SUBJECTS: Labor’s plan for a better future; Cheaper childcare; National Anti-corruption Commission; Reserve Bank; Climate change; polling.
 
VIRGINIA TRIOLI, HOST: Anthony Albanese is the Federal Opposition Leader and of course the Labor MP for Grayndler. And we have him for a brief period of time this morning. So let's get into it. Anthony Albanese, good morning. Good to talk to you. 

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Good morning, Virginia. Really good to talk with you. 

TRIOLI: We're over the halfway mark in the campaign. How confident are you feeling?

ALBANESE: I'm feeling okay at this point in time. My objective was to make us competitive. We're certainly, at the very least, competitive in this campaign. But I'm also concerned about the country. I want to give Australia a better future. I really think that the government don't have any answers about what's happening today, let alone plans for tomorrow. And I want to be in a position to deliver cheaper childcare, cheaper electricity prices by acting on climate change, more secure work, and to build the industries of the future through our National Reconstruction Fund. 

TRIOLI: Your plan for universal childcare asks the Productivity Commission to investigate moving to a universal 90 per cent subsidy. How many days of childcare does that give to a family? 

ALBANESE: What it does is change the whole dynamic of childcare. Labor is the party of universal service provision, whether it be Medicare, whether it be universal superannuation. Our changes will make a difference to 96 per cent of families, the changes that we'll bring in, and then we'll ask the Productivity Commission to do that work. That's the idea. So that, that won't be something that we do in the first term of a Labor Government, move to that universality, but it will make a difference. 96 per cent of families will be better off, and the rest will be on the same position. And this is critical for boosting workforce participation, boosting productivity, increasing women's wages, and therefore, of course, also their retirement incomes. Early learning is also critical for young people. 

TRIOLI: I'm not arguing this here. But if you don't do that in a first term, as part of a first term Labor Government, and you're not telling us today how many days of childcare that gives to a family, then it's bordering on a well meaning, but meaningless policy for most families. They need it now. 

ALBANESE: Not at all, 96 per cent of families will get help from us now. We'll change the taper rate that occurs, lifting it up to $530,000. We will provide additional support for 96 per cent of families, depending upon the circumstances, of course it varies how much benefit that will give, but it will be substantial, and it will take pressure off. It's absurd at the moment when we announced the policy, we also announced the removal of the cap. And the government at the time said that was irresponsible, that was terrible. And we forced them into that. We know that for too many working women, if they work a fourth or a fifth day, essentially all of, or a large proportion of their income they earn from that fourth or fifth day just goes to childcare costs. Why is it that so many families will say to you as I go around the country, I felt this real relief in how well off I was once my child, little Johnny or little Isabelle turned five, they went to school and all of a sudden the disposable income of families increased. 

TRIOLI: Of course.

ALBANESE: People have had that experience out there. We need to change that. 

TRIOLI: And we've done that.

ALBANESE: We need to build in that incentive. Well, we haven't done that. 

TRIOLI: No, I mean what I'm saying is we've experienced that, those of us who have gone through that exactly. But the Opposition is saying your pledges will cost $63 billion over two years to fund. So I mean, but in responding to that.

ALBANESE: They just make up figures Virginia, they make up figures. 

TRIOLI: But then you need to have a proper cost benefit analysis of what we actually get from the economy in order to justify it. 

ALBANESE: We do have that Virginia, and everyone who has done the work, whether it be the Grattan Institute or other economists, shows that every dollar you spend on childcare produces at least $2 benefit for the economy.

TRIOLI: The pollsters still put both Labor and the Coalition under 35 per cent primary vote, which is unheard of for parties wanting to govern in their own right. So, with that low primary vote, that's a lot of love for smaller parties and independents, which I know you're well aware of. So, how can you say that you won't do deals with independents, when, if you get the chance to form government with their support, you will have to negotiate with them. Why not tell us about that now? 

ALBANESE: The polls actually don't, I'm not sure which poll you're referring to, but the ones that we look at, have us on a much higher primary vote than that, and have us in a position whereby (interrupted).

TRIOLI: This is according to the Labor pollster, Kos Samaras, he's talking about below 35 per cent.

ALBANESE: He's not the Labor pollster, Virginia. I'll give you the big tip. 

TRIOLI: Oh, well, he's in your camp Anthony Albanese. He's not in the other mobs camp. 

ALBANESE: I'll give you the big tip he's not our pollster. He's a good fellow. But he's not our pollster. 

TRIOLI: He has said he's a Labor fellow, but let's move on. 

