SUBJECTS: Turnbull’s cuts to schools; Sam Dastyari; Turnbull’s Newspoll regrets; Medicare; women in Parliament

KENEALLY: It's fantastic to be here at St Charles in Ryde, and of course, to be here in Bennelong, to be in Bennelong with the Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten. I think it's about your ninth visit to the electorate, I am sure it's not your last.

 

We're here today at St Charles in Ryde to meet with parents, to meet with parents of this school and the schools, the Catholic schools right across the Bennelong electorate. And we're doing this because 4,000 students who attend Catholic schools in Bennelong across those 11 schools in this electorate. Well frankly, they're getting their funding cut. They are seeing a loss of funding from this Liberal Government, from Malcolm Turnbull, from Simon Birmingham. This Liberal Government's cuts are hurting families in Bennelong, hurting families who chose a Catholic education for their children. 

 

Now we know that parents who choose a Catholic education, they do so for a faith-based reasons, for values reasons and they do so making often great scarifies. 

 

We also know that these schools cater to children who come from low socio-economic families, where a child who wants a Catholic education is often able to receive one even if they do not have the capacity to pay. It's part of the social-justice ethos of Catholic schools right across Australia and particularly here in Bennelong.  

 

So we're here today to affirm Labor's commitment to restoring the funding that has been cut. We've seen a $1 billion lost from Simon Birmingham, from the Catholic schools and we're here today to affirm our commitment to seeing that funding restored - to affirm our commitment to reviewing the SES process which is unfairly disadvantaging Catholic schools. 

 

This is the Labor way we invest in schools, whether they are public or independent or Catholic. We believe every child in Australia deserves the best possible education supported by the Government and that's what we are here today to affirm with these parents.

 

It was great to spend time speaking with them. It was also great to have Bill Shorten here to be able to answer their questions, he's here today and I'd like to invite him to say a few words.

 

SHORTEN: Thanks very much Kristina and good afternoon everybody.

 

One of the big issues in the Bennelong by-election is of course, the future of education funding for our schools, and this is a great opportunity for parents to send a message to Malcolm Turnbull that they are not happy with his cuts to education funding in Australia.

 

I am a parent, Chloe and I, we've got our kids and like every parent, we want to make sure that not only our own kids but every child gets a quality education in this country according to their needs, not according to how wealthy their parents are.

 

So this campaign by the Government to make cuts to school funding in Australia, not the least of which are cuts to Catholic education in their parish school system, are reprehensible. 

 

I am glad that all of you were able to see the parents' forum, hear the questions from parents. There is real concern in the community and in Bennelong, that Malcolm Turnbull's cuts to education mean that Catholic schools and schools generally are not receiving their  fair share of funding.

 

If Kristina Keneally is elected on Saturday, that will send a marvellous message to the Turnbull Government to say: hands off our school kids' education future, don't cut the funding - look after our schools ahead of looking after other things.

 

Happy to take any questions but before I do, I would also just like to make comments about the news concerning Sam Dastyari. Following recent discussions with Sam Dastyari and myself, Sam has this morning announced that he will be resigning from the Senate. This is a tough decision but it is the right decision and I believe that Senator Dastyari has done the right thing here. There's no doubt in my mind that he's a good, decent and loyal Australian but he's exhibited very poor judgement and he's now paying the heaviest of prices. 

 

I just want to pay some acknowledgement to Senator Dastyari's parliamentary career. He, without a doubt, has been one of the instigators of a banking Royal Commission. He speaks up for multicultural Australia and Australians from diverse backgrounds and he has certainly been in the front of calling out Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party's racism. I think also through his capacity to communicate on social media, he's delivered and created a greater interest from young people in Australian politics.

 

I wish him well in whatever career he pursues in the future and I'm sure he will make a contribution to this country.

 

JOURNALIST: It has been two weeks since Senator Dastyari resigned his leadership positions within the Labor Party, what was his ultimate crime?

