Patrick Gorman on Sky News Politics Now

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman, is the result, [of the US election] you would almost fear most a Democrat win and Donald Trump not accepting it and the chaos that could result?

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm not going to predict how that plays out. What I know is that Australia and our officials had strong relationships with the former Trump Administration. Obviously, we currently have very strong relationships with Kamala Harris as Vice President and the current Biden Administration, we respect that the people of the United States will make their decision, just as we expect countries of the world to respect us as we go through our democratic processes. That's how democratic nations show respect for one another.

CONNELL: But I mean, given what's happened, and you would have to have some concern of sort of riots across the country and whatever else might happen?

GORMAN: Well, I think where we've seen - indeed, with former President Trump and the security challenges that he has had - the regular challenges they have in security, in US elections. I think we've seen people in the United States be able to go and participate peacefully in their democratic exercise, attending rallies, lining up to vote early. That's what I want to see happen, and I hope, as anyone would. I'm sure both leaders expect that that will be what continues once the result is known on Wednesday, our time, but I think your entire Sky panel is in for a very long day.

ANDREW CLENNELL, PANELLIST: We just had Jonathon Duniam in here saying Kevin Rudd shouldn't stay there if Donald Trump gets elected. He's your former boss, what do you make of that? It's different from what Simon Birmingham said yesterday, I have got to say.

GORMAN: I think most people would expect that when we appoint someone to be an ambassador for Australia in the United States, they serve out their term. That's what I expect.

CLENNELL: What is his term? Three years, is that it?

GORMAN: The standard is three years, sometimes ambassadors serve four or more. That's been the case, I think, with former Ambassador Hockey and -

KIERAN GILBERT, PANELLIST: Beazley did five.

GORMAN: Yeah, there you go. Because these are long, enduring relationships. These appointments are always made in the national interest to advance Australia's interests.

CLENNELL: Is it in the national interest if Donald Trump can't stand the guy? I guess that's the question.

GORMAN: I'm not going to go into those sort of things. We have got a democratic process happening in the United States. I don't think it would be appropriate for me to project what President Trump thinks of anything when it comes to foreign policy. I am pretty confident that when it comes to Australia's public servants in Washington, DC, 250 of them, one of which is Kevin Rudd, they will all be acting in Australia's national interest come Wednesday morning US time as they have a result and looking to build relationships with whoever the American people choose to be their next president.

TRUDY MCINTOSH, PANELLIST: We saw Lara Trump, Trump's daughter-in-law and the RNC co-chair, on Erin last week say they would prefer someone who had showed respect or appreciates all that Donald Trump has gone through. Does Kevin Rudd fit that bill?

GORMAN: I think when it comes to the work of diplomacy, everyone who is at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we expect them to work with the administrations of the countries in which they are operating in. I am very confident that Kevin Rudd, who started his career in the diplomatic service, has served as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister here in Australia, has been in the states more or less for a decade, working on complex policy issues across the political spectrum - I think he is a fantastic person to continue that work. Whatever the American people decide.

GILBERT: Was there a bit of a truce in Question Time today on the Qantas upgrades issue, both sides sort of thought, 'okay, there's enough. It'll end up being a pox on both houses. Let's rein it in,' because the one question where Qantas was referenced was a Dorothy Dixer to Tony Burke?

GORMAN: Kieran, I love that you think that we have that much influence over the Opposition's Question Time tactics. We don't know until we walk in at two o'clock - well we walk in before two o'clock, of course, we get told off if we don't.

GILBERT: It looks like it looks like a truce to me.

GORMAN: Look, I don't know what the Coalition have planned for the next few days, but obviously some of their chief attack dogs have all of a sudden gone very quiet on this.

MCINTOSH: Pat, can I ask I've been looking through your register of interests, you declared the Qantas Chairman's Lounge, Virgin and also free parking at Perth Airport. Must be nice. Should you hand that back? Not the parking maybe, but should you hand it back? We are seeing teal MPs say that they're going to get rid of it because of their perception of a conflict of interest?

GORMAN: Look, I haven't made that decision. I respect that some Members of Parliament choose not to accept those offers. Some Members of Parliament choose to accept them. Where we do, we declare it. That's the appropriate thing to do when it comes to register of interests. And Trudy, I'd encourage everyone who's watching this program to do what you've done, go and look at my register of interests. Have a look at the register of interests of those MPs have just said they're going to hand back their Chairman's Lounge passes that they've held for the last few years.

