Press conference, Hobart

RICHARD DOWLING, SENATOR FOR TASMANIA: It's so exciting to have here Treasurer Jim Chalmers and our Environment Minister, Murray Watt, at the Australian Antarctic Division. There's nothing quite like Antarctica that captures the world's imagination; a place where science, curiosity, and national interest meet so directly. And to have this significant investment into Australia's Antarctic capability is a huge sign to the world that we take Antarctic science seriously, what we can learn from that investment, and jobs in regional Tasmania - this is a hugely significant investment. Tasmanians value their place as the gateway to Antarctica, and this shows how seriously the Australian Government takes that position, and we're really thrilled by this investment. I'll hand over first to the Treasurer to take you through some of the details, and then Murray will talk in a bit about more detail. So thank you.

JIM CHALMERS, TREASURER: Thanks mate. Well, a big thank you to Richard for his advocacy but also especially the local Member here, Julie Collins, without which this important announcement wouldn't be happening today. Their advocacy has been absolutely key. So thank you, mate, for welcoming us here, and a big thank you to the local Member, Julie Collins, as well.

Before we get to this really exciting announcement, I just wanted to really thank the firies and the emergency workers, the first responders, who are dealing with fires here in Tasmania, but indeed right around Australia at the moment, in New South Wales and other places as well. I say to every Tasmanian in fire-affected areas, make sure that you stay across the updates. We've been working very closely with the Tasmanian Government to make sure that the assistance payments and the grants are flowing where that's appropriate. So check out the Services Tasmania website. But really, just from all of us, a very big thank you to all the emergency services, the workers and first responders, who are helping people at a difficult time in fire-impacted areas.

I want to say a big thank you to Emma and Nick and Matt for welcoming a couple of Queenslanders here, bearing a couple of hundred million dollars in important funding for the Antarctic Division here in Tasmania. This is a $208.8 million investment in jobs and opportunities here in Tasmania. This is a $200 million vote of confidence in the extraordinary science that happens here and what it means for our understanding of the Antarctic area but also what it means for our understanding of climate change and local industries as well. And so, what we're doing today is all about making sure that we fund these jobs and opportunities. We recognise that with science and research comes more jobs and more opportunities for more Tasmanians, and that's really what this announcement is all about.

We've been able to find room for this important investment in what will be a very tight mid-year Budget update, which I will release next week. That mid-year update won't be a mini Budget. It won't be a spend-a-thon. It's an opportunity to make room for pressures, to make room for priorities like this one, and also to update our forecasts. For example, we'll be updating our forecasts for business investment. We've seen a very encouraging bounceback in the private sector and particularly when it comes to business investment, and that will be reflected in the new forecasts I release next week. But the mid-year Budget update overwhelmingly will be an opportunity to fund these priorities, to fund pressures on the Budget, and to update our forecasts.
We're really proud of this investment that we're making in Tasmania today because we know that better science and more research means more jobs for local people, and this is a really important part of the national economy, and we're proud to be here today supporting it. I'll throw to Murray and then to our other friends, then happy to take some questions.

MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Well, thanks very much, Jim, and thank you for your personal support of this important extra funding to support more jobs, more voyages, and more research right here in Tasmania. Thanks to Richard for being here today and for your advocacy, along with Julie and the other Tasmanian Labor Members. And thank you to all of the staff and scientists who've been involved in this pitch to better understand the kind of funding support that is needed to make sure that this crown jewel of Australian scientific research - the Australian Antarctic Research Program - has the funding that it needs to continue into the future. As Jim has said, the new funding that we are contributing through the mid-year review of the Federal Budget is around $208 million spread over seven years. And as I say, that will deliver up to 30 new jobs here in Tasmania, along with more voyages for the RSV Nuyina, which is currently out doing research missions at the moment. And also will provide an extension of $5 million in funding for ACEAS, one of the main research partnerships that we are funding to do with Antarctic research.