 

SHORTEN: Well let's go back over a series of events: 14 months ago I removed him from the frontbench and said he had to go. More recently, as you said two weeks ago, again I demoted him over his poor judgement. There's no doubt in the days since then, Senator Dastyari - and he had discussions with others including myself - has recognised both publicly and privately that his career was going nowhere and I think he's done the right thing today. 

 

I also want to say that he is a decent person and he is a loyal Australian and I don't for one minute accept the Government's characterisation of him as somehow being a traitor to Australia. I think the Government needs to use this opportunity to drop their China-phobic attacks and get back onto the issues affecting everyday Australians.

 

What I might do is just move around once and then come back to you.

 

JOURNALIST: Has this controversy affected your chances of winning this by-election? 

 

SHORTEN: I think what matters in the Bennelong by-election is the cost of living for everyday Australians. It is Medicare. As we approach Christmas, families are trying to juggle getting the presents, paying the power bills. 

 

What matters to the people in Bennelong is the inadequate NBN and access to the internet which this Government failed to deliver. What matters in Bennelong is Medicare, education, cuts to funding, the NBN; I believe that's what people are looking at.

 

I might also just say that one of the things in the Bennelong by-election is the clear choice between the energy levels of our candidates. We have got Kristina Keneally; I think all of you who have been following her on the by-election will know how warmly she's been received. The Government is running John Alexander; not a bad bloke, but he's doing a victory lap so I think that's another factor in the Bennelong by election, the calibre of Labor’s candidate. 

 

Sorry, I'll just go here - I promise you I'll come back.

 

JOURNALIST: If Kristina Keneally doesn't win the Bennelong by-election, will she be considered as a replacement for Senator Dastyari's?

 

SHORTEN: Ye of little faith - I think we're highly competitive in this by-election. Lets's face it, the Liberal Party wants to put around that Kristina Keneally will go into the Senate because they want to discourage people from voting in Bennelong. That's because they're frightened of her. I think we've all watched the vaguely hysterical tones overtaking Mr Turnbull and others in this by-election. The reality is that Kristina Keneally is a calibre candidate for an electorate crying out for really strong representation. 

 

We're focused on winning on Saturday. I tell you what, you wouldn't want to be rushing to put a bet on John Alexander any time soon to win the by-election. We're competitive - we're in it to win it. And that's absolutely what we are doing by hearing the needs of Catholic school parents today, that's a good example.

 

JOURNALIST: You're not ruling it out -

 

SHORTEN: Well, no I'm ruling in that we are going to do everything we can to win. You understand as a seasoned journalist, that what the Liberals are saying is they want to run the line saying 'Kristina Keneally: running for the Senate', therefore give people a leave pass not to vote for her in Bennelong. Because one thing I'm certain about, people want Kristina Keneally in federal politics. But our plan, our very clear plan, to is to see her elected Saturday as the Member for Bennelong. And after all, look at today's forum. We didn't get stuck in a traffic jam of Liberal limousines coming here to sort out the funding for Catholic parish schools. 

 

Kristina Keneally; front-line, looking after the kids, looking after their parents - backing in the education.

 

Sorry, Caroline and then you.

 

JOURNALIST: If it was the right decision for Sam Dastyari to resign, why did it take 14 days? Does that not reflect poor leadership?

 

SHORTEN: No, I think you’ll go back to an earlier answer I gave - 14 months ago when it came to light that Sam Dastyari exercised some poor judgement, we removed him and encouraged him to step down from the frontbench. Then more recently, two weeks ago, when further examples of poor judgement came to light, there was no doubt in my mind I took the right step. Now I think that Sam Dastyari has taken the right step himself. There's been lots of discussion but let me be clear, it's Senator Dastyari's decision to resign his spot. I think you would appreciate, the Labor Party or any political party can demote its MPs but the Senator was elected by New South Wales, he has to make the decision to resign and he has.

 

JOURNALIST: Yesterday your colleagues, Catherine King and Linda Burney, said he had to consider his position and a Labor elder statesman, Kim Beazley, said he was a distraction, a word Sam Dastyari dropped in his presser this morning. So how coordinated was the push?

