MALCOLM TURNBULL NGƯỜI TỰ XƯNG LÀ "NỘI CÁC THẾ KỶ 21" - NHƯNG 6 THÁNG QUA CHẲNG THỰC HIỆN ĐƯỢC 1 CẢI CÁCH NÀO NHƯ ÔNG TA HUNG HĂNG TUYÊN BỐ LÚC LẬT ĐỔ TONY ABBOTT./-TCL/Mv.
FOR weeks, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been accused of dithering — and 7.30 host Leigh Sales took him to task over it.
Mr Turnbull appeared on the ABC program last night hours after he unveiled his threat to call a double dissolution election for July unless laws relating to crushing union corruption are passed by the Senate.
The — at times — terse discussion took in last September’s coup, tax policy and the possible early election.
On the subject of tax, Sales put it to Mr Turnbull that he had floated the idea of company tax cuts previously.
“On this program in December when I asked you, you said a company tax cut would be an enormous charge on the Budget at this time. Is that still your thinking or not?”
Turnbull replied he was “offering you frankly a penetrating glimpse of the obvious and I apologise for that”.
When Sales pushed him if it was still going to be a “big ask” the PM bit back.
“Your enthusiasm for putting words in my mouth is commendable,” he told the broadcaster.
Her response was just as blunt.
“I just like clarity,” she said to the Prime Minister.
“Yes, you should let me finish my sentence and then I can be clear. Any cut in taxation in revenue is obviously a cost to the Budget, okay? So everything has to be affordable and not all of the things you want to do in any Budget can be afforded. So the choice is always, and this is why budgets have to be prepared with great care, the choice is between all sorts of competing priorities.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull didn’t like Leigh Sales saying he’d “knifed” Tony Abbott.Source:Supplied
It wasn’t the only issue the two clashed over.
There was one particular question that Mr Turnbull rankled over.
Sales pointed out that he had a similar policy stance to ousted leader Tony Abbott on a host of issues.
“There was very little difference, so then what was the point of knifing Tony Abbott?” Sales asked.
“Well, I don’t want to buy into those sort of unpleasant metaphors … Could I say we shouldn’t be using violent metaphors like that,” Mr Turnbull scolded.
Sales softened her language, offering that he “replaced” Mr Abbott. But she persisted with the question line.
“What was the point of that. There has been very little policy change?’
Turnbull, naturally, disagreed. “That is quite untrue, if I may say so.” He cited Senate voting reform, the cities policy, media ownership as policies that were unique to his Government.
It was inevitable there would be similarities though, he said.
“Right across the board — between Tony and myself, Tony Abbott and myself — there is continuity. Of course, I was part of his Government, part of his Cabinet but already there is also a great deal of change. So, as you go from one Liberal PM to another, you have continuity and you have change and there has been a lot of change.”
One thing that has changed is the Budget timing. Mr Turnbull confirmed Canberra rumours today by announcing the Budget would be handed down on May 3, a week earlier than planned.
The announcement appeared to catch even Treasurer Scott Morrison off guard, who in interviews indicated the Budget timing hadn’t changed.
“Why didn’t your Treasurer Scott Morrison know before this morning that the Budget was moving forward to May 3rd?”
Leigh Sales wanted to know if anyone actually cared about the Australian Building and Construction Commission.Source:Supplied
The Prime Minister tried to explain that the Budget was to be held on the 10th — until he changed his mind.
“That didn’t just happen at 10 o’clock this morning. Was your Treasurer not in the loop?” Sales asked.
Mr Turnbull: “I know again some people think politicians should engage in a sort of thinking aloud process. The Budget was on the 10th of May until I stood up and announced it was going to be on the 3rd of May.”
In an attempt to pin him on when exactly Mr Morrison learned the date had been changed, she asked if the Treasurer was part of the decision-making.
“The Treasurer was aware that we were considering a whole range of options, but until I made the decision to change the date of the Budget, the Budget was on the 10th of May.”
He denied there was a rift between the pair.
“Of course (the relationship) is, it’s excellent. I’ve known him for many years, decades.”
The blunt talk extended to a discussion on the so-called trigger bills that will allow for a double dissolution.
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