E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TELEVISION INTERVIEW
TODAY SHOW
TUESDAY, 11 MAY 2021
 
SUBJECTS: Budget Day – who will benefit; state vaccination hubs; election timing; Bert Newton’s recovery.
 
ALLISON LANGDON, HOST: Welcome back. Well, crack open the champagne, it is Budget Day, folks, who’s excited? It’s when the Treasurer reveals how he's going to spend all his lovely taxes we've been paying. And this year there's going to be a big focus on jobs, aged care and mental health, as Josh Frydenberg looks to boost our recovery from COVID. Let's discuss with the Shadow Minister for Government Services, Bill Shorten, who's in Melbourne and here in the studio, Triple M's Gus Worland, nice to see both of you.

GUS WORLAND, TRIPLE M: Morning.

BILL SHORTEN, MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG: Hi.

LANGDON: Hey, Bill, we've got a budget deficit, $53 billion less than expected. Jobs are booming, economy bouncing back. We've got a Treasurer who's smiling, don't we?

SHORTEN: Well, we do. But of course, it's always observing the detail. I mean, I'm pleased if there's some money for aged care, but it really is just fixing the problem, which this Government's had for eight years. I mean, I think what I'll be looking for tonight in the Budget is what's in it for the mums and dads who are getting their kids ready for school and going to work this morning watching this show. What's in it for the hip pocket benefit for people? I sometimes feel at all these orchestrated leaks from the Government. It reminds me a bit of a vegan Big Mac, you know, where's the meat? It's a nothing burger. It fills you up for an hour and a half. But you want something more substantial later on. Still, let’s see what happens.

LANGDON: Come on, Bill. So much negativity this morning. They’re splashing the cash like there's no budget in sight.

SHORTEN: Yeah, but where will the meat be for the mums and dads who are going to work every day. See, wages are stagnating and people need some tax relief, perhaps. You know, I'm not told about the top end. I'm talking about the punters who earn less than 100k a year. And I just would really like to see what's in it for the hip pocket, because families still need to pay the bills, don't they, on budget night?

LANGDON: Yeah, I think we all want to see that. Gus, your thoughts on this one. Where do you want to see the money spent? 

WORLAND: I'm really glad if the leak is true around mental health side of things and putting so much money into that, because we've spoken the three of us many times over the last 18 months around, you know, sort of the mental fitness of Australians and what we've gone through. The numbers in terms of, you know, people going through stress at the moment, anxiety, suicide and so forth are huge. So, if we can put as much money into that as possible, educate people on how to have conversations so they don't worry alone, we're more likely to be a much healthier Australia. And that's what I'm concerned about, all the other numbers and so forth. Until we get the meat, as Bill said, we don't really know. Tomorrow will be the day to really go through it. But I'm just excited that's going to be some money there for mental health.

LANGDON: Yeah. And of course, it's very good economically for our country if they spend money on mental health. Bill, I mean, our recovery, a lot of it's depending on building our confidence, consumer confidence. Do you think people are going to be confident enough to open their wallets and to spend freely?

SHORTEN: Yeah, that's the 64-million-dollar question, isn't it? The reality is, though, and I said it briefly before, wages are stagnating. So, you know, this is the lowest period of wages growth in the last few years that we've seen in decades. And unless people's wages are just having a modest improvement, then it gets really hard for people to feel confident to spend. Housing prices and affordability, I think, is another pretty big issue on people's minds. They worry about will their kids ever be able to get into the housing market, which I think is a real concern. So, the mental health stuff is good. And, you know, hats off to Gus for always pursuing that issue with such passion.

LANGDON: Yeah, you do that very well, Gus – a champion for the cause.

WORLAND: thank you.

LANGDON: But it does feel it does feel like this is a budget where everyone is going to win. I haven't seen too many losers so far. But what it is going to do, Gus, it's going to fall to our kids and it's going to fall to our grandkids to pay it back.

WORLAND: Yeah, that's right. I think we spoke a couple of weeks ago. That can be 30 odd years or something like that. My kids are 21 last week, 20 and 18. And they're looking around at the moment going, where am I going to live? Can I live in the area where I've grown up, where all my friends are? We bought a granny flat at the back of our place for my daughter and boyfriend to move into. So at least they can have a bit of independence but stay in the area. But the house prices all around Australia are huge, clearance rates, absolutely huge. So, there's some more confidence obviously around that. And I think people are starting to get a little bit of hope that we're getting through it. The vaccine obviously is going to be the huge part of that. Once we all get vaccinated, I think that's probably when the world gets back to some sort of normal.

LANGDON: Yeah, and nice to see yesterday that Sydney joined Melbourne and Adelaide in opening a mass vaccination hub. But no word yet from Queensland. They're falling a bit behind here, Bill.

