Topics: COP31, Australia Post’s e-trikes, digital duty of care petition
Kieran Gilbert: Let’s go live to Liberal frontbencher, the Shadow Communications Minister, Sarah Henderson. Thanks for your time as always. Is it good that Australia is fostering those close relations with our Pacific neighbours, given climate is such a big issue to them?
Sarah Henderson: Kieran, good afternoon. This is a massive waste of taxpayers’ money, a vanity project by Chris Bowen, $150 million. It’s this sort of expenditure which is driving up inflation, driving up interest rates, and of course is sending our economy off the cliff. This is a complete joke, and of course, we know that Chris Bowen, who is destroying our energy system right across this country, wanted to be known as the president of negotiations. I mean, this is a joke. I’ve got a name for this, which I won’t use on your program, I think a lot of Australians think the same thing. But seriously, this government needs to pull its head in and stop spending like drunken sailors.
Kieran Gilbert: Let me ask you, there’s a few issues we’ve got to get across in a tight amount of time, but the ATO banning credit card payments from small businesses, they tried to justify it, saying it’s only a small number. It’s 5 per cent, that’s hundreds of thousands of small businesses, and obviously that number would change and shift depending on who might be struggling with cash flow at any particular time. What do you make of the decision?
Sarah Henderson: Look, this is a terrible decision for small family and medium businesses. It shows the government has no idea about the pressures that these businesses face every single day. They are showing a tin ear for the pressures that businesses are under. And frankly, Kieran, the Prime Minister, must reverse this decision immediately. And for the ATO to suggest, well, here’s other ways you can make your payments, suggesting cash payments only when credit card payments are so critical to giving small businesses the flexibility they need, is frankly a disgrace. This is a complete disaster. The prime minister and this government show no regard whatsoever for the impact on small family and medium businesses, and for Australian consumers, and this must be reversed straight away.
Kieran Gilbert: Can I ask you quickly on some issues in the communications space? A few, I think, what’s the number? It’s $10 million worth of tricycles for Australia Post, are sitting idle in warehouses, what’s gone on here? Is this a flawed acquisition? What’s the background to this, Sarah Henderson?
Sarah Henderson: Well, this is a botched acquisition of Taiwanese-made e-trikes, which were shipped over here with great promises of safety for posties, and of course they’re all sitting in a warehouse because they have been deemed to be unsafe. This is more than $10 million of expenditure. I’ve called on the Communications Minister, Anika Wells, to explain what has gone on and what’s particularly concerning, Kieran, the government has given Australia Post another 40 or so million dollars for their EV strategy when they can’t even get the basics right. And Australia Post has also overlooked a very significant Australian manufacturer, which was working with Australia Post over a number of years, expending a lot of money in preference to this Taiwanese manufacturer, and the whole thing has just fallen in a heap, so the minister has got a lot of explaining to do.
Kieran Gilbert: And I’ve only got 30 seconds left but on the digital duty of care, you’ve got a petition running. What’s the feedback been?
Sarah Henderson: Well, I’m asking all Australians to go to protectfreespeech.com.au and sign our petition because this bill is dangerous. It’s undemocratic. It is designed to control what Australians can say and see online. Anika Wells has completely got this wrong. It must be stopped. So please go to my petition, protectfreespeech.com.au.
Kieran Gilbert: Sarah Henderson, will talk to you next week when Parliament’s back. Thanks.