Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
Libby Mettam MLA
Leader of the WA Liberal Party
Member for Vasse
Ben Small
Liberal candidate for Forrest
TRANSCRIPT
Joint Press Conference, Perth
3 September 2024
TOPICS: WA wind farm, nuclear power in WA, health, ASIO boss
E&OE
Senator Cash
I’m here today with the Leader of the WA Liberal Party, Libby Mettam and Ben Small, Liberal for Forrest. We have a very, very clear message for the people of Western Australia, and in particular the people of the South West of our great state. We stand with you, the people of the South West. And I can tell you now we do not stand with the Labor Party. And why do we say that? Well, Chris Bowen’s, announcement yesterday of the South West wind farm has yet again shown he is prepared to steamroll a community in pursuit of Labor’s ideological agenda. Let’s be clear here the South West wind farm – it has got no friends, and that includes, may I say, Don Punch, the relevant minister from Western Australia who wrote and I quote, “given the cost and complexity of offshore wind, we do not see it as a viable option for the foreseeable future, it is not a focus for the WA Government.” So Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese are not listening to their own counterparts in the WA Government, but what is worse, you steamroll a local community. If Chris Bowen had actually listened to the community – Ben Small will take you through this – he would know his announcement is friendless. But what does this really show? All it shows is Mr. Albanese and the Australian Labor Party, they have walked away from WA. But what this announcement yesterday shows is the complete, the contempt they have, in particular, for rural Australia. Minister Murray Watt, he’s very proud to have closed down the live sheep export industry in Western Australia. But not only do they close it down, the Prime Minister of Australia then has the audacity to make WA sheep farmers the butt of a joke in Canberra. He’s standing up as we speak, and he has still failed to apologise to WA sheep farmers for making them the butt of his joke in Canberra. The mining companies today are meeting with Minister Murray Watt. They are there screaming at the Australian Labor Party that their industrial relations agenda is actually having a detrimental impact on their operations in Western Australia. Murray Watt should actually try doing something he’s not very good at, and that is actually listening for the first time in his life. So the announcement by Chris Bowen yesterday steamrolled a community and we have a very, very clear message, as I said, for the people of Western Australia, but in particular for the people of the South West of our region, we stand with you, not the Labor Party. Libby.
Libby Mettam
Anthony Albanese knows he can walk all over our weak Premier Roger Cook, and this is just another example of it. Western Australians, and in particular, the people of the South West don’t want this wind farm. And yet the Premier is not standing up for Western Australia. Anthony Albanese is anti-Western Australia because he’s anti-live exports, anti-mining and rushing through and forcing this wind farm on the South West community is another example of what he believes he can get away with because of our weak Premier.
Ben Small
Another day and another attack on WA from the Albanese government. Yesterday, Minister Bowen was too afraid to front the local community in making this announcement, and instead he hid behind a barbed wire fence. And if that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the utter sham, that the consultation process that he has overseen is, I don’t know what does. At the end of the day if he had bothered to come to the South West, attend the consultation meetings and listen to locals, he would understand that this project is utterly friendless. Any sort of material project should stack up economically, environmentally and socially. Instead, this project fails all three, and the fact that he was hiding behind a barbed wire fence to announce it, I think, says it all. But it’s just the latest in a long trend of the Albanese government walking away from WA. Ultimately, we’ve seen Minister Plibersek killing off a goldmine worth billions of dollars of investment to the Australian economy and headquartered here in in Western Australia. You’ve just heard from my colleague Michaelia Cash talking about the attacks on the live sheep export trade. It’s just another example of the way that the Albanese government steamrolls WA.
Journalist
They have changed the parameters of the wind farm project, though, is that not listening to the consultation?
Senator Cash
Absolutely not. The community and the South West in particular, have made this clear. They are not opposed to renewables. However, they are opposed to this offshore wind farm. I mean, they say now, well, no closer than 30 kilometers offshore. Well, guess what? Rottnest Island is around 20 kilometers offshore, and on a good day, you can see both the lighthouses and the white sand. And in relation to the area, it is still a massive area. But again, Chris Bowen’s sham consultation steamrolled a community, all because of an ideological pursuit of a renewables only policy, the only country in the world that is going down this path, and it’s costing Australians dearly. Labor have walked away from WA and this decision yesterday is again clear proof they do not listen. Ben might want to tell you a bit more though about the community consultation. Thanks.
