Liberal Party attempts to hide GST distribution

JULIE COLLINS: Well it's great to have Chris Bowen in town joining Scott Bacon and I. The one thing that State and Federal Labor has been consistent on is standing up for Tasmania’s share of GST and it's great to have Scott and Chris here today to talk about Tasmania’s GST. It is in stock contrast to what we have seen from the Liberals. We have seen State and Federal Liberals not standing up for Tasmania’s GST. In particular we have seen the Federal Liberal Senators try and say one thing here in Tasmania and then in Canberra, in the Senate in the last two sitting weeks not vote to support to get the Productivity Commission review out there before this State election. Tasmanians have a right to know what the Federal Government has got planned for our GST and we are up there standing up for Tasmanians and the Federal Liberals were not. I might head over to Scott to say a few things.

SCOTT BACON, SHADOW TREASURERR OF TASMANIA: Well there is no doubt there is something to hide in the Productivity Commissions report into any changes in the distribution of GST. We know that Will Hodgeman hasn't been able to stand up to Canberra for the whole four years that he has been in Government. We know that any change to the GST distribution will have a devastating effect on our hospitals and our schools here in Tasmania and Rebecca White is the only Tasmanian politician in the leadership position that is actually willing to stand up and say but this report should come out before the election so that Tasmanian people know exactly what any changes will do to their Government services.

 

CHRIS BOWEN, SHADOW TREASURERR: Well thanks everybody. It is great to be here with Julie Collins and my friend Scott Bacon. Of course Julie a member of the Shadow Cabinet and will be a Cabinet member of an incoming Shorten Labor Government and it is very important that Tasmania have a voice in the Federal Cabinet. There is none at the moment under Malcolm Turnbull. Julie Collins, sitting around the Cabinet table making decisions and a voice for Tasmania in a Shorten Labor Government and in the Cabinet as well. And of course Scott Bacon, my good friend doing a great job as a Shadow Treasurer of Tasmania.

 

A couple of issues briefly. As Julie and Scott have mentioned, the GST distribution is a key issue. Now unlike the Liberal Party we say the same in Hobart as we say in Perth. We say Western Australia has a legitimate issue, that they shouldn't have that issue fixed at the expense of the people of Tasmania or South Australia or any other jurisdiction. We have got a policy of boosting Western Australia's budget to deal with the GST issues and concerns without taking a dollar off Tasmania. I can come here and say that. I can see that very clearly. I say it in Perth as well. We have got a policy which deals with Western Australia’s legitimate concerns without affecting the people of Tasmania. Scott Morrison can't say that. Maybe that's the reason he hasn't been to Tasmania since the last Federal election. I'm very pleased that this is my third visit to Tasmania. Tasmania is an important part of our economy, the Treasurer should be paying attention to Tasmania and to Tasmanians. I do as Shadow Treasurer. The Government, the Federal Government is neglecting Tasmania.

 

And one other issue before we go to questions. Of course the Governments plan is to increase the personal income tax for all Australians and Tasmanians have more to lose than most other jurisdictions. Malcolm Turnbull wants every Australian earning less than $87,000 a year to pay more personal income tax. Now well over 80% of Tasmanians are in that position, earning less than $87,000 a year. So the voters of Tasmania, the taxpayers of Tasmania have a lot to lose from Malcolm Turnbull’s policy. They say they are the party of lower tax, actually they are the party of different tax. They believe in lower tax for very high income earners but higher tax for everyone earning between just $21,000 a year and $87,000 a year.

 

The only reason that that hasn't passed the Parliament is the Labor Party blocking that, opposing that. We will continue to do so.

 

So obviously it would be good if Scott Morrison were to show his face in Tasmania, rule out changes to the GST distribution.

 

I am happy to be here with Scott and with Julie. I hope that Scott is the next Treasurer of Tasmania, I look forward to working with him because a Shorten Labor Government and a White Labor Government here in Tasmania can do good things dealing with big issues.

 

We are happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Would Labor or could Labor intervene if the Commission does decide to alter Tasmanians share of GST?

