Interview with Sally Sara on ABC Radio National

E&OE....

Sally Sara:

Turning to the Opposition now, and Shadow Minister for Housing Andrew Bragg has reignited a call for Australians to be allowed early access to their superannuation in order to increase home ownership. The Senator made the pitch in a speech to the Financial Services Council yesterday, and Andrew Bragg joins me now. Andrew Bragg, welcome back to Radio National Breakfast.

Senator Bragg:

Morning Sally, how are you?

Sally Sara:

Very well, thanks. Before we get to super, what did you make of the Trump Administration calling on the federal government here in Australia to exclude US social media companies from its proposed changes to social media algorithms? This is this submission from the US Embassy here in Canberra.

Senator Bragg:

Well, I think there is a risk of censorship. There is a risk of bestowing too much power onto unelected bureaucrats, and I think there is a risk of too much regulation which may not actually have any great impact on our economy or our society. So I'd just say I share some of the concerns, but obviously Australia will make its own judgments on these things.

Sally Sara:

Is it appropriate for the US Embassy to be putting in a submission on domestic laws here in Australia?

Senator Bragg:

Yeah, I mean, I think it's fine. We live in a free society, at least we used to, and people are allowed to express a view. Maybe they'll be censored by the new laws, but look, I think it's okay for us to hear from our colleagues in other countries. That's often the case when law reform is being undertaken.

Sally Sara:

The Opposition doesn't have a policy yet on using super to help more Australians into housing. Why are you being vocal on a proposal that's not endorsed by your senior colleagues?

Senator Bragg:

Well, as you know, we're a great country and we should be able to have big debates as we had in the '80s and '90s about national savings and housing and the like, which led in fact to the super guarantee. I think it's important that we maintain the high-quality debate that befits our country, because the risk is that you can lose good debates like this.

You've got one party off with a relatively small idea here, you've got the Labor Party trying to raise donations off the back of this debate, on the back of a scare campaign. And I think it's important that we are clear-eyed about the facts here. And the facts are that we are at risk of becoming a nation with more than 1 million retired renters, and I don't think that's a good outcome for our country.

Sally Sara:

Why not have that debate within the Coalition, land on a policy, and then try to persuade the public of the merits?

Senator Bragg:

Well, of course that's happening as well. But it's important in public life not to waste the time that you've been given by the people, and I think it's critical that we get the facts out there, because as I say, the Labor Party is desperate to run a scare campaign. One Nation have a reasonably small policy here in this space, and I think the macro trend here is that the proportion of retired renters has doubled over the last decade or so. We're going to hit a million retired renters by 2032. Now, that will change the character of the Australian housing system.

And when superannuation started back in '92, the assumption was that people would own their own house. So of course the housing challenge is primarily a supply-side challenge, almost entirely, but it's very important that we look to calibrate the retirement and housing and superannuation systems to make sure that we're getting the best outcomes for the Australian people. I don't think that's controversial. I think that's just our day job.

Sally Sara:

You're listening to Radio National Breakfast. My guest is the Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Andrew Bragg. Your Senate colleague Alex Antic has been elected as the President of the Liberal Party in South Australia. Do you think there's room within the federal structure of the Liberal Party for some state branches of the Liberal Party to have close cooperation and relations with One Nation and others not?

Senator Bragg:

Well, that's really a matter for them. I would have thought we're trying to win government as a majority government of the Coalition. I don't think we're seeking to have any formal alliances with anyone else, and that would be the position that the federal Coalition would take.

Sally Sara:

So should it be one size fits all, that there's not cooperation or linking between the two parties?

Senator Bragg:

No, look, I love South Australian football and I love all of the southern states and their obsession about Australian Rules football, but I'm not an expert on South Australian politics.

Sally Sara:

But in principle, would it be okay if in some states the Liberal Party has ties with One Nation, others don't, or should there be a federal position?

Senator Bragg:

The state divisions don't determine the arrangements for federal elections, so that's determined centrally by the central federal campaign.

Sally Sara:

State elections?

Senator Bragg:

As I said, I'm not an expert on the state of South Australia and their electoral prospects and fortunes and ideas. I really couldn't comment on that, sorry.

Sally Sara:

Andrew Bragg, thank you for joining me this morning.

Senator Bragg:

Okay, thanks Sally.

Sally Sara:

Andrew Bragg, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness.

[Ends]

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