Transcript of
Senator Mitch Fifield
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary
for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector
Sky News AM Agenda
with Kieran Gilbert
24 November 2009
8.40am
E & OE
Subjects: Emissions Trading Scheme, Disability Insurance
KIERAN GILBERT:
For this thoughts on just what is going to occur in the Coalition Party Room, I spoke to Liberal frontbencher and Senator Mitch Fifield a short time ago.
GILBERT:
Mitch Fifield, thanks for your time. Will Malcolm Turnbull secure enough support to get his compromise through the Party Room today?
MITCH FIFIELD:
Kieran, the Coalition has collectively reserved it’s position in relation to the ETS legislation pending the Government’s final offer. We will receive that final offer this morning and the decision of the Party Room will ultimately be determined by two things: the Government’s offer, and also the contributions of colleagues.
GILBERT:
Will there be a spill? I mean there is talk of a potential leadership spill over this issue if the leader doesn’t concede to, or accede to the request for a secret ballot.
FIFIELD:
Well, Malcolm has the support of the Party Room, and I think it is important when we are considering legislation of this significance, that we purely focus on the merits or otherwise of the legislation, and that we don’t consider it against the backdrop of leadership.
GILBERT:
Do you think there should be a secret ballot though?
FIFIELD:
I think there is some merit to having a secret ballot in determining our position on the ETS. It is important that the Party Room have a real sense of ownership of the outcome of the Party Room deliberations, and it is also important that the Party Room are confident that the true spirit and mind of the Party Room is reflected in the final outcome.
GILBERT:
Do you think that is likely though? It would be a dangerous precedent, a dangerous circumstance for Malcolm Turnbull to agree to a secret ballot?
FIFIELD:
It is a pretty unique set of circumstances. It is not a common thing to have a Government formally put an offer to an Opposition and to have a Coalition Party Room meeting happening at the same time as a Caucus meeting, considering the same subject matter. So I think it is a unique set of circumstances and if a secret ballot can give the Party Room a greater sense of ownership of the outcome then I think that is worth considering.
GILBERT:
It seems some of your colleagues are annoyed at how this has been handled. They feel that they have been railroaded to a degree. How strong is that sentiment?
FIFIELD:
Well this is a difficult issue. Feelings run high. There are strong opinions both ways. And we are in pretty much unchartered territory in terms of an Opposition negotiating in this fashion with the Government. So I think there are some understandable sensitivities.
GILBERT:
But how strong are they, I mean is it enough to blow up in the Party Room today, are you expecting a volatile meeting?
FIFIELD:
Colleagues feel very passionately about these matters, as is appropriate. Because we are talking about potentially one of the greatest structural changes to the Australian economy. Changes which could decimate certain industries. Changes which could lead to Australians losing their jobs. And this is against the backdrop of Australia potentially signing up, legislating, a scheme when we don’t know what the rest of the world is going to do. We are not going to know as a result of Copenhagen, what the rest of the world will be committed to. So these are big and weighty issues and passions run high, and that’s what you want, we are talking about the national interest.
GILBERT:
Does Malcolm Turnbull need to show tact to listen and to be diplomatic, they’re not characteristics that you would always suggest Malcolm Turnbull is renowned for. Does he need to listen and be diplomatic today?
FIFIELD:
Well Malcolm is capable of great charm. And managing a Party Room is a pretty unique skill, and every leader does it in their own way, John Howard had his own way, Malcolm Turnbull has his own way. But I am confident he’ll manage the process well.
GILBERT:
Ok just finally there’s been, the Government’s got the Productivity Commission to look at a national insurance scheme for disability. You are the Shadow Parliamentary Secretary in this area. Do you think this is a good move, do you welcome it?
FIFIELD:
I certainly welcome it. There is a tremendous inequity at the heart of support for Australians with disability. If you’re in an automobile accident you are catered for by a traffic accident scheme. If you’re in a workplace injury you are covered by a workplace insurance scheme. But if you fall off the roof at home, or if you are born with a disability, you don’t get the same degree of support that you do if you acquire your disability in one of those other two ways. So we do need to find a way to ensure that support is given for people with disabilities on the basis of need, rather than a system of rationing, which is pretty much the approach today. So I think the Productivity Commission is the appropriate way to look at the proposal for a National Disability Insurance Scheme. Little disappointed that it won’t report until July 2011. But I don’t want to be too critical. I think it’s an idea that is worthy of consideration.
GILBERT:
Senator Fifield thanks for your time and all the best for a big day ahead.
FIFIELD:
Thanks Kieran.
ENDS