Listen to the PM’s interview live
ABC Radio Sydney Breakfast host Craig Reucassel will interview Anthony Albanese in just a moment.
If you’re keen you can follow the link below to listen in live.
‘I support a woman’s right to choose’: Dutton
Peter Dutton says he’s supports a woman’s right to choose as he again cautions Labor against making abortion a federal election issue.
“Of course, I do, and I support women’s right and a woman’s right to choose,” he tells RN Breakfast.
“I’ve been in very difficult circumstances, where, as a detective working the sex offender squad, I’ve dealt with women who have been raped. I’ve dealt with women in domestic relationships have been raped.
“It’s a very, very difficult situation, and ultimately, that’s a choice in a decision for that individual to make.”
Dutton adds that he would consider it “the cheapest, most crass political effort in our recent history” if Labor were to make abortion an issue at the federal election.
“Abortion laws are not an issue for the federal government,” he says.
He’s also asked about a bill co-sponsored by Coalition backbenchers Matt Canavan and Alex Antic that would force medical professionals to provide healthcare to fetuses described as “born alive” after an abortion has been performed.
Labor has called on the opposition leader to demand it be stuck off the list.
Dutton says he’s not advocating for the bill to be put forward or be withdrawn.
He says as senators, Canavan and Antic have the right to put forward a private members bill.
“In most cases, 99 per cent of the cases, the bill won’t (go) forward unless it’s got support of the government,” Dutton adds.
Dutton coy on tax plan
Peter Dutton says he needs to take a closer look at the budget books before committing to any tax cuts.
Here is the back and forth:
DUTTON: If there are ways in which we can help people, we will do that. But’s largely dependent on what the numbers are coming into the next election,”
PK: That’s really interesting. So you don’t think necessarily there may be room to provide a tax cut to high income earners looking at the budget.
DUTTON: The government is on a spending spree at the moment which is why inflation is high, and it’s why interest rates are staying higher for longer. The reserve bank governor pointed this out. Australians are paying more for their mortgages now than they should. I think the priority, to be honest, is to get inflation down, to get interest rates down, and to support jobs in the economy. Because, well, I think we’re coming into a difficult period. I think a lot of families well and truly experiencing that difficulty.
PK: So you can’t see the economic case for a tax cut for higher income earners which was on the cards, but you’re sort of thinking that now the budget is showing that you can’t do that.
DUTTON: I think it just depends on where the numbers are as we go into the election, and how much these available, and how we prioritize our spending, and how we do it in a way which targeting inflation so that interest rates come down.
PK later asked if it would be because it was a bad look.
“Patricia, I’m worried about the way in which we can help bring down inflation,” he responds.
Does Dutton agree with PM’s strategy on tacking trade tussel?
Anthony Albanese has signaled he will use Malcolm Turnbull’s argument that Australia is one of the few nations with a trade surplus with the US as he eyes off dissuading Donald Trump against imposing hefty tariffs on imports.
Is this the right approach?
Peter Dutton thinks so.
He says there are other points he’s sure the PM will make but he’ll support the government putting forward Australia’s case.
“We need to make sure that we’re internationally competitive,” he says.
“It’s more difficult to do that, obviously, if tariffs are applied.”
Peter Dutton says Rudd remarks an issue for Labor
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton joined ABC Radio National Breakfast earlier this morning.
He was asked if Kevin Rudd’s position as Australia’s ambassador to the US is tenable, given the derogatory remarks he made about the US-president elect in the past.
Dutton says Rudd has been effective in the role and his previous comments are an issue for the Labor government.
“I hope he’s able to form a relationship with the new administration as he’s done with the current one,” he said.
Would a Dutton government appoint Scott Morrison to the job?
He says Rudd has the job now, so he won’t speculate on the future because that’ll be an issue for “the government of the day”.
👋 Good morning
Hello friends.
Happy Wednesday. Welcome to our politics live blog. Courtney Gould from ABC’s Parliament House team here to guide you through the first part of the day.
Let’s get into it.