I had the opportunity earlier this week to visit Antarctica for a day with a small delegation of MPs and senators, including the Shadow Environment Minister, and we got to see firsthand the incredible world-leading research that Australian scientists are undertaking on Antarctica now. And while that research is important, of course, to understand Antarctica as a continent - an ice continent - it's also really vital for all Australians to better understand the impact that climate change is having on Antarctica, but also on the Australian mainland. The sort of research that we got to see and hear about on that visit includes what's known as the one-million-year ice core drilling, where basically we have scientists drilling kilometres down into the ice to detect what the impact of climate change has been over the last one million years. That work is underway. It'll be going for a little while yet, but that will provide really important and world-leading research findings that will help the world manage the challenge of climate change into the future. The research also includes better understanding the krill population, that marine species that is the foundation food source for so many different species, whether it be whales or sea lions as well. So there is incredibly important research going on based out of here in Tasmania, and with this funding support today, that research will continue.
So this funding in total provides extra support for more shipping, for more voyages for the Nuyina, for more aviation and more research, and we couldn't be more proud to be standing with Tasmania as it leads that research effort going forward.

I might introduce Emma Campbell now, the head of the Government's Australian Antarctic Division, and we'll hear from a couple more people and then take some questions from you.

EMMA CAMPBELL, HEAD OF AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC DIVISION: Thanks, Minister. Thanks, Treasurer. It's great to be here with this important funding announcement, $200 million to support our endeavours in Antarctica. Supporting Nuyina, our world-leading icebreaker doing its critical resupply for stations and also doing more marine science, looking at the Marginal Ice Zone and krill, and understanding how the Southern Ocean impacts on global climate systems and on the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean. It's really important. It's part of our leadership in Antarctica. We're also supporting the Intercontinental Aviation Airlink and planes running around Antarctica, so that's really special for us as well. And it's great to have Matt King here from ACEAS - to support ACEAS for another couple of years doing their important work for science. They were critical for the Denman Marine Voyage and the voyage we did last year looking at an important glacier in the Denman, which has 1.5 metres of sea level locked up in that glacier. So being able to understand the results of that science will be really critical as we go forward. It's a great vote of confidence in our work in the Antarctic Division, and we're really looking forward to delivering for Antarctica and for the Australian people. Thank you.

DR NICHOLAS GALES, CHAIR OF THE AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC SCIENCE COUNCIL: Good morning. On behalf of the Australian Antarctic science community, I really do want to say a very sincere thank you to the Treasurer and to Minister Watt for this announcement. Science takes years of planning to go south and undertake its work. And with this announcement now, having knowledge that the ship will be available for scientific research and that the airlink, the critical airlink to Antarctica will be available to move people up and down is so fundamental to doing the work. And this science really matters to all Australians. It's not just inquiry. It's massively important because what happens in Antarctica and fundamentally what changes in Antarctica, affects everyone in Australia. It affects the rate at which we experience floods and fires and extreme weather events. It affects the health of our oceans in which we all rely. So it's critically important information and science to guide Australia as it makes its adaptations to climate change. So it's really important and I'm thrilled with today's announcement. But it goes even further, is that the science we do and where we do it in Antarctica affects our ability to influence the amazing Antarctic treaty system that governs Antarctica and gives us influence with those countries to keep Antarctica dedicated to peace and science. So, thank you again Treasurer and Minister for this announcement today.

JOURNALIST: Can I ask you a couple questions before you go, if that's all right? Is this as much funding as you've been asking for, and what does it mean for certainty for the researchers here [inaudible]?

NICHOLAS GALES: Well, the need for funding for Antarctic science and logistics is a bottomless pit. So it's a wonderful step and it's a really important major announcement in terms of ensuring Australia can maintain its work. There will always be more to do in the future, and I know the Government will be considering that as time goes on. But for today this is a really important and timely step as programs are lapsing and access to the shipping was lapsing. So these take major sort of rectifying action in that. So of course, there's always a call from the science community for more funding and it's genuinely needed, but you know, across everything else this is a wonderful announcement.

JOURNALIST: And how important is it to have extra funding for researchers to analyse data from the Denman Glacier campaign?

NICHOLAS GALES: Yeah, it's critically important. As many people will know, the RSV Nuyina went down with a large group of collaborative scientists doing work off the Denman Glacier, and the project now is to analyse that information and bring that to Australians, so it's fundamentally important and this will assist greatly with that.

