SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER
MINISTER FINANCE
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
MINISTER FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES

MADELEINE KING MP
MINISTER FOR RESOURCES 
MINISTER FOR NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
MEMBER FOR BRAND 

ZANETA MASCARENHAS MP
MEMBER FOR SWAN 

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
PRESS CONFERENCE
PERTH
SATURDAY, 5 APRIL 2025

SUBJECTS: Belmont Junior Football Club Upgrades; Women’s Sport; US Tariffs Decision; Cyber Attack on Superannuation Funds

ZANETA MASCARENHAS MP, MEMBER FOR SWAN: I'd like to start by acknowledging the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation and their Elders past, present and emerging. I also want to shout-out to the Belmont Junior Football Club, Michael, Darren, and also Natalia. And also, I would like to acknowledge the CEO of the City of Belmont, John Christie, and also the lovely Mayor, Robert Rossi. I'm also very excited to be joined here today with two fabulous Ministers, Minister Madeleine King, the first female Resources Minister, also Minister Katy Gallagher, our first Finance and Women's Minister in Australian history. And I also put this in context as being the first female member of the Swan in a hundred and one years. The reason why I'm talking about this is because the thing that the Albanese Labor Government is totally committed to doing, is to make sure that we open the door of opportunities for little boys, little girls and women and men all across Australia. And I say this because we want to make sure that people have opportunities, whether that is on the sporting field or whether that is in the workplace. I know that when I've been door knocking in the heart of Swan, I've been speaking to women that have been really disappointed about Peter Dutton's attacks on people working from home, including women. I remember speaking to a public servant who felt like she was being personally attacked by the Opposition Leader. She had worked for eighteen years and loves being a mother as well. She saw that the Opposition Leader was basically coming over the top, and was living in some alternative era where people don't work from home. And people know that when you work from home and you have part-time workers, they're often very productive. But how this is related, is that what the Albanese Government wants to do is open opportunity, and the announcement that we have today is that literally turning the lights on so little girls can play football. This is what mainstream sports looks like here in Australia today. And I am so proud to make this announcement, which I will now hand over to Minister Katy Gallagher to tell you the details about.

SENATOR KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Thanks so much, Zaneta, and can I say it's such a pleasure to be here with you and with Madeleine King, such great representatives for the great state of WA and so nice to be in their hometown. They often visit me in my hometown of Canberra. So, lovely to be here and also to the Belmont Junior Football Club, thank you for hosting us and for the incredible work that you all do in getting kids involved in sport. So important. And to the Council, to the mayor and others, your team. Again, it shows local government working with local sporting clubs, with local members, to get the best outcome we have. And so, the announcement today, and I acknowledge Zaneta and her advocacy in this, is to invest $700,000 in new lighting for Peet Park. We know that this will allow better utilisation of the park to maximise the training time that's provided under lights in a safe environment and also make sure that the girls of this club get fair share of the opportunities too. So, we know that young girls’ participation in sport, particularly in footy, has just increased exponentially. In my days, when I played sport, it was hockey or netball for girls only, and today we see such a different way of involving girls in sports. There is no sport that they can't do, and to see them, particularly in AFL, in soccer, in a whole range of areas – that means that a lot of our infrastructure hasn't been built to support that level of involvement from girls, but even just the increase in participation. And so, this investment will allow for a safe, you know, through the lighting, but also the greater utilisation of this wonderful facility. So, thanks to Zaneta and to the Belmont Club juniors. Just great to be able to announce this, a re-elected Albanese Government would do that. Now, just a few comments on Peter Dutton this morning. He has made the rather extraordinary statement of saying when it comes to cuts and wind-backs and sackings of public servants, he's going to be just like John Howard was in 1996. Now, it doesn't take too long to go back and have a look at what that actually looked like. It meant cuts to Medicare, cuts to childcare, cuts to public services, which meant worse outcomes for people using those services. And I'm not sure if he meant to give us that little hint today, because he's told us before that he will cut, he just won't tell us what he'll cut until after the election. We know he has to cut because he has to pay for his $600 billion nuclear reactor scheme. But today, he's given us a bit more of an insight, and that is that he's going to be just like John Howard. But we know what that looked like. We know how it turned out. It was bad for Medicare, it was bad for schools, it was bad for childcare, and he's confirmed that today. We know this election is a choice. It's going to be a choice between the Albanese Government, who wants to invest in certain infrastructure, community infrastructure like this, strengthen Medicare, make sure we're reducing the debt burden on students, paying for cheaper medicines, making sure that people can afford medicines and health care. Or in contrast, Peter Dutton, who's openly told us he's going to cut billions of dollars from the Budget. We know he's going to cut it because he has to pay for his nuclear reactor scheme. And so, there is a real choice at this election, and we'll be talking about that choice for the next four weeks. I'll hand to Madeleine now to say a few words for WA.