 

SHORTEN: Well, I don't know if you were at the press conference we did at the Ryde Hospital on Friday, and I forgive you for not reading every one of my transcripts, but what I said Friday unequivocally, in answer to similar questions, in my opinion Senator Dastyari's career was going nowhere fast. I think what my colleagues said was just a statement of the obvious that Senator Dastyari -

 

Sorry, if I could finish your first question. I think it was a statement of the obvious to be honest, that he was considering his position and that's what he has done.

 

JOURNALIST: Was it a signal? 

 

SHORTEN: I think Senator Dastyari's arrived at this decision. I want to go back to my opening comments, it's a big thing, he has made mistakes of judgement, he has made mistakes of judgement, but he has paid the heaviest of prices. His career in federal politics is over, his career in federal politics is over - he has resigned. I think that is a tough decision. Now, I think it is the right decision, I think its the right decisions for him, absolutely. 

 

In terms of how he got to that decision, I think it's become clear for a number of days, including from my own comments, publicly and privately, his career was going nowhere fast.

 

JOURNALIST: Did you privately ask him to resign or step down?

SHORTEN: I won't go into all my discussions but just for the record, ultimately this was his decision and I support and commend his decision.

JOURNALIST: How do you think the Chinese community here in Bennelong would view his resignation?

 

SHORTEN: I think the Chinese community in Bennelong would be unimpressed by the constant, rampant China-phobia from Malcolm Turnbull. Let's call it as it is. First of all, Chinese people, like other people who become Australians, they are Australians first, their ethnicity should be the guiding issue. I believe that migrants from all across the world who come to Australia, take our loyalty and take our laws. I've been concerned that the Government’s attack - they're willing to throw basically the kitchen sink into this issue. They will pay any price and make any slur or smear because they're worried by Kristina Keneally and what happens in the by-election of Bennelong. 

 

I just want to say to Australians by choice or Australians by birth: Labor welcomes you, you adhere to our values, adhere to our laws, you're welcome.

 

In terms of our relations with China more broadly, clearly the Government's intemperate China-phobia, their desperate desire to attack Labor, has meant that they will pay any price and make any statement. I think that is very rash and I think Turnbull would be well advised now to hop off the China-phobia horse and get on with the business of growing opportunities for Australians.

 

Get back to the basics. Do something about energy prices which are out of control at Christmas. Do something about the penalty rate cuts which you are backing in. Do something about lifting flat-lining consumer confidence. Do something about cuts to education and the cuts to Medicare. I think there's no doubt that Mr Turnbull worries about himself first, second and third and the people of Bennelong and Australia, they're just forgotten.

JOURNALIST: What about this federal Liberal polling suggesting your presences (inaudible) in this by-election is working against you?

 

SHORTEN: I think that is one of those questions which answers itself. You’ve said it was Liberal polling. I'm not offended but if the Liberal Party drops research which, shock horror, backs up the Liberal Party’s narrative, I treat that for the propaganda it is. I'm sure this Liberal polling might say that Malcolm Turnbull isn’t out of touch. It might even say that people of Bennelong are not worried about over-development or high housing prices for their kids. Maybe this Liberal research says that Medicare is not an issue, it is just a scare campaign.  Maybe they'll say there aren't cuts to the funding of schools, even though you yourself could see the concerns here. I think we all know what to do with Liberal Party research.

 

JOURNALIST: What about the Newspoll then, Mr Shorten?

 

SHORTEN: That Newspoll would seem to contradict the previous question because it says Labor is competitive. 

Let me just say about Newspoll, I noticed that Mr Turnbull in his end of year mea culpas to have a look at the year that was, he said he had one regret. 

Now, if you were to ask 1,000 Australians or 10,000 Australians, what should be the Prime Minister's one regret? They might have said energy prices out of control, gas prices out of control, gas being exported overseas instead of available for Australian industry. It might have been that our NBN is not working. It could well be my penalty rates are being cut or that wages are flat-lining. It could well be that the schools' funding is being cut or it could that Medicare, the office in Eastwood is closed. 

