Topics: Optus Triple Zero outages, Glencore Mount Isa copper, ISIS brides , Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, party unity.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Let’s bring in the Liberal frontbencher, the Shadow Defence Minister, Angus Taylor. That’s a fair point actually, the email sent to the wrong address. This debacle goes from bad to worse.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

It sure does. Well, good to be with you, Kieran. But can I say that the fact that the government wasn't checking its email addresses is a real issue that it needs to answer serious questions about. I mean, I do think there's a legitimate point about why didn't they just pick up the phone? But there seems to be incompetence laid on incompetence here, and part of that is the incompetence of the government. And we've got some serious questions to answer about what is a serious incident because people lost their lives.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

And this will obviously continue in Question Time this afternoon. I want to get your thoughts on a few other matters. Glencore, this lifeline, $600 million. Does the Minister have a point when he talks about the fact that heavy industry right around the country is struggling? There's an oversupply internationally and they're trying to compete with that?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, I mean, the real issue is that this government's made industry uncompetitive in this country. That's the situation we're facing. So, whether it's aluminium smelters or downstream copper processing or the steel industry, and we've got the head of Bluescope talking about this today at the Press Club, they all know, everyone in industry, and I worked for many years…

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Do you believe it's all energy?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well energy is a big part of it. There's no question about that, Kieran. It's not the whole story, but it's a very big part of it. Because these are energy intensive processing operations. And if you have an energy policy that's driving up energy costs, then you're going to drive industry offshore. And so, what you end up doing is putting a band aid on a bullet wound. This is what this government loves to do, is to make an industry uncompetitive and then put a band aid on it. Fix the underlying problem.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

You were Minister, you spoke a lot about the need for supply, gas supply and so on. Is that your view now? Do they need to swamp the market with gas supply?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Energy abundance is the way to go, and gas is absolutely one of the fuels that can make a really big difference on that. There's no question about that…

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

So, they can turn things around with that?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

…And that's what I did when I was minister. And you know, when I was minister, Kieran, prices came down by around 10% and emissions came down by around 10%. This government doesn't get it. They don't get energy supply. They don't get what abundance is all about. They don't get what it takes to get industry working and competitive. And so, what they end up doing is throwing around taxpayer money. And that's exactly what they're doing here.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

They also have accused you of hiding a hike in prices that was coming after that election that they won.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

What absolute nonsense. From an Energy Minister that's incompetent and has lied to the Australian people about energy prices on an ongoing basis. I mean, you know, honestly, this guy has no credibility. And you know that he has failed to deliver on all of his promises on energy prices. And the result of that is we're now seeing industry moving offshore. We are de-industrialising at a rapid pace and we're seeing all of the...

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

But do you support this lifeline to Glencore in that it's keeping that sovereign capacity here?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

As I say, what I support is getting the fundamentals right, so we've got competitive industry in this country without government subsidies. There is no pathway to prosperity if….

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

If they were going to shut up shop, you'd prefer them fund $600 million?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

You know what you'd really prefer? That’s avoid getting into this place in the first place. And that's where Labor fails every single time. They don’t understand the fundamentals, and so then government has to come in with a bailout. That is getting it the wrong way around.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

But in this situation, given we are here, do you support the $600 million?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

What I support is making industry in this country competitive on an ongoing basis without taxpayer subsidies, Kieran. And I think that's what every Australian would support because ultimately it means taxpayers are no having to stump up – and we all pay for that. Mums and dads, if there are taxpayer subsidies, they have to pay for that. We want these industries to survive and prosper. The way to get them to survive and prosper is to get the fundamentals of competitiveness right. This government has failed on it. This Energy Minister has failed on it. This Industry Minister has failed on it. And the result is they end up proposing a band aid on all of them.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

But if you were Minister today, would you provide that bailout?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

I would do everything in my power to avoid getting into this situation in the first place. I don't know how many times I can answer that question. And this is the problem, is the government creates its own mess and then what it has to do is put a band aid on a bullet wound and all Australians pay for this government's incompetence.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

The Home Affairs Department's released information around the ISIS brides. They're not going to say where they are at this stage for operational reasons. That was effectively what the Secretary said.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

This is not a government that's big on transparency, Kieran. You know that. They don't do transparency in a big way. And so, you would expect them to say that. But just more broadly, here's another layer of incompetence. I mean, this government has not been able to answer questions appropriately on the assistance they've given these people who went over there to support a terrorist organisation.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

But they're saying they haven't given any assistance for the repatriation.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, I mean, they say that and then in a moment later they say, except the normal assistance. Well, what assistance have they given? And you've got members of the government out saying different things on this. They need to come clean about the assistance they've provided and what they could have done to not bring these people back into the country. I mean, Temporary Exclusion Orders, what role could that have played? What consideration has that been given? This is a government that has not been serious about keeping people who went overseas to support a terrorist organisation out of the country.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Do you trust the security agencies, though, that they'd be monitoring?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, I mean, the security agencies work within the framework and guidance given them by the government. So, the government needs to explain and give the answers to these questions, Kieran, and they haven't given satisfactory and coherent answers.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore entering a new phase, is this welcomed by the Coalition?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Yeah, it's a good step forward. I mean, we obviously did the first version of this and it's great to see it progressing. There's bipartisan support for this strong relationship with Singapore. I've just been part of a delegation meeting with the Singaporean delegation, not just the Prime Minister, but a range of Ministers, including the Defence Minister. And in my own portfolio, I think defence cooperation with Singapore is incredibly important. We certainly got the ball rolling well and truly on this when we were in government and we need to continue to support it.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Finally, Senator Price says she's contacted Sussan Ley urging her to stop the leaks out of the Liberal Party. Do you welcome that?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Look, there's lots of frustration that you've seen this week. We need to get on with the job of doing the hard policy work necessary to take a position to the next election that is competitive and can win. And that's what I'm doing every single day. Making sure we've got a properly funded defence force at a time which is more dangerous than any time since the Second World War in our region, Kieran. That's going to continue to be my focus.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

You've got to be united though, don't you?

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Well, we do. And we're united around a set of policies and positions that we all are willing to and want to fight for. And that's what I'm doing every single day because we have a government that's letting Australians down. We have a government that is not doing what is necessary at a time that's more dangerous than any other time since the Second World War. And I'm going to continue to do the hard work necessary to right those wrongs.

 

KIERAN GILBERT:

 

Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor thanks as always.

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:

 

Good to be with you.

 

ENDS.