Transcript – Interview with with Greg Jennett, ABC Afternoon Briefing

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28 February 2024 Topics: Sydney Mardi Gras Police attendance, Airline competition, Pay on Delay Bill E&OE GREG JENNETT: Liberal Senator Dean Smith has been keeping an eye on this for reasons that he might soon explain to us. He joins us now live in the studio. Senator, welcome back. The update we brought to our audience only in the last 15 or 20 minutes was from the board of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, saying New South Wales Police officers will participate in this year’s parade in a reduced capacity to the originally planned full float, and that they will also be participating out of uniform. Does that address any concerns you might have had about the decision to uninvite them? DEAN SMITH: Well, as you alluded to Greg, I do speak from a unique position, not only as a parliamentarian who is a member of the LGBTI community, but as the son of a Police officer and the brother of a Police officer in the West Australian Police Force. So, I hope that this is a decision that will be welcomed not just by the LGBTI community but also by the broader Australian community. I think it does speak to the high level of cooperation and unity that has characterized New South Wales policing and LGBTI matters for a number of years. Now, I’m sure it will not satisfy everyone, but I think that we can trust that the cooperation we have seen in the past will remain, and that the decision to keep a close eye on the importance of demonstrating unity at Saturday’s March is maintained. So, I welcome the decision. GREG JENNETT: Obviously, we are awaiting word and I imagine it is being considered right now by the Australian Federal Police whether they would follow suit and restore some sort of contingent presence in this weekend’s Mardi Gras. Any views on where this leaves them? DEAN SMITH: Well, I can’t see a compelling reason why the Australian Federal Police will not follow the decision, the agreement that’s been reached by New South Wales Police and the Mardi Gras organizers. I do think that Police forces across our country should be acting in a uniform and cooperative way. And again, it speaks to the cooperation and unity that both Mardi Gras and the New South Wales police have established. So, I welcome the New South Wales police decision, but I also hope that the Australian Federal Police will follow suit. GREG JENNETT: As you alluded to in your first answer, Dean, there are historical reasons for some tensions, I suppose, between the gay and lesbian community around Sydney with a special commission of inquiry having been held in that state. And then there are more recent events, obviously the tragic killing of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird. when some of the more immediate pressure points have dissipated, do you in general think it a healthy thing that formal Police presence via a float is a regular fixture at these events? DEAN SMITH: Again, people’s attitudes to the Sydney Mardi Gras are varied. When I look at the Mardi Gras, I see demonstration of Australia’s commitment to anti-discrimination measures. I’m not someone who finds the Mardi Gras offensive. I’m not offended by the political statements that some people choose to make. It is a free country. But for me, what I see in the Mardi Gras events are Australia’s commitment to ending discrimination, a greater acceptance of LGBTI people across our community in every forum. GREG JENNETT: Well, look, thank you for putting that on the record and coming at it at least in the Federal Parliament from what I imagine is a, a unique perspective for the reasons that you outlined. Why don’t we just switch over to your daily work here, and you are behind a Coalition Bill called “Pay on Delay” that would seek to impose penalties on airlines when they seriously delayed or cancelled in this country. Why not leave this to the ACCC which has already got a few broad policies in this area? DEAN SMITH: Greg, you won’t be surprised to hear me say that the Government’s reaction so far to meeting increasing levels of demand for better service from airline consumers has been characterised by inertia and defensiveness. I think the context is very, very important. 5 million commercial flights in Australia in December last year, 5.5% level of cancellations, double the average. And of course we’ve seen in the most recent ACCC report an almost 200% increase in the number of complaints to airlines. So clearly Australians, Australian airline consumers, are demanding action. I’m delighted that Senator McKenzie and myself have put forward a bill to Parliament, a bill that’ll bring some of those questions to resolution. GREG JENNETT: Finally, we don’t have a lot of time left, but there’d be a pile of exemptions, wouldn’t there, before a penalty was actually paid to a passenger? For instance, uncontrollable weather events, air traffic delays circling around a city, all of that would have to be taken care of. DEAN SMITH: One of those things is not within the control of the Government, and that is the weather. The other is absolutely in control of the Government. Air Services Australia is a Government agency. So, I think the Government has a greater level of responsibility on this issue than it wants to accept at the moment, and we hope that our bill will put a change to that. GREG JENNETT: Well bills initiated from your side of the Parliament are pretty hard going but… DEAN SMITH: To be fair, though, Greg, to be fair, Senator McKenzie and I had some recent success, just a few months ago, with a similar bill to force the Government to reintroduce the ACCC monitoring regime. And we had some success. GREG JENNETT: Alright, well that one’s chalked up on the board. We wish you good luck with whatever lies ahead on that one.…