JOURNALIST: Emma, can I ask you a few Antarctic questions and then we’ll go to the pollies for everything else? Is that alright?

MURRAY WATT: No problem.

JOURNALIST: How much of this funding is for marine science voyages, and how many dedicated marine science voyages will there be as a result of this funding?

EMMA CAMPBELL: Yeah, it's a good question. This funding provides 150 extra days towards marine science. So over three years, we'll be doing more marine science. I envisage dedicated marine voyages, but also the opportunity to do more science en route to station. And so we can use Nuyina’s capacity as we go south all the time.

JOURNALIST: How long does a voyage normally take?

EMMA CAMPBELL: It's a good question, it takes about 16 days to get to Mawson. We spend a few days at Mawson doing the resupply. So it really depends where we go and how much science we do. One of the things- Nuyina can go for a long time. What we're really conscious about is how long can the crew go, because it's a big impost for our expeditioners and our crew on the ship to be away from the family, and so that's probably the constraint on how long our voyages can be.

JOURNALIST: We talked about the marginal ice zone before. When will that trip be?

EMMA CAMPBELL: Again, we'll work on planning for that trip. It won't be next year, knowing it will be a dry dock next year, but we'll work with the science community to deliver that voyage, to plan that voyage so we can do it well and do that in the next few years.

JOURNALIST: And from the increased medical evacuation, research and rescue capabilities, what will actually be different and how much of the extra funding will be used for that?

EMMA CAMPBELL: So when I talked about search and rescue, this funding covers a gap. The Minister talked about increased costs, and so this will allow us to maintain our current levels of support, both for aviation and shipping, which is a great achievement.

JOURNALIST: Thank you so much.

JOURNALIST: On social media, do you have any concerns about the US announcing it will screen the social media history of Australian visitors?

JIM CHALMERS: Look, this is a game-changing and world-leading change, and it's about protecting our kids online, and that's why paying attention to it. No doubt the tech platforms and others will have views about what we're doing here but this is an enormous undertaking and we can't lose sight of the main game here which is protecting our kids online from these algorithms. There'll be bumps along the way, there'll be issues that we need to address as we go, but one of the reasons why this is overwhelmingly supported, I believe, by parents and by Australians more broadly is because we have the absolute best intentions here. Our kids aren't safe enough online and that's what this is all about fixing.

JOURNALIST: Sorry, but from the US standpoint is this an appropriate way to treat an ally?

JIM CHALMERS: Look, we expect other countries, and we expect other companies including some of the tech platforms based in the US, to have views about this. This is a huge deal and I pay tribute here to the PM, to Minister Wells, and before her, Minister Rowland. This is an enormous undertaking and the whole world is paying attention. And that's because it's game changing and it's world leading and it's really important. We expect people to have views as we go. It won't be unanimously supported by the big tech platforms or indeed by others. But I believe it's overwhelmingly supported by parents who understand that this is a big risk to our kids. And we're taking what I think is a brave and courageous step in trying to fix it.

JOURNALIST: In terms of the Budget, Treasurer, the e61 Institute has some new research suggesting there's a drift from means-tested welfare to universal welfare in Australia. Did you want to comment on that and in particular how much you're taking that on board as you work towards another Budget?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, a couple of points about that. First of all, our social security system is one of the best targeted in the world and that's been the conclusion drawn for some time now. We've got means testing in our social security system because by making sure that some of those payments are going where they're most needed, we can make sure that they are most meaningful. And so we've got a very well targeted social security system, and that's been the case for some time. And when it comes to some of the conclusions of that report - and I've got no issues with e61, it's a quality outfit making important contributions - but there's a couple of points I think missed in that story today that you're referring to.

I mean, first of all, one of the reasons why the targeted means-tested part of the social security system is becoming smaller as a share of the economy is because unemployment is lower in 2025 than it was in 2000. So there's, as a share of the economy, a lower cost for unemployment benefits because we've got unemployment down. The second related reason is the superannuation system is doing more and more of the heavy lifting in the retirement income system. So that's another important reason why that number is changing over time.

