Tuesday, 9 September

E&OE

Peter Stefanovic:

Joining us live on this Tuesday morning, the Shadow IR Minister Tim Wilson. It's breaking news here Tim, but your thoughts on this massive round of redundancies at the ANZ?

Tim Wilson:

Well, we all of course express our sympathies with those people who are going to lose their jobs, but, unfortunately, it's a reflection of where the economy is heading at the moment where business is becoming less certain, and of course that means unemployment has been rising, and unless the government is working to address this and drive economic growth it raises questions of certainty for the future for business planning and for creating jobs.

Peter Stefanovic:

It's terrible to find out though via an email being told to hand back your laptop.

Tim Wilson:

Resolutely, yes, and this is where you know companies should both be sensitive and aware of the fact that these are people's lives, their jobs, and, of course, their security that will be directly impacted.

Peter Stefanovic:

The Albanese government, Tim, it appears to be stalling on the super tax, we've discussed this at length, it's either being delayed or it's going to be overhauled so it looks as though it might well be kicked into the long grass, are you encouraged by that?

Tim Wilson:

Ultimately not. I think that the Albanese government is hell bent on increasing taxes. They're just trying to find different ways to do so. Their problem has just been the administrative components of this tax. The reality is they're desperate for revenue. They can't control their spending, so their only solution is to come after Australians' money because they can't control their own purse strings.

Peter Stefanovic:

I mean, you've been very vocal in arguing against this though, wouldn't you be encouraged if your plans or if the government's plans to tax super accounts above $3 million was going to be nixed? You'd be happy with that though, would you?

Tim Wilson:

Well, the reality is, every time the government decides to take something off the table, they flip it onto some other type of new tax revenue. And this was always the risk with the family savings tax on unrealised capital gains, apply it to super, then move it over to things like the family home, then move that over to trusts or other types of business activity.

Peter Stefanovic:

So is that where you think they're gonna focus now?

Tim Wilson:

I’ve always thought that's where they're going to go because that's what they've always planned as far as I'm concerned.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. This probably doesn't have anything to do with the BCA last night, that's searching for clarity on the cash flow tax for businesses above a billion dollars. Your reaction to the Prime Minister's speech last night?

Tim Wilson:

Well, there can be as many smiles as you want at the business council's dinner. It never stops the government slipping the knife in. Business has got to get serious. If they actually want the government to take them seriously, they need to learn to fight back. Saying a few nice words at a dinner might have some value, but if I were the government, I look at a lot of business, the large corporates and Australians say, it doesn't matter what we throw at them, they never fight back, time to fight it back if you actually want them to take you seriously. Otherwise the government just walks all over you.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay, let's get to this stoush within the Liberal Party at the moment, Tim. Involving Jacinta Price, the Indian community, involves Alex Hawke, it involves Jane Hume to an extent as well. I mean, what do you make of it all?

Tim Wilson:

Well, my grandfather grew up in India, and I'm reminded of these words. Where we fail is where we encourage others to believe responsibility for one's own life can be avoided and disadvantage can be charged to another. We need to focus on nation-building, not nation-burning. I couldn't agree with those sentiments more there, from Jacinta Price's first speech. I think that we all, all parliamentary colleagues, need to make sure they accept responsibility for their conduct, and then simply, because that's what adults do. And then, from that basis, we move on as a country because the focus has to be on holding Labor to account. That's why I welcome the remarks from Julian Leeser my colleague, yesterday, because, you know, the Indian community's an important part. Well, sorry, the Australian community, who have Indian heritage, is an important part, not just of our present but of our future and our values.

Peter Stefanovic:

Just on that point, so Julian Leeser apologised on Jacinta Price's behalf, so are you doing that as well?

Tim Wilson:

Well, if necessary, sure. Because at the end of the day, I want this conversation to move on because at the moment, we have 3,500 Australians who have lost their jobs at ANZ. We have fire bombings on commercial sites because of fights between the CFMEU and business. We have really serious issues confronting this country. And these sorts of distractions in comparison to the serious economic and lived reality of what Australians are confronting is actually what matters. And this government is getting away with it. We need to hold them to account because Australians are paying the price for the Albanese economic sinkhole.

Peter Stefanovic:

So with that said, do you think Jacinta Price should apologise?

Tim Wilson:

Well, that's up to her, but I've said, I've quoted her own words back to her. The key point is we need to make sure the issues that are focused on by Coalition MPs has to be on the future of this country. We have a government that is proposing new taxes, that is going to make it hard for Australians to invest in the future of this country to create jobs and economic opportunity. That's what I want to see. That's what I want to see from Coalition MPs holding the Labor Party to account and for their conduct because that's what's at stake, not our pride.

Peter Stefanovic:

I mean, how much damage has this done to the Liberal Party messaging at the moment, Tim? I mean like you said, there's all these other factors. You've got that breaking news from the ANZ today. I mean the fact that you're fighting amongst yourselves, it makes the country weaker because it's giving the current government a free pass.

Tim Wilson:

This is why the focus has to be on the Labor government and the consequences of their decision-making or their inaction. Because while any other focus apart from scrutinising Labor and holding them to account for their decision making has a massive flow-on consequence, not for the Liberal Party, for Australia. And, you know, the reality is that is who we are here for, for the Australian community and to grow and build the future of the nation. And that's what I want to see.

Peter Stefanovic:

All right, we'll leave it there Tim. Thank you. We'll chat to you again soon.

ENDS