we have seen a lot of division in the Government this term, weve seen the Labor Party who had to learn from our mistakes in government, I completely acknowledge that, but a very united, cohesive team under Bill and Tanya.
KELLY: Is it bad timing for you that Sarah Fergusons book The Killing Season Uncut is going to be released today, reminding everyone of that disunity and turmoil?
WONG: Well, thats a part of history and-
KELLY: -Youre all part of that history though.
WONG: I actually wasnt aware that it was today, but there you go, now youve told me, thats how much attention we pay to these things. And Im paying attention to whats happening in the Parliament today, where were seeing a pretty extraordinary spectacle of an opening of the Parliament, such as we have after an election, all because Malcolm Turnbull wants to create a double dissolution trigger because he thinks thats in his electoral advantage. This is not a plan for government, this is a plan for an early election.
KELLY: Are you in any doubt we are heading for a double dissolution and an early election then?
WONG: I think theres no doubt that thats what the Governments setting up. I mean were not here to actually deal with any legislation thats about government. Youve heard already the crossbenchers making it very clear that the Government hasnt been genuine in terms of its desire to get support for these bills, get these bills passed. Weve all come back at great taxpayers expense in order to give Malcolm Turnbull a double dissolution trigger, because at the time he pulled this stunt he thought it was in his electoral advantage.
KELLY: Do you think he thinks that today, with the polls as they are?
WONG: Youd have to ask him that, but I think the Australian people are pretty much over stunts such as we are seeing today. Its a pretty extraordinary use of the office of the Governor-General. The Governor-General is going to come into the Parliament, were going to have the House of Representatives come to the Senate, hes going to give a big speech like we usually do after an election, all because Malcolm wants a trigger for a double dissolution. I think people are responding to the fact this Government doesnt have a plan. Theres no agenda, its just a set of tactics.
KELLY: Whats your plan for this sitting fortnight? If the ABCC Bill is dealt with first and passed and Labor is going to facilitate that and Michaelia Cash says she wants that to happen quickly, are we going to need the two full sitting weeks before the Budget? Do you want to get other things passed in this fortnight because the caretaker period looms large?
WONG: Were not the Government. The Government-
KELLY: -What do you want?
WONG: Well deal with the legislation. We oppose the ABCC legislation, have done so for three years and we oppose it because it is bad law. It gives fewer rights to people working in the construction sector than we give to criminals in our criminal justice system. We think that is unfair. And the Prime Ministers justification about economic productivity is simply not borne out when you look to the evidence.
So we will oppose it, but in answer to your question Fran, as I made clear last week we will not be engaging in any tactics to delay the vote. Our position is clear. If they want a vote and they want an election thats what theyll get.
KELLY: And if they want to bring on the abolition of the [Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal] will you facilitate that and then will you also try and push for the Senate to consider a Royal Commission into the banks? Do want all this done?
WONG: Well, the Royal Commission into the banks, I think youve seen very clearly Labors position on that.
KELLY: Are you hoping to get that up in this fortnight?
WONG: No legislation is required for that. Obviously at this point-
KELLY: -The Greens are going to introduce a bill calling for one.
WONG: And what we have said is we want to work with the Government to bring forward a Royal Commission. If they dont want to do it then a Labor Government will put one in place. I mean the reality is much of this manoeuvring now is in the shadow of an election, Im very focussed, as the Labor Party is, on presenting a plan for jobs, for a sound health system, for good schools across the country, to the Australian people, because thats what the election will be about.
KELLY: Youre listening to RN Breakfast, our guest in the Parliament House studio is Penny Wong, Shadow Trade Minister and Labor Leader in the Senate. Is the truth of the matter that Labors actually pretty keen on a double dissolution election because last election you had a very poor election result in the Senate? I think you only won 10 of the 36 seats on offer. In a double dissolution election the bar is a lot lower and Labor, by all counts, current polls, should be able to win five seats in most states. This suits you, a double dissolution election, doesnt it?
WONG: I think weve got to the point regardless of what people might think who might do well in a double dissolution in terms of the Senate vote I think theres a bigger issue here, which is who has a plan for the country. And I think thats where we are, we are very focussed on presenting to Australians our plan for jobs, as I said, health, education. Which stands in stark contrast to what Malcolm Turnbull is doing, he doesnt have a plan to govern and thats a sad reality, particularly for many Australians who had such high hopes for him.
KELLY: Is Labor ready a ten week quasi-election campaign? Is that now where were headed?
WONG: I think thats where were headed. Thats certainly how were thinking about it and its certainly how Im thinking about it. I think itll be a pretty gruelling campaign, but its Mr Turnbull who wants, as you said is it ten weeks, I hadnt counted, but-
KELLY: -75 days.
WONG: Its a lot of weeks. Its certainly the longest election campaign any of us have had, but if thats what Mr Turnbull wants, thats what we have to do to get to the point where we have election day, then were up for it.
KELLY: Youre up for it. Senator Penny Wong, thank you very much-
WONG: -Maybe when you ask me the week before I might say Im pretty tired now Fran.
KELLY: Hopefully well be speaking to you during that long campaign. Penny Wong, thanks very much for joining us.
WONG: Good to speak with you.
