Transcript
29 July 2009
Sky News PM Agenda with David Speers.
Subjects: ALP National Conference; foreign students
DAVID SPEERS: Someone who fundamentally reformed the way the conference works, to give rank and file members more say is the former Labor leader, now Trade Minister Simon Crean, and he joins me now.
Mr Crean, thanks for joining us.
SIMON CREAN: Pleasure David.
DAVID SPEERS: You're looking forward to the conference?
SIMON CREAN: Always look forward to them.
DAVID SPEERS: Now the reforms that you pushed through were to reduce the influence of the union movement within the Labor party at these conferences, to give the rank and file a greater say. But do you genuinely think there is an opportunity for the rank and file to still have their say and influence Labor Party policy at this conference?
SIMON CREAN: I do, but you shouldn't see it only coming through the conference itself. What we now have is a very exhaustive process of policy committee work in the lead up to conference, policy committee work that involves policy forums, around the country, every state. So that...
DAVID SPEERS: And involves the rank and file.
SIMON CREAN: Well all the rank and file are invited, so you just don't have to be a conference delegate, any rank and filer can go. The reforms actually increased the size of the conference, so it's easier for conference - for people to get elected to conference, they need fewer votes under the system. And the exercise in terms of the unions wasn't just directed at reducing their influence, it was saying that if the Labor Party wanted to win office it had to be a more inclusive party, it had to invite people in terms of an open partnership, and you couldn't offer an open partnership, if you could only be part of a minority. So, you know, I think the reform was important and, of course, we eventually won office and that's the most rewarding thing of the lot.
DAVID SPEERS: Now you talk about those pre-conference forums, does that mean the debate happens there, not at Darling Harbour in the next three days?
SIMON CREAN: No. Debate will happen at Darling Harbour, but I think those pre-conference issues not only give people the opportunity to raise the issues, but a lot of the controversy can be sorted through. So what is often reflected in the platform that comes forward is the consensus, is the basis for agreement. It seeks to...
DAVID SPEERS: Now...
SIMON CREAN: ...measure it, balance it.
DAVID SPEERS: ..so there won't be surprises, there won't be embarrassments...
SIMON CREAN: Oh, no.
DAVID SPEERS: ...for the Government?
SIMON CREAN: Well, who knows. I can't predict the conference. There can always be surprises. But I think the interesting thing is this is the first conference in 14 years, essentially, that we haven't been the Government, or since 1990 - I think the last one was '95 - so the first conference in almost 15 years, when we've been back in government. I think the fact that the Government not just came to power, but came to power in some of the worst economic circumstances the country's recorded since the Great Depression. But yet, the fact that it's used that opportunity to really not just implement a lot of what Labor promised in the election, but to set the country up for sustainable growth, fair growth, fair distribution, but also outward looking.
I think this is what the Labor brand is and I think we've delivered significantly on that and I think the PM's speech tomorrow obviously will reflect that, but also paint the format as to where we want to take the nation; what we want to use government for, to improve the nation. I mean, we don't just enter politics to get elected. We enter politics to reform the place. Paul Keating said; you change the Government, you change the direction of the country. It's true, but it's up to us to make sure that we're changing the direction of the country for the better, the lasting legacy.
DAVID SPEERS: You talk about being outward looking and there was a potential stoush headed off yesterday with the union movement, they wanted a Buy Australia policy adopted by the Labor Party to give more preferential treatment to locally made goods and services. The compromise seems to be $19 million in assistance to help local firms bid for contracts and also a requirement that any firm accessing government funds, at least considers using Australian suppliers. There's a little bit of protectionism in that isn't there?
SIMON CREAN: No protection in it, and that's been the important point. But let's get this right. I've - we in the Labor Party have never been against urging people to buy Australian. We were originally part of the Buy Australia campaign; continue to support that sort of measure. What we will baulk at, and we will resist, is those that seek to mandate that, because that's not in the interests of the country, the sort of price differentials, those sorts of things...
DAVID SPEERS: But you are giving more assistance to local firms.
SIMON CREAN: No, what we're giving is better information, better and more openness in terms of what is available by way of the Government contracts. But we should be doing that anyway.
DAVID SPEERS: But is that information...