Joint Media Release with Senator Bridget McKenzie – Protecting Airline Passengers

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SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEADER OF THE NATIONALS IN THE SENATE SENATOR FOR VICTORIA SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA 27 February 2024 MEDIA RELEASE PROTECTING AIRLINE PASSENGERS – BECAUSE LABOR WON’T Australians deserve an aviation industry where planes take off and land on time, their bags arrive with them, and they are not left shouldering the costs associated with these service failures. That is why Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie, and Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, Senator Dean Smith, have today tabled in the Senate the Airline Passenger Protections (Pay on Delay) Bill. This Private Senator’s Bill requires the Minister for Transport to establish and airline Code of Conduct within 12 months, bringing Australia into line with best practice in the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada. The Pay on Delay Bill also builds on the Coalition’s push for greater transparency in the domestic aviation market, after it compelled Labor to reinstate ACCC monitoring last year following months of its characteristic inertia. Coalition Competition Spokesperson, Liberal Senator Dean Smith, said consumer protections were especially needed while a lack of competition dogged the aviation industry. “With nearly 95% of the market share, Qantas and Virgin have a tighter grip on Australian aviation than Coles and Woolworths have on our supermarkets,” Senator Smith said. “For too long, this lack of competition has favoured airlines over customers and this Bill begins the process of correcting that imbalance – and giving consumers some confidence when they travel.” “Once again, the Coalition has been forced to act in this space because Labor has not.” Shadow Minister for Transport, Senator Bridget McKenzie, said the Bill was wholly necessary given the Albanese Government had failed to ensure travelling Australians were not taken advantage of by our airlines. “A recommendation of last year’s Aviation Senate Inquiry was to review airline consumer protections, and this Bill will ensure passengers are being treated fairly by the airline industry in the future,” Senator McKenzie said. “If the Minister won’t act in the face of the egregious behaviour from Australian airlines on the behalf of travelling Australians, the Coalition will.” ENDS.

Opinion Piece – Compensating travellers for cancelled flights long overdue – The Australian Financial Review

