SENATOR PENNY WONG, ACTING LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: 2014 is ending the same way it began for Tony Abbott. Tony Abbott ends this year the same way he began it; more broken promises and more job losses. More job loses we see flagged for 1,400 workers in Victoria and New South Wales, with the likely closure of shipyards there as a result of this Governments inaction when it comes to our shipbuilding industry. 1,400 jobs, 1,400 families who are facing the loss of their jobs over this year beginning just next month.
Lets be really clear, these jobs didnt need to be lost. These 1,400 jobs could have been saved if Tony Abbott hadnt broken his promise, hadnt broken his promise to have a strong shipbuilding industry here in Australia. He could have brought forward the patrol ships, he could have brought forward the frigates, he could have made sure that the Australian shipyards could have bid for the supply ships. He could have done what he said he would do when it came to Australian submarines, but the Government was more interested in denigrating our shipbuilders and in walking away from their promise to build submarines here in Australia, particularly here in South Australia.
Of course, it is new years eve and can I take the opportunity to wish everybody a happy and safe new years eve. I have a suggestion for Tony Abbott. Mr Abbott, here is a suggested New Years resolution stop breaking your promises, stop breaking your promises and start listening to Australians.
Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Senator, can these jobs be salvaged now?
WONG: That is a matter for the Government. As I said, these are jobs that didnt need to be lost. These are jobs that have been lost as a result of this Governments failure to do the right thing by our shipbuilders. We all know Tony Abbott, David Johnston his former Defence Minister who he had to sack spent more time talking down, denigrating our shipbuilding workers than making decisions that would ensure we had jobs here in Australia.
JOURNALIST: Do you think there is more hope with Johnston gone?
WONG: Well, Kevin Andrews I dont know, do you reckon he is going to be a champion of shipbuilding here in Australia? I hope so. It is an opportunity for them to do the right thing and make sure we have local jobs.
JOURNALIST: A key crossbench senator is warning Tony Abbott to drop his confrontational style if he wants to have more success in 2015. How is Tony Abbott going to do that?
WONG: Tony Abbott and his team havent made the transition from opposition to government. They spend more time trying to attack their political opponents rather than doing the right thing. As I said, my advice to Tony Abbott is simple. Here is a new years resolution Mr Abbott stop breaking your promises and start listening to the Australian people.
JOURNALIST: We see that there is a raft of changes that are coming in that will impact broad groups in society tomorrow, but in particular it seems that vulnerable people, seniors, pensioners are going to be hit hardest by the changes we will see tomorrow. What is your position and do you have any hope this will be reversed?
WONG: What I would say is this when Australians got a new Abbott Government they didnt vote for a GP Tax, they didnt vote for higher taxes on fuel which they are already paying, they didnt vote for cuts to schools and hospitals, they didnt vote for cuts to pensions. But that is what they will get with this Prime Minister. It is time for Tony Abbott to start listening to Australians and stop his unfair cuts.
JOURNALIST: $30 billion of Budget cuts are still tied up in the Senate. Is this unprecedented?
WONG: What is unprecedented is the scale of the broken promises from this Prime Minister. I dont think any Australian expects Senators in the Australian Parliament to give Tony Abbotts broken promises and unfair cuts the tick.
JOURNALIST: Is Labor intentionally blocking the measures?
WONG: We will not give a leave pass to Tony Abbott on a range of broken promises and unfair cuts, cuts he lied to the Australian people about. We are not going to stand behind them.
JOURNALIST: Will we see parts of bipartisanship at all next year?
WONG: Well, its up to Mr Abbott. If he starts putting forward things which are not at their heart a broken promise, if he starts having a dialogue, listening to Australians, if he stops making unfair decisions, then he might have more chance with the Senate and with the crossbench.
JOURNALIST: Youve suggested what Tony Abbotts new years resolution should be. What do you think Labors new years resolution should be?
WONG: Well, I think Bill Shorten made it very clear when he spoke to the Press Club 2014 has obviously been defined by our resistance to the unfairness of the Abbott Budget; 2015 will be defined by our ideas.
JOURNALIST: And should we expect to hear more details of Labor policies and budgetary measures?
WONG: Im sure youll see much more from the Opposition in 2015, certainly much more than youve seen from the Government when it comes to building jobs here in Australia, and making sure that we have a fairer Australia.
JOURNALIST: In particular, could I get you to touch on account-based pensions and superannuation incomes, no longer exempt from the seniors card test. Whats your thought towards that? The people who will wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden no longer be eligible?
WONG: Labors position has always been we will support changes the Government put forward that we think are equitable. What we wont do is support cuts which we think are unfair. And certainly the changes to the pension that this Government is proposing are unfair, and theyre also a broken promise from a Prime Minister who said very clearly no changes to the pension.
JOURNALIST: Youre South Australian, and weve seen the Labor Premier here make some headway in the polls today. Do you think thats a good step forward for Labor around the country?
WONG: I dont think any South Australian needs a poll to tell them that standing up for South Australian jobs is the right thing to do, and certainly thats what Premier Weatherill has been doing. But what I would say around the country is that people are tired of Tony Abbotts broken promises, theyre tired of seeing job losses, theyre tired of seeing unemployment rise, and theyre certainly tired of unfair Budget cuts being thrown at them by a Prime Minister who said something very different before the election.
JOURNALIST: If we could go back to some of those savings measures that are being held up in the Senate. Some of those are actually Labor policies as well, why is Labor holding those up?
WONG: Can I be very clear. One of the savings that we put forward that the Government is now putting forward was a saving that we were using to fund the Gonski reforms. So we were using savings to fund the right thing, and that is putting more resources into our schools so every child in this country had a chance to be the best they can be. Now the Government wants to junk the Gonski reforms, wants to cut school funding, but still wants people to sign up to the savings measures. Well thats not fair and we wont do it.
JOURNALIST: One last question sorry, about the changes that will come into force tomorrow. One of them was the billion dollar sale of the of the 700 MHZ spectrum, which will impact microphones. So like schools, community radio stations, are all having to fork out for those. What do you have to say to those groups?
WONG: Look, Id probably leave that to Jason Clare to respond on the spectrum sale.
JOURNALIST: Senator could I just ask you about the GST
WONG: Sure, another broken promise.
JOURNALIST: Labor has said it wont support looking at concessions to Western Australia, or to the GST being tagged to food are there any changes to the GST that Labor would be open to?
WONG: Before the last election, Tony Abbott said there would be no changes to the GST, and what weve seen in the lead up to this new year is Joe Hockey flagging more changes to the GST. Weve seen Premier Barnett flagging putting the GST on fresh food, expanding the GST. Labor has been very clear in position, were not on the path of changes to the GST, and were certainly not on the path for another broken promise from Tony Abbott.
Thank you. Have a happy new year everybody.
ENDS