Ben Small
I think that Western Australians can see that yet again, the Albanese government has treated them like mugs in amending the proposed area slightly. Basically, they have played again with our coastline by reducing the area and pretending that somehow they have listened to the concerns of locals. The reality is, though, that no Labor MP or minister fronted any of the public consultation. So I mean for this Minister to say that he’s listened when he hasn’t even been in the area to talk to locals is shameless. The fact he was hiding behind a barbed wire fence says it all. And indeed, the Prime Minister’s mouthpiece in WA Patrick Gorman hasn’t had time, apparently, to front anything on the wind farm. And yet, curiously, two days after our plan was announced for cheap, clean and consistent energy, found himself in Collie for some sort of cheap political stuff. I mean, this is just another day and another attack on WA where the labor ministers from here are too gutless to stand up against Albanese and say that it’s not good enough for this state. I mean, you’ve seen the Resources Minister this week alone, attacking the mining industry. In the South West, there’s more than 5000 families that depend on FIFO work for their income and for their lifestyles. It’s of absolute vital importance that we have federal politicians who go to Canberra and fight for this state. The fact that the State Labor Government had to introduce an embassy in Canberra because of the failings of people like Patrick Gormon and Madeleine King is disgusting.
Journalist
The Liberals want to establish a nuclear conversation in Collie – would your party listen to the concerns of locals before going ahead with that plan?
Senator Cash
Well, let’s make it very, very clear. The Albanese government conducted a sham consultation, as Ben Small has just outlined. Over a two and a half month period it did not listen to any of the locals. We have been very, very clear. We will conduct proper community consultation of approximately two and a half years. The community will have the opportunity to have any and all of their questions explained to them fully. And what the international comparison shows is that when you take a community on a journey like this, genuinely consult with them, they will ultimately embrace the nuclear power plants. The minister will take into account any feedback from the community. But I have to say this will be genuine consultation over around two and a half years, not sham consultation. And this happens across every portfolio with Labor. I mean, look at Labor the government that said that it was going to be the most transparent government this country had ever seen. Non-disclosure agreement after non-disclosure agreement after non-disclosure agreement has to be signed across portfolio after portfolio after portfolio. And guess what, if you don’t sign an NDA under the Albanese government, they cut you out of the consultation. So compare consultation under Albanese Labor, versus what will be genuine consultation, and bringing the community with us under a Dutton government,
Journalist
The school funding deal that’s been signed this morning. Do you support that?
Senator Cash
Again, I haven’t actually seen the details of that. I do always work on the basis that I will always look at anything the Albanese government does in detail, because you can always be sure with Mr. Albanese, it is the details that count. But again, I’ve been in meetings. I have not seen the announcement that was announced in January.
Journalist
Are you surprised that the deal that was announced in January is the biggest announcement the Prime Minister has?
Senator Cash
This is the problem. Mr. Albanese, every time he touches down, in Western Australia, he treats us like mugs. Every time he touches down, he ends up, or his ministers end up, making an announcement that is detrimental to our state, the closing down of the live sheep export industry. But worse than that, then making our sheep farmers the butt of a joke in Canberra. Touching down now and not actually apologizing to them. The announcement yesterday as Ben Small said, I mean, Chris Bowen had to do it behind a barbed wire piece. Are you kidding me? You’re either committed to the announcement or you’re not. But the problem with that announcement is, again, steamrolling a community. And in relation to the mining and resources industry, from day one, they told the Albanese government the changes to the industrial relations system would have a detrimental impact on productivity and ultimately getting projects off the ground. The Albanese Labor government didn’t care less, and as Peter Dutton says, a strong WA mining industry equals a strong Australian economy and a strong Australia. So as far as I’m concerned with Mr. Albanese, he has turned his back on this state, and, quite frankly, Labor has walked away from WA.
Journalist
Just on another federal issue, the ASIO boss Mike Burgess says his comments on Gaza visas were distorted. And you know, anyone with explicit support for Hamas would trigger ASIO security? What do you make of that?
