SUBJECTS: Anthony Albanese’s visit to Moranbah; Covid-19 in Queensland and NRL Bubble.

SCOTT EMERSON, HOST: And this time of the week we always catch up with Milton Dick, he's the member for Oxley but also the former ALP State Secretary up here in Queensland. Milton, how are you? 

MILTON DICK, MEMBER FOR OXLEY: Hi, Scott. Good to have you back. 

EMERSON: Yeah, I'm glad to be back. Now, it was good to see Anthony Albanese in Queensland. Just explain this story to me. I saw the reports today that he went up to a coal mine. Now, 775 days since the Opposition Leader has set foot in a coal mine here in Queensland, I saw it reported as. But strangely incredibly quiet on social media, a lot of other photos of him doing things in in Central Queensland. But what not one shot of him being in the coal mine.

DICK: Yeah, look, I think it's a good thing that Albo did make the effort to go and spend time on the ground, particularly talking to those miners. And yes, he did go to a coal mine and I know that has generated some interest. I've been arguing for some time as you know, Scott, that we've got to do a lot better in Central and Regional Queensland and we really did poorly at the last election. So his week on the ground in Queensland, has been really about two things, listening to Queenslanders and what sort of Government they want, but also hearing firsthand, particularly those mine workers, and you will have seen some reports about his visit there about the mine workers who are doing the same job, but due to the labour hire issues, they're getting different pay for the same job. So that's an issue that we want to fix. And hearing firsthand and then outlining what our plans are going to be for Queensland. And you know, I always say to Anthony Albanese and the rest of the team, Richard Marles is in Rocky today, you can't ever spend too much time in Queensland. So the more time on the ground that they can listen, hear firsthand from those workers is a really good thing. And I think he's been in the north side of Brisbane today with Anika Wells at GP clinics, who're crying out for more doses of the vaccine. So a lot on the plate, but he's been here for eight days. 

EMERSON: Alright well Milton Dick you're one of the sensible voices out there in terms of making sure that Labor understands they can't just ignore Queensland, and also supporting the mining sector out there, including the coal sector out there. But again, I come back to the issue here. Milton Dick, Anthony Albanese, lot of social media posts about everything apart from him going through this coal mine. Why was it kept secret?

DICK: Well, I don't it's not a secret. I think we're talking about it right now. And-

EMERSON: That's only because it's now come out and there's no photos of him being there. What I find is that with everything-

DICK: The media knew that it was going there. So I don't think it's a secret. And I think from when he announced he was going to set foot in Moranbah I don't think there was any world secrets that that's where that harder mining is in Queensland. I saw Keith Pitt, give some commentary about this. And I think that's a bit of nonsense, to be honest. And I won't take any lectures from anyone inside the LNP and the National Party, who've dumped the resources portfolio from the cabinet. Now, that's something that we've committed to, I think, you know, they should be more worried about speaking out on those issues. We've got to have the resources portfolio at the seat, at the cabinet table. It backs up our economy of Queensland, of the nation. I think that is a real missed opportunity. And Keith Pitt sort of is a decent fellow. But it's a crying shame that it has been dumped from the resources portfolio. And I think that's a question we need to ask Barnaby Joyce, the new leader of the National Party. 

EMERSON: I do agree with you on that. I think Keith Pitt was doing a sensational job as Resource Minister, and that it should be kept in cabinet. No doubt about that. Clearly some internal party politics, at play in terms of support, etc. In terms of the rise and return of Barnaby Joyce to the Deputy Prime Ministership, and when we get Barnaby on the programme we will quiz him about that. Let's just turn to the situation with COVID around Australia at the moment, specifically in New South Wales, from what you're hearing, the numbers are down a little bit today. But I think there's a lot of worries out there of course with the new case in Goulburn outside that Sydney area.

DICK: Yeah, look, I'm very worried about that, Scott. This Delta strain is completely serious, and we've got to take it seriously. We are blessed in Queensland that we look like easing restrictions on Friday and breathing a little bit of relief, though we know that one case can change all of that. The tragic news of someone, I think, passing away overnight was also terrible, terrible news. And I guess the numbers are down a little bit today, but I listened to what the Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, said, you know, we've got to wait for the seven day trend. I heard overnight Norman Swan say that, you know, lockdowns or serious issues might be happening until Christmas. I'm pleased that the federal government- and just when I was leaving my office, I saw the PM up and about talking about a business package. I think that is the sensible move. I think businesses down in New South Wales would be screaming out at the moment, because this is not what any of them want. But, you know, when it comes to the Delta strain, you know. And I'm pleased to say Chris Minns the Labor leader back in those health orders that the Premier has done down there. We've got to fight this together. It's a tough decision. But I just think all of us in Queensland are really, really lucky. We've got to keep it that way.

