Television Interview, Today Show

SUBJECTS: Pre-COP meeting; AUKUS; New UK Prime Minister.

MICHAEL WILLESEE JR: Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is going to great taxpayer expense to host foreign leaders in Fiji later this year, shelling out $4.2 million for luxury five-star accommodation. 

Now, joining us to discuss today's headlines, Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy and New South Wales Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane. 

Now, Pat, I will start with you. The pre‑climate ‑ COP climate change meeting, is it a junket, is it something we're expecting legitimate outcomes from, and is $4.2 million really necessary? 

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY, PAT CONROY: Well thanks for the question, and this story is a bit of a media beat‑up by The Australian to be honest because most of the cost will be recovered from foreign leaders and their delegations coming to those hotels and paying for their rooms. We've just reserved them as you do when you organise these conferences. 

WILLESEE JR: So what's the cost likely to be for Australia? 

MINISTER CONROY: If I can get to the point of why we're doing this, which was your question, I'm the Minister for Pacific Island Affairs as well. Climate change is the number one threat to the Pacific. If you're serious about engaging in the Pacific you need to engage on climate change. We expect concrete outcomes from this pre‑COP meeting that will shine a light on the Pacific's experience on climate change. 

And those who are opposed to this are opposed to us supporting the Pacific in their struggle against climate change. We're in a permanent state of contest in this region for influence. Other countries like China are trying to become good friends with the Pacific. If we're not seen to be taking strong action on climate change, we cede ground to those other countries, we see the influence and that makes Australia less safe. 

Let's not forget only four years ago the Liberal Government oversaw the biggest foreign policy disaster since the Vietnam War with the signing of the China‑Solomon Islands security pact. We've reversed that damage through alliances with PNG and Fiji, treaties with Tuvalu, Nauru, PNG, Fiji, negotiating them with the Solomon Islands and Tonga right now. 

If we're not serious about taking action on climate change, if we're not serious about amplifying the Pacific's voice, we lose influence in the region and that's why we're doing this. 

WILLESEE JR: Okay. Pat, we're going to bring in Kellie Sloane who's at the desk with me. Kellie, I get the commitment to climate change. My question is $4.2 million at a time when money is extremely tight. Is it worth it? Do we need to have greater oversight of this kind of spending, expenditure? 

KELLIE SLOANE: Yeah, absolutely. You can talk about climate change all you want, and that is important, especially to our neighbours. There is also a cost‑of‑living of crisis, and to say, "Nothing to see here" is pretty hard to cop for people at home who are struggling to pay the bills, struggling to put food on the table. And transparency is also important. 

He's saying, "Oh, they'll pay it back". You know, we've all heard that before when we've organised a trip and you pay upfront and you try to get people's money back. It doesn't always happen and they're not being clear about who's paying and how much will be left to foot the bill. 

WILLESEE JR: All right. 

MINISTER CONROY: Well if I can respond there. People know about this because we've published the details so we're being very transparent. 

WILLESEE JR: So do we have a final number on what it's going to cost, Pat? 

SLOANE: [Indistinct] all the details. 

MINISTER CONROY: Well, ultimately it will depend on how many foreign leaders come ‑‑ 

SLOANE: See, there you go. 

MINISTER CONROY: ‑‑ and their delegations, and we will disclose that ‑‑ 

SLOANE: Tell us how much. 

MINISTER CONROY: We will disclose that in the normal course. It's not a surprise the Liberals, who were a disaster in the Pacific ‑‑ 

SLOANE: Oh, come on, Pat, just tell us the cost. 

MINISTER CONROY: ‑‑ who made Australia less safe because of their actions on climate change ‑‑ 

SLOANE: If you're going to interrupt ‑‑ 

MINISTER CONROY: ‑‑ are now [indistinct]. The Liberals ‑‑ 

SLOANE: ‑‑ if you're going to interrupt ‑‑ 

MINISTER CONROY: ‑‑ aren't safe on defence, aren't safe ‑‑ 

SLOANE: ‑‑ and say that's wrong, tell us what is right. 

MINISTER CONROY: ‑‑ on foreign policy, and we'll disclose those figures in the normal course of events when the conference is held. 

WILLESEE JR: Let's move on, Pat, we don't have all morning here. I guess we'll get that number when you do disclose it. Let's move on though. We've got a new Prime Minister number the UK, Andy Burnham, already being warned by the US about the importance of the AUKUS agreement. Just in the last hour, Pat, to you, we've heard that John Healey, the former Defence Minister from the Sir Keir Starmer Government, who quit that role because there wasn't enough money being spent on defence, is now Chancellor of the Exchequer, Treasurer. What does all this mean for AUKUS? 

MINISTER CONROY: Well I think AUKUS will go full steam ahead. Andy Burnham, I congratulate him on becoming Prime Minister in the United Kingdom. In his first remarks he was very clear that he would honour all of the United Kingdom's defence commitments, and that includes AUKUS. 

And the appointment of John Healey as Chancellor, their version of Treasury, is great news for Australia. John, who I know personally, is a great friend of Australia. He's committed to spending taxpayer's money wisely in the UK and increasing defence funding. So this is great news for AUKUS, which is really important for Australia. 

AUKUS will make Australia safer. I'm in Adelaide, where, which will be the heart of the AUKUS endeavour, where we'll grow 20,000 high skill, high tech jobs building the most advanced submarines in the world with the United Kingdom as a partner. So that appointment is obviously a matter for them but it's a great appointment for Australia. 

WILLESEE JR: Okay, that is good to hear. Kellie Sloane, $300 billion is a lot of money. 

SLOANE: M'mm. 

WILLESEE JR: But very important it seems to Australia. 

SLOANE: Look, it's so important and this alliance between the UK and the US and Australia is pivotal. It's also important, as Pat mentioned, for our local manufacturing. And these are good signs from the new UK Prime Minister. Good signs in terms of his appointment with Healey, who has said before that we are living in dangerous world, we need to do our bit. And you'd think from a new PM who said he's very focused on domestic manufacturing and welfare and housing and all of those kind of domestic things, this is actually a foreign policy that marries in with that narrative, given he wants more manufacturing in the north of the country where these subs will start their build. 

WILLESEE JR: Okay. Kellie Sloane, thank you. Pat Conroy in Adelaide, thank you for joining us this morning.

ENDS