Now, parts of our support systems are means tested, that's appropriate. Other parts of our support is not means tested, that's also deliberate. One of the big drivers of that research, as I understand it, today is the NDIS and we've acknowledged for a couple of years now that that is putting substantial pressure on the Budget. That's why we've been taking steps to deliver for people in the scheme but also to make sure the scheme's sustainable, and here I salute the work of Mark Butler and before him, Bill Shorten.
And so there are a number of factors driving those conclusions from e61 today, but we've got a very well targeted social security system. Other parts of our system including Medicare, the NDIS, early childhood education are deliberately broader, and that's for good reason. But there are important reasons why those conclusions have been reached.

JOURNALIST: Notwithstanding that, are you looking at trying to swing back to means testing or try to rebalance that shift that we've seen?

JIM CHALMERS: I think as I've made it clear in my first comprehensive answer, we've already got a very well targeted social security system. We've got means testing for a good reason but we've also got some programs which are broader and that's deliberate as well. And so I think broadly we've got the right balance here. Some of the pressure is coming off payments even as we've increased them. Now I've introduced a permanent increase, for example, to JobSeeker, in addition to the indexation. So we've increased these payments but as a share of the economy it's come down and that's because the unemployment rates lower and superannuation is doing the job that it was designed to do.

JOURNALIST: You're asking departments to rein in their expenses, is there anything you could do in terms of MPs’ travel expenses to cut down on that?

JIM CHALMERS: Well there are good reasons why MPs’ travel is managed and overseen by an authority at arm’s length from politicians. And that arm's length body has the ability to review and audit expenses, and that in this case is what Anika Wells has asked them to do. But we've got a system which is transparent, it's got declarations in it, we've got a system which is managed at arm's length from politicians, and I think that's a good way to go about it.

JOURNALIST: Do you think it's time the rules are changed to meet community expectations?

JIM CHALMERS: Well that will be a matter for others to consider, but I think again there are good reasons why it's managed at arm's length from politicians. And the travel needs to be within the rules, I believe that it has been in recent times, but Minister Wells has asked the organisation at arm's length from politicians to have a look to put this beyond doubt. I think that's appropriate. We've got a system which is all about making sure that claims are justified, that they're declared. We've got an independent organisation which can look into them, review and audit them and that's what's happening on this occasion.

JOURNALIST: The government kind of makes the rules though, couldn’t you change it?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, I think as I made clear a moment ago, that's a matter for relevant ministers to consider. I think it's important that these travel claims are managed at arm's length from the government and from politicians and that's what's happening. It has the ability to look into these sorts of claims to review and audit them and that's what's happening on this occasion too.

JOURNALIST: Treasurer, do you think it's appropriate that a Labor fundraiser was held on the same night that the whole Cabinet flew to Sydney yesterday?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, a couple of things about that. I mean, first of all, I don't think it's especially surprising that politicians are asked from time to time to participate in political events. When it comes to the scheduling and the timing of Ministry meetings and Cabinet meetings, those are largely determined at the start of the year. What we all try to do is we all try to make the most of our time when Ministry is outside of Canberra as it was yesterday. We've had Ministry meetings and Cabinet meetings in all corners of the country. We've had multiple meetings in WA, and Sydney yesterday, and that's deliberate to get Cabinet and ministers out and about. We're in Tasmania today making this important announcement to make sure that we're engaging with all parts of the country.

JOURNALIST: You say not surprising, but do you think it passes the pub test?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, again, I mean, that's something for others to determine. And people- I understand that there's a lot of interest in this, and I understand that there are concerns raised from time to time about the nature of these claims. And again, that’s why it's important that we've got this organisation operating at arm's length from politicians.

JOURNALIST: Can you comment specifically on the US making travellers declare five years of social media history to get a visa?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, only to the extent that I commented on it before. You know, we expect that there will be reactions from others when it comes to this game-changing and world-leading change that we are putting in place to protect Australian kids. And other countries will make decisions about their customs arrangements. Other countries will come to their own conclusions and their own views about the social media ban. But from our point of view, this is about Australian kids. This is about making sure Australian kids are safe online. People will have views about that, those views won't be unanimous but we'll proceed regardless.