EMERSON: Well, I think we do have to keep it that way. This is what kind of worries me at the moment and surprises me as well. Now, if you go back last year, Queensland seem to bring down its borders pretty quickly. At the moment we haven't been doing that. But we are letting the NRL and the families come up here. Look, I don't agree with the families coming up here. It worries me that is a risk we don't need to take. Now do you back that decision Milton Dick?

DICK: Well look, as long as the safeguards are in place, and they'll be doing the quarantine and they'll be away from the public. And I understand I think there's three locations where they will be hotel quarantining, as long as those safeguards are put in place, I don't have a huge problem. With that, we've got to make sure that those health orders are followed. And I think if any of those players step out a line, I think we should throw the book at them. But I get to the point where we're only in this position, Scott, because Queensland has done the right thing that we've followed those orders. And I'm hopeful that if there's a spread or further community transmission, I've no doubt that the Premier will close the borders, who will have no hesitation in locking this thing down to make sure just as she's done before, she'll take decisive action to ensure that Queenslanders remain as safe as possible. But also our economy keeps humming along, you know, businesses have been through so much. Over the last 12 months, we're just starting to see those green shoots coming through. The last thing we need- and as long as, as I said, as long as Hotel Borders are put into place, and the men manage quarantine across those hotels, they'll be able to train, they'll be able to have high performance centres there. And as long as their families aren't moving around, I don't have a problem with that. And I think it's good that the NRL made that decision for the State of Origin to be played out here. But it just goes to show if you do the right thing, and you work hard, these are the things that can happen. But they've got to be properly managed every step of the way.

EMERSON: I’m talking to Milton Dick the federal labour member for Oxley here in Brisbane, but Milton Dick he say you've got no problems for the families coming up here. But how what would you say then, to those family members, those individuals who hadn't been able to come back to Queensland to say farewell their loved ones who may be dying, and they haven't been allowed to get an exemption. But then the NRL families are being allowed.

DICK: Well, as long as I said, the health orders are being followed. And, you know, those players are doing the right thing. You know, of course, it's tragic when we see families being separated, I saw that story about the fellow from that from Canada, I think that tried to get home to see his mom, that was just heartbreaking. You know, I, you know, I get upset when I see that. And I've had constituents separated from their families, overseas, losing loved ones, or even the joy of new births as well, I spoke to a resident today who's desperate for his family, who's been fully vaccinated from the US, he wants his in laws to come and meet his new little son, that's just been born. And you know, I could hear the tears in his voice. But when we talk through it today, Scott, he understood that these things are done to protect all Queenslanders and, you know, when we open up our borders, and we lift restrictions, that's only going to happen when we do get vaccinated. You know, it's the same old story that we talk about, unless we get the supply right, 10% of Australians have only now been vaccinated, that's a crying shame, it's not good enough, we've got to put the shoulder to the wheel to make sure that we get that supply and get the vaccinations in those arms. So that, you know, we can be talking about other things moving forward. But until we get the vaccine right, until we get quarantined, we're still going to have to have this bit of pain. And I know all people are getting frustrated, and they're probably getting to the end of their tether. And I'll be honest with you, listeners, I hear that when I'm out and about in the community. But you know, two ways we look at what we've achieved, and what we can achieve. I'm really confident Queenslanders will be able to do it. 

EMERSON: We'll you say you were talking to that constituent today, Milton Dick, did you say to him, do you support the idea of the NRL families coming up? You're happy with that to happen?

DICK: Well, no, I didn't get into that Scott, because he was telling me about his story. And I was more focused on finding, listening to what he had to say. But, you know, if, as I said, if those health orders are put into place, and we get the right quarantine facilities available for those people, look, I can understand that there's concern about that. But I have every confidence just as we've managed people entering the state to ensure that, you know, players that are doing the right thing, and if they're not, we'll throw the book at them. And I don't think they should be allowed back into the state. 

EMERSON: All right, Milton, Dick, always good to speak to you. We'll catch you again next week. 

DICK: Sure will.

ENDS

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