SUBJECTS: Labor's $300 vaccine incentive proposal.

INTRO: He's a big music fan who co-hosted an episode of Rage and once used political power to save a Dolly Parton tour. He also happens to be the Leader of the Federal Opposition and the Leader of the Australian Labor Party. Please welcome the thorn in Scott Morrison's side, Anthony Albanese. 

HOST: What an honour it is to have you on the show this morning, Anthony. Good morning to you. 

ALBANESE: What a welcome. Good morning. 

HOST: How have you been, alright?

ALBANESE: I've been pretty good. I'm not allowed to come across and see you in person for a little while. But I've been getting by. Parliament started sitting yesterday with the various restrictions that are on. It's been a long time since I was home. I've been basing myself in Canberra, but zooming into my electorate as you do to communicate with people these days and doing a bit of travel as well around Queensland, talking to communities. Doing a bit of travel as well in regional Queensland and Tasmania -

HOST: They are on the other side, we don't worry about them. 

ALBANESE: You won't let me in there! 

HOST: Well, that's how it's going. 

ALBANESE: Which is fair enough to keep Western Australians safe. I think Mark's done the right thing. 

HOST: Good man toeing the line.

HOST: Let's talk about this plan you've been throwing around Anthony, because among my friends and social media, it certainly appears - it seems like the majority of Australians want to vaccinate. 

ALBANESE: Absolutely. 

HOST: So who are you aiming the $300 at? You've said let's do an incentive. Now people who don't choose to vaccinate are unlikely to change their mind for 300 bucks.

ALBANESE: Well, what we're aiming at is using every tool at our disposal, and economic incentives work in a whole range of areas. And indeed, one of the areas that works is to immunise kids. This Government indeed, when Scott Morrison was Social Security Minister introduced the 'No Jab, No Pay' policy, for childcare rebate, and also for family tax benefits. So if your child isn't immunised, you don't get money. And so there are a range of examples whereby economic incentives have worked. We need people get vaccinated. And most Australians, I certainly hope will go and get vaccinated. Because the big incentive is, of course, to not die and to look after your family and to look after your community, it's the right thing to do. But it will start a conversation with so many people who are like, 'I might do it, I'll do it down the track'. I want conversations to start. And we need to use every tool at our disposal. And by the way, the economy isn't doing real well. We look like we'll go backwards in the current quarter. So it'll also provide an economic stimulus - $300 will be spent by locals in local small businesses, helping to protect jobs. 

HOST: I mean, Anthony, you want to encourage vaccine hesitant Australians as well to get the jab but we're not really addressing the things that those people are fearful of where we're sort of putting them in the box of being conspiracy theorists, but there are people who have genuine fears. 

ALBANESE: Sure, and we need to address those and we need to give people the facts and one way you give people the facts is by starting conversations. The fact I am on your radio program today talking about the need to get vaccinated is an example of the conversations that we need to have. Vaccines are safe overwhelmingly. The threat of catching COVID is far worse than immunisation. And that's why immunisation has changed the way we live our lives over the last hundreds of years. It's been a good thing that we've eradicated so many diseases, which used to afflict our grandparents and our parents. And so, yeah, it is, it is a good thing. My mum used to have that that spot on her arm that older people had from a smallpox injection that scarred for people who travelled overseas. We don't have to do that anymore. 

HOST: I remember getting punched in the arm after I had my tuberculosis shot at high school. 

ALBANESE: Indeed that was a thing - how would you like to have a name beginning 'AA'? I was always first. I got punched by all the kids on the way out.

HOST: We're speaking to the Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese at the moment and then you know, you talk about having conversations. One of the conversations that I'm having with a lot of people at the moment we're hearing certainly is that COVID vaccination - there is quite the potential for it to stop becoming a personal choice. It likely might become a gate that you'll have to pass to go to the movies, or go to a restaurant. We're certainly seeing that internationally. But even beyond that, at some point, your employer getting involved in it becomes a gate to you having a job. Do you likely see this as a reality moving forward?

ALBANESE: Look, I think that it is a conversation that is taking place. It's happening in some parts of Europe, for example, everyone you saw who was Wimbledon, in those stands was vaccinated. Bruce Springsteen concert recently in the States, they insisted that everyone be vaccinated to attend. And it is effect that those discussions will take place. But that's part of the context here. I think if we get into a debate about penalties without any sticks, if you like, without any carrots, that's not a comfortable place to be.

HOST: That's why people are having those conversations and are expressing their fears, though, because that's a pretty frightening world in the future, when governments and employers and everybody else is deciding for you what you want. That's not pro choice.

ALBANESE: Sure, but of course, there are consequences around people's choice, as well. And you have to think about keeping people who have done the right thing safe as well. And I have no doubt, for example, that travel overseas, globally is going to be connected up with, with vaccinations. There's little doubt that that'll occur. Qantas have said that, and I have no doubt that countries are going to want some proof of entry. And let's be clear, that's happened for a long period of time, I had to get plague vaccination before I went to one country. If you go to South America, you've got to show various vaccinations before you enter some of those countries. So those restrictions are there now, there's no doubt that COVID will mean there's an extension of those restrictions in the future.

HOST: I think travel vaccines are one thing, I think if you get to the point where you can't go to the grocery store, unless you've been vaccinated, then that's going to be a pretty scary -

ALBANESE: Part of the discussion we have to have as well is some people, of course, can't get vaccinated for health reasons. And, you know, we need to be very careful that we're not discriminating against people who are just not eligible to be vaccinated. So they're part of the discussions we need to have. But what I've put forward is a constructive idea. We put forward the idea of wage subsidies last year, the Government rejected it at the beginning. And thank goodness, they did eventually adopt Jobkeeper, but they waited till the queues were away around the corner of Centrelink offices. What I'm saying is here, adopt this sensible proposition it is a modest proposition. But I don't want to get to November, December and see that we're not reaching the targets that there for 70 or 80 per cent vaccinations to free up some of our activity. And then for him to be sitting around, say, 'oh, what will we do? I know, let's, let's look at economic incentives like the Chief Medical Officer' told us earlier this year, it's actually part of the four phase plan that was released after National Cabinet last Friday, it speaks about incentives as part of Phase B.

HOST: Mr Albanese look, we thank you for your time this morning. It's not often that we you know, discuss this particular topic to a degree. We've often discussed how tired we are of hearing about COVID at the moment, but we also didn't get the chance often to speak to somebody at your level. So we do thank you for your time. I just will say one thing before we let you go. $300 you know, it's a fair amount of money but a PlayStation 5 is $749. 

ALBANESE: There's three of you I'm speaking to here! You can share!

HOST: You're a bloody communist!

HOST: I had to do that for Christmas with my siblings with our Sega Master System.

ALBANESE: Get it in the studio while you're playing, you know, you could have been playing something while 'Wild Dreams' was on then. I reckon the giveaway will be if you start playing really long tracks. 

HOST: Yes we've actually got "Stairway to Heaven" coming up. 

ALBANESE: That's about nine minutes I think. 

HOST: Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Appreciate your time this morning.

ALBANESE: Thanks very much guys.

ENDS