E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TV INTERVIEW
AM AGENDA
MONDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2023
Subjects: Disaster support, problem gambling.
LAURA JAYES: Joining me live now is Labor MP, local MP for Macquarie, that includes the Blue Mountains, Susan Templeman. Susan, thanks so much for your time. First of all, let's get your reaction to the Auditor-General's report.
SUSAN TEMPLEMAN, MEMBER FOR MACQUARIE: Well, it wasn't, unfortunately, surprising because two years ago I could see within my electorate, one side of which is a very safe Liberal state seat, the other side is a very strong Labor state seat, and we could see two years ago that the funding that went to each side was completely different. Zero to the Blue Mountains and millions to the Hawkesbury side. So, this vindicates all the concerns that have been raised. And it raises terribly serious concerns about the way that the Liberals and the Coalition make decisions about who gets funding when disaster strikes a community.
JAYES: Okay, so this needs to change obviously. Have there been changes put in place or are these kinds of funds just at the mercy of whoever's in charge politically at the time and who they want to benefit?
TEMPLEMAN: I think we're very clear at a federal level this was federal funding. I mean that's what's really concerning as well. There was no oversight by the previous government of the federal funds that went to the state. They just handed it to the state and said, "here you go, here it is, go for it." And this first round that went out about $108 million could have made a real difference to communities. The Blue Mountains Council put forward 20 projects. They were things like massive weed control. Once the fire had gone through, 12 months on, the weeds were taking over. There was business stuff in there because businesses were struggling. Not just because of COVID, but because they'd faced the bushfires. So, it is, it should be an absolute principle that funding is not determined based on electorates.
And remember, it was John Barilaro who had the lists drawn up. He was provided lists from his Department that named electorates. Now why would that be necessary if your intent wasn't to make some sort of judgment about it. So it's very clear, we need there to be no bias in the way things are delivered. And I think by coincidence in the last week, the review that the Albanese Governments announced into disaster funding will look at these things. It will include the way federal funds are given to the states and it will look at how that is determined. I think federal government needs to play a much bigger role, and not just hand this money over and say to the states "go for it". Because clearly in the case of the New South Wales Coalition Government, you can't trust them to do that. And we've seen further evidence of that even in flood funding.
JAYES: Well pork barrelling can still happen at a federal level, as well. We've seen that in recent times too, so I'm not sure whether that would actually fix the issue. I mean, Chris Minns has referred this to ICAC. Is that the right body to look at it?
TEMPLEMAN: The referral to ICAC is the right way and I think we've been very clear, we've been in government for several floods, including in my electorate and that funding has gone through to areas of need, irrespective of which way that community has voted. One of the things I'm still seeing in New South Wales is that other areas have received funding for businesses who were indirectly affected by the floods. They didn't actually get water through the door, but their business was crippled. And yet in writing to the New South Wales Premier to say, “hey, why isn't that coming to the Hawkesbury?” There was no explanation and then you wonder, well, is that because it's such a safe Liberal seat they don't have to spend the money there? So these are the sorts of things we shouldn't have questions about. Disaster funding should go to those who need it, irrespective of who their local member is.
JAYES: That's a difficult proposition to disagree with, I've got to say Susan. Before I let you go, you would have just heard Tim Costello. They're talking about gambling reform, you know, who he brought up Julia Gillard, saying, you know, she essentially got smashed up when she tried to institute these kinds of things. He's been waiting 25 years for this announcement that's about to come from Dominic Perrottet in 20 minutes. What about New South Wales Labor? What about federal Labor? Do you back this in?
TEMPLEMAN: Well, obviously, it hasn't been announced yet and I'm very reluctant to delve into things that I haven't got the detail across. But like you I loved hearing Tim Costello call it as he sees it and I really respect his experience in tackling these issues. I think we need to wait and see what is announced. I have a slight cynicism that this Liberal Government has had a dozen years to do this and here on the minute to midnight, suddenly they've got a solution. So let's see what they say. Let's see what's involved in it. But I do think it is a matter for the states to really tackle these issues. The laws are theirs, the control is theirs and that's an appropriate place for decisions to be made.
JAYES: What have you seen? I mean, the accusations from what Tim Costello has seen in the 25 years of him campaigning for gambling reform and a crackdown on pokies. He has seen at times a Labor Party, that has been beholden to the clubs and the gambling lobby. Have you seen some of that in your time?
TEMPLEMAN: Well, in my six years as a member of Parliament, I haven't. But what I do see and what I do hear from constituents is real pain from some people who have their own gambling problems and real pain from families who suffer it. So I think there's no doubt there are decisions for states to make and I would urge them to make the appropriate decisions, but I think we need to see the detail of what's coming out on the eve of an election before jumping to judgment on it.
JAYES: Okay, fair enough. Susan Templeman, thanks so much for your time today.
ENDS
