Michael Sukkar MP

INTERVIEW WITH RITA PANAHI, SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP – SHADOW MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, NDIS, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH RITA PANAHI, SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

Monday, 24 October 2022

TOPICS: Energy Prices, Budget, Infrastructure Spending Cuts

E&OE

RITA PANAHI

Well, the front page of today’s Herald Sun said it all, ‘VIC BITTER’. Federal Labor is going to axe $900 million of key state road and rail projects in the Budget. This is a worrying development particularly given the perilous financial position Victoria is in with the highest debt of any state or territory. Joining me now to discuss this is Shadow Social Services Minister, Michael Sukkar. Michael, thank you so much for your time this evening, let’s start first though with the shocking news broken on Sky News that energy costs are going to skyrocket further, and we’re looking at up to 50 per cent increases next year. This is going to be sending people into energy poverty.

MICHAEL SUKKAR

Well, Rita – the Labor Party promised 97 times before the election that they would reduce energy prices by $275 a year, now we see that prices will be exponentially higher. The cost-of-living crisis that we’re seeing is getting worse by the day and it’s just got worse and worse since this Government has been elected. They don’t have a plan, they are trying to jam more and more expensive renewables into the system and we’re going to pay the price for that, that’s the reality, and average Australians will be the ones to suffer. But it’s not just energy, it’s what you’re paying at the pump, obviously with Labor not extending the excise reduction that we put in place. Mortgages are increasing month by month, so the pressure is being felt by your average Australian, just six months after the election, which is really something that needs to be addressed in the Budget tomorrow night, although I can’t see them doing that.

RITA PANAHI

It’s not going to help prices come down next year, but perhaps if the Coalition have a different policy to net zero, at least people will have a choice at the polling booth, but we’ll have that discussion at another day. I want to discuss the Budget, we’re talking about $900 million worth of infrastructure projects across Melbourne, that your government promised, being axed by Labor. Are these economical decisions or political decisions?

MICHAEL SUKKAR

Rita they’re purely political, I mean Labor is utterly shameless. They always ignore the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, they’ve done that ever since they ripped up the contracts to build the East West Link, now you’ve got the Eastern Freeway which is a car park. Now, surprise, surprise – the projects that they rip up are in Liberal-held seats or safe seats that the Labor Party don’t hold. The $110 million for Wellington Road – that was a project that they actually committed to in the lead up to the 2019 election, so they’re even cancelling projects that they once supported. $260 million for the Glenferrie Road rail removal, in peak hours, 30 per cent of that hour, the boom gates are down – it’s one of the busiest roads in Melbourne. They’re shameless, they’re political, and sadly it’s residents in Melbourne who pay the price.

RITA PANAHI

And we’ve been paying a very heavy price in recent years, I don’t think we can take much more, Michael. Now, I’ve got to ask you about the $2.2 billion funding that the Albanese Government is committing to the Suburban Rail Loop – this doesn’t even have approval from Infrastructure Australia. Why are they going in so heavily with this project?

MICHAEL SUKKAR

Because Daniel Andrews gets what he wants. At the end of the day, Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers do what Daniel Andrews wants, not the other way around. This is a project that’s not been assessed by Infrastructure Australia. It’s a project that at best, is due for completion in 15 years, but would you ever believe any time frame or budget that the Labor Party puts in front of you? It’s a white elephant that Victorians don’t want, and quite frankly, the State Opposition has done the right thing and said we will redirect this money into our crumbling health system for people who can’t get basic procedures done, not a vanity project for Daniel Andrews. So, unfortunately the Labor Party here in Canberra dances to the tune of Daniel Andrews and not the other way around. Even though Infrastructure Australia has not assessed this project, they will cancel good projects like Wellington Road or Glenferrie Road and others, in order to look after their mate, Daniel Andrews.

RITA PANAHI: Michael Sukkar thank you so much for your time this evening.

ENDS