SARAH ABO, HOST: Jim Chalmers says the Government's bumper surplus shows we don't need to choose between responsible economic management and compassion in what some see as a hint towards further cost of living relief. We sure know we need it. A $20 billion surplus coming. Can we expect relief will follow?
NT SENATOR MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Isn't that quite exciting, Sarah? It's good to be able to speak about that, actually, given we haven't had a projected surplus in so long. So well done to the Treasurer. And of course I have no doubt that he's acutely aware, Sarah, of the pressures on families right across the country, and we're certainly trying to deliver in lots of other areas in terms of childcare this month, certainly with cheaper medicines and no doubt there will be lots of advocacy of the Treasurer to make sure that we do see some more relief in sight in the future.
ABO: There has been some criticism, I suppose, on perhaps getting the priorities right and not necessarily focusing on a surplus, but rather addressing those cost of living pressures that are hurting so many Aussies at the moment.
MCCARTHY: Well, there's always going to be some kind of criticism, Sarah, and you'd expect that in the world of politics. But I firmly am of the view that the Treasurer definitely knows what he's doing and also our Finance Minister, Katy Gallagher, who's certainly always pursuing in the interest of the area of women as her role as Minister for Women as well, that we have to look at the care economy and that's what we've been dealing with.
ABO: The public sector pay packets are under the spotlight this morning. Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett saying those who choose to work from home should have their salaries cut. If you work from home, you don't have to pay for a bus or train fare, for example, or petrol to drive. So should they get a pay cut?
MCCARTHY: Well, you can flip it again too and go well for employers they don't have to pay for the electricity if those people aren't working from work, the IT certainly, you know, even bathroom upkeep and cleaning and all of that. So I think it's a conversation that's there for everyone to have and it's a good conversation If you think just only a couple of years ago we were all very concerned about the pandemic and rightly so. And if we can now move forward and go, well, this is a conversation for the whole country, families, people who want to be able to work at home, people who like to still go to work, what about our young people? Is that a good culture for them to sort of be introduced into if they haven't worked before in their lives? I think this is a conversation for everyone. And that means employers, unions and employees.