BOWEN: Well we are not the Government. So the Government responds to Productivity Commission inquiries but what we are doing as the alternative Government is saying we wouldn't buy it, we wouldn't accept any recommendation. I can say it clearly, I don't understand why it is so hard for Scott Morrison to say it.

 

These Liberals say different things in different States. The South Australian Liberals, Federal Liberals put themselves on the front page of the papers saying we want to support changes to the formula. Western Australian Liberals say they will changes to the formula. Tasmanian a little say at different things depending on whether they are in Hobart or Canberra. They are lions in Hobart and they are mice in Canberra.

 

We have got a consistent position and we are the only party with a policy that deals with Western Australia’s problems and we are the only party that can guarantee Tasmanians aren’t going to be worse off. I mean this is a key issue for Tasmanian voters. $168 million in the first year alone Tasmanians wouldn't lose. That's equivalent to 1500 nurses. 1500 nurses. I mean we see the Tasmanian health system already groaning under Will Hodgman's cuts. Imagine how much worse it will be if whoever the incoming Premier is has to deal with GST money being ripped out of Tasmania.

JOURNALIST: Your reluctance to change the GST, could that impact your chances at the Federal election given WA is quite a large state?

 

BOWEN: Well, as I said we are very proud of our position in Perth and Western Australia. Bill Shorten and I went to Perth to announce our GST position. I mean we went and fronted the people of Western Australia and said here is what we will do. Here is $1.6 billion on the table. Now that is $1.6 billion more than Mr. Morrison is offering them. But importantly that doesn't mean ringing Scott and saying, “Listen I'm going to have to take the money off you”. We are funding that out of the Federal Budget.

 

JOURNALIST: So you are committing to not changing the GST…

 

BOWEN: That's our policy, that's our policy position. No change to the formula. We are dealing with Western Australia's concerns by infrastructure grants and we have already announced details under those infrastructure grants and specific projects and we will have more to say.

 

JOURNALIST: On a different topic, do you support Malcolm Turnbull's so-called ‘bonk ban’?

 

BOWEN: Bill Shorten addressed to this a few moments ago in his press conference. We don't see this as the main game but we would not propose to make any changes to the Ministerial code. Frankly, you don't need a rule book to tell you what's a really dumb idea. If the Liberals need that rule book that's a matter for them but we are not interested in making changes to the code when we come to office.

 

JOURNALIST: Are you putting the cart before the horse in naming Cabinet Ministers under a Labor Government?

 

BOWEN: Well no. Julie is a member of the Shadow Cabinet, it is a statement of fact that she is a member of the Shadow Cabinet and would be a member of the Cabinet of an incoming Labor Government.

 

Now, we have got a lot of work to do, we are not getting ahead of ourselves but as a statement of fact if the people honour us with a mandate you've got Julia here who will be a member of the Cabinet. That's pretty important and when was the last time a Tasmanian voice was heard in the Federal Cabinet? It was a while ago. No wonder Malcolm Turnbull treats this state with such contempt, he has got nobody there reminding him. No one is sitting around the Cabinet table saying “Excuse me Prime Minister what about Tasmania?” Well Julie does that in the Shadow Cabinet as we speak. She is not backwards in coming forwards and representing the views of Tasmanians and Tasmanian concerns and we need that voice around the Shadow Cabinet table and it would be a delight to have it around the Cabinet table. I have served with Julie before in a Cabinet and I look forward to serving with her again.

 

JOURNALIST: So the Liberals remain to avoid to Tasmania I guess. Are you saying that the Federal Liberal Party doesn't recognize Tasmania?

 

BOWEN: I'm not sure if they need a map to remind them how to get here. I mean both airlines fly here, it's not that hard. It's not difficult to get in an airplane and come to Tasmania and deal with those concerns. As I said, my third visit, Bill was here yesterday, Catherine King is here today. We don't shy away from Tasmania, we embrace it and as I said we say the same in Hobart as we do in other jurisdictions about important matters because we have got a consistent and clear policy position.

 

Are we all in? Thanks for coming.