THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TELEVISION INTERVIEW
SUNRISE
MONDAY, 26 MAY 2025
SUBJECTS: FUTURE OF THE COALITION; DROUGHTS IN SOUTHEAST AUSTRALIA.
NATALIE BARR: Well, it hasn't taken long, but after a brief breakup, it looks as though the Coalition could be back on. The Liberals and the Nationals are today hoping to stitch their fractured relationship back together after David Littleproud sensationally walked away from the decades’ long partnership last week. But it could come with a twist because Mr Littleproud's leadership is now in jeopardy with growing speculation he could lose his job over the decision. For their take, let's bring in Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce. Good morning, Barnaby. Welcome back.
BARNABY JOYCE: What a day to come back.
BARR: That was a cluster, wasn't it? What were you guys thinking?
JOYCE: I wasn't thinking much at all. I was watching it on television. So, yeah, it was a shocker. So, but, you know, hopefully everything calms down. You can't, look, you can think of all these really clever lines you're going to say on this, oh, they'll ask me this and I'll say that - there is no clever line about this. It was a complete shocker.
BARR: So, now David Littleproud, his job is on the line according to all reports. What's the split like for and against him in the party room?
JOYCE: I don't know. What I can say, people say, oh, Barnaby's challenging. I'm not challenging. I'm not ringing anybody up. I'm definitely not. Right. Okay. As you probably guess, I've got other things I'm thinking about. But, you know, if the party room decides to do something, the party room decides to do it, you know, that's up to them.
BARR: So, are you saying you would throw your hat in the ring?
JOYCE: I'm saying I'm not, I'm saying 100 per cent not. It just, you know, but you know, I want us to, you know, sort whatever they decide to do, I want to sort it out. This is, that was, that was unedifying. And our job, like, Tanya's there, right? They've done very well, and Tanya is going to be there, I don't know, three to six years. Okay. And our job on behalf of the nation is to hold the government to account. That's what you've got to do. You got to look after your local area, look after them number one and hold the government to account. That's your responsibility to the Australian people and you're not going to do it looking like a circus.
BARR: Yeah, it's. Hold it. You're not getting anywhere here. Let's look at Michael McCormack yesterday saying, quote, I am not running for the leadership anytime soon. That doesn't sound like he's hosing down leadership aspirations?
JOYCE: Well, that's his right. I mean, if he decides to go for the leadership, it's his right to go for it. You know, that's, I don't sort of vibe Mike in my head. If Mike's - he's a good bloke, I respect Mike. And if he decides to do it, he decides to do it. But if you say, oh, he's rung you up and he's going to do it, no, he hasn't.
BARR: Will there be a challenge, though? Will David Littleproud keep the leadership?
JOYCE: I don't know. That's the question for the room. I mean, that's up to the room. What they decide to do.
BARR: Are you concerned about the future of the Coalition?
JOYCE: I want to make sure that, well, I think it's going to be a tough run. That election was not good for us, and I don't know how you'd resolve it by what happened in the next couple of weeks. That was remarkably stupid. And we'll just see what happens. As I said, we have a duty on behalf of the Australian people, some of which watch this show. For them to have a sort of cogent, diligent group of people explaining to them what the flaws are in legislation, whether that's net zero, whether that's unrealised capital gains, all this, see, that's the lines, I'm giving you the lines now, but you know, you won't do it if you're all over the shop.
BARR: Did last week's actions just cement years in the wilderness for the Coalition?
JOYCE: I hope not. I don't know, Nat. I think things move on real quick and they just do, you know, Tanya would know that, too. Oh, the world is coming to an end. And a couple of weeks later, the world's coming to an end for them. That’s the way it goes.
BARR: Okay, well, let's move on to something that is important to a lot of people. Farmers across South Eastern Australia are demanding action from the Federal Government. They are battling what is being called the forgotten drought. Have a look at these pictures. Farmers are being forced to abandon their crops, slaughter their cattle. Tanya, the one thing they are saying is that they want the Prime Minister to go out and tour these areas and see for himself this crisis firsthand. Will he?
TANYA PLIBERSEK, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Look, I'm sure the Prime Minister will be working very closely with farmers and with our Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins. Julie Collins has been to Victoria, she's going to South Australia this week. And I understand why farmers want that attention. I was in South Australia a few weeks ago and farmers there were telling me that this is worse for them than the millennium drought. This is an incredibly serious drought that's lasted several years now. We do have a number of supports available. We've got low interest loans available, other payments, financial counselling and other supports available. We'll work very closely with the state governments. They obviously take a lead at a time like this, but we'll work very closely with the state governments. And I know as I said, Julie Collins will be in South Australia this week. That's exactly what she should be doing. She's got the opportunity there to hear firsthand from farmers exactly what else they need.
BARR: They want the PM, though. A 20 per cent jump in slaughter rates, having to put animals down. Mental health problems are spreading right across regional Victoria, South Australia. They want the PM. Can you report back?
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Look, I'm sure the Prime Minister is aware of this. I'm sure he's following it very closely. And I know that the Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins, is talking with the Prime Minister consistently about what's needed.
BARR: Barnaby, you would be obviously all over this.
JOYCE: Yeah. Look, what happens in a drought is that - seeing a flood, you know, comes and it goes. It's traumatic. What happens with a drought, it's just every day you're thinking, is this going to end and there's no water. Once you start running out of water, when you're running out of feed, it costs you heaps of money. When you run out of water, it's just all over. That's it. Because you can't. You just can't keep the water up to the stock. And the reason it's forgotten, see you have a look over my shoulder. We're going all right. It's just down the south, they just have not been getting any rain. We pulled cattle out of South Australia the other day. We bought cattle. And because they just got nowhere to go, they reckon. When they picked them up on the truck, they said, mate, it's just like a board. There's nothing there. It's just absolutely nothing. And this is nothing, but we've got to hold the government to account. Yes. Mr. Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia has to go down there and doesn't matter what your policy is. These people in dire straits and you've got to say, okay, let's try and work out what we can do for you. Because it's in Australia's interest to keep Australian farmers on Australian land. Otherwise, you know, it just collapses into conglomerations of overseas companies that buy whole swathes of land and you don't want that. You want to keep your farming families on your land. It's what Australia's about. And the Prime Minister, I'm sure it is, I'm sure the Prime Minister will - he'll have to go down there and sort of say, okay, let's work out what we can do for you people.
BARR: Yeah, Obviously, so many people struggling through those areas. We thank you very much. Good to see you back Barnaby in good health. Thank you very much, Tanya. We'll see you both next week.
ENDS
