Transcript - Television Transcript - Sky News with Tom Connell - Monday, 28 February 2022

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Flood situation on the East Coast has been worsening over the past couple of days, in recent hours in Lismore as well in particular, the worst flood there in 70 years already. We know we have flood prone areas, we know we're expecting more floods in our future. Let's bring in our political panel. Labor's Patrick Gorman, from the Liberal Party, Jason Falinski. Thanks both for your time. Jason, do you think the government is thinking enough about medium, long term weather events broadly? There's been a few in your region, for example, of late. Do we have a real plan if climate change is going to be bringing more this stuff?

JASON FALINSKI, MEMBER FOR MACKELLAR: Yeah, we do Tom. It's actually a really important part about how we deal with climate change. So, we know it's coming. We know that we need to mitigate against its worst effects, especially in low lying areas. And if we're being blunt about it, we know that since the floods in Brisbane in 2011, there has been not enough done by governments to ensure that the worst impacts of flooding were ameliorated this time around. And the classic example, I think to look at is the cyclone that happened in Darwin in 1975. Following that, there was root and branch reform of building codes in Darwin. And what you've seen is a number of cyclones happen in Darwin since then, but they haven't had the same impact that they had in 1975, because things were rebuilt to resist and to be able to sustain a Category 5 cyclone.

CONNELL: Now, having been in places such as Tully and Cardwell after a cyclone there, I can tell you not many of those buildings were built that way, perhaps more standards needed? Patrick, what's your view on this? Is Labor bringing anything new to the table on this?

PATRICK GORMAN, SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Well, I think what everyone, whatever your political stripes at the moment, is just thinking of the people of South-East Queensland today, and indeed, people in parts of New South Wales. The news coming out of Lismore this morning is very concerning. It is a really scary time. There will be a moment where we have to discuss what further regulations and things are needed and indeed the challenge of climate change, which yourself and Jason were just talking about. It is not just a challenge of what we do to prevent increasing atmospheric temperatures, it's also a challenge of climate change mitigation. These are huge challenges. We have to take them seriously. But right now, this is a current disaster for people in South-East Queensland. And from here in Western Australia, just sending my heart out to everyone in Queensland who's sandbagging, looking out for one another, or just wondering where those flood levels are going to be over the next few days.

CONNELL: Yeah, and the immediate disaster is the hardest and most dangerous part, but the clean-up and when the energy drains out of you is the hardest from what I've seen on the ground previously. So, if you're out there and affected, reach out for help. Make sure you're not alone at these times. What did you make of Peter Dutton setting up a GoFundMe page, Jason Falinski, to help out? I mean, isn't that the government meant to do so in much larger quantities of cash?

FALINSKI: Oh well, Tom, that's the difference between, you know, people who believe in liberalism and people like you. We believe that care and compassion comes not from a public servant in Canberra, but comes from our neighbours, from our communities, from our friends and family. And that's what Peter Dutton was doing. He was living his values, and I don't, I haven't heard a single person outside the Fourth Estate complain about the fact that a member of Parliament was bringing their community together to help other members of the community that are suffering from a from a natural disaster.

CONNELL: OK, I'm not sure I issued a complaint, but I've got a thick skin, so if that's how it came across, fair enough.

FALINSKI: Tom, you're not the entire Fourth Estate yet. I know you're getting there, but you're not everyone yet.

CONNELL: I was called a liberal, though, by asking the question, But anyway, Patrick, your thoughts?

GORMAN: Look, if Peter Dutton wants to change his tune, I sat in the Parliament just a few months ago where he was outraged and anonymous donations on GoFundMe sites, if he now wants to take anonymous donations as the Defence Minister of Australia, that's up to him. Different members of Parliament will help in different ways. I've seen people like Anika Wells out there helping deliver sandbags, Terri Butler out there with SES Crews. People are getting out there and doing things. Different members of Parliament do their job in different ways. What it is incumbent on all of us, whether it is our electorate affected or not, is to make sure that federal assistance is flowing fast to those that need it most.

CONNELL: But are you equating a GoFundMe page that's set up where all the money will go out to help people with floods, to what? the one over a legal challenge?

GORMAN: Well, I don't know. I don't know where this money's going. Tom, I do take the Defence Minister his word that all that money will go to the people who need it.

FALINSKI: Come on.

CONNELL: Well, hang on, it's got to be one or the other. Patrick.

FALINSKI: No, no, let's be very clear, are you calling him a liar, Pat?

GORMAN: I had a look at the GoFundMe page, I've got a concern about anonymous donations. I think we've done a lot across politics and a lot of areas, and I know this is an area where obviously there's an immediate disaster. But we do have to make sure we have strong standards of the integrity of members of Parliament. And so, I have a concern about that, but that can be dealt with at another time. Right now...

CONNELL: But hang on, you're raising the issue. You've got an issue with any member of Parliament having a GoFundMe page, even if it's to help with flood relief?

FALINSKI: Or splitting donations from a coal miner maybe?

GORMAN: Come on. I don't have a problem with anyone getting money for flood relief, and to help their community. I support that. But I do note that the Defence Minister has changed his tune on the use of GoFundMe, which are taking anonymous donations. Now that's just a fact. He has changed his tune. But look, I'll probably choose to donate through a Lord Mayor's appeal or the Red Cross Fund. That would be my preference. But I know that also, you know, people will also get out there and help in person. I was in Queensland, in Brisbane, during the 2011 floods. I did what thousands of people in Queensland did, I went out there with the Mud Army, helped clean up, helped people wherever we could. That's what people expect right now. I think that's what all sides of politics are doing, including the Defence Minister.

CONNELL: All right, I'll just give you a quick chance to respond, Jason.

FALINSKI: So, what Patrick has done just then, is try to equate anonymous donations to political parties for the purpose of political campaigns, with a federal member of Parliament trying to help their community. And this is the problem with the Labor Party. They don't believe that the people should get help from their community. They believe that they should only get help from public servants and governments. And we, on this side of the political divide, absolutely disagree with that. To somehow equate what Peter Dutton is doing to political actors in the Australian Parliament at the moment, accepting donations from people who could be foreign-backed national governments is just exceptional. This was about the people in the community.

CONNELL: We're just going live briefly, stay with us Jason and Patrick, but live briefly, the Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaking in Sydney, taking questions at the moment about Australia's role in supporting Ukraine.