Television Interview, Sky News

SUBJECTS: Poppy Project; Brendan O’Connor; Linda Burney; US President Biden; ANZUS; AUKUS support.

KIERAN GILBERT, HOST: We’re going to talk a bit more about the US now with the Assistant Defence Minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, live in the studio. Before we do, you've got this Poppy Project. Can you explain for our viewers why you've got the big poppy on here?

MATT THISTLETHWAITE, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE: Yeah, I'm wearing the poppy proudly, Kieran. This morning, I was at the Australian War Memorial with the Australian War Widows Incorporated, and they've got the Poppy Project, which I launched today, and their aim is to crochet a poppy for every single veterans’ family throughout Australia. It's a wonderful project. They're a great bunch of ladies and I really support what they're doing. So, if you want to get involved, look to the Australian War Widows incorporated, their website, and find out the details about how you can crochet a poppy for one of our veterans.

GILBERT: Well, whoever did that's done a very good job. Now, let's turn to the news today. Brendan O'Connor, Linda Burney, have called it a day that opens up a couple of cabinet portfolios, but a lot of tributes flowing in for two very popular figures within the Labor Party, I think it's fair to say. Both much loved within the Labor Caucus, Linda Burney and Brendan O'Connor.

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Yeah, you're spot on. They're very well respected and much loved. Brendan's done an excellent job in his dedicated career to the labour movement as a union official prior, and then working, particularly in the skills area, he established Jobs and Skills Australia, fee-free TAFE, and he's left a huge mark on that area and he'll be sadly missed. And then, of course, Linda Burney. I've got the La Perouse Aboriginal community in my electorate and I can tell you that the respect and the reverence that that community has for Aunty Linda is enormous and she's been such a pacesetter and, you know, broken ground in terms of her involvement not only in Federal Parliament. First Indigenous female cabinet Minister, first indigenous female House of Reps Minister, but also in the NSW parliament and in her career in education prior to that. She's a remarkable lady, so well respected, that's done so much for Indigenous education throughout this country.

GILBERT: It sounds like, and I know you're not going to, it's not a good career move to start speculating about what the Prime Minister will decide in terms of the reshuffle, so I won't expect you to confirm any of that, but from what I'm hearing, I'll tell you what I've heard, is that Malarndirri McCarthy is red hot favourite to take that job of Indigenous Affairs and then also Murray Watt to take on more responsibility in the cabinet, possibly, I was speculating earlier into Home Affairs, but either way, is this a chance for the Prime Minister to reset in a couple of areas where there have been some difficulties?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Well, the process in the Labor Party is a democratic one. So, as the Prime Minister outlined, nominations have been called for the two front bench positions, the cabinet positions and people can nominate, and that process will conclude on Sunday. Then it's up to the Prime Minister to allocate those portfolios. The great thing about our party, I think, has been our stability in government, and that's allowed a number of Ministers and Assistant Ministers to perform well and do a great job. So, there are plenty of people there with the talent, with the hard work and the expertise that will be able to move into those positions. And I think we'll be able to maintain that process of getting Australia back on track and supporting families and small businesses with cost-of-living relief.

GILBERT: When you say people nominate, that's off the back of the factions decide who's going to represent on the front bench, don't they? That's why it works?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: It's open to anyone. Any member of the caucus can nominate for a front bench position. And we do these things democratically, so everyone gets the opportunity to put their name forward. 

GILBERT: The Prime Minister’s got to balance all the different geographical and factional elements in the Party?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Yeah, we, of course, like to make sure that there's representation from across Australia. We're an Australian Labor Party, so we do balance our representation. And the one thing that we've been very keen to do is to promote women to the front bench. The first time in the history that you've got more female Ministers than males. And that's a great thing that the Labor Party's been able to do to demonstrate the progress of female representation in not only our front bench, but in the parliament more broadly.

GILBERT: What did you, I don't know if you had the chance to see President Biden's speech explaining his decision to... 

ASSISTANT MINISTER: I haven't seen it yet…

GILBERT: Step down. But how do you reflect on the events of the last few days and what looks like a boost of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party? Whether that's sustained remains to be seen.

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Yeah. Obviously, this is a decision for the American people and we'll work with whoever is selected as their president later this year. I was in the United States a couple of weeks ago for some talks with NATO and a leadership dialogue, and I think that it was the talk of the town. Certainly, President Biden's been a great president and certainly done a lot post-Covid to pull their economy out of the doldrums and to get things moving again. And he's been a great supporter of AUKUS.

GILBERT: Is it hard for Labor, for someone on the front bench to not come out and say, ok, well, Kamala Harris would be preferable, given where you are in terms of your politics?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Well, particularly that I work in the Defence portfolio, I think it's important that we're able to work with whoever is selected as the president of the United States. And the foundation of our security and our defence since World War II has been the ANZUS alliance…

GILBERT: So, regardless if it's Trump or Harris, you believe that that alliance is on a firm foundation?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: I certainly do. And in the meetings that I had in Congress a couple of weeks ago with both Republican representatives and Democrats, they're 100% committed to the alliance. They want to see the relationship with Australia in defence terms grow and they're 100% committed to AUKUS. And that was quite heartening to hear those that support for AUKUS continuing.

GILBERT: And in terms of the drama in the United States, how competitive or otherwise that election is, you watch it as an interested observer, but I guess that this has been the mantra from the government, from both sides of politics, largely, but from the government particularly, is wanting to not give any sense of a preference either way?

ASSISTANT MINISTER: It's certainly a fascinating political process and I think that it garners a lot of attention. Election watchers like yourself and myself are keen to see what happens, but we'll work with whoever is selected by the American people. The alliance, its great strength is it survived the comings and goings of governments here in Australia and different administrations in the United States. And I'm confident that regardless of who is elected, the alliance will go from strength to strength, and so will AUKUS.

GILBERT: Assistant Defence Minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, appreciate your time as always.

ASSISTANT MINISTER: Thanks, Kieran.

ENDS