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The Hon Richard Marles MP
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Defence
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29 January 2025
RADIO INTERVIEW
6PR – DRIVE
WEDNESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2025
SUBJECT/S: Caravan found in NSW; Delivering Defence jobs in WA; AUKUS; Nature Positive; Interest Rates
OLLIE PETERSEN: Joining me live on 6PR right now is the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles. Good to have you back in Perth. Good afternoon.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, RICHARD MARLES: Good afternoon, Ollie, how are you?
PETERSEN: I'm very well, thank you, Deputy PM. And I want to come to that in a moment, but that breaking news out of NSW just a matter of hours ago now is an alleged terror plot has been foiled by the police force there. It was revealed by the NSW police force that a caravan filled with explosives and the attempt they believe was on a Jewish synagogue. Have you been briefed about the situation and what can you tell our listeners today?
MARLES: Look, I've not been specifically briefed about this and obviously, you know, very grateful that this has been foiled. But this attempt is disgraceful and it is another example of the kind of hate crimes that we have seen too much of in the last few months aimed at the Jewish community. I was in Sydney last night actually, speaking about the state of anti-Semitism in this country today and the fact that we need to be doing everything we can to try and bring this to an end. There are many in the Jewish community who are not feeling safe and that is understandable and we certainly stand with them as the Commonwealth government- I know state governments do as well. And what we are seeing, rightly, is our police forces working very closely together, sharing their intelligence, to do everything we can to stop these crimes from happening. And that's what's occurred here. But you know, really there is no place for this in modern Australia. And the Jewish community are a very important part of our nation. They are a celebrated part of our nation. And every Jewish Australian deserves to be able to live with a sense of security. And all of us have to be vigilant about that.
PETERSEN: Yeah, we certainly do. Onto your announcement today about a new Defence TAFE Centre of Excellence based here in Perth. When do you hope to open the doors on this?
MARLES: Well, we will be working on this immediately. The $14.6 million investment that we announced today jointly between the Commonwealth and West Australian governments is a really important building block in the creation of, as you said, in your introduction, a 10,000 strong defence industry in Western Australia. Really with the decision to establish the Submarine Rotational Force West, which is really, the beginnings of the operational side of AUKUS, the operational side of us operating our future submarines out of HMAS Stirling down Rockingham, and the decision to establish the Henderson Defence Precinct on the Henderson strip, which will see shipbuilding now- continuous naval shipbuilding, happen for the first time in Perth. Those two things in combination will give rise to a defence industry in Perth which will see 10,000 direct jobs. Now, one of the real challenges is obviously having people with the skills to do those jobs. And so the Defence Industry Training Centre of Excellence that we are funding with the West Australian Government is a critical part of that. We're doing that in partnership with South Metro TAFE, who are a fantastic organisation. But all of this represents the biggest diversification of the Western Australian economy in decades. And it's the single biggest defence industry offering in respect of Western Australia since Federation. So, it's actually a really exciting opportunity for young people and indeed others who want to retrain in Western Australia today.
PETERSEN: And there's a pathway here for women, I see, Deputy Prime Minister and also for school students in year 11 to take part in the new Defence Industry Pathways programs, school based traineeship. So, it opens up lots of opportunities for young people, as you say.
MARLES: It does, and there is a focus on women, but really that is about trying to make sure that we get all the people that we need. I mean, we need to engage all West Australians in this, men and women. And so getting women involved in non-traditional trades is really important here, which is why there is that focus. But for a young person coming through school now, looking to the future, I mean, the opportunity to work in this industry which will be based in Perth, which will be predictable, provide a lifelong job that's well paid, is a really great opportunity and that's what this offers to the West Australian economy. Of course, from a national point of view, this becomes a critical national asset- I mean, what those people will be doing is building the capability of our nation, doing something really important for the country in ensuring that we have the capability to pursue our way of life in what is a pretty challenging world.
PETERSEN: I just sort of play you something of what Roger Cook said when he was standing side-by-side with you about the nature positive laws.
PREMIER, ROGER COOK: Western Australia is the engine room of the nation's economy. We cannot tolerate laws which damage Western Australia's economy because it damages the nation. And the Prime Minister is more than aware of that. Now I've got a message for those backbenchers, I think predominantly from Victoria that think that this legislation should go up: Your standard of living- the reason why you can afford your long mac and your lattes is because of Western Australian industry and Western Australian economy. Do not for a moment think that we will stand by idly and allow you to damage our economy because ultimately it will damage your standard of living.
PETERSEN: Now, first things first. I know you're not a backbencher, but you are a Victorian. Do you like a long mac or a latte?
MARLES: Look, I'm a skinny cap man myself, but I do enjoy my coffee and I might say I enjoy it when I'm here in Perth as well-
PETERSEN: Yeah, well-
MARLES: The Premier was fired up. I've known the Premier for a long time and I can absolutely verify that throughout his life he has spoken in this way so passionately about Western Australia. And look, you know, Roger's got a point. I mean, obviously he's got a point here. The West Australian resources sector is really important for the state, but it's really important for the nation. And it has been a very significant contributor to the national prosperity, to the prosperity of people on the east coast of Australia as well. So, when we're talking about, you know, environmental laws, we are obviously looking to see them being updated. But what needs to come from that are laws that make the processes quicker, provide more certainty and work for the resources industry. And we will work very closely with the resource sector, we will work very closely with Roger and the West Australian Government to ensure that any developments here are ones which are very sensitive to what the resources sector needs in terms of continuing to be that engine room for both the West Australian and indeed the national economy. And I know that, as Roger alluded to in his conversation with the Prime Minister earlier in the week, the Prime Minister understands this really well also.
PETERSEN: So, the nature positive laws, you believe they can coexist with the resources industry and nothing's affected by it?
MARLES: Well, I think it's really important that as we move forward with environmental laws that we are making them work for the resources sector. I mean, that has to be the case. And the environment matters, but the resources sector understand the environment matters as well. But what's really important here is that approval processes are quick or, you know, quicker, and that they provide certainty. I mean, speed and certainty is what enables investment, what enables the resources sector to move forward. And we very much understand that. I know that the Premier understands- knows that we understand it. Its front and centre as we are thinking about this. And the Prime Minister made that clear and I'm sure in his conversation with the Premier earlier in the week, and that will be in the forefront of our minds as this is discussed going forward.
PETERSEN: Inflation numbers out today. Do you think that the Reserve Bank next week are going to cut interest rates?
MARLES: Well, it's not for me to tell the Reserve Bank what to do. Obviously they are independent. I mean the inflation- the inflation number was good- is welcome. I know how difficult it has been for so many Australians and we are very aware of that as a government. Its why really, since we've come to power, our whole focus in terms of the budgets that we've handed down, the fiscal decisions that we've made has been around trying to put in place measures which ease the cost of living. It's why we've provided a tax cut to every income earner, which we did this time last year, why we have energy bill relief across the board, cheaper medicines, more affordable childcare- I could go on but this is the focus of our attention. We know there's a long way to go. And it was a good number today, but there is a long way to go and I think whatever the Reserve Bank does next week, Australians can know that in the Albanese government, they do have a government which is completely focused in all the decisions that we make on easing the burden of the cost of living.
PETERSEN: Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, thank you very much for your time today.
MARLES: Thanks. Ollie.
ENDS