Interview with Alison Piotrowski on the Today Show

‍Subjects: Power Bills, Uber Cash Payments, Taylor Swift's Wedding

E&OE.........

Alison Piotrowski

Welcome back to Today live on 9 and streaming on 9 Now. And to the biggest news of the morning, Australian households have paid nearly $23 billion extra for electricity over the past four years. That is despite Anthony Albanese's 2021 promise to cut annual power bills by $275. So, let's bring in today's talkers: Shadow Minister for the Environment Andrew Bragg and Clinton Maynard from 2GB, both here with me in studio. Thanks for joining us, guys. Andrew, I'll go to you first. This is a far cry from the PM's original promise.

Senator Bragg

Well, this guy will do or say anything to sustain office. And what he could have done is got the 42 years of oil out of the ground in Australia, he could have got more gas, and he could have actually helped households get more renewables. Because at the end of the day, you need more energy, you need to have an abundance of this stuff, and that will cut the prices. But he said he would cut the prices when he was trying to run for Prime Minister, and that's been a huge failure. Just like he’s promised to never raise taxes, but all he's done is raise taxes since he's been in office. So he will do or say anything.

Alison Piotrowski

I think a lot of people would argue a lot of politicians would do or say anything. Um, you've been, I know, a big advocate for household electrification, solar panels, home batteries. So I guess, Andrew, if you were in government, what do you think your party would be doing to bring this astronomical number down?

Senator Bragg

Well, we just want more of everything. I mean, I think this is a crazy purity test where people say you've got to be for renewables, or you've got to be for fossil fuels. I'm for more of everything. I think we should have more oil, more gas, more solar, more whatever, because at the end of the day, more energy at a cheaper price helps punters, helps business, and we're competing against economies that are doing this. Like, we're crazy if we're going to not get energy out of the ground and then import it like we're some beggar state. Like Albanese is going around to other states with a cap in hand saying, 'Please give us some petrol.' We could have got our own oil out of the ground, but he didn't want to do it because the environmental laws he put in place are crazy.

Alison Piotrowski

Alright, Clinton, median household bills have jumped over 50% in New South Wales and Queensland. At this point in time, how can families afford this?

Clinton Maynard

They can't, and Ali, they're still waiting for the apology. The Labor government, when they were in Opposition, promised to cut bills by $275 per year. The price hasn't come down, there's no apology. But this is what really grates. Many of your viewers today will have received a letter in the last month about the upcoming changes to supply charges and daily usage charges. And the regulator made a big song and dance, as the Government jumped on the back of this, that supply charges, daily usage charges were coming down. The supply charge, if you have a look at your bill, in the next financial year is going up. So if you don't use a lot of power, your bill may well rise. If you use a lot of power, it may well come down. And why do we have that supply charge? It's to build more renewable energy. The price—and Andrew, you want to build more things, you want more power…

Senator Bragg

Yep.

Clinton Maynard

But someone's got to pay for it. And that's part of the reason that daily supply charge is going to increase, to pay for all this stuff.

Alison Piotrowski

Yeah, we are wearing the costs indeed. Also making news this morning, Australians will soon be able to pay for an Uber using cash as the global technology giant looks to fill a consumer need. Andrew, taxis fear that this move is going to create a black market, taking away, I guess, their final commercial advantage that they had. Do you think it's fair?

Senator Bragg

This tells you how sick Australia is, that a vested interest would say you're not allowed to use cash. I mean, cash is king, and we live in a country which should be free and you should be able to avail yourself of new ideas, new competition. And I think Uber's been great. It's been a revolution, because it's actually shown how bad taxi services were in many cities in Australia, and so you should be able to use whatever you want. I'm over mandates. I'm over governments telling you what you can do with your own money. You should be able to pay for whatever service you can get with whatever way you want to do it.

Alison Piotrowski

So, you are telling the cab drivers of Australia watching this right now that, well, too bad?

Senator Bragg

I mean, I love cab drivers. I love small businesses. But I also love the idea of a free society where vested interests don't get to go to government and say, 'Hey, please put in place these rules to ban people from doing stuff.' I just think we're over mandates, we're over this control from Canberra or whatever. We've just got to get on and get the lowest price to the people. That should be our North Star.

Alison Piotrowski

And tech is just changing every industry, including this one. Clinton, um, it's likely that we will see less cabs on the road as a result, though. How do you feel about that?

Clinton Maynard

Yeah, we've seen less cabs over the past decade anyway because of the rise of Uber. But it should be about choice. If you want to use cash, use cash. If you want to use the Uber payment system, use that. And I think the cabbies and the taxi council should use this to their advantage. Get out there and say, 'Hey, we've got a highly regulated, safe system. If you want that security, get a cab.'

Alison Piotrowski

Yeah, they should improve their marketing.

Clinton Maynard

Just get out there and say it's safe.

Alison Piotrowski

Alright, finally, it's going to be forever for pop's most famous woman. I am talking about Taylor Swift, tying the knot with NFL superstar Travis Kelce at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. A very low-key affair. Andrew, I mean, you wouldn't know that it was going on.

Senator Bragg

Well, as a politician, you get invited to all these funerals and things that you never want to go to. But on this occasion, I think my invitation must have got lost in the mail. Would have been good to go.

Alison Piotrowski

What did you think about the whole MSG thing? A lot of people thought maybe that that was too much, it was too grand, that perhaps she should have gone for a more subtle affair.

Senator Bragg

Oh look, I think, you know, if you've got the money to pay for it, I think you should go your best. But yeah, good luck to them.

Alison Piotrowski

There were great pictures. All the stars were there. Adam Sandler even officiated the nuptials. Clinton, could we call this America's royal wedding? I mean, it is their big weekend, the 250th birthday!

Clinton Maynard

It's the closest thing to it. Adam Sandler, so Adam Sandler from The Wedding Singer, did he actually sing?

Alison Piotrowski

I don't know, we don't—this is the thing about it, we haven't seen any official photos. We know that the couple were both wearing Dior, but yeah, we haven't seen the official outfits. There's still a lot of mystery, despite the fact that the world's media were camped outside there at Madison Square Garden. Papping Hugh Grant walking in, papping all the celebs walking in, but I haven't actually seen Tay.

Clinton Maynard

Where's the honeymoon?

Alison Piotrowski

That is a good question.

Clinton Maynard

Will they come down under? Come on...come to the Kiama Blowhole, come to Sydney...we need the money!

Alison Piotrowski

I mean, who could say no to the Kiama Blowhole? I guess the big question is, if you've managed to keep the wedding under wraps, can you keep the honeymoon under wraps if you're Taylor Swift?

Senator Bragg

I don't think they can go anywhere without a million photographers, so they'll have to just find somewhere where no one wants to go, where there's no people. So maybe Antarctica.

Alison Piotrowski

Antarctica. There you go. Lots of interesting options this morning, the Kiama Blowhole and Antarctica. I mean, Tay Tay could do whatever she wants. Uh, thank you both for joining me this morning. Over to you at home.

[Ends]