Transcript - Radio National ABC - 17 Feb 2009

Fran Kelly:

Christopher Pyne, how will Joe Hockey sharpen the Opposition's attack on the Government?

Christopher Pyne MP:

Well Joe has the capacity to cut through to the nub on an issue and put it in language that Australians can understand easily and related to their daily lives, so he has proven himself as a Minister and in the media as a very good communicator and I believe he will be a tremendous Shadow Treasurer.

Kelly:

If he brings that cut through capacity to the job, it suggests Julie Bishop lacked that...

Pyne:

No it doesn't...

Kelly:

I think she says herself that she wasn't cutting through?

Pyne:

Well she's done a sterling job, but it's not about Julie. Julie has decided that her so-called poor performance was becoming a distraction. The media were focussing on her in almost an unhealthy way, and she decided, rather than be a distraction, rather than take the issues away from the Government's performance in the economy, their failed package in November and their potential failed package this year, she would stand aside and move to foreign affairs which is a very important part of public policy obviously, and Joe Hockey would step up. It's not a judgement on her performance versus Joe Hockey. It's a decision she made, and the Opposition can now move forward with a sharpened attack in both foreign affairs and on the economy... (inaudible).

Kelly:

(inaudible)

Pyne:

The decision has been made. Julie made it. It was announced yesterday, and it's done and dusted. I don't see a great deal of benefit studying the entrails of each decision. My view is we now have a team to move forward to the next election. It was a minor reshuffle because the team is generally working very well. That decision was made, now we're moving on.

Kelly:

But just on this, you'd have to say that someone has fumbled here hasn't it because the Opposition has really failed to make a dent on the Government's standing in the polls when it comes to economic management. The Government is clearly winning at the moment on this turf?

Pyne:

Well I don't think that's a fair assessment. The election was only about 18 months ago. The public still want this Government to be successful. They still have an investment in this Government, and the Government is yet to make a tough decision. It is easy to spend $42 billion. It was easy to spend $10 billion last December. They're not making any difficult decisions; they're not putting the public to proof about their support and governments generally are given the benefit of the doubt, especially in their first term by the public, so I don't think anyone would have expected the Government to suddenly be on its knees within 18 months and the Opposition to be flying ahead in the polls, and anyone who does believe that is the case is being unrealistic.

Kelly:

You've got a new job. You're going to be the new Manager of Opposition Business in the House, that is really the person at the front of the attack. What do you bring to this, how do you think you can lift the Coalitions performance in the House?

Pyne:

I think the Coalition's performance has been very good. I think Joe Hockey has done a tremendous job as Manager of Opposition Business in the House, and he would still be doing that job if he hadn't moved to Shadow Treasurer. Shadow Treasurer is a big job on its own so he has relinquished Manager of Opposition Business, and I'm very excited to be taking it on. I'll be very conventional. You know Fran that I am a very conservative person generally, so I'll be a very conventional Manager of Opposition Business in the House. I'll hold Anthony Albanese particularly and the Government generally to account. I think the Parliament is very important. I've had 16 years experience as a Parliamentarian. I'd be one of the longest serving members of the House of Representatives which is amazing at 41, but it's true, and I have a particular interest in Standing Orders and how the House works and in ensuring the Government is held accountable. I genuinely believe that Opposition is an important job - I'd rather be in Government but Opposition is important because a good Opposition is holding the Government to account, scrutinising it's decisions and looking at its performance, it's better for our democracy.

Kelly:

There's no doubt about that, and just on that, we've now had the third Shadow Treasurer in 15 months, we're in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and sitting on the backbench is Peter Costello the longest serving Treasurer this country has ever had. What's wrong with that picture?

Pyne:

Well Peter Costello has made his position perfectly clear, he doesn't wish to be in a Leadership or a Frontbench position. He has said that consistently since the election. I respect that decision. I am a very close friend of Peter Costello - I think most people know that, and I believe he is entitled to make a decision to simply serve the electors of Higgins as their local member of Parliament, and I think he's very much enjoying that role.

Kelly:

For how long though, how long can you just do that before you make the decision that Brendan Nelson's made to move aside for renewal.

Pyne:

Everyone has to make their own decision about retiring or staying. Of course that judgement is made by the people every three years on election day, so I imagine he will serve as the Member for Higgins if he renominates for preselection, and will serve for as long as the people for Higgins want him as their local member, which I hope will be long into the future. I think there's definitely a role for people, like Philip Ruddock, Peter Costello and others in providing experience and advice and ballast to everybody else in the Parliament, especially the younger members and especially those like me who are still young but need guiding hands and experience, it's very helpful.

Kelly:

Would you like to see Peter Costello back in the Treasury portfolio?

Pyne:

No I'm very happy that Joe Hockey is the Shadow Treasurer, that's a leading question Fran, as you know, and I can't really answer that without getting the hares running, as you know, but the reality is, we have a Shadow Treasurer. It's Joe Hockey. He'll do an outstanding job. He and I are very old and good friends and I'll support him as much as I can in that role.

Kelly:

And can you tell us whether Peter Costello was offered the job?

Pyne:

Well it wouldn't surprise me if Peter Costello was offered the job because, as you say, he's been the longest serving Treasurer in Australia's history. He's made it clear that he doesn't wish to be on the frontbench or in a Leadership position, but it would be unusual having someone like Peter Costello there if he wasn't duly asked to rejoin the frontbench, but if he chooses not to, the ball is in his court as they say.

ENDS