E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP
CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2019
 
SUBJECTS: Final Budget Outcome; Energy legislation and emissions.
 
JIM CHALMERS, SHADOW TREASURER: There are reports today in the Courier Mail that the Final Budget Outcome for 2018-2019 will be released in the next day or two. This will be the sixth consecutive deficit from a Government which promised a surplus in its first year and every year after that. This Liberal Government promised there'd be a surplus in its first year and every year, and instead what we'll see in the next day or two is the sixth consecutive deficit budget from the Liberals. 
 
Any improvement in the budget will be built on two things. Improvement in the budget will be built on underspends in the NDIS which short-change Australians with a disability by not providing the funding they need and deserve and were promised. The other big improvement in the budget will be because of the spike in the iron ore price because of events in Brazil, the low Australian dollar, and what those things mean for company profits and the budget bottom line. 
 
In other words, improvement in the budget will be because of underspends in the NDIS and a range of factors which have absolutely nothing to do with the Government's economic management - the spike in the iron ore price, a low dollar boosting profits and the budget bottom line. 
 
The Government doesn't have anything to crow about here. Sixth consecutive deficit, underspends in the NDIS, some good fortune rather than good management when it comes to the iron ore price and the low dollar boosting profits and the bottom line. 
 
What we call on the Government to do is to come up with a proper economic plan. They now have no excuse not to responsibly stimulate an economy which desperately needs it because it's floundering on the Liberals' watch. They don't have to choose between a surplus for the coming year and doing something responsible to stimulate the economy. We know that now because of these budget improvements which are more to do with good fortune rather than good management, but also built on the back of underspending on Australians with a disability. 
 
Over to you.
 
JOURNALIST: Just in relation to the 'Big Stick' legislation - can Labor justify not supporting it if it is going to bring power prices down?
 
CHALMERS: I haven't even seen the legislation yet. We want to see what if anything has changed since the last time the Government proposed this legislation. When we see it we'll go through it, we'll talk to our colleagues, and we'll come to a position. I do note that the Liberal Party is hopelessly split on the so-called 'Big Stick' legislation. There are reports today that the Government itself is having trouble convincing its own members that this is worth supporting. We'll make our own decision. We'll have a fresh look at it. We'll see what if anything has changed in this legislation and we'll come to a position in due course. 
 
JOURNALIST: There's been a lot of talk about the Government's 2030 emissions target. Do you think we should just drop it?
 
CHALMERS: The conversation about our emissions policy is part of our policy review. The Government has failed hopelessly when it comes to emissions. They've got a Minister for emissions reduction while emissions have gone up and up and up, and that's a failure. Scott Morrison's going all the way to the US and not attending a key climate change conference. I think that speaks volumes about the Government's failure to deal with climate change, their lack of a willingness to deal with what is one of the big challenges in our economy and in our environment and around the world. The Government needs to take climate change seriously. Labor does. We'll have a policy that reflects that. Thanks very much.
 
ENDS