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From being one of life’s pleasures, flying in Australia has become an anxious business, which sees us reloading Qantas or Virgin apps throughout the day, expecting the worst, while having to make contingencies for possible delays or cancelled flights. Australians who fly for work, visit family, for medical appointments, holidays, and a host of other reasons, have the right to say enough is enough. Last week’s Domestic Airline Competition in Australia report from the ACCC confirms why. The report found that, in December 2023, 5 per cent of flights were cancelled, representing more than 2200 departures – more than double the long-term average of 2.2 per cent. Just 63 per cent of flights arrived on time, well below the long-term average of 81 per cent. We also heard in Senate estimates last Monday that when two air traffic controllers at Sydney Airport called in sick, flights across the eastern seaboard of Australia had to be cancelled, an indicator that at least some of the cancellations and delays are the responsibility of the federal Minister for Transport to fix. In November last year, 45 per cent of flights were cancelled or delayed on the “golden triangle” routes between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, meaning one of the busiest routes in the world is also one of the most unreliable. And if you happen to find yourself at Broome Airport in WA’s Kimberley region, there’s only a 50 per cent chance your flight will leave on time. Customer service is also headed in the wrong direction. The ACCC says it has seen a dramatic increase in the number of inquiries on airline matters. In the first nine months of 2023, they were 179 per cent higher than 2018 and 100 per cent higher than 2019. We expect an affordable airline system where your flights take off and land on time, and your bags arrive with you at your destination. Domestic airfare prices are trending down, falling 13.4 per cent in the year to November 2023. But they remain far too high. This reality is even harder for air travellers to swallow when they think back to the record profit of $2.47 billion announced by Australia’s largest carrier, Qantas, last August. Former ACCC chairman Allan Fels recently pointed out that this profit coincided with Qantas’ flight cancellation rate more than doubling. The February 2024 Domestic Airline Competition in Australia report is the first published since the watchdog resumed airline monitoring late last year. It was originally a Coalition government initiative, but Labor allowed the regime to lapse, due largely to pressure from Qantas. This decision went against the advice of the ACCC itself and the sentiments of every other industry stakeholder, including airlines, airports and travel agencies. It was characteristic of the Albanese government’s stifling of airline competition, both domestically and internationally – the highest profile example of which was the decision of Transport Minister Catherine King to block Qatar Airways’ application to add extra flights into Australia. Coalition pressure in the form of a private senator’s bill from us as the respective shadow ministers for competition (Smith) and transport (McKenzie) forced Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ hand. In November 2023, he reluctantly restored this vital monitoring process and the clarity it provides consumers in an environment that’s currently stacked against them. Now we are having to do it again. We are co-sponsoring a second private senator’s bill, aimed at delivering Australian airline consumers the protections they need. The draft bill requires the establishment of long overdue minimum standards of service for travellers and – importantly – compensation for those who have had their plans upended. Similar laws exist in Europe and the US, where Qantas is bound to adhere to them, so why not in Australia? Neither the airlines nor the airports are likely to embrace this bill, but unless there are serious efforts by the Albanese government to improve flight reliability, including reforming the slots system at Sydney airport, changing the culture at AirServices Australia, and improving competition within the aviation sector, nothing will change. It’s clear that there has not been a sufficient disincentive that would prompt airlines to improve their operations until this point. They have had free rein to cancel flights and lose baggage while passengers, in most cases, bear the expense and inconvenience. We are now in a cycle where the Coalition acts proactively where Labor will not. Our “Pay for Delay” legislation will be another step in tilting the balance of power back in favour of consumers, rather than airlines. Because that is the way it should be.

Senator Dean Smith – Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Labor seats worst affected by WA mortgage pain

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 17 February 2025 LABOR SEATS WORST AFFECTED BY WA MORTGAGE PAIN A new survey of mortgage repayment increases in Western Australia since 2022 has revealed Labor-held electorates are bearing the brunt of the housing affordability crisis – confirming this issue is set to play a major role in the upcoming Federal election. Commissioned by Senator Dean Smith and conducted by the Federal Parliamentary Library, the survey is the first comprehensive geographic analysis of mortgage costs across the state. It covers the period from March 2022 to September 2024 and examines all 16 Federal electorates in WA, including the newly created seat of Bullwinkel. The data takes in more than 300 suburbs and towns, revealing the cumulative effect on households of 13 interest rate rises since the election of the Albanese Government, compounded by rising property prices. The survey found that mortgage repayments have at least doubled in 180 locations across WA since March 2022. In the metropolitan area, Armadale in the electorate of Burt topped the increase in monthly mortgage repayments at 190.2 percent, while Spalding in Durack experienced the highest monthly growth in regional Western Australia at 153 percent. Across the 20 worst-impacted areas – homeowners have faced a minimum increase in repayments of 151.3 percent. 15 of these 20 locations are in the Labor-held electorates of Burt, Tangney, Brand, Hasluck, and Cowan. Balga in Cowan, for example, recorded a 153.7 percent increase, Dayton in Hasluck recorded a 162.0 percent increase, and Shelley in Tangney saw mortgage repayments rise by 181.3 percent, confirming it as one of WA’s hardest-hit suburbs. Two other suburbs in the top 20, Maida Vale and Kelmscott, are in the new Federal electorate of Bullwinkle, where Labor has a small notional majority. The full impact on the monthly budgets of WA households is best appreciated by looking at the dollar amount. In Kelmscott, mortgage repayments have surged by $1,848 per month, rising from $1,222 to $3,069. The research is proof of Labor’s economic mismanagement and policy failures, including fuelling homegrown inflation and housing shortages, and their direct impact on mortgage holders in Western Australia. Critically, the biggest mortgage repayment increases have occurred in Labor electorates – proving that the Albanese’s Government is hurting its own constituents the most. Labor is now out of time to address this crisis and affected Western Australians will soon hold Anthony Albanese, Jim Chalmers and their local Parliamentarians accountable at the ballot box. Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “Labor’s cost-of-living crisis has hit Western Australians hard – from their shopping baskets to their energy bills – but housing affordability is one of the most drastic examples of the toll the Albanese Government has taken.” “This data leaves no doubt about why household budgets are under massive pressure in WA, with locals having to make unimaginable choices about what to go without to keep a roof over their heads.” “The largest rises in mortgage repayments have occurred in Labor electorates, demonstrating how the Albanese Government is negatively impacting its own constituents, who it promised life would be better with it in power.” “Now it is Labor that must pay the price – because, as we approach the Federal election, Western Australians are looking for a better standard of living and only the Coalition has a plan to deliver that.” ENDS

