SUBJECTS: Labor’s $300 vaccine incentive proposal; vaccine rollout; need for national quarantine facilities.

PETER STEFANOVIC, HOST: Labor is calling on the Government to provide financial incentives to Australians who roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 jab with one-off payments of $300. Well, joining me live now is the Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese. Anthony Albanese, good morning to you. So the Government has already called this bonkers. And with no election plan before December, what's the point?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: What a pity they're so destructive and negative, Peter. They, of course, called wage subsidies a dangerous idea last year, before the queues formed around the corner of Centrelink offices. And then eventually they, after pressure from Labor, unions and the business community, adopted JobKeeper. This was put forward constructively. It's consistent with what the Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, has said, that we need to look at every incentive possible for people to be vaccinated. It's consistent with the roadmap going forward that the Prime Minister himself has put forward about incentives to get vaccinated. It's not only good for health, it's good for our economy as well, at a time when small businesses and workers are really doing it tough not just in the lockdown areas, but across the economy. Because if you lockdown Greater Sydney and southeast Queensland, or a couple of weeks ago, we had Victoria and South Australia, we had a $2 billion cost to the economy per week. And so the cost of this is minimal. It's a constructive idea. And this is a Government that, of course, paid more than $10 billion to companies that were actually increasing their profits rather than decreasing them through the JobKeeper program. 

STEFANOVIC: But for this to work, though, for this to get up, it needs an election before December. And that's not going to happen. So is this just a pipe dream? 

ALBANESE: This was put forward constructively, Peter. And it's a pity that this Government says no to everything as its first response. Of course, if you look at Scott Morrison, he changes his mind and his view on things from day to day, let alone week to week. So we've put this forward, we'll wait and see what next week's reaction is or tomorrow's from Scott Morrison. But it's a constructive idea. And I think it is a real pity that it's been dismissed so readily by the Government. This is something that is put forward in the spirit of how do we increase vaccination rates given at the moment we're languishing around about 80th in the world, we're last in the developed world for the rollout of the vaccine? And that's why this Government actually needs to listen to others, not just to itself. 

STEFANOVIC: Where's the evidence, though, that cash incentives actually work?

ALBANESE: Well, if you look at what's happening around the world, Peter, similar things are being rolled out in Europe, in the United States. President Biden is supporting a similar proposal. US states themselves have put forward various incentives. You have lotteries, you have all sorts.

STEFANOVIC: But there's initial spikes, there are these initial spikes, but then it kind of tapers off and so it ends up becoming a waste of money.

ALBANESE: Well, Peter, Dr Paul Kelly himself, the Chief Medical Officer, has said earlier this year that we need to look at incentives, every incentive that's there. And at the same time, when business is really, really struggling, this will provide a massive economic stimulus. I will tell you what. It would do a lot better than some of the measures of paying JobKeeper to companies that have increased their profits that's gone into corporate bonuses. What this would do is $300 in the pockets of everyday Australians. And guess what they would do? They'd spend it in the lead-up to Christmas, they would spend it, creating economic activity, supporting jobs in their local community. This is a Government that spent $100 billion in this year's Budget, $100 billion in last year's Budget at the end of last year. And here they are, in a circumstance whereby you have the economy potentially dipping in a negative territory for the September quarter as a result of those lockdowns. You will need some economic support. And this is a constructive idea to provide that directly to Australians - $300. Guess what? They would spend it supporting jobs. 

STEFANOVIC: So is it means tested? Does everyone get it? So Gina Rinehart gets it too?

ALBANESE: Yes.

STEFANOVIC: If she wants. But would that be needed, though? I mean, go back to the expense, $6 billion, that's twice the initial rollout.

ALBANESE: Peter, with respect, to talk about $300, I'm not going to name the corporate executives. You know the companies that have received tens of millions of dollars in JobKeeper that they didn't need because their profits actually went up. They're the ones in the newspapers every day. We know who they are. They haven't paid the money back. The Treasurer says, 'No problem, nothing to see here, you can just keep it' and they're worried about someone getting $300. Let's put it in perspective here. Overwhelmingly, what this would go to is to ordinary Australians, working Australians who are doing it really tough at the moment, and they'd spend it in their local small businesses. They wouldn't save it, they'd spend it. All the evidence is that is the case. So it's good for our economy, as well as providing a discussion around families, around communities, around the local bowling clubs about ‘have you got your $300 yet?' We are just putting this forward as a constructive suggestion. Like last year, we put forward wage subsidies. Like last year, we put forward increased mental health support. Like last year, it must be said this time last year, we said you needed to have five or six deals on vaccines in order to roll out the vaccine better and to get the supply of the vaccine which we know has been the problem.

STEFANOVIC: What about non-citizens?

ALBANESE: I think it should go to non-citizens. I'll give you the big tip, Peter. Non-citizens can spread this disease as well. What we're about here is a really simple system. We don't want to complicate it here. We want to encourage people to be vaccinated. 

STEFANOVIC: Okay. Just before we go, I just want to ask you about this outbreak in Brisbane, Jeannette Young still doesn't want younger people to get AstraZeneca. Do you reject her comments?

ALBANESE: I haven't seen her comments, Peter.

STEFANOVIC: You know what she is saying.

ALBANESE: Peter, with respect, I haven't seen her comments. I support people following the medical advice. I think if people can get AstraZeneca, they should. I think people should get every vaccine that's available to them, subject, of course, to the advice of their doctors. I'll give you the big tip here too, Peter. I think that politicians shouldn't give health advice. We should leave that to the experts. 

STEFANOVIC: Well, is she fuelling anti-AstraZeneca-ism? There's been no AstraZeneca orders this month from Queensland Health. So is she fuelling anti-AstraZeneca-ism?

ALBANESE: Look, I'm not going to join in a pile-on. People should be vaccinated. People should be vaccinated with whatever vaccines are available. It's as simple as that, Peter. The problem here has been the Government had two jobs this year, Peter. You know what they were. They were to roll out the vaccine and to fix national quarantine. I noticed our Olympians, our great swimming team, are arriving back today in Darwin. Guess where they going? Howard Springs. The only purpose-built facility that's available in Australia at the moment. We need to fix that. This latest breakout is from quarantine in Queensland. Yet again, hotel quarantine is failing. And we need to do much better. 

STEFANOVIC: Okay, Anthony Albanese. Appreciate your time this morning. Talk to you soon. 

ALBANESE: Thanks, Peter.

ENDS