Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service, Assistant Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
TOM CONNELL, HOST: We'll start with Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman. Thank you for your time.
PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here, Tom.
CONNELL: Are you just going to stop making election promises? They're a bit - it gets a bit awkward having to break them later on, doesn't it?GORMAN: If you look at what we have done over the last year, Tom, we have delivered on the promises we took to the Australian people. Twenty per cent off people's HECS, expanding Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, delivering on the reforms we said we would have around further tax cuts for the Australian people. Now, that is what we have been really focused on for the last year. You are obviously asking about what are our plans going forward, and I know that is a question not just on your mind. It is a question on the Australian people's mind. We will outline that in the budget tomorrow night, 7:30 Eastern Time. Of course, 5:30 Perth time. Important that I make that distinction. And I think your viewers will enjoy seeing our plans to secure Australia's future.
CONNELL: It's interesting, the question around intergenerational fairness, and, you know, often it's cited as so-called 'boomers.' I mean, many of them have an investment property, and their arrangements will stay in place because they're grandfathered. If someone else, a millennial or Gen X-er and wants to get one now, they'll have less generous tax treatment. Doesn't this actually entrench intergenerational inequality in that regard?
GORMAN: I will leave the measures for the budget for tomorrow night. What I will talk about -
CONNELL: You can surely answer -
GORMAN: - What I will talk, no, but what I will talk about is our government's strong belief in intergenerational fairness and making sure that some of those things that current and previous generations have had access to, which is what we call the Great Australian Dream, the idea that you can own your own home, and that there is enough reward available in our system for people who work hard and keep our economy going.
I want to make sure that people can get a home of their own if they save and do all of those things, and that we don't have that taken off the table for future generations. I have spoken about the importance of housing for a long time in this place. And if you look at every Labor budget we have had over the last four years, housing has been a key focus.
You know, if I think about some of the projects that are now rolling out in my electorate of Perth, where you've got new supply coming online, that's a good thing. And we have always said that we'll be a government that would focus on housing, and that's what we've done for the last four years.
CONNELL: Do you have an investment property?
GORMAN: I do not.
CONNELL: You don't.
GORMAN: No, I don't.
CONNELL: I mean, we're a similar age, and then so maybe your older colleagues do have one. So, it's just strange, [inaudible] intergenerational fairness like that. There'll be a lot of people, old Australians, that have one and gets grandfathered under what's going to be outlined tomorrow?
GORMAN: Well, you are looking into the future, and of course -
CONNELL: Alright will you, will you answer that head on once we hear the -
GORMAN: - It is right that you as a journalist want to get scoops on the budget. I completely respect that.
CONNELL: Would not be much of a scoop on CGT and negative gearing right now.
GORMAN: But when it comes to your question around how do we make sure that we do have some level of opportunity in the system to make sure that people who are, you know, possibly just out of TAFE, getting their first job, want to know that they're going to be able to buy a home. You know, a big part of that is supply, and you've seen those announcements over the last few days. You have the Treasurer out there on Sunday talking about the $2 billion investment to help local governments bring more land online. You know, we want to make sure that young people have a shot.
CONNELL: Okay. Farrer on the weekend, Labor didn't run. Clearly, a chunk of your vote went to One Nation. How serious are you taking the One Nation threat? We have had Barnaby Joyce say we are coming for Western Sydney Labor seats next. Is that a serious threat? Do you think on the way politics is current tracking, they can win a host of seats?
GORMAN: Look, I have always believed that you should never take the next election for granted. You have always got to work, as a local member or as a candidate, to earn the trust of the people at every election. I did not ever look to dismiss the possibility that another party could win a seat. But equally, I believe in holding people to account for both their actions and also whether or not they've got the right plans for the future. Now -
CONNELL: Are you worried that the way One Nation is running their campaign, they seem to be appealing to a reasonable cohort of Labor voters? All the vote, all the polling has your primary vote down as well. There are people leaving Labor to go to One Nation. Why do you think that is?
GORMAN: To answer your question, would I say I am worried? No, I am not. I think you are seeing a little bit of worry and fear break out in the Liberal Party and the National Party. I mean, this was not a good result for Angus Taylor -
CONNELL: No -
GORMAN: - He went to the election offering nothing, and the people -
CONNELL: It's a by-election.
GORMAN: - Well he went to the by-election offering nothing, and the people of Farrer gave him nothing in return, very clearly. And I think that's the real challenge for the Liberal Party is, in 2026, what does the Liberal Party stand for? What is it that they actually believe in? It is clear that Angus Taylor has not read the election review that was released just a couple of months ago. It is clear he has learned nothing from that. He offered nothing at the Farrer by-election, and, you know, two days afterwards, he's come out with no plan on what he plans to do after this absolutely shocking result for the Liberal Party.
CONNELL: So you are not worried at all around Labor voters switching to One Nation?
GORMAN: I take every voter and their decision seriously, but -
CONNELL: What about the One Nation threat? Are you taking that seriously?
GORMAN: Look, I think, I recognise that the Australian people want to see parties with practical solutions. The thing I will always say when it comes to the question about One Nation is I don't think they have got practical solutions. I see a lot of stunts from One Nation. I see Matt Canavan as the new leader of the National Party, following down that stunt-based path with no policies to back it up.
Now, I am happy to have that discussion with voters, either one on one, or on forums like this or elsewhere, about what it is that Labor offers as a sensible party of the centre who wants to form government and deliver for people, versus those parties who want to be very good at identifying problems, but very short on costed solutions.
CONNELL: Jason didn't turn up. Maybe David Farley will be on the panel with you next time. What do you reckon? Would you do that?
GORMAN: Look, I will when I, as you know, Tom, in the parliament, I sit around near the crossbench. Got a large caucus on the Labor side, so I sit near the crossbench. I will shake his hand and welcome him to the parliament. I came into this parliament at a by-election. I congratulate David on his election. He's come in at a by-election. It is a different experience. And of course, I believe even where there's people who you might disagree with, you can always learn something from them. So, I look forward to his contribution -
CONNELL: Patrick -
GORMAN: - in our democracy.
CONNELL: Thank you. Jason has just made it so Jason, hello and goodbye, and we'll talk to you next week.
GORMAN: Thanks Tom.
CONNELL: Patrick made it.
