Transcript - Weekend Sunrise

ANGELA COX: It has been a mammoth week as Parliament sat for the last time before the scheduled May 10 Budget, including a record-breaking 40 hour Senate debate where we even saw pyjamas come out. Now for the latest we’re joined by Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher and Shadow Minister for Communications Jason Clare.

Good morning to you both. Now first to you, Paul: the Government says it’ll change elements of the Safe Schools anti-bullying program after a review deemed some of the activities inappropriate. Lot of concern here; has the Prime Minister just caved to the conservatives?

PAUL FLETCHER:  Look, absolutely not. Education Minister Simon Birmingham’s done an excellent job responding to some community concerns about whether there was some age-inappropriate content here, whether there was some political advocacy here. Look, it’s very important that our schools are tolerant environments, safe environments, for all children, including those who may be struggling with sexuality issues. At the same time, we need to have age-appropriate content, so Education Minister Simon Birmingham engaged Emeritus Professor Bill Louden, Education Professor, very well-respected. He’s done a review. He’s recommended some changes to remove some age-inappropriate content, but the Safe Schools program very much going to continue. So Simon Birmingham’s done a good job reflecting community concerns. The program will continue, but inappropriate elements have been removed.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  This community concern though has really been whipped up and fuelled by elements of your own party. The Safe Schools program was announced under your Government, Jason, and implemented by the Abbott Government, so why now?

JASON CLARE:  Well I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the people that are stoking the fire here are Tony Abbott’s supporters. They’ve said to Malcolm Turnbull you can have The Lodge, but we’ve got the power. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Malcolm Turnbull’s middle name’s Bligh, named after Captain Bligh from Mutiny on the Bounty and the Rum Rebellion. He was mutinied twice; Malcolm Turnbull’s already been rolled by his party room once a couple of years ago. These conservatives – the right wing in the Liberal Party – have said do what we want you to do on climate change, the republic, same-sex marriage, and on this program, or we’ll give you the boot.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  Paul, just leaving aside the merits of the implementation of the Louden review of the Safe Schools program, it certainly does add to the perception that the Prime Minister is being forced to cave on every issue by a rebellious backbench.

PAUL FLETCHER:  Well, that’s absolutely not right, but it’s not a question of leaving aside the merits. This is about responding to legitimate community concerns. Our schools must be tolerant and safe places for all children, including those working through issues of sexual identity. At the same time, if parents are concerned about content, we need to respond to that. That’s why we’ve had an independent review by a very well-respected Professor of Education. He’s produced some recommendations…

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  So do you agree with the Professor?

JASON CLARE:  Well, gay kids are six times more likely to attempt suicide, and I saw a report the other day that said suicide rates amongst teenagers are the highest they’ve been in 13 years.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  So what elements will be stripped out of the program then?

PAUL FLETCHER:  Look, there was some material there that was age-inappropriate, not right for the kids that it was targeted and there was some inappropriate political advocacy but the important thing is politicians shouldn’t be making these decisions. A respected Professor of Education has had a look at it. He’s come through with some detailed recommendations in relation to what goes in one particular lesson or another. We’ve accepted those recommendations. Education Minister Simon Birmingham has responded to those concerns.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  All right. Love to know what those elements are, because what I consider age inappropriate for my children may be completely different to what someone else considers age…

PAUL FLETCHER:  So let’s ask a respected Professor of Education to make a judgment. That’s what we’ve done. He’s given us some recommendations and we’ve gone with them.

JASON CLARE:  The bottom line is that gay kids are more likely to be bullied than other kids; 75 per cent of gay kids are bullied. Most of it happens at school, which is why this program is so important…

PAUL FLETCHER:  No disagreement there and that’s why the program’s continuing.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  Okay. Moving on, shall we?

ANGELA COX:  Yeah. What do you think about Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership? Do you think this shows a sign of weakness and what it means for his future?

JASON CLARE:  I think what I’m hearing from people is disappointment. Everybody expected Malcolm Turnbull would be better; I thought he would be better. What we’ve seen, whether it is on climate change or this or even tax cuts- we were promised when Malcolm Turnbull became Prime Minister that we were going to have big tax cuts - income tax cuts - now that’s been dropped as well. I think people are starting to say what’s Malcolm Turnbull all about? Why did we put him in place in the first place if everything that we thought he would do, he’s not going to do?

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  So Paul, much was made of the Innovation Nation, I guess, and that’s really been the centrepiece, I suppose, thus far of the Turnbull Government. What else?

PAUL FLETCHER:  Look, what Malcolm Turnbull is about, what the Turnbull Government is about is jobs and growth. Malcolm is a very experienced businessman. That’s why he committed to the Innovation Statement, $1.1 billion. We’ve got the Defence White Paper, which came out just a few weeks ago, with again billions of dollars of spending, including for innovation in Defence. We’ve got $50 billion of spending on infrastructure: Pacific Highway, Bruce Highway. We’ve committed to the Western Sydney Airport. We’re committed to jobs; we’re committed to growth, and we’re committed to a Government with competent economic management, rather than just reflecting the agenda of the unions, which is what Bill Shorten has done.

ANGELA COX: And yet, having said that, he doesn’t seem to have done anything around any significant tax reform so far. He’s taken everything off the table, by the looks of it.

PAUL FLETCHER:  And what we’re doing is working through those issues carefully, unlike the Labor approach of coming out with something before they’d thought about it properly, their negative gearing approach. Australians know if you take a third of the buyers out of the market, you’re likely to see house prices fall. Those are- homes are Australia’s biggest assets. Labor hasn’t thought through their policy on negative gearing properly, and what we’re doing is working through seriously and carefully our economic policy, including on tax.

ANDREW O’KEEFE:  Okay gentlemen, that’s all we have time for this morning. Thanks for the pitch.

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