Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
TRANSCRIPT
2CC with Stephen Cenatiempo
17 May 2024
Topics: Budget in reply
E&OE.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Last night the opposition leader delivered his budget reply speech and I made the point last week that this had to be an election stump speech and have to be setting up the Coalition for the next election. Given that we may even go to an early election as early as the end of this year, what I think he did was really deliver a point of difference. There are a number of key platforms. To talk to us about it is the Shadow Attorney General Michaelia Cash, good morning.
Senator Cash
Good morning, Steven.
Stephen Cenatiempo
There’s a couple of interesting things here – you are cutting the migration rate by 25%. From 185,000 to 140,000. Does that go far enough?
Senator Cash
Well, when you look at why we’re doing it under Labor, the aspiration of home ownership, you know, it has just become out of reach. And you know, the reality is for so many Australians even finding somewhere to rent is near impossible. You’ve got a housing crisis in Australia, Labor is bringing in a record 1.67 million migrants over five years. But when you look at the data it’s only built 265,000 homes. So Peter has been very, very clear. He is going to restore the great dream of home ownership that has now turned into a nightmare under Mr. Albanese and one of the ways that you need to do it to alleviate pressure on the housing market is to reduce permanent migration. And what we’ve said is we will reduce it down to 140,000. For two years, you do this, you do free up the ability for Australians and that’s what this is all about to get into their own home. In other words, that great dream of home ownership will become a reality.
Stephen Cenatiempo
If it’s only two years? Doesn’t the problem come back to us?
Senator Cash
Well, what we’ve also said is it will then go up to 150,000 a year per year. We’re also as you know, though, going to reduce the number of foreign students at metropolitan universities to ensure that again, you are freeing up that supply. But also it’s not just about reducing the numbers of people coming into the country. You also have to look at what we’ll be doing to get houses built and we’ve said we will condense approval processes – we will cut back on Labor’s red tape, you know that is killing jobs. It is killing entrepreneurialism. We will give people the ability to actually purchase their own home. So what you saw last night was an holistic policy from Peter Dutton, that clearly restores the greatest Australian dream of home ownership.
Stephen Cenatiempo
The focus on home ownership I think is a brilliant move, but again I questioned one part of it. Is a two year ban on foreign investors and temporary residents purchasing existing homes in Australia. Why only two years I’ve said forever and a day that there is not a justification for foreign ownership of residential properties in Australia. for foreign investors investing in subdivisions or building apartment blocks are then going to be sold to Australians. But for foreigners to own housing stock in Australia. There’s no place for it why only two years?
Senator Cash
Well, again, this is part of an entire policy that we are putting in place. What you’re seeing at the moment quite literally is under Labor is that aspiration of home ownership is completely out of reach. When I go out and talk to people out and about in the street this is the one issue that they raise. So what we are putting forward is a holistic policy that says to Australians, we’re going to put that within your reach and you pull as many levers as you can. Implementing the two year ban on foreign investors and temporary residents from purchasing the existing homes in Australia is just one of the levers that you pull. As I said, you pull as many levers as you can and that is one of the levers we will pull.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Capping the number of foreign students and most people would see what’s going on our university campuses at the moment and the quality of education that’s been provided and say this is a great move. The question I guess the only problem with this is that foreign students are a massive boost to the economy these days. I think the third biggest export is University places. How do you I guess, balance those two issues?
Senator Cash
That’s a really good question. And what we’ve said is again, you’ve got to pull every lever that you can to restore back to Australians the dream becoming a reality of owning their home. So this is another one of those levers, reducing excessive numbers of foreign students. And Peter has said starting at metropolitan universities. What will that do – it relieves stress on rental markets in our major cities. And he said we will work with universities to set this cap on foreign students. So again, what we are saying is Peter’s priority as prime minister of our great country is restoring the dream of home ownership – a dream that I made a reality – that so many people my age were able to make a reality. We need to restore that dream back to all Australians. You pull as many levers as you can. And this is another one of those levers relieving stress on rental markets in our major cities.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Yeah, well this is not going to go down well, particularly in Canberra, but across the rest of the country I think it will – a cut in public service bureaucrat numbers. We said a huge increase just in the two years that this government’s been in – 70,000 additional public servants. Look, I’m all for creating jobs but the least productive jobs we have in the country probably not where we need.
Senator Cash
Oh, Stephen, I’ve always said as a former industrial relations minister, skills minister, employment Minister, governments don’t create jobs – employers do. And Mr Albanese proved that on budget night. Any government that stands in front of you and says they’ve created jobs has just said they’ve increased the size of the Australian public service. And guess what Mr Albanese did – he’s increased the size of the Australian Public Service by 36,000. We should be ensuring that we put in place a policy framework that allows employers in our country to prosper to grow and create more jobs for Australians. Don’t get me wrong. Our public servants in Australia are absolutely fantastic. However, increasing the size of the public service is not the way you get Australia moving again. Actually cutting red tape improving the regulatory environment, they are the ways that you get Australia moving again putting in place a better you know industrial relations system. They are the ways you get Australia moving again. Not increasing the size of the Australian Public Service, which as you know, comes at a cost of billions of dollars and guess who ultimately pays for it? The taxpayer.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Indeed, are we going to early election Do you think?
Senator Cash
Look, it’s a very good question. Ultimately, that is up to Mr. Albanese. But as far as Peter Dutton is concerned, we’re ready to go. Now he has set out his vision for Australia to get our country back on track to make people’s lives easier. You know, as he said, our country deserves so much more than this weak Labor government who have the wrong priorities. When I’m out and about Stephen, what I say to people is this. Are you better off today than you were two years ago? Do you feel safer or more secure than you did two years ago? And you can see when people are actually considering that question – the answer is no. Why – because housing is up 12% courtesy of Mr. Albanese. Rents are up 12% courtesy of Mr. Albanese. Electricity 18%, courtesy of Mr. Albanese. And every time they walk into that supermarket, they know that food has gone up under Mr. Albanese. So what we delivered last night or what Peter delivered was the Back to Basics economics plan and saying to Australians, you know, we believe in you. We know you’re doing it tough. We’re going to put you first and at the end of the day we do live in the greatest country in the world. We are being held back by a weak Labor government. But a vote for Peter Dutton is a vote to get Australia back on track and to support everyday Australians.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Thankyou very much Michaelia Cash.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you as always.
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