Topics: Wine tariffs, Labor’s detainee bungle, Nuclear energy, Labor’s tax on family cars and utes, GST

E&OE

PETER STEFANOVIC:

Joining us is the Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor. Angus, it is good as always to see you this morning, let's start with this positive news perhaps, that our winemakers might finally be catching a lucky break, when it comes to China. Are you hopeful for them? Are you expecting that they might wind back these tariffs?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

Well, I certainly hope so, Pete. There's been a real malaise for the wine industry, across Australia. It's broader than just the Chinese market but it's a very significant downturn that they've seen. And so any good news in getting access to markets is something that I think will be very strongly welcomed. We always have to do these things in a way that doesn't compromise our values - I think that's first and foremost, the principle that the government should be deploying, but same time, I think it is consistent with our values that we pursue trade opportunities wherever we can. So let's wait and see how this plays out. But I'm certainly, it will certainly be welcomed by the industry if this is achieved.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

It will do. Alright, now the government embarrassed again on detainees, Angus, but it's claimed this morning that that's because of an Abbott era law that somehow voided the current government's changes. Is that so?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

You know, this government, every time they show the sort of breathtaking incompetence we see here, it's someone else's fault. This is a Prime Minister who promised to take responsibility, and there's no sign of that, Pete. No sign of that whatsoever. But let's be clear here. They bungled the visas for these detainees, these 149 detainees that went out, 10 of them breached their visa conditions and so they weren't able to re-detain them. I mean, this is breathtaking incompetence from a minister that has done this time and time and time and time again. Look, at some point pattern recognition sets in here, Pete and you say this guy's just hopeless. And that's clearly the case here. He simply can't manage this issue. He's showing his incompetence, time and time and time again and the government needs to sort this out, take responsibility, fix the situation, and deal with an issue which has been incredibly distressing for many people who have seen detainees released, who had breached, or did terrible things in the past, which, of course is completely unacceptable.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

Let's go on to energy and extends from your previous portfolio, Angus. Peter Dutton to offer incentive packages reportedly this morning for communities to embrace nuclear, can you give us an idea of what sort of incentives that you might be considering?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

Well, I'm not going to front run the detail of the policy.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

How did I know you were going to say that?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

But what I will say though, is this. It's pretty common when you have major facilities being built in any community that the communities receive appropriate incentives for that. That's true with renewables projects, by the way, we do see that. And it's important that that be part of any package. It's got to be good for the local community, as well as good for Australia. And I think that absolutely can be the case. I mean, Chris Bowen is showing that he doesn't really understand energy systems, he doesn't understand how the costs of energy work. That's why his policies are leading us down the garden path. And while it's failing, he's failing to deliver that $275 reduction he promised. But the truth is, we need every technology available on the table. And this government has decided that it wants to exclude some, despite the fact that 19 out of 20 of the major countries around the world are going down this path. It is time for Chris Bowen to see the reality that nuclear should be part of the picture.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

Okay. And just finally, and still with emissions, the Australian Automobile Association is today going to go on the attack over Labor's fuel efficiency standards. It's saying an insurmountable level of electric cars would need to be sold by the end of this decade. Are you open to any kind of concessions on Chris Bowen's plan here?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

Well, I'm not going to speculate. I'm going to work with the proposal that we've got in front of us, which is completely unacceptable. It'll drive up the cost of Australia's favorite SUVs and utes for families and tradies by 15 to $25,000. This analysis is extraordinary. 50% of light commercial vehicles and utes will have to be EV's by 2029 to meet the targets. I mean, this is a Chris Bowen special, isn't it Pete, it really is. Completely unachievable. AAA has called it out. The discounts that would be required are just, they're never going to happen. You basically almost have to be giving the cars away to achieve those sorts of outcomes. But this is what Chris Bowen does. He is not sheeted home to reality. He lives in another universe, Pete. And it's really showing in the analysis that's been done here by the Centre for International Economics.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

Just finally Angus, just on this GST carve up. You're a New South Welshman. Has it received a raw deal when it comes to these GST payments?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

Look, the point I'd make more broadly is you've got to accept that when a state does well, it should benefit from doing well. I mean, I'm a Liberal, that's what I believe in. So if WA does terrifically well by getting resources out of the ground and sending them off to good markets, then WA should be rewarded for that. That's kind of, I would have thought pretty obvious. If you want a strong Australia, you've got to have the right incentives in place to have a strong economy and that's something that we believe in as Liberals...

PETER STEFANOVIC:

But New South Wales, with the largest population, should it not be getting more?

ANGUS TAYLOR:

Well look. Daniel Mookhey is carrying on about this like a pork chop. And let me tell you, he just can't balance his budget. He should just balance his budget. Like every Labor Treasurer though, they love to spend money and he's no doubt, well he is, he's spending lots of money and so he can't balance his budget. Well, mate, do your work. Sort it out. Stop complaining and blaming everyone else. This is what we're seeing these Labor governments do, it's all someone else's fault. Well, just do your job.

PETER STEFANOVIC:

Angus Taylor, good to see you as always. Chat to you soon.

ENDS.