SUBJECT: Federal Budget 2021; huge expenditure with lack of legacy; aged care.

CARRIE BICKMORE, HOST: Let's see what Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese thinks. Albo, thanks for joining us. You must be happy to finally see a Labor Budget?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: It is not a Labor Budget because it doesn't increase wages. It doesn't lift living standards. We're going to see a further decline in real wages over the four years to the forward estimates after eight years of wage stagnation. It is not a Labor Budget because it doesn't set Australia up for the future. There is nothing in there about climate change, about new industries that can emerge. It is not a Labor Budget because it doesn't attempt to build back stronger. So we will have $1 trillion of debt, but no great legacy. Where is the big picture vision that comes out of that significant investment, $100 billion last night, after $100 billion in last year's budget 6 months ago?

BICKMORE: It has been a particularly tough year though. They've had to navigate their way through a pandemic. Realistically what could have been done differently?

ALBANESE: At a time of economic downturn you have to stimulate the economy and you have to invest, but it is the quality of the spend that matters. If you look at the global financial crisis, that we were faced with, we introduced paid parental leave for the first time. We introduced the National Broadband Network. We built major railway lines and public transport expansion in cities around the country. We produced an infrastructure in every school in the country. There was a legacy there. With this government, in spite of the massive expenditure, they've cut infrastructure investment over the next four years by $3.3 billion, but they've also set-up these little slush funds. They've set up with 21 separate funds, they have $4 billion attached to them and there is $9 billion in the budget over the next short little while which is decisions taken but not announced. It is your money, taxpayers, but they won't tell you what it will be spent on, and you have got to suspect it will be very much devoted to the political map rather than people's needs.

WALEED ALY, HOST: That's a common line item in the budget though.

ALBANESE: I have never seen anything like it. I have been here a while. It is not common to have $9 billion.

ALY: The amount, you can argue. It is not a scandalous line item. That's a common one.

ALBANESE: It is not actually, but we'll keep going.

ALY: Billions of dollars has been added to the NDIS which you were saying was a Labor legacy.

ALBANESE: They cut $4 billion in the budget just a little while ago. So they’ve put some of that back. That's true.

ALY: More than some. They put more than $4 billion back.

ALBANESE: Some of the areas they've had political problems with management issues, issues like attitude towards women and issues of child care and issues of aged care. Yes, we have seen increased investment. But that's been focused on political management of those issues.

ALY: OK, but.
 
ALBANESE: The Government has created these problems.

ALY: Sure. Sure. There are political things they're responding to, but aged care isn't important?

ALBANESE: Of course, it is important.

ALY: It comes with a watchdog as well. It is responding to a Royal Commission. Like, I understand you can say there are political benefits to that, and maybe that was the impetus for it, but it seems a bit much to be saying there is no legacy involved with the spending.

ALBANESE: Scott Morrison, when he was Treasurer, took $1.8 billion out of aged care. In 2019, the Aged Care Royal Commission handed down a report that was titled ‘Neglect’. We have seen that neglect. We have 100,000 people on home care waiting lists. The Budget provided for 80,000 places. That's a good thing, but why doesn't it match the waiting list which is there? Who are the 20,000 who have had their packages approved, who are going to miss out?

ALY: Albo, good to talk. We should have you on more.

ALBANESE: Good to be with you.
 
ENDS