Peter Stefanovic: Sarah Henderson, it’s good to see you this morning. Sarah, so how do you feel, first of all, about a limit to two negatively geared properties?
Senator Henderson: Well these reports confirm, Pete, that Labor is now looking at two taxes on Australians’ homes, not just one. And this is further confirmation, of course, that you know Labor is after Australians’ money. They’ve run out of their own money and now they’re after your money. We know that this will mean less houses, not more. So this is, as I say, further confirmation that the budget is out of control and now the government is looking at every way that they can tax Australians to try and get their budget back into some sort of control.
Peter Stefanovic: Well, I mean, it feels as though there is something that’s going to happen in this space for the May budget, whether it is negative gearing or whether it’s the reduced discounts to capital gains tax but neither of which will address that central issue of supply.
Senator Henderson: Well that’s exactly right, and Labor is destroying the great Australian dream of home ownership. We’ve made it very clear that this will be a central part of our work over the next couple of years under Angus Taylor’s leadership. So as I say, more taxes on housing will mean less houses for young Australians, not more, and that’s why we will reject any such suggestion.
Peter Stefanovic: Okay let’s go to that other story I brought to you just a moment ago on Barnaby Joyce, Sarah, who reckons the Coalition should be teaming up with One Nation. Do you think the Coalition should be doing preference deals with One Nation?
Senator Henderson: Well Pete, as we’ve just heard from Angus Taylor, there’s quite a bit of time to run before the next election but we do respect why Australians, some Australians, have left the Liberal Party and are now supporting One Nation. We do understand that we’ve got a very big job to rebuild their trust in the Liberal Party. But I might just say – maybe Barnaby is feeling a bit lonely and maybe this is his way of saying, you know, come back, we’d love to have Barnaby back. But on a serious note, these matters will be decided very much down the track.
Peter Stefanovic: But as he points out, he is a conservative party. You are a conservative party. Why wouldn’t you work together at the next election? Because you can’t deny the fact that a lot of your support base has moved across or is moving across to One Nation.
Senator Henderson: Pete, there’s no denying that. And as I said, we realise that we’ve got a very big job to do to rebuild the trust of Australians but our focus is very much on fighting for Australians under Angus leadership every single day, on lower immigration, on sensible energy policies, on fixing this terrible budget, on getting the economy back on track. We know that this government is driving our nation off a cliff and that is very much our focus right now and going forward to the next election.
Peter Stefanovic: But you might be open to it? It’s not a no for you as well as it was for Angus Taylor, you’re open to it potentially down the track.
Senator Henderson: Pete, that’s a very good try but, as I say, these matters will be decided in due course.
Peter Stefanovic: Okay, eSafety powers. You’ve got some problems with it. Elaborate on that please.
Senator Henderson: Yes we saw a Full Federal Court decision which found that the eSafety Commissioner was acting beyond her powers in issuing a notice which did not comply with the legislation. So I have asked for a full review of the eSafety Commissioner’s use of mandatory take-down notices. This concerned a young woman who put up a post about a queer club at a primary school. She was raising genuine concerns about something that she felt was a real issue in primary schools. And we just want to make sure that the eSafety Commissioner is working in the best interests of all Australians, protecting online safety and not shutting down free speech or legitimate debate.
Peter Stefanovic: Okay, that’s Sarah Henderson live for us on this Friday morning. Thank you so much, Sarah. We’ll chat again soon.