Television Interview, Seven, Sunrise

SUBJECTS: Foreign Fighters' Families; Farrer by-election; Federal Budget.

HUGH WHITFIELD, HOST: Joining us live in Melbourne this morning is the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles. Good morning to you, Deputy PM. 21 Australians are still in the camp in Syria. Seven women, 14 children. We're learning new details about a bride bound for Australia next month. Who is it?

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't know, and we're not part of doing any work to repatriate any of these people. As we said from the outset, there's been no assistance provided to any of this group coming back to Australia. And indeed, those who do come back, if anyone has been engaged in any illegal activity, they'll be met by the full force of the law. And that's exactly what you've just seen play out over the last 24, 48 hours in terms of those Australians who have returned. And that's really the point to make here. We have, amongst the best security agencies in the world, we have complete faith in what they do, both in terms of making sure that the law is enforced, but also making sure that Australians are kept safe.

MONIQUE WRIGHT, HOST: Ok, look, we've seen with the four women who have so far returned that our agencies were working on what charges that they would be given. Are our agencies currently working on those women who continue to want to come back to Australia? And I understand you're not trying to repatriate them, but as we know, there's no law to stop it. So, are our agencies currently investigating those women planning to come back?

MARLES: As you can see, what's played out in the last 24, 48 hours, our agencies are really aware of essentially who's out there and what happened when we saw the return in the last 24, 48 hours is, you know, plans that have been worked on for a very long period of time being put into action. There's a really clear understanding about what activity has occurred and whether it means that people should be subject to arrest. There's also really clear work that's been done around ensuring that Australia is kept safe. And it's hard to go into the details of that, but that's the focus here, the work of our security agencies. And you've seen that play out over the last couple of days. And that will happen if anybody returns, in going forward. As I say, we are not part of repatriating them. What is going on here is the security agencies are very much doing their job to keep Australians safe.

WHITFIELD: Richard Marles, the PM has expressed sympathy for the children who've returned with these ISIS brides, saying that they are victims and they're due to undergo community integration and counterterrorism programs. What does that look like? What are these programs and how do they get rid of whatever is in their heads after being in these camps surrounded by ISIS ideology?

MARLES: Well, let me firstly say, and it really is to reiterate what the Prime Minister said, I mean, I have no sympathy for the women who have returned, the adults. They made appalling decisions going to these camps in the first place and to participate in this conflict. And they made appalling decisions in respect of their own children. And there is a sense of sympathy for those children who have been the victims of the decisions of their parents. Again, not to go into the specifics of what will be provided to the children, but a reintegration program will be there to do what is possible here in relation to those kids. But they are the victims of appalling decisions that their parents have made.

WRIGHT: Ok, let's just move on to the big by-election that's happening in Farrer today. Look, Labor didn't even bother to run a candidate there. Who are you hoping will win between Coalition and One Nation? I understand that there are others running, but between those two, given you didn't bother putting anyone up for it, who would you prefer to win?

MARLES: Well, I think one, the point to make here is this is a blue-ribbon Coalition seat. I mean, it's obviously been held by the former leader, Sussan Ley, but prior to that it's been held by Tim Fischer. So, it's pretty ordinary circumstance that we would run in a by-election where you're talking about a seat which is as blue-ribbon as this. And I think that then really is the news here. I mean, this you would expect in any normal circumstance for the Coalition to retain what has been a seat that they have held for a long period of time. This is obviously a test for Angus Taylor and the news here is whether or not they are able to retain this seat. And if they don't, it says a lot about where the Liberal Party is at. I think this is going to be a close run thing that, the community candidate is obviously in the hunt here, as is One Nation. Now I'd make this point. If One Nation ultimately prevails here, they can only do so with the support of the Liberal Party –that in turn says a lot about where the Liberal Party is at.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. Richard Marles. The reality is it is the blue-ribbon seat has been. But it's going to turn orange, either One Nation or an independent. And Labor didn't even bother running. Just quickly. It is budget week. Jim Chalmers talking about a responsible budget. It is going to be historic. There is talk about potential couple of hundred dollars being handed out to salary workers. How are you going to guarantee that whatever you do in this budget, it is not going to fuel inflation, which the RBA says the Government is doing?

MARLES: Well, we will be really focused on fiscal responsibility, as we have in all the budgets that we've handed down. That's a point that the Treasurer has been making loud and clear. I mean, across the course of the budgets that we've already handed down, there's been about $114 billion worth of savings and reprioritisation. We've kept government spending to around 1.7 per cent, to give you a sense of context, under the Coalition that was running at 4.1 per cent in terms of the increase in government spending. That's why we've been able to deliver two surpluses. So, you will see the same prudent budget management in this budget that we've demonstrated over the budget since we've come to office. But we are really focused on the challenges of the cost-of-living. And that has been a feature of the budgets that we've handed down up until now – it will be a feature of how we move forward in the Budget that we hand down next week. But what will underpin this will be fiscal responsibility.

WRIGHT: All right. It's going to be a very busy week. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, thanks so much for being with us. Looks like a gorgeous spot you're in. Enjoy the weekend. Thank you.

MARLES: Thanks, Mon. Thank you.

ENDS