MCINTOSH: But what's so good about the Chairman's Lounge that everyone seems to be so desperate to remain in the club?

GORMAN: Oh look, I think when you travel as often as Members of Parliament do, and again, one of those members that you referred to earlier has the luxury of driving from Sydney to Canberra. I wish I could do that from Perth. I wish that was an option available to me. And if I could, I would. But ultimately, I think sometimes you are trying to get a little bit of work done before you jump on those flights. And again, we -

CONNELL: You could do that in the humble business lounge, because every other, every pollie would qualify for that, given the amount of flying?

GILBERT: Then he's got to sit next to individuals like myself -

CONNELL: He's not slumming it -

CLENNELL: I'm in Economy I don't know about you.

MCINTOSH: I'm waiting at the gate - you can come and sit there if you want.

CONNELL: KG's giving a bit of cover there.

MCINTOSH: An average voter in your seat of Perth doesn't necessarily get these sort of perks, and in the middle of a cost of living crisis, they look at you and say, 'these are a group of people who get special privileges that none of none of us get.'

GORMAN: Actually, I had someone ask me about this when I was doorknocking in North Perth on Friday, I said exactly to him what I've said to you; 'go have a look at my register of interests, completely up front.g I am a member of the Qantas Chairman's Lounge, and I use those meeting room facilities when I'm going back and forth representing him here in the nation's capital. And I'm and I'm pretty open about that, I think also because it might be your next question. If you look, I received two tickets from Qantas to the Western Derby last year. I declared that as well.

MCINTOSH: Have you asked for an upgrade?

GORMAN: No.

CLENNELL: Why haven't you ever asked for an upgrade? Apparently, it's, you know, the thing to do when you're an MP.

GORMAN: Well, again, I am going to be completely honest and transparent about this. I normally fly business class. When I'm going from Perth to Canberra, there's one direct flight a day from Perth to Canberra and back. I do that flight. I do that flight about 40 times a year, and I travel in that class.

CLENNELL: So you're entitled to that? What entitles you to that, Assistant Minister or...?

GORMAN: Every Member of Parliament again, and you go look at the Department of Finance regulations that members can travel in Business Class when they're doing their parliamentary business. I'm really open about that, and I'm sure some of your viewers would have different views about that, but again, I think it's better to be transparent, to be upfront, and that's why I'm giving a complete, full and honest answer. The reason I don't receive upgrades is because I travel most of the time in Business Class between Perth and Canberra.

CONNELL: And they are work trips, if you see those planes, they're full of politicians and the ones that haven't booked early enough -

CLENNELL: I've seen Allegra Spender in Economy, I've got to say, and she's worth 100 million bucks.

MCINTOSH: The Treasurer often likes to say he flies Economy too.

CONNELL: Well, it's a long trip. I'm not going to begrudge you Pat Gorman.

CLENNELL: Perth to Sydney to Canberra is long trip.

GORMAN: But you do want to ask me about the 25,000 people in Perth who are going to get their HECS fees cut?

CONNELL: Well, I have this question for you - we're over time but I'll be alright - this cancelled debt, so you say it's about cost of living, but people still have a debt, so it's not going to adjust what they do while we've got high inflation. This is this is a buy off for the election, isn't it?

GORMAN: It's a real concern, particularly for young people who are accumulating that debt. I had a mobile office in Joondanna where Tessa, who's studying medicine at the University of Western Australia, came and saw me and said, 'this debt that I'm acquiring' - while studying something important, we need more doctors. We need more doctors to make sure that our health system stays strong and that Medicare stays strong. She's concerned about the debt that she's accumulating. I can now go back to her and say we're going to cut it by 20% and lock in fee-free TAFE for the long term. Again, something that we know has been successful, so we should keep doing it.

CLENNELL: I'm told you stick to orange juice in the Business Class. Is that true?

GORMAN: I had a tomato juice, actually, on the flight over yesterday.

MCINTOSH: No vodka in it?

GORMAN: No, none of that then I had a cup of tea. It was white, no sugar. Again, I'm happy to answer all your questions.

CONNELL: You can find out what Pat Gorman had for lunch, Patrick, we will leave it there I think. Thank you.

GORMAN: Thank you Tom.