Opinion Piece – Newly engaged Anthony Albanese must show WA some love too – The West Australian

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Fresh off his engagement to long-term partner Jodie Haydon, no one will begrudge the Prime Minister having a spring in his step when he arrives in WA in a few days. And while he can expect a warmer reaction — who doesn’t love a wedding — Anthony Albanese must also be ready for some tough questions. West Australians are not gullible. We can see past the knee-jerk political reactions, such as Labor’s decision to abandon stage three tax cuts, and whistle-stop tours of our State. And we realise that, despite promising to “stand up for WA” before the last election, Labor’s policies seem to be pulling our State backwards instead. Firstly, Anthony Albanese can be certain that he will be asked to explain his position on live exports. Labor’s plan to outlaw this industry will not only be catastrophic for the WA economy, it will also decimate livelihoods and erase the generations of achievement of our farming communities. When an industry is worth more than $120 million to WA and feeds hundreds of thousands of people around the world, it’s only a weak leader that would bow to the demands of extreme animal rights activists — even if many of them do live in his own electorate. Labor’s damage to our farming communities hasn’t stopped there. Less well known by many is that our farmers raise hundreds of millions of dollars every year in compulsory industry levies. Yet, Labor has just re-committed to a new levy that forces Australian farmers to pay for the biosecurity costs of international importers. The new tax will punish WA farmers, push up prices at supermarkets, and add to the cost-of-business challenges for our grain growers, meat producers and fruit and vegetable farmers. Farmers are already dealing with labour shortages, climate and cost-of-living challenges. Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers’ answer — to impose more taxes — needs to be called out. We can also expect the Prime Minister to try to justify the $10 million Labor has donated to the now-discredited Environmental Defenders Office. This body, whose current target is Woodside’s $16 billion dollar Scarborough gas field off the northwest coast, is a direct threat to 120,000 West Australians employed in the resources sector. It’s also a threat to the roads, schools, and hospitals across the country who rely on royalties from WA miners. Anthony Albanese should follow Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s example and promise to shut it down after the next election. Then we come to the housing crisis — now the worst in the country. While there are many factors that go into housing, what is hurting WA renters the most is Labor’s record, unmodelled immigration policy. In three years Labor will bring in 1.5 million people from overseas, with no plan to manage its impact. In 2023 alone, more than 500,000 immigrants came to Australia. This put significant strain on WA. Per capita, our population grew more than any other State last year. Unsurprisingly, in December the average price to rent a house in WA hit $600 a week for the first time, and rental availability shrunk to below 1 per cent. Finally — and this list of grievances is far from complete — the Prime Minister can expect to be held accountable for his Government’s failures in Indigenous affairs. Despite spending more than $450 million on a referendum that was overwhelmingly rejected by WA voters, Anthony Albanese and Minister Linda Burney have been silent on the epidemic of alcoholism, violence and sexual abuse that scars too many remote indigenous communities. If the Prime Minister cares so deeply about improving health and education outcomes for Indigenous Australians, he should include Broome, Derby, Halls Creek and Kununurra in his itinerary. No one is saying it’s an easy issue, but the PM’s symbolism-over-substance policy, combined with a refusal to see first hand the communities worst impacted by this current scourge, is insincere at best. With speculation growing the election will be later this year instead of early next year, WA voters are watching closer than ever and are asking themselves whether Anthony Albanese really has WA’s back or is in fact going behind it. So far, the evidence says it’s the latter.

