Doorstop interview:Coalitions secret agreement, vetting of potential migrants,

SENATOR DOUG CAMERON, SHADOW MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, SHADOW MINISTER FOR SKILLS, TAFE AND APPRENTICESHIPS: I think it is clear that Malcolm Turnbull is still under the complete control of the National Party and that this secret deal that has been done between Malcolm Turnbull and the National Party should be made public.

 

There are newspaper reports in the past that say this deal is not just about administrative issues. It’s about significant policy issues, it’s about how Malcolm Turnbull would deal with marriage equality, how he would deal with a number of other significant policy matters and that should not be locked in a safe in the Prime Minister’s office.

 

The public are entitled to know how much Malcolm Turnbull has sold his soul to the National Party to gain leadership of the Coalition and the Prime Ministership.

 

JOURNALIST There are reports today that the Home Affairs Department is considering a scheme whereby intelligence analysts would covertly investigate potential migrants before they even get to Australia. Just wondering if you have seen those reports and what’s your initial reaction to that proposal?

CAMERON: I haven’t seen those reports, but it wouldn’t surprise me that this government would use whatever dog whistle it can against potential refugees, potential migrants to this country, to try and reach out to the worst elements in the National and Liberal Party and in the community.

 

So nothing would surprise me what Peter Dutton would do, nothing would surprise me how weak the Prime Minister would be in destroying things that he has stood up for in the past to maintain his leadership.

 

JOURNALIST: Just in principle, is that a reform that you think we need?

CAMERON: Well I think that we need to get back to some stability in this country. The only way you are going to get back to some stability where we are not dropping these thought bubbles time and time again, where we stop attacking migrants in this country, is through Malcolm Turnbull going to an election and we have an election in this country that will provide an outcome that would provide a decent government, a government that is focused on the key issues for Australian’s.  That is the standard of living, the capacity to bargain effectively on the job, the capacity to have decent health and education.

 

That’s the issues that the public are concerned about and these continual dog whistles from the right wing of the Coalition do this country no good either domestically or for its standing internationally. We have got a Prime Minister who has got absolutely no capacity to stand up and argue for decency, for good policy, because we have got a secret agreement that stops him doing that.

 

JOURNALIST: Are there any particular lines of inquiry you will be pursuing in estimates today?

 

CAMERON: Well my area of estimates - the ABCC, the ROC, the Fair Work Ombudsman. All organisations that are being infiltrated by the Coalition with senior people from the Coalition in key positions in those organisations running attacks against the trade union movement, running attacks against unionists, and workers trying to get out and get a decent pay rise and fight to save their wages and conditions.

 

These are issues that we will look at and we have also got the unresolved issue of Senator Canavan and what his involvement was in the movement of the individual who is the partner of Barnaby Joyce from one office to another, we will be pursuing that as well.