Senator Nampijinpa Price talks to Sylvia Jeffreys and Dai Le MP

21 December 2023, 6:45am AEDT

Subjects: Politician’s expenditure, Employers contacting employees, NZ Parliament gaffe.

Sylvia Jeffreys
Welcome back, the Prime Minister is under scrutiny this morning for his massive taxpayer funded VIP flight bill. New data revealing Anthony Albanese has spent nearly $700,000 over three months and close to $4 million in the year. For more let's bring in Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and independent MP Dai Le. Good morning to you both. Jacinta I'll go to you first, what's your take on this? Is it too much?

Senator Nampijinpa Price
Look, I think as parliamentarians we all have a responsibility when it comes to our travel spend. Some of us have quite vast electorates, so it's going to be larger than others. But yeah, certainly I think the Prime Minister has to be a hell of a lot more considerate when it comes to his VIP jet bill, and for the use of his other MPs, and he has to be a lot more considerate, I think.

Sylvia Jeffreys
I guess it's been a really difficult time in global politics Dai, we expect our Prime Minister to represent us on the global stage of course, and to ease some of those tensions that do exist. What should be an appropriate cap perhaps on those fly look and those expenses?

Dai Le MP
Look, you know, and as an independent you know, we have limited, obviously, budget. We are also taxpayers ourselves, so we have to be mindful of how much we spend. I'm always, always on the hunt for a bargain, in terms of flights. I drive to Canberra for instance. But as you said, you know, as an MP, as a Minister, Prime Minister or as a minister, you travel a lot, or even shadows, so, but I think you just have to be really, you know, the VIPs of this jet setting thing. Can you take in, you know, cheaper flights for instance, I don't know, but it's - something has to be done. And it's maybe a cap. I don't know. But I think it's up to the individual to be accountable and responsible with the money that is spent.

Sylvia Jeffreys
Well especially in a cost-of-living crisis, Jacinta, when every Australian is counting their pennies at the moment, and you've got some MPs spending tens of thousands of dollars on printing.

Senator Nampijinpa Price
Yeah look, especially during this particular period that Australians are doing it really tough, everyday Australians, it costs extra for everyday Australians and therefore, we have a responsibility as Dai’s pointed out, to the taxpayer, to ourselves also to make sure that we're spending appropriately those dollars, because every single dollar counts obviously.

Sylvia Jeffreys
It does. Okay, moving on. Businesses are pushing back against a Labor-Greens deal for a right to disconnect from employers. A reform will prevent employers from unreasonably contacting their workers out of hours, as well as empowering workers to ignore work calls and emails after hours. Jacinta where's the line here? Because I think everyone's entitled to a little bit of flexibility if it's required for the family or whatever reason, but employers are really struggling to get back to any kind of norm aren’t they?

Senator Nampijinpa Price
They certainly are and I guess it depends what sort of area it is the workforce depending on those workers particularly. But, you know, and that has to be taken into consideration whether emergency workers obviously those with a bit more responsibility than others. Yeah, that has to be really considered.

Sylvia Jeffreys
Dai, what's your take on this?

Dai Le MP
Look, you know, the people talk about the closing the loophole bill it has already has an impact, especially in my local community and Fowler, for instance, a factory worker said that her salary has increased, which is great, but what they've done is that they've cut back the staff which means that she has no working hours, but the employers have called her for her to work longer hours, and not with the extra pay even though her salary has increased, you know what I mean? So, um, so she asked me the other day she goes, You know, I've been asked to work all these extra hours. But for the same pay even though their salary has increased, so employers, especially in communities like Fowler where they're migrants and refugees in English as a second language, it will be a struggle. They'll be taken advantage of I don’t doubt.

Sylvia Jeffreys
Okay, finally, we are close to Christmas, and we all deserve a bit of a laugh. In my opinion we've all had days where we phrase something poorly, it gets taken out of context, it's pretty much every day, but rarely is it this hilarious.

Cutaway - Nicola Willis MP
What New Zealanders care about is the size of the sausage, not how it's delivered, and how we will deliver it (laughter)…  Mr. Speaker, it's been a year of bad quotes from me.

Sylvia Jeffreys
I don’t for a minute believe that that was accidental Jacinta, It was too funny,

Senator Nampijinpa Price
I think it was probably you know; we Australians like to look across the water and have a little bit of a joke with our New Zealand counterparts, and I think it was actually the delivery probably in her accent more than anything that we Aussies probably found that funny.

Sylvia Jeffreys
I love it. I love it. Dai have you had any Clangers this year?

Dai Le MP
Well yeah I did. I stood up and asked the question to the Treasurer. But when I stood up in kind of standing order, ask for a date instead of the date. So I said a date. I want a date.

Sylvia Jeffreys
That’s what Tinder’s for Dai!

Dai Le MP
I sat down until somebody said oh my gosh, is our date. But anyway.

Sylvia Jeffreys
I love it. I love it. It's obviously an occupational hazard for us. I would love to though, before we let you go Jacinta, as obviously a prominent voice in the No campaign this year, its such a big year in politics and for you personally as well, how are you feeling looking ahead to next year? Are you feeling hope for Indigenous Australians and the idea and the goal of closing the gap?

Senator Nampijinpa Price
Absolutely. You know, my message has always been I don't believe separatism has worked and I feel very optimistic going forward that there are certainly ways that we can bring this country together and improve the lives of our most marginalized and I'm going to ensure that I work very hard to do that.

Sylvia Jeffreys
All right, a lot of people hoping absolutely that that is the case and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Dai we thank you for all your contributions.