E&OE….
Topics: Great Barrier Reef, Joe Hockey defamation case, donations, anti-radicalisation in schools
NICK MCCALLUM:
We're joined now in his regular slot by Greg Hunt, the Federal Environment Minister. We find him in Bonn in Germany. So it's good morning to you, Minister.
GREG HUNT:
It is indeed but we've been up sort of very early trying to be in touch with Australia and working on various things. We're over here for the final decision of the World Heritage Committee in relation to the status of the Great Barrier Reef. Listeners may know that we inherited a Reef that was on track to being listed as ‘in danger’, which would have been a massive blow for Australia.
And now all of the signs are incredibly good – we're working exceptionally hard – but incredibly good to make sure that this will be declared as not just not in danger but as something which the world can look at and praise. And of the delegates I've met, it appears very strong and very likely that the Reef will be taken off the track for ‘in danger’, that Australia will be praised and the ending of dredge disposal, the $200 million for water quality – all of these things together will have made a huge difference and the world is really looking to Australia now.
NICK MCCALLUM:
Okay, so Minister, a lot of Australian conservationists are over there actually trying to work to get it remain endangered or be declared endangered. What is the issue with it being declared ‘in danger’ by the World Heritage Committee? In practical sense, what does that mean that it will affect the way the Reef operates?
GREG HUNT:
Well, it would be an enormous blow for tourism. It would have a huge impact on Indigenous communities. One of Australia's great Indigenous leaders, Melissa George, is here to argue vigorously against Greenpeace.
Greenpeace has its own agenda. They have raised an enormous amount, millions and millions, in terms of using the Reef campaign to raise money. I hope that they put some of that actually into practical, Crown of Thorns work, sponsoring Indigenous rangers, rather than just promoting themselves. It would be a huge blow…
NICK MCCALLUM:
But in practical terms, yeah, but in practical terms Minister, I understand what you're saying, if it's not endangered it's not endangered, but in practical terms, what will it mean if it is listed as ‘in danger’? Why would it be a bad thing for Australia, in practical terms?
GREG HUNT:
Well, one is reputation…
NICK MCCALLUM:
Yeah.
GREG HUNT:
…two is tourism jobs on the Reef. Three is for the Indigenous communities. They would find it as an absolute insult and that's what Melissa George has been saying to me, and will be saying to delegates and she's due to meet Greenpeace and making the point to them they're running their own show. Other groups are not saying what Greenpeace is putting about. Others have said, and I know WWF have said, that it shouldn't be listed as ‘in danger’. The reality is it is the world's Great Barrier Reef. There's been a dramatic reduction in sediment, nitrogen, and pesticide inflows into the Reef over the last few years.
And we've put in place something that people can be immensely proud of, a Reef 2050 Plan, with $2 billion over the next 10 years. And in addition to that, there's another $200 million from Queensland and the Commonwealth for helping with water quality – the single most important thing in helping the Reef. So, you know, it is a big moment both for Australia's reputation and it is a big moment for the health of the Reef and in 20 and 30 years from now, I really hope to be able to look back on this as perhaps maybe the most important thing, along with what we've done with the Emissions Reduction Fund, in my time in office.
NICK MCCALLUM:
Okay, Minister, we'll go to a break now and after the break, we'll talk. There's a lot of other Federal political issues to talk about. And if you want to speak to the Minister, 9690 0693, 13 13 32. This is Drive.
Intermission
NICK MCCALLUM:
Greg Hunt joins us all the way from Bonn in Germany, the Federal Environment Minister. A couple of domestic political issues, Mr Hunt. First of all you would have heard about Joe Hockey's success suing Fairfax Media. Your response to that?
GREG HUNT:
Look I'm obviously very pleased for Joe as a friend and as a colleague. He's a very good man and he works immensely hard, and I know he was incredibly troubled by the claims and the accusations. So, beyond that I haven't read the judgement so I'll be very cautious. But for Joe, as a friend and a colleague, I'm just pleased for him, because he took it seriously, so seriously he went to court and there's been vindication.
NICK MCCALLUM:
Okay. Now you will have heard that you've made the front page of The Age today, it is a complicated story but there are allegations that a Liberal fundraising body took cash from the mafia, and as part of that it is indicated that through your colleague Russell Broadbent you were introduced to a man by the name of Tony Madafferi and his associates, and it is claimed that he had criminal associations. Are you aware of that meeting, do you remember that meeting?
GREG HUNT:
Look, my understanding is that this is about something a decade ago. My recollection is that it is likely that I probably I did meet with him – but I said that six years ago when this was raised. I remember notifying my state director and also actually approaching The Age and saying yes, to the best of my knowledge I probably was introduced to him but that was the extent of it.
And I think this was about a decade ago. You get introduced to literally hundreds of people, and you can't do background checks on them, but I suspect that I probably was introduced to him but I made that clear about six years ago and made sure that that person never came anywhere near our office or me again. That was the instruction to my office. But you don't know when you meet somebody…
NICK MCCALLUM:
Were you aware of his background when you met him?
GREG HUNT:
No. I'd not heard anything, I was just introduced to somebody and about four years later a story appeared about their name. And even then, I went straight to our state director and also to one of the journalists at The Age just to be completely transparent and put in place steps to make sure we didn't ever allow that person near my presence so long as- you know, you never know who's going to come up to you at a function, because you don't know people. So you can be in a room, and somebody might walk up to Nick McCallum and say hello, I'm X or Y, say hello I've met you, and that's the extent of it.
NICK MCCALLUM:
Okay. How do you feel about Mr Broadbent being the one who introduced you to him?
GREG HUNT:
Oh look, you get introduced to hundreds of people, and who would know the background of many? It's once you know something, then you have to take steps. And if you get introduced in a room, I understand that you meet hundreds and hundreds of people in these jobs and the critical thing is if you know something how you then respond to it. I've given you how six years ago when this was raised how I responded to it.
NICK MCCALLUM:
Okay. And finally, we're about to speak to one of the authors of this report, but the Australian Strategic Institute has recommended that the Government introduce into school curricular de-radicalisation messages. Is that the type of thing the Government would be looking at doing?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I think we have to work constructively with communities, and it is very important to do that, where there are risks of radical behaviour emerging. I think it is extremely important to do that. And there are different ways. I know the Prime Minister has just been in Singapore looking at how they have been dealing with potential threats, emerging threats.
And so if it can be done carefully and appropriately in schools – I understand that the US ambassador John Berry has praised Australia's work in this space – then I think that that might be appropriate. It has to be subtle, because you don't want people to feel as if they themselves are being lectured, but essentially at the end of the day working on the values of tolerance and appreciation (inaudible) and the fact that (line disconnects).
NICK MCCALLUM:
Well, we've just lost the Minister. That was Greg Hunt, Federal Environment Minister.
(ENDS)