MADELEINE KING MP, MINISTER FOR RESOURCES: Thanks Katy, and thanks to Zaneta, and mostly thanks to the Belmont Bombers for having us here today at Peet Park. This is a club that's nearly a hundred years old, and we're really pleased today to be able to, with Katy and Zaneta, announce this new lighting so they can play footy at night, and more importantly, that young girls and women can continue to play footy. Like Katy, when I was growing up, there was only hockey and netball. I went down the hockey path, and I still do, but I am told I'm not going to play a game until after the election this year, so I'll wait for that, and I haven't told my teammates, so please keep that under your hats. It's really important for women's sport that they're able to train and use facilities like this in places in suburbs like Belmont. So, I'm really pleased for the city, for the local community, and all the young players that will get to train more and have more fun outdoors and what is clearly a beautiful facility for them to play. If I can make a few comments about Western Australia and what is at stake in this election. Peter Dutton has threatened to cut public servants, that will include Western Australia. It will have an extraordinary effect on Western Australia and the services available to all Western Australians. In particular, cuts to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. WA, indeed my hometown of Rockingham, hosts the largest naval base in this country. We also host the largest number of veterans in this country. So, make no mistake, when Peter Dutton talks about wanting to be like John Howard and cut the public service, he will be cutting frontline workers in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. And we all know how long veterans in this state and right across the country have had to wait for the entitlements that they deserve because they have served our country. So, there's the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, there’s a National Emergency Management Authority, which was stood up under our Government. It helps enormously right across the north of this country, but, of course, in North-Western Australia with the floods we have seen in recent years. That is at risk. Staff within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources – I’m the Minister for Resources – DISR and NOPSEMA are very important to the economy of this country. We have seen under the former Coalition government, approvals times ballooned out. Our Government has invested in making sure approvals – indeed, have halved the time it takes to go through the system, which has benefitted our resources sector. So, I want to be very clear to Western Australians, Peter Dutton is a very great risk to them in this election. I'll leave it at that, we'll take questions today, I'll hand over to Katy first.

JOURNALIST: Are you hoping for a Dockers, Hawthorn Grand Final?

KING: I'm not a fan of the Hawks, but don't tell anybody. The Flagmantle puts a lot of pressure on players, a lot of pressure on fans like me. I’m going to start with the game tomorrow, and I hope Freo pull off a win over the Doggies.

JOURNALIST: I want to just quickly ask you about critical minerals, that's been a big theme of this week, you know, from the Government and so forth. I still don't quite – the details that on the stockpile seems to be work in progress. So, in that stockpile you anticipate product from so forth, from WA to be significant in that stockpile? Can you tell me how WA will feed into that?

KING: Well, there are more details to be announced, we’ve been very clear on that. Me and my team have been working on many incentives to grow the critical minerals processing industry in this country from the moment we got into government three years ago. The production tax credits a $17 billion incentive scheme, literally the biggest injection into the resources country of any government or in history.

