Minister Rishworth interview on Newschat on The Today Show

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

CHARLES CROUCHER, HOST: Welcome back. This Tuesday morning, the Federal Government have unveiled their plan to bolster regional airports and airlines just weeks after Rex announced it was going into voluntary administration. Joining us to discuss today's headline is Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and National's Senator and Shadow Minister, Bridget McKenzie. Minister, we'll start with you. The Productivity Commission will be used to identify opportunities to improve some of these services. Realistically, though, how soon until we see more competition and lower prices and airfares?

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Firstly, I'd say that we haven't waited for this White Paper to already make reform. The reform that we're doing to the slot allocation, for example, at Sydney airport, is about bringing more competitors, new entrants into the market, into the domestic market in particular. But this White Paper has been a significant boost in terms of promoting more competition. So, we want to see more competition, but also consumer protection. Anyone that's travelling at the moment, often will find themselves delayed and there is a lot of difficulties at times. And so the consumer protection element of this White Paper is also critical as well.

CHARLES CROUCHER: Bridget, you'd welcome all of that, wouldn't you?

BRIDGET MCKENZIE, NATIONALS SENATOR: Oh, Charles, we've been beating this drum for two and a half years and the Government sat on its hands. Australians need an aviation sector where the planes take off and land on time, your bag lands in the same place that you do, and you can afford to buy a ticket. And this White Paper, that has also been delayed, it's kind of reflective of the aviation sector under this Government. It does not deliver the competition reforms that even Treasury says are actually needed. We've seen two airlines go into administration in a four-month period under this Government, and the slot review with a taskforce that was set up to implement those changes in 2022 was canned. And this Government has made no changes since their press release announcement in February. So, the Minister talks a big game, but if you're talking to Australian travellers, nothing's gotten better for them when it comes to an aviation sector that works for them. And just on the complaint box…

AMANDA RISHWORTH: [Interrupts] …Bridget, you were in government. You were in government. And received the report about slot reform and did nothing. You did nothing. We are actually getting on with the job. You didn't have a White Paper, you didn't have any reforms whatsoever. We're getting on with the job of reforming this sector and putting consumers front and centre.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: I didn't interrupt you, Minister. So, when we were in government, we commissioned the report because we know you can't have a competitive aviation sector unless you can actually get into our busiest airport, which is Sydney. That slot review done by the former productivity commissioner, Peter Harris, delivered its report. We set up a taskforce of experts to start implementing it. That taskforce was axed when the Labor party came to power. And it's two and a half years later. And not one thing has changed…

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, you didn't do it and we're getting on with it. We're getting on with the job of doing it.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: No, you're not. No changes until 2026 under this White Paper. That's what your own White Paper says. It sets up a complaint box, people might get a refund…

AMANDA RISHWORTH: …We are all getting on with the job.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: …Charles, I'd really appreciate being able to respond.

CHARLES CROUCHER: I'm enjoying the back and forth. Amanda, I'll go to you because the interesting part here is that everyone agrees, including that Treasury report late last night that was dropped, that we need more competition. Is it sustainable to have more than two airlines in Australia?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, we believe that through the slot reform and other competition measures, we can attract new entrants into the domestic market. We think that this is a really important reform. Whatever Bridget said, she sat on that report, didn't do anything about it. They were in government for ten years. It's funny that they've had this new revelation around this, but it is really important reform. I think there can be new players in the market and we want to see that happen.

CHARLES CROUCHER: You go, Bridget.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: Charles, just on that. Access to Sydney through the slots is through a company majority owned by Qantas and Virgin. The Minister's own complaint box is going to be majority funded by Qantas and Virgin. This Government ran a protection racket for Qantas when we wanted to increase international competition into this country last year. There was a whole Senate inquiry on it that handed down useful recommendations that the Government ignored. And right now, the protection racket for Qantas continues because nothing will actually change.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: That is just not the case.

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: If this was actually going to address the problem, Qantas would be screaming and their press release would be…

AMANDA RISHWORTH: …That is not the case, Bridget. We have had Turkey Airlines come into the…

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: I give up.

CHARLES CROUCHER: We'll keep an eye on this.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, that is not true. There have been new entrants internationally and we are working towards this. And it would be good to see some positivity from you, Bridget, about this long-term reform…

BRIDGET MCKENZIE: No, Minister, that's not true. Air fares are going up and I can't find my bag and you're doing nothing about it.

CHARLES CROUCHER: Okay. I want to make note, you're both in Bendigo. There are three coffee shops I've seen here. One called Awaken, one called Grounded, another one with a name that probably doesn't work for morning television called Get Naked Espresso. The two of you - two of the harder workers in Canberra - you can go and get this solved right now with a coffee at Awaken coffee somewhere near you in Bendigo. Enjoy your time there. Lovely having on the program this morning.

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