SENATOR PENNY WONG, CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON: Thanks very much for coming. Can I first talk about the childcare announcement, which Bill has made yesterday and today, and just make this point: Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party and Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party went to the last election promising they wouldmake child care more affordable. What we have now, what parents in Australia are facing is a 20 per centincrease in out-of-pocket costs and no relief in sight under this government were they to be re-elected until 2018. It's a very long time to wait before the Liberals actually listen to what parents need on child care.
I also want to respond to some of the comments which Mr Morrison and others have made and that has been the subject of some questions in relation to the childcare policy. I want to make this point: Every time the Liberals try and link their Family Tax Benefit cuts to this policy, remember the words of Arthur Sinodinos. Arthur Sinodinos, in Senate Estimates, in answer to me, said they were linked for political purposes in the Senate. They are linked for political purposes in the Senate. So every time Scott Morrison and others stand up and try to have a go about the Family Tax Benefit cuts, cuts that they want to impose on families and try to link it to the childcare package, let's remember Arthur Sinodinos made very clear what the agenda of the Liberal Party is on this front.
On costings, Labor has made very clear, we will save more than we spend over the decade, and just as we were prepared to be upfront with the Australian people prior to the election being called about savings, you can anticipate more savings announcements from the Labor Party before the election. We have made that clear to all and sundry.
But, of course, what we saw today from Scott Morrison was yet another angry and shouty press conference from an angry and shouty Treasurer. Who was being angry and shouty about the Labor Party, but being very quiet about his policy agenda. In fact, on a very quick reading, on a document that was handed out today, there are some 25 pages before the Coalition actually talks about anything positive about itself, has a single page of the Coalition's achievements and mentions Labor well over 100 times. Well, what a damning indictment on this Government. After three years, the best they can do at this point in the campaign is to simply have an angry, shouty Treasurer having a go at the Labor Party. Well, that's not really a second-term agenda. A second-term agenda would be something far more positive than what we saw from Scott Morrison today. I'm happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: What's Labor's half-time report card?
WONG: We've put plenty of policy out there, savings policies announced before the election, and plenty of policy since the election. What I'd say about this, the half-time report card, is this: Two very clear choices at this election. Do you want Medicare protected, do want your schools funded, do you want a fair childcare package or do you want a $50 billion tax cut for big business? That's the choice the Australian people have before them.
JOURNALIST: Do you think child care is mainly women's business?
WONG: I think child care is parents' business and if you're referencing what Bill said, I would say this: We know in Australia the disproportionate burden of caring work does fall on women. And that's why we've put forward a policy to support women making different choices, to support women making the choice to return to work, to make it easier for working families to juggle work and family. That's the whole point of Labor's package.
JOURNALIST: Fiona Nash has labelled those comments as prehistoric. Do you think that it'sprehistoric?
WONG: Has she talked to Barnaby Joyce lately? That's my only answer to that.
JOURNALIST: Could he, perhaps, have expressed himself better yesterday? Do you think maybe he got it slightly wrong?
WONG: Look, I'd refer to you what Bill said today. Bill made very clear the reality in this country is the disproportionate burden of caring work is done by women. What we need to do is havea government who is prepared to put in place the support so women can make the choices they want. And part of that is making sure youve got a childcare package which enables more women to make the choice if they wish to return to the paid work force.
JOURNALIST: So, you are defending his comments?
WONG: I am saying our childcare package demonstrates Bill and Labor's priority and Labor's values. And, absolutely, what Bill is referencing is, as he said today, the reality is that the disproportionate burden still falls on women, we want to change that. We want to give women more choices. That is a good thing.
JOURNALIST: Labor says the $50 billion tax cut is unfunded. How is it that you can now spend that money on your other promises, given that it's unfunded?
WONG: Let's be clear: Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull announced the largest hit on the Budget for this election campaign $50 billion and they didn't even want to tell you how much it cost. They didn't want to tell you how much it cost. They haven't wanted to tell people how they propose to fund it. Their answer is: It's funded and it's in the Budget. And can I say on this, not on have they done that, let's understand during this campaign a number of things the Government has announced where it has failed to tell the Australian people how it's funding them. It's rolled over on pathology and diagnostics, the changes there which have apparently been the subject of an agreement with the sector. There's a cost to that. They haven't told anybody how it's funded or what it will cost. They've delayed the backpackers' tax, that very unfortunate piece of p ublic policy, that seems to be an eternal discussion and negotiation. Well, what's the cost of the changes to that? They flagged changes to their superannuation policy and they've announced a dairy package. We look forward to Scott Morrison doing what he is calling on the Labor Party endlessly to do, which is, Scott, why don't you tell Australians what your policies to date cost and how youre going to pay for them?
JOURNALIST: You're happy to say a $50 billion tax cut is funded and therefore you can use that money?
WONG: I am happy to say to you what I said at the outset: That Labor will save more than we spend over the decade, and consistent with the approach we took prior to the election, where we put on the table superannuation, multinational tax, negative gearing, capital gains tax, not proceeding with the Baby Bonus, not proceeding with the Direct Action fund. Just as we did that, you would anticipate more savings announcements from the Labor Party, consistent with our principle prior to the election.
JOURNALIST: How soon before election day do you think we will see the costings? Are we just talking one or two days?
WONG: I'll tell you what, I'll give you this commitment and it's a commitment I can give, it's been given by the Shadow Treasurer. We'll do better than Joe Hockey did. He did it, I think, two days before the election.
JOURNALIST: So three days, two-and-a half days?
WONG: We'll do better than they will, and I don't think it's reasonable to infer, as you appear to be inferring, that we haven't been upfront. We have put more on the table in terms of improvements to the Budget than any Opposition has, including ones which are the subject of an attempted scare campaign by the Government. There was superannuation until they decided they had to do something similar negative gearing, capital gains tax and these have been the subject of criticism. But our view was we had to make very clear we were charting a different course to that of the Government.
JOURNALIST: Are you worried about the Nick Xenophon Team (inaudible)
WONG: Look, as a South Australian my job, and all of the Labor Party's job, is to put before South Australians our platform and our agenda. And what I'd say is this: if you want to protect Medicare, if you want to fund your schools properly, if you want a party that can deliver on South Australian jobs then elect a Labor Government.
JOURNALIST: David Leyonhjelm has released a video in which he parodies Kevin Rudd's Stolen Generation apology video, saying we apologise for higher taxes, we apologise for too much welfare spending and so on. Do you think it's appropriate for the Senator to parody a landmark speech in Australian history?
WONG: I'm sorry, I haven't seen the video and I'm always reluctant to comment on things I haven't seen because I might get myself into trouble. ButI think the apology was a unifying moment for Australia and a moment redolent with meaning. Thanks very much.
ENDS