 

Of all of the choices that Malcolm Turnbull had to say of what he regretted this year, he regretted his problems with Newspoll. I mean, isn't it so typical Turnbull the only thing he regrets is himself and not the nation and not the people. I think that is just speaks so much volumes for Mr Turnbull, it's not funny.

 

JOURNALIST: When is the decision about Senator Dastyari's replacement going to be made?

 

SHORTEN: The Labor Party has a process, they will resolve it in the New Year. It’s got to be sorted out by the New South Wales Parliament. In the meantime, we're saying to Australians and people in Bennelong: if you want Kristina Keneally in Parliament the quickest path for that is to vote for her on Saturday.

 

JOURNALIST: Sam Dastyari's problems have arisen because of his relationship with Chinese donors. Is this a problem with the individual or is it a problem within New South Wales Labor?

 

SHORTEN: I think that there is a challenge with our donation laws in this country, I think that we need electoral reform. I've proposed early this year, following further revelations from the media, that the Labor Party would no longer take foreign donations and donations from these two people who have been mentioned constantly in the media. It staggers me that whilst Malcolm Turnbull has had some sort of crusade against Sam Dastyari, he's so silent on whether or not his own party will ban taking donations. I wrote to Mr Turnbull earlier this year and I said we needed a foreign agents registry, a bit like they have in America, do you know I didn't get a letter back from him for six months. 

 

So I understand Turnbull's desire to destroy Labor and individuals in Labor at all costs. What I don't understand is his lack of action on foreign donations, on foreign agents registration. I don't understand, for example, why the Liberal Party of Australia is still taking money from these people who everyone else says Sam Dastyari shouldn't have engaged with.

 

JOURNALIST: But is there a more a widespread problem within New South Wales Labor because Andrew Willkie says that basically, China has bought New South Wales Labor Party’s backing, how do you respond to those allegations that there is undue influence - 

 

SHORTEN: Alright, thank you. As for Andrew Willkie attacking Labor - complete rubbish, complete rubbish. But what I did say earlier, in answer to your earlier question is I am concerned, I think a lot of Australians are concerned with the lack of transparency in donations in Australia.

 

You know, if we could have some Christmas wishes off Malcolm Turnbull, it would be to ban foreign donations, for the Liberal Party to stop taking money from these people and perhaps also, Mr Turnbull to complete a trifecta of good news for Australia when it comes to cleaner elections and cleaner donations systems, is he could lower the cap whereby if you donate over $1,000 you've got to disclose your identity. See what happens now in Australia, is under Mr Turnbull's loose, sloppy, lax laws, which he owns, you could have a company who donates $13,000 in each of the six states of Australia every year, and you wouldn't know who they were. We're talking about quarter of a million dollars.

 

Our democracy should not be for sale but I understand the concern in the community about those issues, but It's one thing for Mr Turnbull to make a hero of himself about Sam Dastyari, but of course when it actually comes to the Liberal Party taking their hand out of the dodgy trough, the dodgy fundraising, the untransparent fundraising, we hear nothing from them at all. I think Mr Turnbull needs to clean up the system rather than just constantly talk about his political enemies.

 

JOURNALIST: It's been revealed today that the same donor involved as Sam Dastyari paid $55,000 for a lunch with you in 2015. Was that appropriate?

 

SHORTEN: You'll have to ask the Party about the donations they raised. I'm sure all of it was disclosed by the fact that you can ask me a question on it. But I do actually think that, having been in this job a number of years, we do need to tighten up our disclosure laws and we do need to tighten up our foreign donation laws. Labor's led on this issue. I wrote to Mr Turnbull, I wrote to him six months ago and said how about you do something about foreign agents registration? I also have said early this year, no more money from these people, full stop. And for the record, these characters donate more to the conservatives than they do to Labor, but that's not even the issue. The issue is we need to stop. 

