SUBJECTS: Labor’s $300 vaccine incentive proposal; vaccine rollout; Labor’s policy agenda; next Federal election.

LAURA TINGLE, HOST: Anthony Albanese, we've seen long lines at last for vaccinations. Why do we need an incentive payment?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: We need to use every means at our disposal to maximise the take-up of the vaccines. We know that, as of now, we're running pretty close to last in the developed world. We're struggling to run into the top 80 of countries in terms of vaccination rates of our population. And some people, for example in category 1A, essential workers, they were told they'd be done by Easter, still haven't all been done.

TINGLE: Why does an incentive payment help? Is it because it helps overcome vaccine hesitancy? Is it because it's basically an economic measure?

ALBANESE: Well, basic economics 1A, as an economist will tell you that economics can drive behaviour. And other countries are, of course, having incentives. The Biden administration supports it. Europe supports it. There are various incentives in place in the US states. And indeed, the plan released by the Prime Minister last Friday has in it support for economic incentives or incentives in phase B. So it's also the case that the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kelly, has said we need to provide incentives, whatever incentives are available to us in order to increase the vaccination rates.

TINGLE: The Government argues, the Prime Minister argued in Question Time, the overseas evidence doesn't support the efficacy of such measures, that they don't work.

ALBANESE: This Prime Minister, of course, argues contradictory things all the time. This is the same Prime Minister who as Social Security Minister introduced the No Jab, No Pay policy. And when he did, which applies for childcare and family tax benefits, he said in the second sentence of his second reading speech, that this was about increasing child immunisation rates, that providing the economic incentive was about changing behaviour.

TINGLE: The incentive payment might work in a couple of months when we have more supply. But vaccine supply remains the crucial problem here. If you were in government now, what would you be doing immediately to try to increase vaccine supply?

ALBANESE: I would have been on to our allies firstly, in the US, which of course was able to provide additional vaccines to Canada and Mexico. I would have got onto Israel that provided its Pfizer vaccines that it couldn't use before the expiry date to South Korea. I would be doing everything that is possible to try to get access to more vaccines. Supply is the issue. But one of the things we have seen during this pandemic as well, Laura, is that this Prime Minister never plans ahead. He always responds too late and too little. We should be planning now for when additional vaccines arrive, so that we increase the usage here in Australia and we get those rates up. They're still below 20 per cent.

TINGLE: Last week Labor made a few big changes in policy. You've dumped your position on capital gains tax discounts and on negative gearing. You made a big fuss at the Budget Reply about a $10 billion social housing package. But these measures, at a time when the housing market is booming, are basically keeping young people out of the housing market. How do you possibly justify those changes of position?

ALBANESE: We've already announced of course, as you've said, our Housing Australia Future Fund. That's the largest-ever commitment by any national government to increase investment in social housing and also in affordable housing.

TINGLE: But it is swamped by the effect of negative gearing and the discounted capital gains tax on investors going into the housing market?

ALBANESE: We will have more to say on housing before the election. And I have said that before. But what we did was announce a very significant housing policy that will have an impact in terms of supply and will have an impact on some of the most vulnerable people in our community, including the numbers that we've set aside to deal with women and children fleeing domestic and family violence.

TINGLE: Your slogan at the moment is that you're a party that's on the voter's side. How does that possibly tally with position on stage three tax cuts which will make the top one per cent of earners $11.8 billion better off? It's not an equity measure. What's the difference between you and the Coalition now on equity?

ALBANESE: We'll have a range of measures on equity of which I just mentioned one. We'll have a policy around secure work that we've already announced measures including same job, same pay. Measures including putting secure work into the Fair Work Act, measures making wage theft a crime, to address the gender pay gap, which is there, giving ten days paid domestic violence leave. We will have a range of measures aimed at lifting living standards, lifting wages, providing support to vulnerable people in the community, including through our housing policy, including through a range of other initiatives which we will roll out between now and the next election. Of course, the tax cuts in 2019 have been legislated. They were legislated. We tried to remove section three, to amend them out. We weren't successful. And one of the things I'm determined to do is to focus on the future rather than try and relitigate the past.

TINGLE: You've said since 2019 that those tax cuts came through at a time when the Budget was supposed to be in the black. It's obviously not in the black now. You don't know what it will be like in 2024. How can you possibly forecast and lock into those tax cuts when they are so inequitable?

ALBANESE: They've been passed, Laura. They were passed by the National Parliament. It's highly likely that any attempt to remove them, of course, would also not be successful, given that the same Senate or half the Senators will be the same people. Last time around, in the Federal election, we elected one Labor Senator out of six in Queensland. The fact is we have to focus on the future, not try and relitigate the past. Focus on what we'll do to promote equity, to promote a stronger economic recovery, to promote fairness in the workplace and outside the work, to focus on dealing with the challenge of climate change, to deal with national reconstruction and support for new industries, including making us a renewable energy superpower. I intend to focus on the future, not relitigate the past. And that's very much a focus of my leadership and a focus that Labor will be taking to the next election. With a positive, optimistic approach about Australia's future.

TINGLE: Isn't that really code, Mr Albanese, for the fact that you want to get rid of any contentious policies and ask voters to vote for you because you're not Scott Morrison?

ALBANESE: No. We will have a very clear alternative. We will certainly be holding the Government to account and focus on the weaknesses of Scott Morrison's Government. This is a Government that is out of ideas. It's out of touch with the Australian people. And one which just focuses on itself and short-term political management.

TINGLE: Thanks for your time tonight, Mr Albanese.

ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Laura.

ENDS