Senator Cash
Well Mike Burgess had made it very, very clear, and the Prime Minister of Australia has still not apologized to Mike Burgess, in particular for misquoting him in the Parliament, but ultimately, the government sets the policy agenda. Mr. Albanese is doing a press conference as we speak. Perhaps he would like to tell the people of Australia what the Albanese government’s policy is on people coming in from Gaza. Are you able to support Hamas? Is that okay under the Labor government? Or will you do what Peter Dutton and Mike Burgess, as head of ASIO have said, and that is very clearly – support for Hamas is a no go. But again, Mr. Albanese is playing a numbers game. Quite frankly, he’s too weak to articulate the Labor Party’s policy. Anything less than what Peter Dutton and Mike Burgess have put on the table is, quite frankly, an abrogation of national security in Australia.
Journalist
Could we ask about youth detention as well? The WA Premier, the WA Premier, says he’s more confident than ever in WA’s youth system despite the two deaths. Do you share his confidence?
Libby Mettam
Absolutely not. What we have seen is a lack of leadership when it comes to our Corrective Services Department and agency and juvenile justice under Roger Cook. It has been an absolute failure under Roger Cook and our great shame as a state that we’ve now seen two juvenile deaths in custody in 12 months. There has been red flag after red flag after red flag when it has come to the failures in the juvenile justice system and Corrective Services more broadly, not only putting lives at risk, but also making our community less safe as well.
Journalist
You say it’s clear things need to change. What specifically needs to change from your point of view?
Libby Mettam
We do need to see more resourcing within within the juvenile justice system, a greater emphasis on rehabilitation as well. We need to see the closure of unit 18. It is extraordinary that the Cook Labor government are stating that unit 18 will not be shut until five years time. Five years – we know a primary school can be built within 12 months. There has been a lack of urgency on this issue. This is a premier that has his priorities all wrong, and it is our great shame and the great shame on all Western Australians that our premier has not acted sooner or more swiftly on this shocking issue.
Journalist
Would you support Federal intervention?
Libby Mettam
Federal intervention is not required. Roger Cook knows what is required. There has been a number of talk fests. There has been a coronial investigation, which points to a number of issues that need to be addressed as a priority by our Premier for special events and concerts. This is a Premier, and a government with their priorities all wrong. It is the most resourced government in Western Australian history. We have record revenues going to this government at a time when we’re meant to be enjoying the largest boom in our state’s history, and it is our great shame as a state and as a nation, that tere has been two deaths in custody within 12 months, under Roger Cook’s watch.
Journalist
Things got so bad yesterday that there were zero ambulances on standby at one point. What needs to be done to fix that?
Libby Mettam
Roger Cook has been in the health portfolio or Premier now for 15 years. This is a mess of his own making. He is not taking the issues in relation to our health crisis seriously. Roger Cook needs to make health a priority and put patients and health workers first.
Journalist
So how do you fix it?
Libby Mettam
We will be announcing our policies in the lead up to the next election. But quite clearly, there is a lack of capacity in our health system. There is mismanagement under Roger Cook, who has been either in the health portfolio or Premier for now 15 years. We are the most prosperous state in the nation, enjoying the largest boom, and we have a premier who’s more interested in attracting Oasis to Perth than actually addressing the issues in our health system, which is putting lives at risk.
Journalist
And Libby, why should Bunbury’s offshore wind farm be scrapped, not just scaled down? What are you hearing from locals about why it’s so bad?
Libby Mettam
Well there has been sham consultation, and it is an insult to the people, and in particular the communities of the South West region that they have been steamrolled when it has come to this project. The people of Western Australia don’t want this project. The people of the South West Region don’t want this project. And it is outrageous that Anthony Albanese is steamrolling ahead, and also indicative of a weak premier in Roger Cook that he will not stand up for Western Australia on this vital issue. This is not only a concern for locals, but fishers, the tourism industry, and there are broad concerns as well about the inefficiencies of this project when compared to others as well.
Journalist
And when it comes to the federal level’s proposed Collie nuclear power plant. Do you hear from locals down there as well that they also don’t want that too?
Libby Mettam
Look, our position has been very clear. We’re not ideologically opposed to nuclear. As a priority we must bring gas on stream in the medium term. We are not opposed to nuclear energy. We recognize that it is an important part of the mix, but our priority in the initial term and in the medium term is to ensure we utilize our abundance of gas energy. That is why we have announced 300 megawatts of gas by power generation ahead of any closure of Collie coal.
Journalist
And if the federal Liberals were elected into government, would you push them for thorough consultation on the nuclear power plant?
