March 7, 2024
PETER STEFANOVIC: Joining us is the shadow Home Affairs Minister, James Paterson. A couple of stories about this morning. James, good to see you. First up, it's the announcement by the government today, the extra super for paid parental leave. Will the coalition support that?
JAMES PATERSON: Good morning Pete. We will look very carefully at the details and particularly the costings, and make sure the government has done their homework here and that the full cost is transparent and clear. Notably, it's of interest that the paid parental leave scheme was originally envisaged not as a wage replacement scheme. That's why it's a flat rate for everyone, but more of a welfare scheme. And it is not the case in Australia that we normally pay superannuation on welfare payments, for example on Newstart or any other sort of payment. And so if the government is going down this pathway, it's a new approach to it and we'll carefully consider the fiscal implications of it.
STEFANOVIC: Okay. So would you go down that pathway as well? I mean, are you going to have to have something of your own leading up to the election in this space?
PATERSON: Well, we will certainly have a full range of a comprehensive positive policy plan which will take to the election, and we are well into that process right now. Shadow Ministers are bringing forward proposals to our own shadow expenditure review committee.
STEFANOVIC: Is super on paid parental leave a part of that though?
PATERSON: Well it wouldn't be appropriate for me to canvass other policy areas of colleagues which haven't yet been agreed, yet alone announced. But I assure you, our shadow expenditure review committee is working much better than apparently the government's own expenditure review committee, which has been leaking through all the media today. I mean, this is probably after the National Security Committee of cabinet, the second most sensitive committee of cabinet, and we're reading about their deliberations in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald this morning. That is an extraordinary leak, not only a cabinet leak, but a cabinet committee leak. And there's obviously very deep unhappiness in the Albanese government with Ed Husic and others complaining about their treatment before the ERC.
STEFANOVIC: I put that to Amanda Rishworth last hour. James and she said, well, that's not as bad as Scott Morrison and his secret ministries. What do you think about that?
PATERSON: Well, Amanda Rishworth is allegedly one of the ministers that's got rolled at this committee, that had brought proposals forward that had been rejected and sent away because they cost too much money. And apparently one of those unhappy with how the Treasury secretary and the Finance secretary, Stephen Kennedy and Jenny Wilkinson, are treating ministers. I mean, I think it's important for the Prime Minister and the Treasurer to be upfront today and explain what's happening here. Why are Ministers going to the media? Apparently, seven ministers spoke to The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald for this story. That's an extraordinary display of ill discipline and discontent deep in the heart of the government and really, they need to explain what on earth is going on here.
STEFANOVIC: Elsewhere this morning, James, the member for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, she's been uninvited from a Jewish charity event after she pushed for funding to be restored at UNRWA. What are your thoughts on that?
PATERSON: Look, I was genuinely shocked and surprised that Allegra Spencer signed onto this Teal letter calling for funding to go back to UNRWA. I thought she was better than that. I'm not surprised some of her colleagues like Zoe Daniel, who is no friend of the Jewish community, was signing on to this. But Allegra has portrayed herself as a friend of the Jewish community, and she's out there campaigning to give Australian taxpayer dollars back to an organisation which has been credibly accused of having its employees involved in the atrocities on 7th October, the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. And even before 7th October, we knew that UNRWA, for example, had textbooks in schools that promoted anti-Semitic libels. We know that previous funding to UNRWA had been siphoned off and spent potentially by Hamas and other terrorist organisations. It's an extraordinary thing for a member of parliament representing the Jewish community, the largest Jewish community in Australia, to be engaged in a campaign like this. I think it's a really shocking error of judgement from Allegra Spender.
STEFANOVIC: She says, the reason for that, though, was to ensure humanitarian aid is reaching those in need. So does she have a point in that regard?
PATERSON: Well, everyone wants humanitarian aid to get into Gaza. There's obviously urgent humanitarian need, and all means possible should be explored to delivering that. And I know that the United States is doing aerial drops to ensure that it can be delivered. But the answer to providing humanitarian aid is not to allow Australian taxpayer dollars to be siphoned off to a terrorist organisation, or to support people who've employed people who've been involved in terrorist acts. I mean, that is outrageous. Let's remember, Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia in its entirety. If an Australian citizen raised funds or gave money to Hamas, would be committing a very serious crime under the Criminal Code and would go to jail for it. So I don't think we should be in any way sanguine or comfortable with the idea that taxpayers money might be going to these organisations.
STEFANOVIC: Okay and just a final one here. I just want to get your thoughts on Sam Kerr's comment that she made allegedly to a UK police officer, James, calling him a stupid white bastard. Is that racist or is it a storm in a teacup here?
PATERSON: Look, I'll be careful about how I comment on legal proceedings in another country. It's certainly not an appropriate thing for someone to do and someone in public life like Sam Kerr or like a politician, are rightly held to a high standard. What I would say Pete is, if conduct like that occurred in Australia, I'm not sure it would meet a legal threshold for criminal prosecution.
STEFANOVIC: Okay. I mean, in terms of the captain saying that kind of stuff, though, allegedly. I mean, she should she continue in that role to be the head of the Matildas?
PATERSON: Look, that's really matter for Football Australia. I don't think politicians should be picking captains of sporting teams. I'll leave it up to them.
STEFANOVIC: Senator James Paterson, thank you for your time as always.
ENDS