JOURNALIST: Do you think there needs to be a general review of travel entitlements rather than a one-off review each time that an incident pops up?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, I mean I'll only be repeating the answers I gave a moment ago - those sorts of things are a matter for other ministers with carriage of these sorts of areas. I hope you'll understand that my focus has been on the mid-year Budget update. I'll be handing that down next week. The focus has been getting here to Tassie and make sure that we're funding our friends here from the Antarctic Division. People will reach their own conclusions about all of this. From my point of view, it's appropriate we've got a system that manages and oversees and reviews and audits these kinds of claims at arm's length, which is what I've said on a number of occasions now, and any future steps are a matter for relevant ministers.

JOURNALIST: Just on Antarctica quickly, this is additional funding. Can you outline the existing funding that's already there for the program?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, we provide funding in the budget update from time to time. I've heard Murray's predecessor talk about around $1.5 billion in different kinds of investments in Antarctica. Even the wharf upgrade is part of our efforts here. So I've seen that number about 1.5, but budget update to a budget update, we make the new parts of the investment clear. Next week when I release the mid-year Budget update with Katy Gallagher, another great friend of Tassie, there'll be another $208.8 million because we really believe in the work that happens here. And we thank Emma and Nick, we thank Matt for his role in this as well. This is a really important investment in the people, the communities and the economy of Tasmania.

JOURNALIST: Australia's social media ban aside, do you think it's fair? Would you be happy to hand over your social media history to the United States if you were to travel?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, I think my social media history is pretty public because of the pages that we maintain as politicians-

JOURNALIST: Do you think it's a fair ask, though?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, I mean, I'm not going to second guess decisions taken by other countries. We anticipate that people have views about it, but our priority is protecting Australian kids online and that's what this is about.

JOURNALIST: Just quickly on Indigenous deaths in custody. They're at the highest level in more than four decades. What needs to change?

JIM CHALMERS: Oh look, we work closely with Minister McCarthy on some of these very concerning developments. One of the reasons why incarceration is part of the Closing the Gap report each year is because there have been concerning developments. And I think I speak for Murray and indeed our whole Cabinet when we say has happened in this area over a period of time is not good enough. It requires ongoing vigilance and ongoing attention, and that's what it's getting from Minister McCarthy and from her colleagues.

JOURNALIST: Does state and territory governments need to be pushed to reform their prison systems?

JIM CHALMERS: Well, we work with states and territories on these issues and other related issues. Clearly there is pressure on justice systems, clearly the outcomes we've been seeing, particularly in First Nations communities, are not good enough. And that's why Minister McCarthy works so hard with her state and territory colleagues. Now, we try not to lecture our colleagues from other jurisdictions. We try to work with them. Yeah, that's true here in Tasmania as well. We've got a very substantial increase in hospitals funding on the table for the Tasmanian Government to consider. We're working with them right now on the response to these fires in fire-affected communities. We work with the states and territories where we can, and that's true in this area as well.

JOURNALIST: On the hospital funding offer, is there more money set aside than what you previously put on the table in your mid-year Budget update or are you sticking to your previous offer?

JIM CHALMERS: Well those negotiations are ongoing as you know, now we'd like to conclude them before long. And what the Commonwealth's put on the table is an extra $20 billion in funding for hospitals, and that is a substantially bigger offer than what was agreed at the end of 2023 when this agreement was first struck in principle. And so again, we understand that states and territories will always want more funding, that's a story as old as Federation. It's hardly front page news that the states would like more money from the Commonwealth. We've come to the table with a very substantial offer - a $20 billion offer for extra funding in hospitals above and beyond what is already being provided. And that's because we understand there's pressure on the hospital system. At the same time, we're investing a very substantial amount in the health system more broadly to try and take the pressure off the hospitals. Strengthening Medicare, building urgent care clinics, this is all about taking pressure off hospitals as well. So the Commonwealth is doing its bit. We know that there'll be more negotiations. Health ministers, leaders, Treasurers will be engaged in that in one way or another, and that's appropriate.

Thank you.

MURRAY WATT: Thanks all.