: Prime Minister, welcome back to Perth Live.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Oly. Good to be back in this beautiful state. And I brought a bit of rain with me yesterday, but it's fined up a bit at the moment.
PETERSON: You did. There was a bit of rain around about an hour ago or so now. It's just as you were holding the Cabinet meeting and maybe there was something across the Nullarbor from New South Wales and Victoria wanting our GST fix.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're about to have the Cabinet in about 20 minutes time and we'll hear from the Premier, is going to come along. But the position, really the GST deal for WA, of course, hasn't changed. WA makes a great contribution to our national economy and to the national Budget. And the deal that's in place, of course, ensures that no state is disadvantaged because of the deal that is in place for WA.
PETERSON: Do you think WA might be getting too much GST though, as a result of that deal done with Malcolm Turnbull and his then Treasurer, Scott Morrison?
PRIME MINISTER: No, well, there is no change to that arrangement and we have made that very clear. And importantly, there's no disadvantage for any state or territory. There is a cost to the Commonwealth, but it's one that we accept benefits WA, but WA makes such an important contribution to our national economy and WA is the fastest growing state in Australia. And every time I'm here, I am lifted up by the positivity of this great state. And I've been here now 35 times as Prime Minister. It's my second time since the election and we were elected, of course, one month ago today. And that's why I've brought my entire Cabinet here again. I think it's the fourth time now that the Cabinet has met here in the West, not just in Perth, but of course we also had a meeting in Port Hedland.
PETERSON: You did have a meeting in Port Hedland and there's a fair bit on the agenda, obviously to cover off while Cabinet will be meeting in about 20 minutes or so, as you say. Now, minimum wage today are rising by 3.5 per cent. No one's obviously begrudging a pay rise. Is it becoming difficult for businesses to pay and do the wage increases need to be linked to greater productivity? Because it seems to also be an ongoing issue, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, importantly, this is the minimum wage and Award wages. So, it's three million Australians will benefit from this decision today. And they're the sort of people who kept the whole show running during COVID. At the time we said they deserve our thanks, but they deserve more than that as well. They deserve a decent wage. And if you look at this increase, it's a modest real wage increase, but it's an important one. They've been under financial pressure. You can't say that you care about cost of living pressures and then say you're going to leave people behind. And we have had real wages increase for five quarters in a row. We think that's a good thing. We want people to earn more and we want people to keep more of what they earn, which is why we introduced the changes to our taxation system to ensure every Australian got a tax cut, not just some. And why we have also legislated in our most recent Budget, of course, there'll be further modest tax cuts next year and the year after.
PETERSON: Talking of tax - on super, the Coalition says it's willing to negotiate on a deal. They want the tax to be indexed, they want the unrealised gains component to be scrapped. Should the policy be indexed so it doesn't snare more people than intended through bracket creep?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, there's a range of taxation arrangements, including income taxes, of course, that aren't indexed. They get changed from time to time when it's appropriate and that was the system. But it's good that the Coalition. I welcome the fact that they're saying that they won't just say no to everything from the very beginning. But we'll, of course, talk to people in the Senate. We don't have a majority in the Senate, we have a majority in the House of Representatives. But we always treat people in the Parliament with respect and we'll do that on every occasion for every piece of legislation which is there.
PETERSON: Well, I'll come to the Senate in a moment. But there is concern on this, the way the policy is currently being explained, that more than a million Aussies could eventually be hitting by the tax hike. And isn't the unrealised gains component of the policy unfair? Because there would also be people scratching their heads wanting to know why pollies with big super balances may also be exempt from this.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they're not exempt. They're not exempt, full stop. And so that was clear in the previous legislation that was introduced. Look, we'll work these issues through, but the truth is that we need to make sure that the superannuation system is fair. Superannuation is really important to provide for people's retirement, but when you have super accounts with $100 million in it, then that's not really to provide for an adequate retirement, is it, Oly? You know, so this applies for, importantly, just 0.5 per cent of the population. There are changes made here, have been proposed we introduced the legislation in the last Parliament. We have said that we want to make sure that the system is fair and appropriate. And that's what this is about.
PETERSON: You mentioned the Senate before. Expecting blowback from the Greens when it comes to getting policy over the line. Because as you say, you still need some of those crossbenchers in the Senate, with Dorinda Cox joining Labor.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll talk to the Greens and talk to the Coalition and talk to independent senators as well. That's what we'll do. But Senator Cox made the decision that she wants to deliver progress in a party of government. She's looking forward to working with the united Labor Caucus, working in the interests of Western Australians, but also in the national interest as well. And it's a decision that she made that her values are more suited to the Labor Party than what the Greens have become. She's a former member of the Labor Party, of course, and so she's made this decision. It's one that I respect. And today she was admitted in as a member of the Labor Party.
PETERSON: What do you think about bare knuckle fighting?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't really think anything of it, I've got to say.
PETERSON: Do you think an event should be going here in Perth in a month or so's time?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I have no idea. I haven't given any thought to it. As long as I'm not participating. You're not suggesting -
PETERSON: No. No other Australian state's ever done it. And it looks like we're going to have tickets go on sale on Wednesday. The Premier doesn't want it. The Deputy Premier doesn't want it, but they're leaving it up to the Combat Sports Commission. Should it be banned? Is this the kind of sport you want played out in an arena in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, it doesn't appeal to me, I've got to say, but certainly I've got a lot of responsibilities as Prime Minister. This, I don't think, is one of them. So, the State Government or the authorities, whoever it is, who has to make this decision. I think one of the things that might be relevant here is the concern that's there about concussion in general. You know, we do need to make sure that health concerns are being looked after. I met with Mark Carroll who as a Rugby League supporter, you would know. I met with him in Sydney in my office just at the end of last week and he raised the full range of concerns. He's running a bit of a campaign. He was - he's a tough fella but, you know, too many people are suffering from these long term issues that arise from some of these activities as well. So, I think health advice is pretty important when it comes to all of these issues. And I'd be hopeful that whoever it is who's making the decision bears that in mind.
PETERSON: It's not a good advertisement, is it, if you're talking about concussion and obviously the plight that many former footballers, as you say, people who are boxing, those who are playing sport on the weekends, if you see bare knuckle fighting in a ring, they might think it's commonplace. You can do it, you know, in a pub, you can do it on the weekend. I just don't think it's something that we as Australians want to accept, PM.
PRIME MINISTER: No, and I think that's a pretty fair comment, I've got to say. From my perspective, as I said, it's not really my responsibility as PM, but I do think that we need to be really cognisant about health advice when it comes to these issues because they are really prevalent and in years past there wasn't as much concern about it. And I know of a number of footballers, a couple of whom I'm friends with, who are really doing it tough in their post football life as well. And we've seen, certainly, across a range of football codes, but particularly Rugby League and AFL, we've seen early retirements in order to protect people's long term health interests.
PETERSON: Tom Eisenhuth, just recently from the Dragons, having to hang up the career early. So, if it was your decision, if it had to come across your desk, you'd probably say, no, don't want it, let's not do it.
PRIME MINISTER: I think I probably would. As you said, I've never actually heard of bare knuckle boxing taking place. It's pretty obvious what it is. I'm assuming it's what it sounds like. And there's a reason why boxers wear gloves and wear appropriate protection if, where it is appropriate. Certainly in amateur boxing, they wear headgear and all of that. You know, I do think that we need to have a bit of common sense here.
PETERSON: Prime Minister, I'll let you get to Cabinet. I appreciate your time. Enjoy the rest of your trip here to Western Australia.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Oly.