 

I get that in 2017 Australian people want more from their political representatives than they feel they're getting. I propose a proposition to Mr Turnbull: let's lower the threshold for disclosure and by that what I mean is, at the moment you can give big licks of money to either political party and there's no obligation to disclose the amount of money up to a certain level. I want to lower that, I want to lower that. Then we've also got the issue about foreign donations, I want to get rid of that. These two people in particular who have caused such media attention, and I acknowledge the role of the media in helping talk about some of these issues - we shouldn't be taking their money and Labor hasn't.

 

JOURNALIST: Just on the original allegations that sparked all of this that Sam Dastyari tipped off Mr Haung that his phone might be tapped. Are you at all concerned that Australian and US intelligence agencies might have been involved at all?

 

SHORTEN: I wouldn't want to comment on things that I don't have any direct knowledge about.

 

JOURNALIST: Just a question for Kristina, Kristina when did you last have contact with Joe Tripodi?

 

KENEALLY: Oh, goodness it would be years, years, absolute years I couldn't even tell you. Do you have a date to put to me?

 

JOURNALIST: August 2017 that doesn't ring any bells- 

 

KENEALLY: Oh God no. 

 

JOURNALIST: Okay.

 

KENEALLY: Seriously, is that your-

 

JOURNALIST: Kristina will you rule out taking Sam Dastyari's Senate seat?

 

KENEALLY: Look, I love these questions and I acknowledge it's Sky News reporting them to me because I realise I'm still on leave without pay from you folks - maybe you've got an agenda there. Let me be clear about this: I am here running as a candidate for Bennelong. I have only been offered one thing by Bill Shorten, the opportunity to be Labor's candidate for Bennelong, and that is what I'm focusing on in this campaign. This is where I live, this is the community I'm fighting for and this is what I'll be doing every single moment until the polls close on Saturday.  Let me also say this and be clear about it and I've said it before: I have been offered Senate seats before by New South Wales Labor and I've turned them down.

 

JOURNALIST: Ms Keneally you know Sam Dastyari better than most when you were Premier and he was State Secretary. Was this sort of relationship he had with donors a pattern of behaviour that you were aware of?

 

KENEALLY: No.

 

JOURNALIST: And when did you become aware that there was a problem?

 

KENEALLY: The revelations that were in the media recently.

 

JOURNALIST: Are you buoyed by the Newspoll today?

 

KENEALLY: You know, we have been warmly received and I do appreciate that from the people of Bennelong. It has been a by-election unlike any other I have experienced where people are energised by the fact that they have a vote, they get to have a say, I think the people of Bennelong know that a lot of people in Australia would like to have their say on this lousy, Liberal Government. But you know, let's be blunt here folks, this is a tough campaign. I knew it going in. This is a seat that has elected three Liberal blokes named John and one time elected a Labor representative in Maxine McKew. That's the history of this seat. It's going to be a tough battle and what I'm expecting, given the poll results today, is that Malcolm Turnbull and his Liberal mates are going to get even nastier in the coming days ahead.

 

That's my projection for what we're going to see given the poll results out today. I mean, Malcolm Turnbull has managed to accuse me of everything short of saying it wasn't the dingo, it was Keneally. So I expect that is where he's going to go over the next few days but that's not going to deter me.

 

The people of Bennelong are concerned about Medicare, the people of Bennelong are concerned about schools, the people of Bennelong know that their electricity bills are going up, the people of Bennelong know they are ground zero for this lousy NBN and they are frustrated. So those are the issues I'll be talking about over the next few days, whatever Malcolm Turnbull chooses to talk about is Malcolm's business.

 

JOURNALIST: Would you like to see a woman fill Sam Dastyari's Senate spot?

 

SHORTEN: I am very committed to seeing more women in politics. I think the Labor Party's track record so far is pretty good. We're over 45 per cent of our parliamentary party are women. I mean it makes a difference to the sea of blokes in suits that you see in the Liberal Party. When Julie Bishop's overseas, Kelly O'Dwyer's on parental leave, it's just blokes on the frontbench for the Coalition. But I tell you what if we're going to put more women into Parliament, let's start with Bennelong, let's start with Kristina Keneally. Maybe a couple more questions because we do have some voters to talk to.