ALBANESE: [Inaudible] poll doesn't have us on that, and look, I'm aiming for a majority Labor Government. 

TRIOLI: But if you don't?

ALBANESE: We need seven seats to win, seven seats to win. That is what our focus is on. If you look at the commitments that we've made, a real climate change policy was 43 per cent reduction by 2030, with $52 billion of private sector investment, 600,000 jobs, five out of every six of them in regional Australia. If you look at our commitment to a National Anti-corruption Commission, it is very clear that only a Labor Government will deliver a National Anti-corruption Commission. 

TRIOLI: You're actually making my point for me Anthony Albanese, because they are the exact issues that those independents are campaigning on, and that's their attraction to people in those seats. So, why would you not make it clear that they are the kind of people that you can do business with? You have a parallel interest in these key issues, and actually be frank with us now about the kind of deal you might do with them, as Julia Gillard did with independents in order for that kind of government. 

ALBANESE: You've just made that point, Virginia, that there are some similarities in terms of policies. What these people are running on are issues in which Labor has strong positions, but that will be a decision for them Virginia. My objective, and my aim is to get people to vote Labor, to elect at least 76 members of the House of Representatives who sit in my caucus. If that occurs, I will give respect not just to the crossbenchers, but to the other side as well. That's the way that I operated as leader of the government in the House of Representatives during the Gillard Government. Treating people with respect it's how I operated as well in the Rudd Government and might I say, we got a lot done in both those governments.

TRIOLI: That's a key point of negotiation that Julia Gillard was good at. Anthony Albanese Opposition Leader and Labor MP for Grayndler. Let me just say that I know I've only got you for a brief period of time. So I'm keen to get a couple of quick questions away. On monetary policy, with interest rates being in the deep freeze for a decade and now a year of rates being suddenly jacked up, that's what we're looking forward to now. Why did the Reserve Bank get it so wrong in your view?

ALBANESE: I'm not going to criticise the Reserve Bank. The Reserve Bank is independent of government, and it's really important that they not be the subject of partisan commentary. 

TRIOLI: But you'll push ahead with your review of it if you win office?

ALBANESE: There will be, of course, reviews from time to time of organisations. But I do have confidence in the Reserve Bank, I want to make that clear. It's important that we not subject these senior public servants who work hard in the national interest to partisan politics. 

TRIOLI: We heard from the Prime Minister yesterday, he acknowledged that he hasn't spoken to the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands since the start of the election. Have you or your team attempted to? 

ALBANESE: I find that extraordinary. Well, I'm not the Prime Minister, Virginia, with respect.

TRIOLI: I know, but you're someone seeking to take on that office and I'm wondering what communication is like between your side of politics and that important nation? 

ALBANESE: Heads of state talk with each other, the leaders of countries. So we will have a constructive relationship with our Pacific Island neighbours, as we did last time around when we were in government. We've announced a significant policy on the Pacific that is comprehensive, that's about aid. It's also about reaching out in terms of our diplomatic corps. It's about migration and people to people relationships. It's about relationships between the Parliament. But it's also about taking up the issues that are of great concern to them, and the number one issue, of course, is climate change. We've said that we will make a bid along with the Pacific to host an international climate change conference, and I think that would be a very constructive outcome. We understand how important that issue is for the region. 

TRIOLI: Do you have a plan for the first 100 days if you do win Mr Albanese? 

ALBANESE: I do Virginia, and very early on, if we're successful, of course, there's a quad leaders meeting in Tokyo. That will be important to meet with the leaders of the United States, Japan, and India. We then, of course, will prioritise setting up the structures that we need to address climate change and to deal with that shift to 43 per cent by 2030, establish a National Reconstruction Fund, establish Jobs and Skills Australia to look at skill shortages. I'll also convene as soon as possible, and I've had discussions in advance with the business community and the union movement, a full employment summit to discuss how we can boost productivity and how we can get more cooperation. 

TRIOLI: Just finally, this morning, Mr Albanese because I know I've kept you longer than expected, but thank you for that. Would it be just you and your dog Toto in the Lodge?

ALBANESE: I'm not getting ahead of myself. I'm not going anywhere at this point in time. 

TRIOLI: Because there's room for someone else in that house as well, should they care to join you. 

ALBANESE: Myself, Toto and my son Nathan are pretty happy in Marrickville. The objective isn't to move house, my objective is to change the country, and I'm not getting ahead of myself in any of that. 

TRIOLI: Anthony Albanese I appreciate your time. Thanks so much. 

ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Virginia.

ENDS