Senator Dean Smith – Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Transcript – ABC Drive with Gary Adshead

Transcripts

Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia TRANSCRIPT – ABC DRIVE WITH GARY ADSHEAD Topics: Antisemitism, production tax credits, tariffs, Teals at The Lodge E&OE GARY ADSHEAD: Without further ado, let’s get over to Canberra, where we are going to talk to the Labor Resources Minister Madeleine King and Liberal Senator Dean Smith. Who should be there. Hello, guys. MADELEINE KING: How you going, Gary? DEAN SMITH: G’day, Gary, how are you? GARY ADSHEAD: Very good. Thanks very much for joining us again as we continue ‘The Campaign’ here on ABC 720. Alright, first, I just got to get your reaction to this story that’s, you know, developing about these two health workers and what they said about treating, or rather, not treating, Israeli people. What have you made of that you two? MADELEINE KING: Well, I mean, I just saw the footage a little while back in my office, and I’m sure you’re much the same. It’s—I’ve never seen anything quite like it, to be honest. And it’s just—shocking is an understatement. I mean, obviously, in a hospital setting and health workers, it makes it even worse. But if it was anyone saying that in any circumstance, it’s horrific. So I’m just, you know, appalled this kind of attitude around other people and their lives and health—it is just out of this world, really. DEAN SMITH: I’d add to that, Gary, by saying, it’s a shameful act. It’s outrageous. I think many people would have found it hard to believe that this was happening at all. Unfortunately, it is. It’s now been videoed. I mean, how outrageous and horrendous is that? I think it’s probably a time when we just all need to knuckle down, show some spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation with each other, and make sure that our national leadership is quick to respond, quick to stamp these things out. And we just need to remain very vigilant in calling out this behaviour. This is outrageous. It is un-Australian. GARY ADSHEAD: Obviously, well, obviously, you know, previously, the Coalition have been pretty strong, saying that Anthony Albanese hasn’t done enough in terms of getting out there in front of this. What do you say now, Dean, given what we’ve just seen in the last 24 hours with this video? DEAN SMITH: Gary, unfortunately, we have come a very long way since May 2022. It’s not happy progress. It’s not good progress. I believed, and I’ve said this in the Parliament, I’ve said this in other media commentary—national leadership is absolutely critical. I do believe that we should have seen the risk that arose from the 7th of October events more quickly. Our national leadership should have been more decisive in really being clear in terms of our position. And I would argue—and Madeleine might disagree—but I would argue that for a long time, our country had a very strong bipartisan position on matters regarding the Middle East. I think that is less true now. GARY ADSHEAD: Do you want to have a say on that? Is it bipartisan, or should it be more bipartisan, Madeleine? MADELEINE KING: Well, I think we’re very much agreed, certainly in relation to these videos. But of course, all the antisemitism we have seen arise is something that disgusts the Prime Minister as much as anyone. And I would just note, just so that everyone’s aware, that those two individuals have been referred to the New South Wales Police and action will be taken. We’ve had new hate crimes enacted just last week that will undoubtedly—or just this week, sorry—you know, will likely apply to these people, and we’ll have to let that investigation go on. I wouldn’t want to jeopardise it, but, the full force of the law has to go to these two individuals, but to everybody else as well that thinks they can do it. And I do think there are other institutions in our community that have sometimes dropped the ball on this. I think some of the encampments that were allowed to persist at universities right across the country and in WA as well—I think administrations letting that go on for as long as they did was, you know, entirely inappropriate. It’s difficult for governments to force these institutions to do things, but they should just do it anyway. DEAN SMITH: Any action by the New South Wales authorities that might suggest or give the suggestion to people that this sort of behavior is permissible, then that would be a failing on the part of authorities. MADELEINE KING: I would entirely agree with what Dean has just said. And I think we’ve all seen Premier Chris Minns has been very strong in this regard, and we know the Australian Federal Police are supporting the New South Wales Police in their investigation. Two individuals, you know, immediately stood down as well they should be. GARY ADSHEAD: Alright. Now listen, as the Resources Minister, Madeleine King, you must have been delighted to see the Production Tax Credits, part of the Future Made in Australia policy, pass through the Senate. Of course, the Greens and the crossbench have helped you out there. MADELEINE KING: Gary, I am delighted. And to be honest, I think secretly, Dean might be delighted too. DEAN SMITH: You will give me the right to respond Gary? MADELEINE KING: Here, let’s, let Dean have his say in a moment, and I’m sure he will, but it’s hard to underestimate how important this initiative is. It’s, you know, $17 billion support for an emerging resources sector, an emerging part of our resources sector that builds upon, of course, you know, greatly successful, what I call the traditional resources sector of iron ore and coal and gas and gold and other minerals. So it is the biggest injection of support for critical minerals. In fact, it’s the biggest government commitment to the resources sector of any government. And…

