E&OE….
Topics: Abbotsford Convent to be assessed for inclusion on National Heritage List, national security, Emissions Reduction Fund, 2030 emissions reduction target, marriage equality
GREG HUNT:
I'm delighted and honoured to be here at the Abbotsford Convent with Maggie Maguire from the Abbotsford Convent Foundation. The work that you have done here is extraordinary. You have created something contemporary and modern within a grand historic shell.
This has been a place of light and darkness. Over the last 150 years there have been wonderful stories and frankly, there have been terribly sad stories of people who were already victims having had more guilt put upon them. But what we see now is a magnificent example of adaptive reuse.
This is living heritage, and I am delighted to announce that the Abbotsford Convent will be on the shortlist of priority sites around the country for inclusion on the National Heritage List. There are 103 sites on the National Heritage List – if you think of the Sydney Opera House and Great Barrier Reef, many of Australia's icons – well the Abbotsford Convent is rightly now on track to be on the National Heritage List.
MAGGIE MAGUIRE:
Thank you Minister. We're indeed absolutely delighted. It's been a very long journey, we've been working on the convent for a decade now in its new incarnation and to think that we could join that 103 is really exciting. It's a unique, special, extraordinary place in Melbourne and Australia and to have that credibility will be fabulous.
GREG HUNT:
Thank you. Now I'm happy to take any questions either on this or on other issues.
JOURNALIST:
Minister, the Financial Review is reporting the Prime Minister wants a list of national security announceables to make every week between now and the election. Is national security your Government's big distraction?
GREG HUNT:
Well with respect I'm not aware of that issue or such a request. National security is immensely important. Only in the last 48 hours have we seen that ISIS, or Daesh, has been publicising the names and electronic details of about 1400 people around the world, including Australians, including public officials. So national security is an ongoing task for the Government, for the security agencies, and for all Australians.
JOURNALIST:
You ripped up Labor's climate policy, now they're threatening to do the same for Direct Action. So, why don't we need some bipartisanship on climate?
GREG HUNT:
Well what happened is the carbon tax failed to reduce emissions but did drive up the cost of electricity. And so the carbon tax was an attack on the lowest income Australians, their cost of living, their cost of electricity and it was a spectacular failure in reducing emissions in any significant way. It was the worst of all possible worlds.
By contrast, we have seen the largest fall in electricity prices in Australian history. We have seen what is arguably the most successful emissions reduction auction anywhere in the world. So we're reducing the cost of electricity and we're reducing emissions. What we see today is the Labor Party pledging to increase the cost of electricity with an ineffective system and at the same time we have a billion-dollar black hole before breakfast from Bill Shorten.
JOURNALIST:
The Australian Industry Group says that if the Government relies solely on the Emissions Reduction Fund to achieve the cuts it will cost $250 billion in the decade to 2030. What's your response to that?
GREG HUNT:
No, with respect that's how they have modelled a carbon tax – we're not having a carbon tax. Bill Shorten is. We know the cost of Labor's carbon tax on Labor's modelling from Labor's time in government is $600 billion. Their figures, their modelling, their policy, their time in government. The official government figures of the day only a couple of years ago.
JOURNALIST:
The Cabinet's divided over whether there should be a referendum or a plebiscite on the same-sex marriage. How quickly does it need to settle on a position to end the public's (inaudible)?
GREG HUNT:
Well, actually, I don't accept the proposition. What we've got is a commitment for a people's vote, a people's voice. And so for Australians they get to determine their future. And I think that's a very important and grand democratic moment. What we see here is that for the Coalition, the people get to choose. For Bill Shorten, the politicians get to choose. And that I think is a summary of the difference between the two parties.
JOURNALIST:
Should there be a referendum on same-sex marriage – or do you agree with the Attorney-General that no such change to the Constitution is necessary?
GREG HUNT:
Well, we've committed absolutely to a people's vote and a people's voice.
JOURNALIST:
With respect, the question is about your view. What's your view on whether…?
GREG HUNT:
Sure. Look, I will let the process run as to the timing and form. But our fundamental commitment is to something of grand democratic import and that is the notion of every Australian being able to express their voice at the voting booth. And I think that that's something that we should deeply proud of.
This is an opportunity for a grand democratic process. And I would hope that the ALP will support that. Because what we've seen in the last 24 hours is the Greens and the vast bulk of the crossbenchers also support the notion of a people's vote and a people's voice, rather than Bill Shorten's politicians' choice.
JOURNALIST:
So is the people's choice your personal preference or would you prefer a referendum?
GREG HUNT:
Look, the people's choice can take a number of forms – I'm not going to pre-empt public discussion on that. What I think is important is that the people get to choose and that should be something we celebrate. True democracy in action. And that is what I think we've seen already with the Greens and the crossbench moving to support a national free vote.
JOURNALIST:
What do you think is the (inaudible) personally – the referendum or the plebiscite?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I'll let others comment on that. For me, what I am pleased about and committed to is the idea that it's a national free vote where the people get to choose and not just Bill Shorten's politicians' vote.
JOURNALIST:
Has it been another bad week for the Government, with distractions over the Royal Commissioner, Heydon Dyson, and gay marriage?
GREG HUNT:
No. What I think we've done is provide an opportunity for the people of Australia to participate in a grand democratic action. We have allowed every Australian to have a national free vote. And in our own space, we've established strong and deeply credible global emissions reduction targets of minus 26 to minus 28 per cent. That has been a very powerful, important pair of steps going forward.
Thanks very much.
(ENDS)