 

JOURNALIST: The Prime Minister's appearance on QandA last night, what do you make of his response to (inaudible)

 

SHORTEN: First of all, I was at a school concert last night so no hard feelings Malcolm but I had something more important to do. In terms of the Uluru Statement, we all know that Malcolm Turnbull squibbed Constitutional recognition of First Australians. I understand that he gave his usual lecture which Aboriginal leaders have been getting from him since he became Prime Minister that: "Constitutional change is not for the faint-hearted, I should know, I lost a constitutional referendum many, many years ago".

 

 That drives First Australians nuts. 
 
 Nothing like being Mal-splained by the Mal-splainer-in-Chief. Yeah, he's got it wrong. There should be a voice for Aboriginal people in the Parliament and if we can't change it by the Constitution, I'll work on how we can legislate it in consultation with Aboriginal Australians. Until First Australians get an equal go in this country then I don't think we're the country we can be in the future. 

 

JOURNALIST: Kristina Keneally you wrote a column for the Guardian newspaper in May titled " Catholic schools won't win this funding skirmish. Labor needs to back away" you said the Labor Opposition should tiptoe away from the Catholic School lobby and you actually mocked a school for saying that their fees were going to go up. Doesn't that contradict your position in Bennelong?

 

KENEALLY: In fact, what has happened since I wrote that is Simon Birmingham has cut another billion dollars, Simon Birmingham has cut another billion dollars through the deal he did in the Senate on Catholic schools. That's what has changed since I wrote that article. I am proud to be here today and you would have all seen in there the warm reception we got from the parents, the strong support from the Catholic school sector. 

 

This a sector that has seen a funding cut again and again and they think they're getting support from this Turnbull Government and then the Turnbull Government turns around and does a dud deal. Do you understand that the independent schools are getting a longer period to transition to the Gonski 2.0, as Malcolm Turnbull so cleverly calls it, but the Catholic schools are going to have lose money in a shorter period of time, more quickly.  So that is what's happening and that is why the Catholic schools and their parents are very frustrated with this Liberal Government. That is why we are here today.

 

We are the only candidates here today. Where is John Alexander? He was invited here today. Where is Simon Birmingham? The Liberals were invited here today and they chose not to turn up. This isn't a Labor event. This is a Catholic Education Office event and we are the only people who turned up.

 

SHORTEN: Sorry, we do have some other commitments and I think we have given a fair range of questions but maybe one more question and I, unusually I haven't favoured my left so if someone over here- 

 

JOURNALIST: Just on the Medicare issue in Bennelong, the ACTU has been distributing some material which is factually inaccurate saying that five dollar increases on scripts, which was actually abandoned in the last Budget. So is Labor running a dishonest campaign in Bennelong? 

 

SHORTEN: Well, first of all I haven't seen the material, secondly, you said it was the ACTU not Labor, but third let's talk about Medicare. I think we'll all remember Mr Turnbull's famous tantrum on election night when he said the Australian people have got it wrong, that somehow they had been scared on Medicare and this Government wasn't doing anything bad. We have seen and we've seen it in the numbers of the North Sydney health area as recently as Friday when I was out at the Ryde Hospital with Kristina.

 

The reality is that we've got thousands of people deferring or cancelling or not seeing their GP because of the cost of seeing the doctor. We have 12,000 people, I understand, on waiting lists to see specialists and deferring seeing specialists, 12,000 of them, because of the cost of seeing the specialist. You have got elective surgery waiting times of 300 days. The fact of the matter is this: Australians don't trust Mr Turnbull with Medicare and have got a lot of examples of his cutback funding to Medicare, cutback funding to hospitals, this is a Government that can't be trusted on Medicare and we've also made a specific promise to the voters of Bennelong, if you vote for Kristina on Saturday, if and when we form a Government, we will put the Medicare office back into Eastwood. 
 
 Alright everyone, we'll see you on the trail and thank you very much for your questions.