Senator Dean Smith – Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Greater uncertainty, reduced competitiveness for WA resources sector

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 11 February 2025 GREATER UNCERTAINTY, REDUCED COMPETITIVENESS FOR WA RESOURCES SECTOR The Albanese Government has again confirmed it doesn’t have Western Australia’s best interests at heart – or understand the unique competition issues facing the resources sector there. Labor and the Greens joined forces last night to pass the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measurers) Bill, despite concerns raised by stakeholders over its ambiguous drafting and overregulation. They also voted against a Coalition amendment, moved by Senator Dean Smith, aimed at providing businesses much needed clarity and protection from political interference. That amendment excluded any requirement for a union agreement, a reconciliation action plan, or Indigenous or environmental consultation beyond that already required by law, to qualify for a tax credit under the Bill. It also made clear that companies could not be penalised by failing to meet these requirements by receiving a reduced tax credit. Companies now face an unpredictable approval process, judged against rules giving effect to ‘Community Benefit Principles’ that are yet to be revealed by the Treasurer – with the obvious risk of politicisation. It was made very clear to the Senate Inquiry into the Bill that it poses a major threat to the international competitiveness of Western Australia’s resources sector. Labor’s recent Resources and Energy Major Projects Report confirms that 81 major Western Australian resource projects worth $119 billion are now stalled, putting 47,000 jobs at risk. Rather than combatting delays and declining investment, the Albanese Government’s new legislation adds complexity, excessive compliance costs, and a regulatory burden that will only make matters worse. The Coalition will be watching closely as the Treasurer makes public the Community Benefit rules. Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “The Albanese Government risks making WA’s world-class resources sector uncompetitive with red and green tape.” “Instead of providing certainty for investors, Labor has created an undefined, highly politicised tax credit scheme that could force businesses into union agreements and other regulatory requirements just to qualify.” “Industry leaders, the WA Government, and major business groups all raised serious concerns about the impact of these new conditions – Federal Labor simply ignored them.” “Future Made in Australia continues to be nothing more than a slogan—because instead of driving growth in WA, it’s likely to drive investment out and into the hands of our competitors.” ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Labor’s Future Made in Australia Another Blow to WA’s Resources Industry