Libby Mettam
Michaelia Cash and Peter Dutton have already been explicit about the consultation that will be undertaken over a two and a half year period, as opposed to Anthony Albanese, who are steamrolling the South West community.
Journalist
Senator Cash, sorry, question without notice, the High Court challenge is now being filed against the CFMEU being put into administration. Do you have any thoughts on that?
Senator Cash
Absolutely. We have made it very, very clear putting the CFMEU into administration was only the first step that needed to be taken. This is about actually cleaning up the system, something that Labor when in opposition, fought against us every single step of the way. When we return to Parliament next week, Mr. Albanese will face a test. Is he actually thinking about cleaning up the CFMEU and the construction industry in Australia, or – and the ore is going to be on display? He can support Peter Dutton and my private members and senators bills to restore the tough cop on the beat – the Australian Building and Construction Commission, which the industry want. He can also support our ensuring integrity bill, which Labor again fought against every single step of the way when they were in opposition, and we were in government, which will give the federal courts the ability to ban rogue union officials for life, but also make it an offense to then act as a shadow union official. So again, the administration was always just a first step. You’ve got to clean up the industry across the board. And the test for out in Mr Albanese is next week in Parliament. Are you actually dinkum? Do you want to clean up the system and actually get better outcomes for Australians, in particular, in the premiums they are paying for their roads, their schools, their hospitals and their homes? Or was it all a show? Nothing more and nothing less?
Journalist
Can we ask you as well about the WA Premier, speaking of his confidence in youth detention here in WA. What do you make of him saying that?
Senator Cash
Well I think Libby Mettam, as the leader of the WA Liberal Party, has made it very, very clear – Unit 18 should be closed. This is a Premier who has held numerous portfolios. He has sat around a Cabinet table. He is now the Premier of this state, and we are still seeing these tragic deaths of these young people. As Libby said, it takes 12 months to build a primary school, and yet Roger Cook is moving closure of the Unit 18 in around five years. This is a Premier that needs to get serious. The one thing you’ll always find with Labor, whether it is State Labor or it is Federal Labor, words are cheap. Look behind their words and look at their actions. And Roger Cook is clearly failing those most in need in this State, and he doesn’t have to. He could take action tomorrow, as Libby Mettam has said.
Journalist
Just back on the Collie nuclear, um, that two and a half year consultation period. Do we not have an urgent need for clean, reliable power now? Why make people wait that amount of time?
Senator Cash
Well, let us be very, very clear, our policy position is this. Renewables, gas, coal, transitioning to renewables, gas and nuclear. Nuclear is the long term way you ensure Australians or Western Australians and Australians are able to keep their lights on. It also is a zero emissions technology, so it provides the cleaner energy that we need. But we’ve been very clear about what you do in the short term, and Libby articulated it perfectly. You pump gas into the system. Under this government, they talked a big game prior to the election. They said they would deliver cheaper energy. Well, guess what? Some Australians are now paying $1,000 more. So that is a failed experiment. They said they’d deliver cleaner energy. Well, guess what? Emissions, the evidence was out last Friday, are now 1% higher since Labor took office. So that’s also a failed experiment. And as for consistency, Labor would not know consistency if they fell over it. A renewables-only approach, the only country in the world who is putting all of their eggs in the renewables-only basket. It will ultimately end in blackouts and brownouts. And already in the eastern states, we’re already seeing the energy operators saying, come summer, there will be blackouts in some states. So quite frankly Labor’s renewable energy only, all eggs in one basket, is failing Australians on every count.
Journalist
Just on another matter, crayfish producers here in WA are facing tariffs in China. Do you think it’s fair that one industry is being targeted over others and what can be done?
Senator Cash
Yeah, well, we were very, very clear in the first instance. We had always maintained these tariffs should never have been put in place. When you look at the Albanese Government, and in particular, Don Farrell, they talk about the stabilisation of the relationship with China? Well, the stabilization does need to be judged ultimately, on its outcomes. And 110% these tariffs need to be removed. Our crayfishers in particular in WA they are barely treading water. It is an unfair playing field, so I would hope that Don Farrell, as our trade minister, is doing everything he can to ensure the removal of these tariffs, which, as I said, our position has always been, they should never have been imposed in the first place. Thank you all very much.
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