Doorstop interview - Parliament House

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E&OE

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE:  The Albanese Government came here this week to get things done. That's what we do. Every week that we come here to Parliament. We are here to get things done. And we got things done when it comes to passing the Strengthening the Safety Net Bill. That means 1.1 million Australians will get more assistance from Centrelink from September. It includes 57,000 single parent families who will also get more support, something that I'm particularly proud to have supported in this Parliament.

We came here to get things done when it came to our action on climate change. And we again saw this week, the results of that with the great news that our efforts here in Australia on climate change, I've been internationally recognised and protecting what is really important for us, which is those economic assets that rely on protecting our environment, in particular, the Great Barrier Reef. Great news for tourism operators, great news for the Australian economy.

And we came here to get things done when it comes to making sure that we continue to strengthen the public service. We passed through the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the Public Service Bill, what that Bill means is that we will continue to work towards that vision of one APS. That is one public service delivering for the people of Australia. It means that we will have that strong APS Purpose Statement to make sure that our public servants are really clear in what it is that they are there to do for the Australian people. And it ensures that we have even more independence for our public sector. Making sure that it is that strong institution that continues government after government, of an apolitical nature, servicing the people of Australia.

And we will continue our efforts to work for Australians. Our efforts to work for Australians when it comes to housing. Which is why yesterday Minister Collins reintroduced the Housing Australia Future Fund, making sure that we can do the things that we promised the Australian people we would do. That we will work for them when it comes to making sure we have that long term ongoing build of social and affordable housing, something that Australia has been crying out for for years and years. So we come here to get that done. And we come here to get the work done when it comes to making sure that Australians can get cheaper medicines. We've already seen some of that agenda go through and we'll continue to prosecute the case for cheaper medicines with 60-day scripts over the coming weeks.

And then I get to the question. Okay, well, the Albanese Government has come here to get things done. We've come here to get things done when it comes to making sure we're acting on housing, acting on cheaper medicines, acting on Strengthening the Safety Net. What did Peter Dutton come to do here this week? Mr. Dutton came here to defend Scott Morrison and defend Scott Morrison's response to the Robodebt Royal Commission. Now, I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Dutton has a real problem with listening. Mr. Dutton does not know how to listen. He can't listen to a thorough Royal Commission report on Robodebt. The only person he's listening to in developing his policies is Mr. Morrison. And that is something that should deeply concern the Australian people. When Mr. Dutton comes into this place, and comes and does interviews, his main goal is to defend the legacy of Scott Morrison. When it comes to Robodebt of all issues, then the Australian people know that he's not listening to them. He's not listening to the victims who had to deal with that horrible Robodebt scheme, which Mr. Dutton himself endorsed in Cabinet. He's not listening to the people of Australia.

And I would echo the Prime Minister's call, which is: if Mr. Dutton wants to show that he is serious about listening to the people of Australia, maybe he could start by going to the Garma Festival this weekend. The word 'garma' means two-way learning. And if there's something that I think we all benefit from this place, it is two-way learning. It is listening. It is making sure that we hear different perspectives. And I would strongly encourage - it's not too late - for Mr. Dutton to choose to go and spend this weekend at Garma listening to people and engaging in that two-way learning.