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 3 February 2025 LABOR’S FUTURE MADE IN AUSTRALIA ANOTHER BLOW TO WA’S RESOURCES INDUSTRY The prosperity of Western Australia’s critical mining and resources sector is again under attack from the Albanese Government. Labor’s Future Made in Australia policies are creating regulatory uncertainty, driving up costs, and discouraging investment in the sector. Although buried in Albanese Government rhetoric, the Future Made in Australia (Production Tax Credits and Other Measures) Bill 2024, which has just been the subject of a Senate inquiry, lacks basic detail on how proposed tax credits will be measured, distributed or enforced. The Coalition section of the inquiry’s report, released last week, confirms how the Bill leaves WA’s economy exposed to risk and excessive red tape—threatening the competitiveness of our state on the global stage. Blind to the Bill’s total lack of clarity on key issues, and stakeholder concerns about the uncertainty this will create, the Albanese Government appears determined to rush this policy through Parliament prior to the next election. This is despite the fact the tax credits in the Bill will not come into effect until 2027, that it saddles businesses with compliance costs in every year of the project, and links tax incentives to murkily defined Community Benefit Principles (CBPs). Treasury officials cannot yet explain how CBPs will be enforced, whether they will require union agreements, or what penalties will be imposed for non-compliance. The Minerals Council of Australia has warned that CBPs could duplicate existing regulatory burdens, increasing costs and slowing down projects, while the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA raised concerns that these provisions provide no clear benefits while adding administrative hurdles. The Albanese Government is deterring investment in WA at a time when businesses and projects here need stability. They are under growing threat from Labor on multiple fronts – with its on again off again Nature Positive legislation creating uncertainty and risking the future of WA’s resources sector by wrapping it in red tape without delivering any obvious benefit. The Albanese Government’s own Resources and Energy Major Projects: 2024 report leaves little doubt about the toll misguided policy is taking on the resources sector, revealing 81 major resource projects—worth $119 billion—are now stalled or at risk, with 47,000 jobs in doubt. This is more than triple the stalled investment recorded just a year ago. Instead of supporting economic growth, Labor is making it harder than ever for businesses to invest and create jobs—pushing critical projects offshore at a time when WA—and the rest of Australia—can least afford it. Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “The Albanese Government’s Future Made in Australia policy is riddled with complexity and poorly defined obligations that risk increasing regulatory costs, tying businesses up in red tape and—worst of all—deterring investment”. “Labor is actively fueling uncertainty, pursuing policies that leave businesses with little idea about the compliance measures they will face, what penalties will apply, or how tax credits will be administered.” “Western Australia is competing with the United States, Canada, and other resource-rich nations that are offering clear and immediate investment incentives—Labor is reducing, rather than increasing, our competitiveness.” “If Labor were serious about making Australia an investment leader, they would cut regulatory duplication, offer clear guidance on requirement and penalties, and provide incentives that deliver immediate benefits rather than ones that won’t start until 2027.” ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Transcript – ABC Perth Drive with Gary Adshead

Transcripts

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Transcript – ABC Drive with Gary Adshead Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia TRANSCRIPT – ABC PERTH DRIVE WITH GARY ADSHEAD Topics: Federal election; cost-of-living under Labor; DeepSeek and AI; Greens hospital policy E&OE GARY ADSHEAD: I’ve got in the studio with me a couple of guys that are probably glad to get out of the heat when it comes to door knocking. Dean Smith, WA Liberal senator, thanks for coming in. DEAN SMITH: Great to be back Gary. GARY ADSHEAD: Good on you. And Patrick Gorman, o f course, the Labor member for Perth and also Minister Assisting the Prime Minister. Patrick, welcome to the ABC studio. PATRICK GORMAN: Good to be here Gary. GARY ADSHEAD: I bet you look at the forecast and think can we just park a bit of door knocking today and maybe do it next week when it cools down? What’s the sort of program that goes through your guy’s mind when you’re having to do that? Patrick? PATRICK GORMAN: I do a fair bit of door knocking and I like getting out there. But you always want to know, are people going to think that I’m a little bit mad if I’m out door knocking in this heat? And I reckon that sort of at about 37, 38 degrees. That’s kind of the threshold where people start to think that y ou’re a little bit too obsessed rather than passionate. GARY ADSHEAD: It’s probably a bit uncomfortable standing at the door having to talk to people as well, isn’t it, Dean? DEAN SMITH: Well Gary, if Patrick was to knock on my door, I’d invite him in for a coffee. PATRICK GORMAN: Brilliant! It would slow me down. DEAN SMITH: Slow you down, exactly right! GARY ADSHEAD: Ok well thanks for coming in. Alright, let’s just start with inflation. That’s starting to get to the sort of figures now that surely the RBA will move on it. Is that a concern for you Dean Smith? That we’re down around 2.4% headline figure and that might be the springboard that the Albanese government needs to call the election. DEAN SMITH: That’s a very interesting point, because I thought you were going to ask me what the RBA might choose to do when it meets on the 17th or 18th of February. I’d say this. There are two figures that the ABS released today. First is the figure that the government is talking about. But then what we call the trimmed mean inflation rate, that’s the inflation figure that the RBA is guided by and the RBA prefers to talk about. And it’s important because it strips away some of the rebate relief that people might have seen through energy relief measures of the government. And that figure points to not much change at all. It still sits outside the 2 to 3% band that the RBA is looking for. The key point here is one of sustainability. We have not yet seen sustainable falls in the inflation rate in that 2 to 3% band, and until that happens, unfortunately, I doubt there will be sustainable rate relief for mortgage holders. And it’s interesting, I think the government has been very measured today in not celebrating this too much, being pleased with themselves but not celebrating too much because I think we still have a long way to go. GARY ADSHEAD: Tracking the right way though, isn’t it Patrick? PATRICK GORMAN: Well, I’m not celebrating for the government, but I do think this is good news for Australian households. We know that inflation ultimately attacks those on low and middle incomes. Inflation erodes the living standards of the Australian people and that’s why one of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s jobs is to fight inflation. It’s also why we’ve had two budgets that have done exactly the same thing, working to put downward pressure on inflation. And what we know is that for people in my community and across this state, when you’ve had inflation at six percent under the Liberals when they left office, people were really starting to feel that pain. And it was really, prices were really going up rapidly what we’ve been able to do over time in a careful measured way – because you can’t stop inflation one day to the next. You’ve got to work at it over time. We’re going to do sensible things to make sure we take pressure off inflation and it’s an achievement of the Australian people. GARY ADSHEAD: Interesting. I mean so we are now where most Western countries are in terms of inflation, some are actually lower than us already and of course the banks have moved in terms of interest rates. It would be seen as extremely stubborn of the RBA to hold the line come February when they meet again, wouldn’t it? DEAN SMITH: Not necessarily. And Patrick and I are not going to start to run a commentary about what the RBA should do. But this is one data set in a number of data sets that the RBA will consider when it next meets. But it’s not as if West Australians have woken up this morning feeling much lighter about the cost-of-living challenges that they are experiencing. Not at all. And when we think about the macro-economic conditions, not much has changed. Productivity has fallen by 5.7% under this government. Annual GDP growth has slowed to 1991 levels. We’re in per capita negative growth in terms of GDP. So, the broad economic figures are nothing for the government to – PATRICK GORMAN: What’s happening with real wages Dean, tell people real wages. DEAN SMITH: Real wages in Western Australia increased by 13.9% but the annual inflation rate for Perth over that same period increased by 18%. That’s the comparator and I know that because that was research that I…