JOURNALIST: And Peter Dutton will wind that back?

KING: And Peter Dutton [INDISTINCT] on production tax incentives that we work in industry to achieve. So, there's a lot at stake here. We also have Peter Dutton, of course, saying he wants to use critical minerals as the bargaining chip, the principal bargaining chip, whilst ripping that $17 billion out. And also, I might add, making gas a critical mineral, and therefore having access to the critical minerals facility, which would then drain that facility of funds for what it is intended to support, an emerging industry. The strategic reserve is not a new thought. It's something me and my team have been thinking about as one of a suite of ways in which you can incentivise this industry, which is subject to enormous international market challenges. But once again, there will be more detail to come.

JOURNALIST: But the stockpile would be used to sell – to use it to sell –

KING: There are many ways you can use a stockpile to either incentivise production or the selling, and there are different examples around the world, but I'm sorry, Joe, I can't give you any more at this stage, we'll announce that in due course.

JOURNALIST: The world is still reeling from the tariffs. There's still today, talk of a worldwide economic recession. Is that more than just words, in your view as the Finance Minister? Is there a very real possibility?

GALLAGHER: Well, the Treasurer has made clear that he sought some updated modelling from the Treasury on the impacts of the decision that was made. I think you've got to remember we were putting the Budget together at a time when we understood, or this conversation was pretty live for the global uncertainty, post – with the new Trump administration. So, we were mindful of that when we put the Budget together. And certainly, Treasury was mindful of that with their forecast. But the Treasurer, since the announcement has been made, he's asked for that updated modelling, and he will release that publicly when he gets it. Which I think is important, to tell people what we know. Obviously, we've said that this global trade instability is not good for global growth, and that could have impacts here. But Treasury are forecasting our economy to grow. We've been amazingly resilient. Unemployment is low, inflation is down, interest rates are coming down, wages are up. People are in jobs. So, we've come through this global inflation challenge in pretty good shape, but we're not immune from that global disability that we're seeing play out.

JOURNALIST: But you think Australia's well placed against I guess the backdrop of perhaps a recession, an economic recession?

GALLAGHER: Well, I think we're in very good shape, talking to industry. I mean, obviously business and industry are trying to process what's happening and looking at what's happening across global markets. And I think there are opportunities for Australia, but we're not immune from what's happening around the world. I think we need to get that updated view from Treasury, but the latest advice to us, which was published in the Budget, is our economy will continue to grow.

JOURNALIST: There's almost a trade war, I know China has retaliated again. It seems to be heading that way, though, doesn't it? No one really wants a trade war, but think the indicators are there. That's probably what's going to happen.

GALLAGHER: Well, obviously there's some – China has responded to the tariffs that have been imposed by the US. We’ve argued against tariffs, we don't see that as a way forward, we think that hurts people and hurts households. So, that wouldn't be something that we would be considering. But, you know, we have to operate in the world as we see it, and we'll make those decisions in the national interest. I think, you know, watching how it plays out, getting that advice from Treasury and then looking at the world and the trade opportunities that exist for Australia. You know, places like WA put us in really, really good stead.

JOURNALIST: So, there'll be new modelling based on the tariffs?

GALLAGHER: Jim asked for that I think the morning of the announcement, just to get Treasury’s best advice to him, and that he would release that publicly.

JOURNALIST: We’ve seen a massive, if you go back to Saturday, to this Saturday – you started with Penny Wong, you've had yourself here, Jim Chalmers, Richard Marles, the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s going to launch his campaign. You don't have to be too bright to work it out. There's a lot of effort going into WA, isn't there? You understand the importance of WA?

GALLAGHER: Oh, for sure. And we take nothing for granted. And the PM made no secret – I think when he was elected as PM, he said he was going to do ten visits a year. I think he's delivered on that. He's been here thirty times this term. We've all been frequent visitors here. And it's obviously not taking an election for granted, but also the amazing things that are happening here in WA. And it's important that people like me, who live on the east coast, come see and understand the priorities of the WA people. So yeah, you'll see a lot more visits. You can't keep us away.

