ABC NewsRadio

SUBJECTS: Rudd and Shorten differ on deal if hung parliament; Education deal; poster tampering allegations… E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………… Marius Benson: Christopher Pyne, the focus for the Coalition today is in Tasmania because Tony Abbott is there, Labor now has four of the five seats, what do you think your chances are in Tasmania? Hon Christopher Pyne MP: I was campaigning in Tasmania only last week and I’ve obviously been in and out of Tasmania for twenty years and I must say environment for change has never been stronger in Tasmania. I think a lot of Tasmanians have woken up to the dangers of the Labor-Green Government in Hobart has done to that State over the last two decades and of course they have experienced the same horror in Canberra for the last three years of a Green-Labor Government. I have particularly picked up from young people, they are thoroughly sick and tired of seeing their industries and their economies close down in the name of Green causes and I think we have very high prospect of winning seats in Tasmania because I think our package, our jobs package which we will continue to add to today when Tony Abbott is in Hobart, will secure the future for Tasmania and provide jobs for a State that desperately needs them. Benson: Are you feeling fairly confident that at the end of, nearly at the end of two weeks of campaigning? The poll evidence is that you are comfortably ahead; Labor was already in a minority, so you are on track to form a government. Pyne: Well Marius, there are a long way to go in campaigns, three and a bit weeks is plenty of time for things to change so the Coalition will not be in the least bit complacent. We understand that winning government from Opposition is like climbing Mount Everest. But it is fair to say the Labor campaign has been poor, Kevin Rudd and his team looked rattled. Yesterday for example, Kevin Rudd said that he wouldn’t form a minority government, only to have Bill Shorten on Capital Circle on the ABC saying later in the day that a minority government was a possibility. So Kevin Rudd needs to clear up today whether Bill Shorten is telling the truth or he is telling the truth because Bill Shorten’s response contradicts Kevin Rudd’s position. Benson: Can I just talk a bit about policy in your Shadow portfolio area of Education; you were opposed to the Gonski scheme when the Government adopted it, saying it is not a Gonski it is a ‘Conski’. Now the position as I understand it is that you will accept the school funding scheme that Labor has established and agreed to with the majority of the States, but only for one year, is that the case? Pyne: No, we have adopted the same funding envelope as the Government over the forward estimates, that’s for the next four years. We’ve done that because initially the Gonski response from Labor was a ‘Conski’ because in fact while they were trying to pretend they were increasing spending on education they were actually cutting it by $325 million over the next four years. But with all the side deals they have done with various jurisdictions, they are now putting more money into education and that means I am comfortable with putting more funds into education. It is no longer a smoke and mirrors trick and this far into the school year I think it is fair to give Principals and parents, non-government and government schools the certainty of funding for the next four years and so the Coalition will match Labor dollar for dollar from January 1 next year. Benson: Just going back to the campaign these days of sophisticated campaigns and social media and so on, there seems to be a reverence for tradition in your own electorate, because one of your own volunteers has been accused for tearing down an ALP poster. That is a long revered tactic. Pyne: Well Marius, there is no evidence of posters being stolen and in fact this is a massive beat up, but I would like the Labor Party to give back the hundreds and hundreds of posters they have stolen from my campaign over the last seven elections. Benson: Do you think the tactic is a fair one? Pyne: Well, none of my volunteers have stolen anyone’s posters Marius. Labor have certainly stolen mine over the last two decades and I certainly haven’t complained. None of my volunteers have stolen any Labor posters, no one has produced any evidence that they have, Labor is simply trying to create a storm in a teacup. Benson: Christopher Pyne thanks again. Pyne: It’s a pleasure ENDS