SHORTEN: Well, I think mass vaccination hubs are the go, it was, I think, on your show in answer to your or Karl’s question, I said four weeks ago we should have a look at what California did and have mass vaccination hubs. It makes sense. Another group of people, though, I'm concerned about are people with disabilities. There's half a million of them profoundly disabled. The Government did promise a disability vaccination plan on the 22nd of February. We're now approaching the 22nd of May and still no sight. You know, that plans more lost than Burke and Wills. And we've just got to get - the people with disability, they're anxious. They can't leave their homes. So still a lot more work to be done on vaccination. And that's the sweet spot, I think, for confidence.

LANGDON: Yeah, and disability. And also, in aged care.

SHORTEN: Aged care, that’s right.

LANGDON: We're falling behind there as well. But I mean, Gus, when we chatted last for me, it was quite an interesting chat, because you're still a little hesitant about the vaccine.

WORLAND: Yes, I was. And I got absolutely hammered for it as well. And I probably had - like, everything, you've got to learn in this world. What I really wanted to say was I wasn't necessarily going to jump into a queue of hundreds of people. If I turned up and went, oh, there's lots of people, I'll come back the next day. So, I'm definitely going to have the vaccine. And I think it's important to do it. But I just wanted to be able to sort of just book a time in and do it. And I think that's very much coming now. So, I'm on. And my mum on Mother's Day said I'm really disappointed in you and your attitude.

SHORTEN: Oh, that’s it, Gus. 

WORLAND: And you never want to disappoint your mum, Bill. 

LANGDON: Isn't it the worst Bill, when you've upset your parents, especially your mum?

SHORTEN: Not on Mother's Day Gus, you're a brave man. Anyway, you’re gonna get the jab so Mum will be happy with that. Hello, Mrs. Worland.

LANGDON: Bill, I've noticed there is a bit of a skip in Scott Morrison's step of late. What are you thinking? An election? When are you when you're predicting?

SHORTEN: Oh, listen, I think the cynics out there and people will just say, Scott Morrison will have an election when it suits him. So, I guess that's what he'll do. But the real issue is how do we make sure that people are getting through the COVID period? He said the borders aren't going to open for a long time and we've got to get the vaccinations rolled out. So, we've got to get quarantine right and vaccinations right. I think all politicians need to focus on the people rather than themselves, and that's what people want to see from us.

LANGDON: I think one thing we take from this budget Gus, is it definitely feels like it's an election budget, doesn't it?

WORLAND: Definitely. And who's going to be the Labor leader? I mean, maybe our friend here, could he put his hand up again. He's the main man. I love you, Bill.

SHORTEN: No, Anthony. Thank you, mate. I’m lost for words

LANGDON: He’s always so naughty.

SHORTEN: He is. He’s just pushing the envelope. No, Anthony will be the leader. And I look forward to hearing what we have to say about the budget in two days’ time on Thursday.

LANGDON: And just before we go this morning, I'd like to talk about Bert Newton. Of course, he's in hospital in Melbourne after a lifesaving operation. He's had his lower half of his leg amputated. Bill, Melbourne and in fact, the entire country wishing him well. I mean, 82. And he's still an absolute trouper, isn't he?

SHORTEN: He’s a beautiful man and supported by Patti. I checked up when I saw his struggle and I found out that there's 8,000 people a year in Australia who have lower limb amputations. And by coincidence, I was at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the rehabilitation ward there, actually their amputees’ workshop where they work on people's limbs. I think that we can probably do more to help people's rehab and maybe Bert Newton's experience, we can take and make sure that all 8000 amputees each year get the best possible attention. But all our best to Bert. He is just an outstanding Australian.

LANGDON: He certainly is, isn’t he Gus? And just lovely to see his family's gorgeous wife, Patti, rallying around him yesterday.

WORLAND: National treasure, always has been. I don't think anyone has ever said a bad word against him. And we just wish him all the best. We'd love to give him a big, big cuddle.

LANGDON: Do it. Arms out. Come on. Come on Bill, arms out. Cuddle, a lot of cuddles today. Feeling it, we're feeling it. 

WORLAND: How good is it just to have a cuddle again?

LANGDON: Just even yourself.

WORLAND: Well that’s a whole different story,

SHORTEN: That's what you need up in Canberra some days, no one else is going to. 

LANGDON: Ohhhh, Bill!

SHORTEN: No, this show’s great.

LANGDON: We're sending you the love and the cuddle there this morning.

WORLAND: Yeah, mwah.

SHORTEN: I'm feeling the love, no worries.

LANGDON: Goodo. Bill, Gus, it's nice to talk to both of you today. 

WORLAND: See ya.