8 November 2024
Subjects: US election results; Australia-US relations; Labor’s continuing immigration detention shambles; High Court decision in YBFZ.
E&OE.
SARAH ABO:
Well, questions are being asked about what impact a Trump presidency will have on Australia’s economic future, but leaders are maintaining the bilateral relationship will thrive despite a change of president.
For more, we’re joined by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in Queensland and NDIS and Government Services Minister Bill Shorten in Canberra. Good morning to you both.
BILL SHORTEN:
‘Morning.
PETER DUTTON:
‘Morning, Sarah.
SARAH ABO:
Bill, I’ll start with you. This was a comprehensive red wave across the US. Donald Trump soon to return to the White House of course, and it’s really off the back of voter dissatisfaction about the economy, inflation. Those are the same kinds of cost of living issues we’re facing right here at home.
BILL SHORTEN:
Yeah, well, congratulations to President Trump and commiserations to Vice President Harris. It was a clear win. I think President-Elect Trump got over 72 million votes and Vice President Harris got over 68 million votes.
Cost of living was clearly one of the issues in America. I think the American election, there were lots of moving parts in that and I’ll leave it to time and the experts to work out every factor.
In Australia, we’ve been fortunate over the last period of time with a Government who’s been focussed on cost of living here and we’ve been making it our number one priority. Times are tough for Aussies with mortgage rates and pressure, but we’ve been putting in place measures to try and help take some of the sting out of it. So, hopefully it’s not an identical situation to Australia.
SARAH ABO:
I mean, considering we might have an election early next year, it’s just a question about whether you’ve done enough. Peter, Trump is quite the polarising character, we all know that. But his campaign based on the economy and immigration is very similar to your hallmark issues. Does this give you confidence you’re on the right track?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Sarah, I think part of the problem in the United States was that people didn’t believe that the Government was listening to them when they couldn’t pay their bills, couldn’t pay their mortgages, couldn’t pay their insurance, their rents going up, etc., etc.. They just felt a real disconnect, seems to be some of the analysis. To be honest, there’s an eerie parallel with what’s happening here in Australia, in that sense.
The Government this week during Question Time telling people essentially that – we’re past all of this inflationary period, don’t worry, you’ve never had it so good – I just don’t think that washes because the lived experience, the reality for lots of families sitting around the kitchen tables at the moment is that they’re pulling their hair out and they can’t pay the bills and people are having to sell their homes because they just can’t afford the mortgage repayments.
So, I think there are some parallels, but as Bill points out, there are other parts which don’t have an equivalence here in Australia.
SARAH ABO:
No, that’s for sure. But certainly the economy was number one for both sides, it seems when we were talking about this election.
PETER DUTTON:
For sure.
SARAH ABO:
Bill, the PM has already spoken with the President-Elect Trump. He went for your problems along once you take up your plum gig but how do you see our relationship with the US playing out?
BILL SHORTEN:
Well, it’s great that the Prime Minister was one of the first world leaders that President Trump spoke to. We’ve got a long strategic relationship. I never forget that when Darwin was bombed in World War two, ten planes went up to defend Darwin, the first bombing of an Australian territory or on the continent Australia, and of the ten planes, nine were shot down, but all ten planes were American fighter pilots.
So that reminds us that we’ve got a long relationship going back to the Second World War. It’s stronger than individuals. I’m sure that on trade, in coming days, we’ll see the shape of who he appoints in some of the key positions – that’s President Trump. We’ll be working with America to maintain the successful relationship.
SARAH ABO:
Yeah. I think that trade really will be the sticking point, won’t it? I mean, Pete, the US Federal Reserve just cut interest rates again this morning, as expected. But here, the Reserve Bank says a hike is actually more likely thanks to the threat of Trump’s tariffs on China.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, the Reserve Bank Governor’s had a few things to say and I think she’s getting clearer and clearer in her language, Sarah, and that is that the amount of money that the Government – both at a federal level, but some of the state Labor Governments as well – the amount of money they’re pumping into the economy is fuelling inflation here. That’s why when you look at comparable countries around the world, we’re basically at the back of the pack.
