Television interview – ABC News Breakfast

E&OE

Subject: Donald Trump; Middle East Conflict; Fuel; Budget; Solicitor-General; National Gun Buyback Scheme.

EMMA REBELLATO, HOST: We are joined by Attorney-General Michelle Rowland at Parliament House. Thank you very much for joining us this morning.

MICHELLE ROWLAND, ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Good morning.

REBELLATO: Let's start with those comments by Donald Trump where he singled out Australia and other allies for not coming to their aid in this war with Iran. What's your reaction to that?

ROWLAND: Well, I've seen those comments and obviously there's been a great deal of analysis by commentators about them. On behalf of the government, what I can do is reiterate that Australia calls for an immediate de-escalation of this conflict. People are being impacted in Australia for things that they didn't cause, that they have had no role in. We continue to see the loss of life and infrastructure and the end of this war cannot come soon enough.

REBELLATO: Obviously, one of the things that so many Australians are now affected by is the price of fuel. So, let's just talk about that for a moment because some experts are saying that fuel rationing in Australia is inevitable if this war goes on. Are they right?

ROWLAND: We are not considering that, our focus is on supply. We previously had security of supply until April, that has now been extended to May. We continue to engage with our international partners, including Singapore and Japan, to ensure that those shipments continue to arrive. Every ship that was supposed to arrive has arrived, but we appreciate that this is a time of great anxiety for Australians, great anxiety for farmers, for businesses. Again, this is being caused by this war and the fact that the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed. But we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that security of supply.

REBELLATO: We know that Chris Bowen and Penny Wong have spoken with their counterparts in Asia to secure fuel supplies. We've had reports that the Prime Minister might be going to Asia soon to do the same thing. Is that going to happen?

ROWLAND: Well, I'll let the Prime Minister confirm his itinerary himself, but again, your viewers should be assured that we continue to do everything at a Prime Ministerial level and a Ministerial level to ensure that security of supply. That remains our number one focus.

REBELLATO: I want to look ahead now to the May budget and particularly something in your portfolio. Now, we know the Government's looking to rein in spending. Does that include legal services to help domestic violence victims, will that be on the table as a cut?

ROWLAND: Well, again, I can't pre-empt the budget, but I will make very clear that we take our responsibility seriously as a Government when it comes to keeping Australians safe. Within my portfolio, that includes ensuring that we have legal services and targeted legal services that go directly to some of the most vulnerable in our community, including victim survivors of domestic and family violence. So, we will continue to ensure that that delivery occurs. Again, I won't pre-empt anything in any portfolio to do with the budget, but your viewers can be assured that that is a focus.

REBELLATO: Well, Nine newspapers reported recently that Cabinet's Expenditure Review Committee talked about cuts to the Family Relationship Services Program. Can you confirm that they have looked at that?

ROWLAND: Well, again, there are a number of items in that article that were not accurate. What I can confirm is that we continue to support the Family Relationship Services Program. We understand its importance and this comes on top of our record funding that is being rolled out now under our leading reforms that come to some $4 billion in community legal services as well, and we have dedicated services that go to in that respect as well.

REBELLATO: You have announced that Australia has a new Solicitor General in Ruth Higgins, the first woman appointed to the role. What will she bring to this appointment?

ROWLAND: Well, Dr. Ruth Higgins is indeed the 12th solicitor general who will be recommended for appointment and it’s the first time in Australia's history that a woman will serve in this role. She is the best person for the job. She will bring her prodigious legal mind, she's an outstanding standing advocate and one of the most recognised advisory people that serves at the moment, and to have her serving the Australian people is something that we will all benefit from. I’ll also point out that given her appointment as second law officer and myself as first law officer, it's the first time in Australia's history that both positions will be filled by women.

REBELLATO: I want to ask you about another issue, and that's the national gun buyback scheme. Now, we know the March deadline to reach an agreement has been and gone. Not all the states and territories agree, in fact, half oppose parts of the plan. So, what's next?

ROWLAND: Well, we will continue to prosecute our case, considering that this was agreed to by National Cabinet. For those states and territories who have not yet come on board, that is for them to explain to their constituencies why that's the case. The key word here is national, it does have that national context, and these reforms are sensible. They are overwhelmingly supported by the Australian people, and when you consider the fact that there are now more guns in Australia than at the time of the Port Arthur massacre, and one of the key items that I think came out of the lessons from Bondi, unfortunately last December, is that we need to get our gun laws under control, we need to do that on a national level. So, we will continue to prosecute that case. Again, we as a Commonwealth remind the states and territories that they have signed up for this.

REBELLATO: Michelle Rowland, we really appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us on News Breakfast.

ROWLAND: Pleasure.

[ENDS]