RADICAL LABOR IR CHANGES THREATEN CHARITIES

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  SENATOR DEAN SMITH LIBERAL SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY   MEDIA RELEASE 23 January 2024   RADICAL LABOR IR CHANGES THREATEN CHARITIES   Thousands of jobs in Australia’s charity sector risk being plunged into uncertainty thanks to Labor’s industrial relations agenda. As reported in The Australian newspaper this week, the Albanese Government’s attack on fixed-term contracts will have very real consequences for the more than 60,000 registered charities across the country that deal in short, often transitory, funding arrangements. David Crosbie, CEO of the Community Council of Australia, raised the alarm on broader impacts for the sector in Monday’s article. Mr Crosbie said restricting fixed-term contracts would burden charities with the extra costs associated with full-time permanent contracts, such as redundancy entitlements. He said charities were at a greater risk of trading insolvent if they couldn’t use fixed-term contracts to match their funding streams, which typically operate on two-year cycles. Although its broad impacts will be felt throughout the economy, Labor’s union-led industrial relations crusade is a particularly unwelcome blow to the charities sector. Coalition Charities spokesman Dean Smith said its essential to remember that charities and not-for-profits employ more than 10% of the country’s workforce, and generate nearly $200 billion in revenue. “As a result of the indifference of Minister for Charities Andrew Leigh, Labor has done nothing to advance important reforms such a superannuation bequests and more structured tax returns, which were advised by the Productivity Commission more than a year ago,” Senator Smith said. “Minister Leigh and Labor also twiddled their thumbs for months when it came to appointing new members of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission’s Board.” Senator Smith said Andrew Leigh needed to stand up against the extreme policy positions of his colleagues for the sake of his portfolio. “Thousands of jobs in the charity sector are at potential risk – it’s shameful that they can’t rely on the federal Minister for Charities having their back,” Senator Smith said. “Labor failed to live up to his promise of bold and productive reforms in the national charity space.” “And, with charities working overtime to support Australians through the cost of living crisis, this is insult to injury.”   ENDS.