Interest rates have already come down, as you say, again overnight in the United States, but they’ve come down in Canada, and the United Kingdom, and in New Zealand, and here they’re sticky and they’re likely not to fall until mid-next year or perhaps later, and yes, if tariffs are imposed, then that will have an inflationary impact and that will be further pressure on the economy here.
I think what the Government’s demonstrated over the last two and a half years is with three budgets, they’ve made decisions which have actually made it harder for families, not easier, and that’s the real concern that a lot of Australian families have. That’s why I think they see the Prime Minister as pretty weak in his leadership and unable to answer the questions that need to be answered about how we weather all of these storms.
SARAH ABO:
Yeah, I mean I guess the trade issue is kind of out of our hands if the US decides to impose…
BILL SHORTEN:
Hang on, Sarah, Pete’s had a good old swing there, but when he talks about the Government – listen inflation, the last numbers we got were 2.8, underlying inflation, 3.5. When we came into office, thanks to Mr Dutton and his crew, inflation had a six in front of it. So yeah, it is really tough for people…
PETER DUTTON:
It’s called Covid, Bill.
BILL SHORTEN:
…And no one’s saying anything else, but the trend is heading in the right direction. I love coming on every Friday and listen to Peter talk down the country. It is tough, but Pete’s never seen a bit of good news that he couldn’t be unhappy about.
SARAH ABO:
Alright, look, we will get to more of that because it’s only going to play out over the next few months and certainly ahead of a federal election here next year. But let’s get to some other news now. The Federal Government was left scrambling after the High Court overturned its bid to monitor detainees with ankle bracelets and a curfew. Pete, the Government says it will now individually assess each of the released detainees and will have the power to reinstate monitoring devices, if necessary. Is that enough?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Sarah, it’s not enough. Over 200 people have been released into the community. These are not refugees, they’re people who have committed murders, sexual offences, serious domestic violence, repeat offenders. The Government earlier in a case in the High Court didn’t present the evidence that the court required. As a result of that, the High Court gave an order for one person to be released and the Government has extrapolated that out to over 200 cases and they’ve made our
.
I think it’s one of the worst exercises that the Albanese Government’s been involved in and I’m sure in private Bill would be as scathing as I am of the way that the Government’s handled this debacle, and they’ve gone on to commit further offences now they’re out in the community.
So, this is a mess of the Government’s making, and…
SARAH ABO:
Yeah look, I think…
PETER DUTTON:
…to talk about the US, the migration issues there were very real in the election and I think they’re going to be real in the upcoming election here, because this is just a disaster.
SARAH ABO:
Yeah I guess the issue here though, Pete, is the High Court’s really just enforcing what’s in the Constitution. They’ve deemed this unconstitutional, Bill, that kind of leaves you in a position where he’s scrambling.
BILL SHORTEN:
Well, first of all, the courts exist. We’ve got a separation of powers. This isn’t the decision that we wanted, but it’s a decision we prepared for. Within a day, within 24 hours, Tony Burke, the Immigration Minister, was down at Yarralumla at the Governor-General’s, getting new regulations for electronic monitoring devices, we’ve increased the number of police officers working on Operation AEGIS – that’s the monitoring of people who we don’t want in this community who are in the community – by 66 per cent, but at the end of the day, if the court gives you a result you don’t want, you can throw your arms in the air all you like, but you’re better off just getting pragmatic and keeping the community safe, which is what we’re doing.
SARAH ABO:
Alright. Yeah look, we have run out of time. I feel like this is a saga that may go on for some time. Thank you both so much for joining us. Have a great weekend.
BILL SHORTEN:
Have a lovely day.
PETER DUTTON:
Thanks, Sarah.
[ends]