Subjects: Visit to Washington; Australian American Leadership Dialogue; President Biden; AUKUS; Labor’s cost of living crisis.
E&OE
SARAH ABO:
Well, in a matter of hours it is make or break for Joe Biden. The US President wrapping up the NATO Summit with a rare solo and unscripted news conference we’re told, and no questions are off limits.
For more, we are joined live now by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who is in Washington, D.C.
Peter, good to see you today. What are you doing in D.C.? Are you ready to step in for Richard Marles or something?
PETER DUTTON:
I had a good catch up with Richard during the week. It’s a pity he can’t join us on the Today Show! You’ll have to…
SARAH ABO:
Oh, there it is!
PETER DUTTON:
…speak to the PM’s office and try and get the ban lifted!
Look, we’ve been here for the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, and it’s a great opportunity to catch up with contacts from the Republican and the Democrat side of the aisle. A lot of talk around security, a lot of talk around AUKUS and investments being made on each side of the relationship. So, it’s been a good catch-up, but a busy week.
SARAH ABO:
Yeah, I want to get to that in a second, but Peter I just want to get your perspective first. Obviously, Joe Biden is expected to speak shortly. What is your read being over there? Does he survive this?
PETER DUTTON:
Look Sarah, it’s tough. I mean, obviously it’s an issue for the President and for the Administration, but when you’re speaking privately to Democrats here, I’ve got to say, I think they’re sort of equally divided about what they think the President should do. Ultimately, he’s the one that has to make a call, and we can work with whoever the next President is, whether it’s a second term Biden presidency or President Trump’s elected, whatever the outcome, what’s been obvious again this week is just the strength of the relationship and the necessity in very uncertain times to be able to work very closely together with our most important partner.
SARAH ABO:
You must have a preference though, Pete? Trump or Biden? Or Clooney, maybe?
PETER DUTTON:
Let’s hope it’s not Clooney. Look, I’ve worked closely with the Obama Administration, with the Trump Administration, and now with the Biden Administration. The depth and the redundancy – I think one thing that people should be assured by is just the level and the skill-set. It just runs very deep in the Administration’s here. They’ve obviously got a massive system. At the moment, they’re focussed on what’s happening in the Middle East, a prospect of a broader war in Europe, obviously difficult trade negotiations and relationships with different countries, an economy souring…
SARAH ABO:
Yeah.
PETER DUTTON:
…they’ve got a lot on their plate, but they’ve got a big bandwidth to be able to deal with it as well.
SARAH ABO:
Alright, some crucial talks happening over in D.C. at the moment. Is AUKUS at risk under a Trump Presidency? I mean, the Deputy PM, as you know, has met with Republicans – like you just said, you have as well – to shore up support for the deal. It’s going to go ahead, isn’t it? Even if Trump gets in?
PETER DUTTON:
Yeah look, I think AUKUS survives all seasons. They say up on the hill at the moment here, there’s only two things that that unites the Republicans and Democrats. One is China, and two is the relationship with Australia, and AUKUS is part of that. The vote that took place to allow the trading relationship in the defence area to prosper, it was just – there was overwhelming support.
So, there’s a lot of work that’s been done on the Australian side – Liberal and Labor – we’re as united as the Democrats and Republicans. When the PM rightly points out that we live in the most precarious period since the Second World War, you need to be able to respond to that and AUKUS is a very significant part of the response. I think the momentum is there and there are a lot of assurances when you speak to the Republicans behind the scenes who likely will play prominent roles in a Trump Administration, if he’s elected, they’re all very favourable in terms of AUKUS.
SARAH ABO:
Yeah, alright. Well, let’s bring it back home. While the cat’s away, the PM will play. Albo is on your turf in Queensland, Pete! Are you worried he’s going to steal away some votes?
PETER DUTTON:
I’m just hoping that he’s going to spend more time there, Sarah, as much as possible. I want him to meet more people. Look, I think people, you know, as they meet the Prime Minister, they’ll work out he’s not a bad person, but just that he’s a bad Prime Minister.
The Government just hasn’t got any better as they’ve got further into this term, and they’ve made decisions in three budgets now that are hurting people in my electorate, but right across the country. People who are paying massive power bills, their grocery prices are going up, people can’t afford to pay their mortgages, and the Prime Minister says now ‘let’s start focusing on cost of living and talk to people about that’. Well, he should have been doing that from day one.
Instead, he spent $450 million on the Voice and was distracted for the first 16, 18 months. I think the economy and interest rates obviously have got away from him and his ability to deal with it.
SARAH ABO:
Alright, Pete, you’ve got 10 seconds. Have you spoken to your old mate, Malcolm?
PETER DUTTON:
No, we haven’t had a chance. Obviously, he’s very busy, very, very busy. So, we’ll have a chat at some point, I’m sure.
SARAH ABO:
I can’t wait to hear about that. Thanks so much for joining us from D.C., Peter Dutton.
PETER DUTTON:
Thanks, Sarah.
[ends]