SIMON CREAN: ...because if we want - if we want the most competitive prices, then that's the way to do it.
DAVID SPEERS: But that's information non-Australian firms won't get essentially?
SIMON CREAN: Well, I don't know why that's the case. I mean...
DAVID SPEERS: Well why do you need to do this then?
SIMON CREAN: But if you - well, I think it's because there is a perception that Australian firms have not been getting a fair go. The argument has been that a lot of Australian firms don't know about it. If it's a question of getting better information, of course we should do it, that's what good government is.
DAVID SPEERS: There will also be a push at the conference for so-called Green trade barriers. Now this is to penalise imports from countries, particularly developing countries that haven't agreed to international targets to reduce emissions; that could mean China and India if they don't agree, at Copenhagen, to an international target, you could penalise their imports. Is that something - the sort of approach that you would support?
SIMON CREAN: No, I think we've got to be very careful about this one David. We believe that the concern that's raised in the thrust of this proposition is right, that we've got to guard against what's referred to as carbon leakage, in other words it goes off to a country that doesn't apply better environmental standards, what's the benefit to the environment?
But there another - a number of measures by which that can be done. Our climate change proposal seeks to address it, not by imposing border taxes. And I think that there is a real risk in the argument that says look at border taxes, a real risk on two fronts. Administratively, it is very difficult to administer. And secondly, it does invite the retaliatory measure and can become another form of protectionism.
DAVID SPEERS: So you won't support these Green trade barriers?
SIMON CREAN: We won't support initiatives that become effective barriers to entry.
DAVID SPEERS: Can I ask you also about the concerns over Australia's third biggest export industry, education, after the attacks on some Indian students, revelations about dodgy courses for foreign students and, this morning, we heard from the Melbourne University vice-chancellor, Glyn Davies, that he believes there is already a downturn in applications from Indian students to study here in Australia. How concerned are you about this?
SIMON CREAN: Well concerned, but I don't know whether the downturn is in response to that or the global recession. I mean, I think we need to try and get real cause and effect here. But let me say this David. We are absolutely committed to ensure that the brand that is Australian education, high quality, is preserved and advanced. We have to weed out the bad performers. Now a number of these...
DAVID SPEERS: Is enough being done on that?
SIMON CREAN: Well I think that the minister has indicated that she's going - needs to do more. She's indicated auditing, the roundtable, et cetera. But if these things are happening - and a hotline - now if these things are happening, let's act in response to them.
But let's not take it that this is what is widespread within the system. In the discussions we've had with the Indian Government, the - first of all they're not alleging the racism argument. They reject that quite frankly. But secondly, they say, in the main, the standard, the quality, is excellent. That's why students keep coming here.
It’s in our interest to keep the quality and the safety high, the latter, because the parents need to be assured that the kids that they're sending over are in safe hands. The former, because that's our brand. We can't debase it. It's one of our biggest export earners and it's not because - we don't have it to simply enable private providers to make money. What we want is for them to deliver a quality service and if we have to put more rigour into the system to ensure that quality is delivered and the brand is enhanced, we will.
DAVID SPEERS: Just to be clear, you don't accept that there is already a backlash, a downturn in foreign student applications because of the problems that have been in the news?
SIMON CREAN: I'm not aware of any information that says that. But let's analyse that. In any event, whether there's numbers dropping or not, we've got to address this problem. We've got to weed out the bad performers, because we don't want the brand debased.
DAVID SPEERS: What about a visit to India by yourself, by Julia Gillard, or by Kevin Rudd, would that be a good idea?
SIMON CREAN: Yes and indeed it is our intention to do it. I'm going there in September. I think Julia's there in September. Kevin's trying to get there before the end of the year. But we have had active representation. I've already spoken with the - my Indian counterpart both in Paris and in - over the phone on this. I rang him after the events. Certainly Julia's been in contact. Our embassy has been in contact. We are very concerned about it and we're concerned to work with the authorities to ensure that we get on top of it. Both the law enforcement authorities, as well as the regulatory environment and better information flows to weed out the bad performers.
DAVID SPEERS: Trade Minister Simon Crean, thank you.
SIMON CREAN: Thank you David.
[ENDS]
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