James Stevens MP Media Release: Interview Transcript - Sky News - Anthony Albanese's $3.8m Expense Bill

Interview Transcript - Sky News - Anthony Albanese's $3.8m Expense Bill

04 September 2024

TRANSCRIPTSky News

4 September 2024

E&OE

Topics: Anthony Albanese's $3.8m Expense Bill


Kieran Gilbert
I'm joined by the Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction, James Stevens. James, let's start on the issue of the national accounts. The Treasurer on this program earlier in the hour said his approach essentially has been vindicated because without the government spending, we would be in recession. In hindsight, was the government right to take the approach it has?


James Stevens
Well, Kieran, good to be with you. I don't think the Treasurer's got anything to be proud of. What he's effectively admitting is that the private sector component of the economy is going backwards and that's a complete disaster. Of course, we don't want government to be propping up the national accounts. We want the private sector economy to be doing it, and that underscores really the difference between the philosophy of the Liberal Party and the Labor Party. So, I saw his interview with you. I don't think he's got anything to be proud of. He should be quite worried, and I think their economic plan is in complete tatters.


Kieran Gilbert
When you look at the inflationary pressures though that growth figure, do you think that it will give the RBA pause for thought about rates and potentially a rate reduction before the end of the year?


James Stevens
Well, I'd love to see rates be cut, but the circumstance needs to be there for the RBA to do so and I think regrettably, inflation's still running quite hot. The last quarterly inflation was at 1% on the quarter. That's the same quarter that growth has come in at 0.2%. So we're in dangerous territory, frankly. Where around the world inflation is falling at a much greater rate and our economic growth is falling, just not the inflation rate. I really do worry whether or not the Reserve Bank is worried that because they're doing all the heavy lifting, they might have some more work to do if the government isn't properly supporting them, and today's growth figures don't delay the issue of the inflation numbers from the same quarter. So, I hope for a rate cut for every Australian's sake out there. People are doing it really tough, but the economic plan of the government is not making it very easy for the Reserve Bank at all.


Kieran Gilbert
James Stevens, some reports today around the expenditure of the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's office. Do you think he's spending too much?


James Stevens
He's spending a lot of money, Kieran, $4 million in the last financial year. It's much more than Scott Morrison's last year in office. I recognise it's a different baseline because now without the COVID restrictions, the PMs been going overseas quite a bit. But it's a lot of money to be spending. It's pretty reasonable and fair that we're looking at it quite closely, and I think there's some justification required while the average family is tightening their belt that the PMs spending so much money on his private office requirements. Don't forget, there's also the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet that spends nearly half a billion dollars a year supporting the Prime Minister and various official government activities. So, it's a lot of money that he's spending, and I just wonder whether he's setting the example that the average family would expect from our Prime Minister in these tough economic times.


Kieran Gilbert
When you make the comparison, though, with Scott Morrison, that was during all the end of the COVID period as well. So, travel was restricted and you would recognise the need for security and Prime Ministers to have the associated travel requirements as well that come with the job.


James Stevens
Yeah, and look, there's a lot of that expenditure that is quite reasonable, of course. But as I say, when you compare it to the last period of time with Scott Morrison, and I think it's almost $1,000,000 more in the last financial year, that's a lot more than the sort of transitional costs and provisions that might be required. Don't forget that figure doesn't include the costs of flying overseas, that's all provided by the Royal Australian Air Force. I think the PM has clocked up more than $5 million of costs related to his VIP jet. So those costs added to other costs and his departmental costs, he's spending a lot of money. He can justify it and explain it to people, but as people are doing it tough, I make the point again, we'd like to see an example from our leaders and I think the Prime Minister could reflect on whether the amount of money he's spending on his personal office expenses is setting that kind of example that the people of Australia are looking for right now.


Kieran Gilbert
Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction, James Stevens, appreciate it.


James Stevens
Thanks Kieran.

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