E&OE TRANSCRIPT

DOORSTOP INTERVIEW

CANBERRA

WEDNESDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2014

 

SUBJECT/S: Senator Nova Peris; Tony Abbott’s unfair Budget

 

JOURNALIST: Obviously there are reports today about Nova Peris, have you spoken to her about this, and indeed will you be asking for an explanation?29

 

BILL SHORTEN: I was aware there was to be some media report today about her. Let me just say about Nova Peris she is a great Australia, she’s done remarkable things in her athletics career but I think even more significantly for the Northern Territory and for Indigenous Australians. She has my support and the support of the Labor Caucus.

 

JOURNALIST: Are you demanding an explanation from her, or is it all done and dusted as far as you’re concerned?

 

SHORTEN: These are deeply personal matters which pre-date her entering into parliament. Again, I think that Nova Peris is a very special person, an amazing Australian and she has my support.

 

JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to her this morning to see how she’s going?

 

SHORTEN: I’ve spoken to her last night, I haven’t spoken to her this morning.

 

JOURNALIST: How is she?

 

SHORTEN: Well, first of all, these are deeply personal matters, and what I’ll just say again is that as far as I’m concerned she’s an excellent Labor senator, she’s been a great Australian and she’s contributing greatly in terms of Indigenous Australia and indeed the Northern Territory.

 

JOURNALIST: Do you see any case to roll out work for the dole in Indigenous communities as the federal government is reported to be considering?

 

SHORTEN: I briefly saw that report this morning, it’s unsourced, I try and make a habit of not commenting about unsourced stories.

 

JOURNALIST: In principle, work for the dole in Indigenous communities, is that something worth considering?

 

SHORTEN: Labor has supported work for the dole but of course to have work for the dole you’ve got to have jobs in Indigenous communities. Again though, I feel that you’re bringing on the slippery slope of hypotheticals and commenting about unsourced stories is probably not the best way to start a day.

 

JOURNALIST: Mr Shorten are you willing to join Team Australia fighting for budget reforms?

 

SHORTEN: In terms of budget reform, I tell you what I’ll stand up for Australia. I’ll stop them doubling and tripling university fees, I’ll stand up for our pensioners and veterans pensions, I’ll make sure that Australians shouldn’t be slugged with a new fuel tax which the government is trying to bypass the whole of parliament to implement. I’ll stand up for middle class Australians, for lower income Australians, for people on fixed incomes because this government’s forgotten millions of ordinary Australians.

 

JOURNALIST: Will Labor dig its heels in when it comes to a potential senate vote on this in the next 12 months, that is the tariff?

 

SHORTEN: Digging our heels in is all about standing up for cost of living pressures. There are millions of motorists today who are fuming. See, the people who are passing these laws, they don’t pay their own petrol bills, what happens is millions of Australians pay the consequences of Tony Abbott’s promises. How in good conscience can the Labor Party endorse the lies of Tony Abbott before the last election and reward his lies and broken promises? Tony Abbot made it very clear before the last election no new taxes under the government he leads, no changes to taxes under a government he leads. Tony Abbott has misled Australian motorists, and we’re on the side of Australian motorists and they can take that to the bank.

 

Thanks everyone, have a lovely day.

 

ENDS

 

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