TRANSCRIPT OF

Treasurer

Doorstop Interview

National Institute of Circus Arts

Friday, 18 June 2004

11.45am

SUBJECTS: Arts funding, Iraq, childhood obesity, baby payment, road funding, Scoresby

TREASURER:

Let me say at the outset that the National Institute for Circus Arts is a premier

training organisation which we want to make a centre for excellence in Australia

and the Commonwealth has announced $6 million for building a new performance

centre here in Prahran which I think will make this one of the great training

institutions for circus arts in the world. And you have seen the enthusiasm

of the students that are here, they’re great ambassadors for our country,

they’re enthusiastic, they’re fit and they’re extremely talented

so we wish them every success in their career.

JOURNALIST:

The Opposition is calling for Senator Hill to step down over the Abu Ghraib

prisoners scandal. What are your thoughts on that?

TREASURER:

I think Senator Hill has made a full disclosure to the Senate as to what was

known and when it was known and the important point to bear in mind in all of

this, of course, is that no Australians were involved in any breaches whatsoever.

None of the Australian troops were engaged and the Senator has explained the

full facts and circumstances to the Senate and properly discharged his duty.

JOURNALIST:

Given it was know last June, shouldn’t that have happened earlier, do

you think, the public should have known about it?

TREASURER:

Well, when it was known, the US which was responsible for the prison, immediately

took corrective steps. That’s what had to happen. The people that were

responsible for the prison had to take corrective steps. Australia wasn’t

responsible for that prison, Australia didn’t have any troops and wasn’t

responsible for managing it, wasn’t responsible for administering it.

JOURNALIST:

You mentioned obesity in there, why is your side of politics making so much

fun of Mr Latham’s ideas to help kids?

TREASURER:

We fully support children being involved in sport and in fact we’re shortly

going to announce a very major initiative in conjunction with National Sporting

Leagues to encourage children to engage in sport. I think that’s absolutely

important and fundamental and we’ll be doing practical things about it.

But we don’t think that Mr Latham’s ideas are substantive ideas

that will make a difference.

JOURNALIST:

Well, couldn’t something be done to get children to eat better food?

TREASURER:

Well I think a lot can be done to get children to eat better food and parents

have a responsibility in particular to help their children with better food,

but we don’t believe that the government should take over the responsibility

for raising children. Every child needs parents. They need a family, they need

a good example, and we’re not for a moment going to undermine parental

responsibility in this area.

JOURNALIST:

There seems to be a bit of a problem with the baby bonus. People are holding

back so they can qualify for $3,000. Is there something you can do? Can you

bring it forward?

TREASURER:

Look, the payment is to recognise the costs of having children. But let me

make it clear, nobody has children to get a payment. It’s a one-off payment

which will help you with the cost of the child. But the child is there for 15

or 16 or 17 or in some cases 30 years and bear in mind that children are pretty

expensive to bring up and rear and what they really need is love more than anything

else. So people should bear in mind that this payment is a help. Obviously it

is a help. But I don’t believe people have children just to get a payment

from the Government.

JOURNALIST:

Treasurer, watching these budding circus performers here, do you feel you’ve

missed your calling when you ran away to join the Parliament?

TREASURER:

The only juggling I’m good at is with figures. If I’d have had

the talent that these kids have, I might have got an even better career in the

circus.

JOURNALIST:

Treasurer there is some discontent about the timeframe for the Calder Freeway

duplication. Several Victorian Councils want it brought forward. Is that likely

to happen?

TREASURER:

The Calder Freeway is a Road of National Importance which is constructed 50/50

in partnership between the Commonwealth and the States. The Commonwealth has

set aside the money for the next stages and the next stages have to be built

with joint funding and it will be rolled out as they are completed, but these

things are completed in stages. And the next stage is fully funded and will

be done. Of more interest of course is whether or not the Victorian Government

will keep its agreement of the Scoresby Freeway. Scoresby Freeway is precisely

the same as the Calder Highway, 50/50 Road of National Importance. $420 million

of Commonwealth money ready to flow into Victoria to build a Freeway. Mr Bracks

made a promise for a Freeway. There is a signed agreement for a Freeway. Let’s

get on and build it and I say to Mr Bracks and the Victorian Government, keep

your word, honour the agreement. $420 million into the Victorian economy and

the people of the Eastern suburbs get to use their roads without having to pay

tolls.

JOURNALIST:

Would you admit though that 2012 is a long time for people to wait for a duplicated

freeway to Bendigo?

TREASURER:

This is being built from Melbourne to Bendigo. It’s already been built

substantially and continuing parts will be completed as, and when, the funding

flows. Let me say, the Scoresby Freeway hasn’t even commenced, and $420

million of Commonwealth funding ready to commence a Freeway. As I often say

to the Victorian Government, what part of the word ‘Free-way’ don’t

they understand?