MP Patrick Gorman Interviewed on Sky News Newsday

TRUDY McINTOSH, HOST: I want to continue with our top story and these potential acts of terror in the United States. I'm joined now by the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman. Pat, thanks so much for your time. What's the latest advice the Australian Government has on these attacks in New Orleans, in particular, and we saw that explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. At this stage, are any Australians caught up? We know a lot of people are there visiting the US at this time of year.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Yeah. Firstly, if I can just say to our friends in the United States that Australia is as shocked as you are, and we stand with you. This is an appalling act of horrific proportions that has sought to strike fear into the hearts of people who were just out enjoying themselves in a great country where they should have had the right to do so. And for those families who have lost loved ones, it is just absolutely shocking. We've had the Department of Foreign Affairs making inquiries at this stage. We do not understand there are any Australians involved in this particular incident, but for our friends in the United States, there have been tragic losses of life, and it is just hard to understand how a human being can get themselves to the point that they are doing this to their fellow citizens. It is just truly awful.

McINTOSH: Yeah, just awful, as you say, but it's been something we've been grappling with as a world, really, for more than a decade, the threat of ISIS. We saw an ISIS flag in the back of this man's vehicle in New Orleans. Back here at home, the terror threat level remains at probable. That was raised in the last 12 months by our security agencies. It means, in essence, there's a greater than 50% chance of an attack. But I just wanted to ask you about that domestic implication here, given the link again to ISIS, what more are our agencies doing to ensure, to double check that things haven't escalated here at home either?

GORMAN: As you said, Trudy, our terrorism alert level is probable. That is not where you would ever want it to be, but that is about sharing the information that's available to our security agencies with the Australian public so they know what to be on lookout for and what our current security situation is. We'll continue to take advice from US agencies as they investigate what potential links there are to terrorist organisations, when it comes to this attack in New Orleans, we'll continue to take that advice. I don't have anything I can share with your viewers now. Other than that we all have a responsibility to be on the lookout for potential things that don't seem quite right. There are phone numbers that people can call if they see things that they think need to be investigated further, and, of course, we will continue to do everything we can as the Australian Government to keep Australians safe at home. That is, of course, so important, but we all have a role to play in making sure that when we see things that maybe aren't quite right, that we do report that to authorities.

McINTOSH: Well, on to domestic matters now, we saw that picture of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the New Year's Eve party with Donald Trump, the incoming president over there. Is that a bit of a slap in the face, really, for our current ambassador, Kevin Rudd? There have been questions about whether Rudd's been able to make amends into the Trump world, given some of his previous comments. Has Kevin Rudd been able to get this level of access that Scott Morrison has been able to get?

GORMAN: Oh, look, I think firstly, to Scott and Jenny; Happy New Year. It's nice to see them enjoying their life post-politics at a New Year's Eve party. People can choose where they spend New Year's Eve. It's one of the great freedoms that we have in this country. They looked like they were having a very good time. And I wish them all the best. When it comes to the important work of diplomacy, I'll note that that was a private party. It wasn't a diplomatic event. And when it comes to what the Australian Government does through our ambassadors, including Ambassador Rudd, it's always about focusing on the best ways to do diplomacy well to get outcomes for the Australian people. That's what Kevin Rudd, that's what all of our Ambassadors do.

McINTOSH: Is one of the best ways we could get an outcome to draft in former Prime Minister Morrison as a form of envoy role? Is there a rethink needed in Canberra about if Scott Morrison has a good relationship with Donald Trump, Australia wants to avoid the tariffs, that he might be in a good position to actually play a formal diplomatic role for Australia?

GORMAN: Well, our ministers work with their counterparts in the United States, we've had Prime Minister Albanese speaking with President-Elect Trump. That's where we do our negotiations. It's not unusual to have former prime ministers on either side of politics maintain relationships once they go on to their private business interests and other things. That's what I think Scott Morrison is doing. I wish him all the best. Truly I do. To him and Jenny. It was just genuinely nice to see them enjoying life post-politics, a little less scrutiny. And I think one of the things that we can all do as Australians, regardless of our politics, is allow former prime ministers, when they move on, to enjoy a little bit less time in the spotlight. And that's obviously, well, what he was doing, having a good time on New Year's Eve.

McINTOSH: Well, he did post the picture himself, so he obviously wanted people to see it, Pat, didn't he? He posted it.

GORMAN: Oh yeah, well he posts that. He's kept up his posting of his curry nights and things. I wish him all the best.

McINTOSH: Just one final one, the Coalition claiming today in The Australian - 10,000 businesses at risk of bankruptcy before June this year. What has Labor done to make life easier for business? Businesses point out a lot of the IR changes have made it much harder for them to continue operating.

GORMAN: Yeah. Well, firstly, obviously, if there's any small business who is in trouble, I'd encourage them to call the Small Business Debt Helpline. That's a Commonwealth-funded program that we extended in our budget last year that helps small businesses when things are a little bit tough. We also put in that budget a huge cash flow boost for small business by extending the $20,000 instant asset write off. What we know is Australia is a great place to do business. We had some 436,000 new businesses start in Australia last financial year. And my advice to the Coalition this year, an election year, 2025, is: stop talking the Australian economy down. Stop talking down Australian workers and stop talking down Australian small businesses. Because you can run around trying to say you're looking for a problem, or you can come out with solutions. I'll note the last time there was a solution on the table to give more cash to small businesses, the $325 energy credit, the Coalition voted no. The last time they had a chance to back in measures to support small business, they said no. And today in the paper, they're not putting out any new ideas to support small business. They're just talking down the Australian economy. It's got to stop.

McINTOSH: It's almost like there's an election around the corner. Patrick Gorman, as our Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, much appreciate your time today in Brisbane.