Topics: Pollie Pedal 2024, Housing, AUKUS 

E&OE 

 

SYLVIA JEFFREYS:  

Tony Abbott and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor are taking part in the Pollie Pedal today, riding 1000 kilometres to raise funds for veterans. It's a great cause, and they join us live from the Hunter Valley, morning to you both, the Pollie Pedal always a very big event for you both. Tony, I know you've been involved in this for a very long time indeed. How is this year's ride going so far? 

  

TONY ABBOTT: 

Well, we had a tough day yesterday Sylvia, but it's a great cause, and it's great company to be on the road with some of our former Special Forces veterans, and that's what it's all for, to raise money for Wandering Warriors, which is the Special Forces charity, helpingour Special Forces soldiers to transition into civilian life. So a really good cause, and I've been doing it for 26 years now. Angus is the convener these days, and I hope I can keep going for a few years yet. 

 

 

KARL STEFANOVIC:  

Well, look, you do great work in this area, and it needs there, needs to be worked done and I think the nation appreciates the work you're doing, Angus, we heard your your bike broke down on day one. That wasn't the ideal start. There you are, wedged up against a gate. 

  

ANGUS TAYLOR:  

It wasn't the ideal start, but it was a good excuse to miss a few kilometres. I think I'll get the rest of the trip in so she'll be right from here.  

  

SYLVIA JEFFREYS: 

Tony didn't have anything to do with whipping the chain off or anything, did he? 

 

TONY ABBOTT: 

No, no, look, I didn't sabotage his bike because he's in the fast group, and I'm now in the slower group. So I've given up competing with Angus. I've accepted that the younger man is better and stronger than I am.  

  

KARL STEFANOVIC: 

I don't know. I reckon you're still pretty fit, Tony, just shifting gearsto politics, just for a second, Anthony Albanese has lost his lead over Peter Dutton, and now we learn Labor will launch a 'get Dutton' policy at the next election. What do you think of that, that approach at the next election? 

  

TONY ABBOTT:  

I think it will blow up in their faces. I don't think people like negative, personal politics. Sure. I think people want a tough debate over policy, but I think personal politics is a real turn off, and it just goes to show that they've got nothing positive to say about their record if all they can do is attack Peter Dutton.  

  

SYLVIA JEFFREYS: 

Well, Angus, meantime Peter Dutton was busy on the weekend announcing this $5 billion fund to help with infrastructure for new housing. Do you think this is going to be enough to really move the needle on the housing crisis? 

  

ANGUS TAYLOR   

Well, I absolutely do. 500,000 houses, and we need those houses desperately. We're seeing Labor completely fail to meet its housing targets, and we know supply is the key. We also know that its pieces of infrastructure, whether water or electricity or indeed, roads that are missing, are the key to get these new houses built and get them built fast, and that's what we need desperately 500,000 houses from this fund, very practical direct investment in projects that are going to move the dial. I know, even in my electorate, my part of the world, down South Western Sydney, we see those missing pieces of infrastructure are the key to get more houses built, and that's what this fund is. 

  

KARL STEFANOVIC:  

Just before we go to Tony, you would have a fair bit of experience with Boris Johnson. He says that the French might be able to join AUKUS At some point. I mean, even you with your diplomatic nous, probably couldn't make that happen, right? 

  

TONY ABBOTT: 

Look, there's two elements to AUKUS. There's the nuclear subs element, which is a cooperation between Australia, Britain and the United States. Then there's the, I suppose, wider military technology partnership. It's possible that the French could join that one day. We've already got the Japanese wanting to join. I think the Canadians and the Kiwis want to join too. So, we want it to be a big tent, but in terms of getting these vital nuclear submarines, this is something which is very much an intimate partnership between the three great Anglosphere nations, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.  

  

KARL STEFANOVIC: 

All right, good to talk to you. Go well today, Angus, I hope, I pray for better days for you 

 

ENDS