Interview with Tom Steinfort on the Today Show

‍Subjects: Government spending and inflation, interest rate rises, Housing Australia Future Fund, US midterm elections, Pauline Hanson High Court racial discrimination appeal, couples' bedtimes.

E&OE....

Tom Steinfort:

Welcome back. Doesn't matter how many times it's spelled out, Anthony Albanese and his Labor Ministers have continued their total refusal that the Government's spending has contributed to an 18-year high in interest rates. This comes as new data reveals almost 70% of Australia's inflation surge is homegrown. Joining us to discuss today's headlines, we have Shadow Minister for Environment Andrew Bragg and Deputy Greens Leader Steph Hodgins-May. Andrew, I might start with you. The Reserve Bank Governor couldn't have been much clearer in her explanation on this. Why do you think the Government has just got its hands over its ears?

Senator Bragg:

Well, you can't make up your own facts, and we are spending at 40-year highs in Australia and taxing at historically high levels. And I think Mr Albanese needs to think about who he actually can get into the Treasury to cut spending, because Chalmers has given up on it. Unless they can cut spending, then we are not going to solve this inflation problem that we have, which has forced five interest rate rises this year alone. We are a world champion in inflation, and that is hurting so many people at the grocery shop, in terms of their mortgages—people are really struggling. So unless these guys can cut spending, we're stuffed.

Tom Steinfort:

But they'd argue that they tried to get some reforms through and you teamed up with the Greens to block them in the Senate.

Senator Bragg:

That is a very minor, piecemeal change in the scheme of spending at 40-year highs in terms of a Budget that's out of control, and the waste of the spending is massive. They've got a $10 billion Housing Fund, it's been going for three years, that's built 2,000 houses. How's that good value?

Tom Steinfort:

All right, well Steph, I might ask you about this because, bad enough that Aussie households are copping the brunt of the pain, but is it disrespectful for the Government not to take some ownership of what's happening here?

Steph Hodgins-May:

Well Tom, we don't believe that Government spending is the issue. We think it clearly sits at the feet of the 1%, and that is what's driving up inflation and really pushing up the cost of living for everyone.

Tom Steinfort:

So you think the Government's doing fine when it comes to spending?

Steph Hodgins-May:

No. What I would say, though, is that the Reserve Bank has put the blame on growing inflation on rising rents, on Trump's war in Iran, on the flood of AI data centres that are steamrolling our communities right across the country. If you want to look at Government debt and if you want to look at Government spending, we say look at the millions of dollars, or billions of dollars, that is going towards propping up the fossil fuel industry and paying for submarines that we will likely never see. So of course there's some blame there, but let's look at that misspending rather than going after really important services and things that are actually making people's lives better during a really tough time.

Tom Steinfort:

All right, moving on. Andrew, interested to get your thoughts: the political landscape in the US has been flipped on its head in the last 24 hours, those stunning midterm results. It's a real whack-down of the Republicans. As a member of the conservative party here in Australia, what's your take on it? Is it a worry about the right side of politics being on the nose there?

Senator Bragg:

All politics is local, and I think what this means for most Australians is they're going to be working out how can they get rid of Albo and Chalmers. That's what they're going to be thinking about today: how can they actually sack these people that have presided over this massive inflation nightmare? People who have run now a Government for five years, have spent so much money, have wasted so much money, and have caused so much economic pain here at home—that's what people will be thinking about today in Australia.

Tom Steinfort:

All right, well Steph, I've got to ask you about something to do with your party as well, because Pauline Hanson, she'll likely learn today whether her appeal in that racial discrimination case for telling Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi to—in more colourful language than this—go back to Pakistan, that's going to be heard in the High Court, whether or not that'll go ahead. She says the case interferes with her political communication rights. What's your response?

Steph Hodgins-May:

Well, I'm sorry, but you do not have a right to attack people publicly. And seeing that blue wave right across the US really was a rejection of the politics of hate, and fear, and division. I send my solidarity to Mehreen, who receives an enormous amount of hate across many channels. I, as a woman who puts myself out there, receive a fraction of that, and it's really tough. I'm sure there are women watching your program today that have felt that level of online abuse, and it's simply unacceptable. Leaders in this country have a responsibility to act in a way that meets community expectations, that is compassionate, that is respectful, that is kind, and certainly Pauline Hanson hasn't met that test. We can be kind to one another and still get our points across, and that's what I endeavour to do in my work, and I wish Pauline would maybe take a bit of that advice and treat people with the respect that they deserve.

Tom Steinfort:

All right, well finally this morning, it's the bedtime question sure to divide a lot of couples: should partners head to bed at the same time? A researcher at Monash University says it's counterproductive because our internal body clocks are different. Andrew, my wife and I, I go to bed a lot earlier than my wife, which is great—I get more sleep and she gets to watch Real Housewives of Beverly Hills without my unhelpful observations. What's your system?

Senator Bragg:

Well, I think as long as you're getting seven hours, then you're going to be fine. And if you can't get to sleep, then you can go onto YouTube and look at Senate Estimates, and you'll fall asleep within a few seconds because the answers are so boring and so long, and they go out of their way to avoid answering the questions—you'll be asleep very soon.

Tom Steinfort:

That's true public service work, what you're doing in Senate Estimates, putting us all to sleep. Steph, what about you?

Steph Hodgins-May:

Oh, that's the stuff of nightmares, Andrew! We're one of those families that do rock-paper-scissors as to who makes the lunchboxes each night. We are absolutely exhausted by the time 10 o'clock rolls around and do plonk into bed at the same time. But it is not for me to tell families what to do—there are enough other pressures and challenges that we're dealing with, so go to bed whatever time suits you, just be happy.

Tom Steinfort:

All right. Steph, Andrew, thanks for coming in today.

[Ends]

‍