Interview: Pete Stefanovic, Sky News

[0:00] Well, the girlfriend of Ben Robert Smith has reportedly accused former SAS soldier and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie of being a traitor [0:07] after he posted a photo of himself and his children on Instagram remembering the fallen on Anzac Day. [0:14] The comment has been deleted and Sarah Matchalin has told the Sydney Morning Herald through a lawyer, [0:21] quote, it was a mistake. [0:23] Joining us live is the Shadow Industry Minister, Andrew Hastie. [0:26] Andrew, thanks for your time this morning. [0:28] We will start there. [0:29] What's your reaction to that comment? [0:32] Look, Pete, it is what it is and I really have nothing to add to it. [0:37] Life goes on. [0:38] I'm here with you this morning and keen to talk about more substantive issues. [0:42] Do you regret anything said or done in the case against Ben Robert Smith? [0:49] I've been very careful about what I've said. [0:52] When I've had to give testimony, I've done it under oath. [0:55] And again, that's all I have to say. [1:00] I mean, there's not a lot to say here. [1:03] And I'm just very cautious, given that a fair trial, the presumption of innocence and a few other legal principles are at stake here. [1:10] So I won't be commentating like other public figures on this. [1:13] Right. [1:14] I mean, are you likely to appear as a witness? [1:18] That's I appeared as a witness in the federal court in the civil case. [1:24] And there's a possibility I may do so as well in the trial ahead. [1:28] So, yes, I'm very cautious here. [1:30] I understand. [1:31] And I understand what you can and can't say. [1:33] I mean, is it disappointing? [1:35] Were you shocked to see it at all? [1:36] Or did you just want to leave it? [1:38] Look, again, it is what it is. [1:40] It's public life. [1:42] And we just keep going. [1:43] You know, new day. [1:45] Dawn. [1:45] Dawn here in Perth. [1:46] Okay. [1:48] Can I just ask one more? [1:49] And this is more of a broad question, Andrew, but you are a regular target for this kind of language. [1:55] You are called all sorts of things online, stemming from the hate speech bill to now Ben Robert-Smith. [2:01] How do you cope with all of that? [2:04] I'm married really well. [2:06] My wife loves me. [2:07] My kids love me. [2:08] And in the end, family is what matters to me. [2:12] I love serving this great country. [2:14] But in the end, that could all go away. [2:17] And what I would have left is my wife and kids. [2:18] And that's what I take courage in. [2:21] I'm not linking the two here, but do you worry about what is said online, particularly when you see the events of what happened in America this week and have happened a few times when, you know, inflamed social media rhetoric gets out of hand? [2:35] I do, actually. [2:36] And I see that across the board, not just with regards to me. [2:40] I think social media is bringing out a lot of lies. [2:44] It's also bringing out, I think, an inclination towards violent language, which could be violent action in real time. [2:52] So people just need to dial it back. [2:55] And people need to consider very carefully before they post things online. [3:00] I think that's the key message out of all of this. [3:02] Well, let's get to fuel. [3:03] The coalition policy of fuel storage and supply. [3:06] Angus Taylor wants to up it from 30 to 60 days. [3:08] This was stopped, though, in years gone by because of the expense. [3:12] So how do you argue against that now? [3:16] Well, Labor actually took that money away. [3:19] But what Angus Taylor did last time we were in government was he saved our last two refineries, the Geelong refinery and the Linton refinery, with the help, by the way, of the AWU. [3:29] You'll see Daniel Walton, the former secretary, was very much involved. [3:32] And what we see now is a global supply shock for oil and gas. [3:39] And I think it's high time that we took more action to build our fuel security in this country, which is why we're going to increase our minimum stockholding from 30 days to 60 days. [3:50] It'll cost about $800 million out to 2030. [3:55] And we're going to build more storage. [3:57] And that's what we've got to do. [3:58] But ultimately, Pete, what we also want to do is cut a heap of red tape, green tape, woke tape, and get our oil and gas out of the ground and make it available for the Australian people. [4:10] We could be an energy superpower. [4:11] We have such an abundance of natural resources. [4:14] And we shouldn't be in this position if we did things in a more serious and considered manner with regards to our liquid fuel security. [4:22] So where would you like to see those storage facilities? [4:25] Because they'd be big ones. [4:26] They'd be big ones. [4:29] But I think that's something that we do with the private sector. [4:33] They know where the needs are in the economy better than government. [4:36] And so whilst the government would assist with $800 million worth of finance, we'd work with the private sector to make sure that they're in the key locations they need to be, particularly in regional areas as well, who are hit hardest in shortages like the one we're going through at the moment. [4:53] Is there much interest from the private sector, though? [4:56] Look, Angus Taylor is going to speak about it today. [4:58] I don't want to get ahead of his announcement. [5:01] But obviously, with government partnering with the private sector, I think this is how we've got the best public policy outcomes in this space in the past. [5:10] Angus worked very closely with the Lytton and Geelong refineries a couple of years ago. [5:14] They're still operating. [5:16] And frankly, we want to see more refineries. [5:18] If we get the right incentives, the right investment conditions, we can have more refineries, just like Robert Menzies and the coalition in the 50s built four refineries in the post-World War II era. [5:31] I think it's a reminder that we need to invest in our country, particularly with liquid fuel. [5:35] Yeah, look, I mean, I think this is a necessity now. [5:37] I think this has taught us something, what's happened in Iran. [5:41] I think there is a danger to our north in the years ahead where supply lines could again be cut off. [5:46] You just never know what's going to happen. [5:48] So this is all about preservation. [5:51] But the question will be the expense of it and how much the taxpayer might have to kick in, given that there are so many subsidies that are already applied to the two refineries that are still in place. [6:05] Well, very, very tiny subsidies compared to the largest that is showered upon the renewable sector. [6:12] I mean, billions and billions and billions going to wind and solar. [6:15] We modelled about one cent per litre for the Australian people. [6:20] And most Australian families pay home contents insurance, life insurance, health insurance, employment insurance, you name it. [6:27] This is a small bit of insurance in a national interest to protect our country during a crisis. [6:32] So that's what we'd be kicking in, one cent a litre? [6:35] About that, yes. [6:36] OK. [6:37] And any idea what that would raise in the long run? [6:39] Look, I don't want to get ahead of Angus, but, you know, the basic announcement is more storage in Australia, $800 million to facilitate that investment with the private sector, about one cent per litre at the Bowser, and getting our minimum stock holding obligation from 30 days to 60 days. [6:57] And that's onshore. [6:59] So the next time we have a crisis, we won't be in the same situation. [7:03] But moreover, Pete, I want to really finish on this. [7:05] We've got a heap of oil and gas in this country. [7:08] We want to dig and extract that, refine it here, and become an energy superpower. [7:12] All right. [7:12] Andrew Hastie, as always, good to talk to you. [7:14] Thanks again. [7:15] Well, Queenslanders are being warned of ongoing...