JOURNALIST: Just a couple of questions on the super fund hack. Have super funds dropped the ball when it comes to protecting people's funds from cyberattacks?

GALLAGHER: Look, the Government's aware of this. Our cybersecurity mechanism and our coordination is kicking in. I think we live in a dangerous world. I was in a private business the other day that monitors hacks and tries to keep companies safe and they actually have a count of how many attempts are being made to hack into systems, and it's extraordinary. By nine o'clock in the morning, there were over seven million attempts. So, this is what we are dealing with and that's why cybersecurity is so important. We'll get across the information that's available. I think the super funds, from my dealings with them, are aware of the risks of hacks and penetration through cyber. But let's wait to get all the facts on the table. I think the most important thing for individual super account holders is if you are worried, contact your superannuation fund and make sure you're reaching out if you are worried. But the Government's working with the super industry to make sure we know everything and are responding appropriately.

JOURNALIST: Do you have any information or know anything about people over sixty-five being specifically targeted by hackers because over-sixty-fives can access their super?

GALLAGHER: Look, I think at this point in time, as the investigation is ongoing, it's not appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of it. I think the most important message we can give to people is that all of our systems that we've put in place – these have been additional investments in the public service to make sure that we are in a position to respond to cyber events – are kicking in and we are working with the superannuation industry on it, and if people are worried, to reach out and contact their superannuation fund.

JOURNALIST: Is there a fear that, considering older people are often vulnerable to these types of attacks, that this might be something that maybe superannuation funds are really going to have to look at putting in some systems to prevent?

GALLAGHER: Well, for a start, they will have systems. What we need to do is make sure we're constantly responding to the changing nature of cyberattacks. So, with the amount of assets under management – they're a massive financial institutions, I can tell you they have cyber security programmes – but you need to respond as the threat environment changes. So, I have no doubt about that. We just need to ensure that we are constantly vigilant in this space, that we're investing to make sure that industry can keep their account holders, their consumers, safe. And I don't think it's any surprise that the cyber criminals, the hackers, target vulnerable people. We know that from scams, whether it be on the phone or on email or through text message. And so again, we've put a huge amount of resources in how to protect yourself from scams, and I would again encourage people to have a look at that. It's very simple steps to keep your accounts and your own information safe. And also, if you are specifically concerned about the super one, to contact your superannuation account. People need to be reassured, but they need to be vigilant as well. So, have a look at what's happening, particularly if you are in one of the named funds.

JOURNALIST: Just lastly, and I know you said that you're still sort of figuring out everything behind this particular attack, but what do you say to suggestions that super funds should be facing fines for the breaches?

GALLAGHER: Well again, we've done a lot of work in this space to make sure that companies are taking responsibility for cyber and for keeping their members safe. I think it's a bit early to jump to conclusions about who's at fault here or whether there were any steps that could have been taken to prevent what has happened. Every institution, every company, government is no different, is under constant daily attack from people who want to break into our systems. And that's why you have to be – it's not a set and forget. You have to be looking at your systems responding to the changing nature of threats. Because just as you put in place one programme to deal with one hack, the rules change, and they come in another way. And so, that's the reality of the world we're operating in right now. And so, being responsible and accountable and making sure you've got protections in place is one thing. But I don't know that we need to jump straight away to saying that there's a particular weakness in the system. We'll understand that once the investigations are complete.

JOURNALIST: [INDISTINCT] that money back to the person, how does that work?

GALLAGHER: Look, again, it's hard to get into the specifics of it right now, because we don't have all the information. There would be some liability on the superannuation fund to ensure that their members' accounts were protected. So, I think it's just a bit early to get down that path. We are working absolutely closely with the industry and with the cyber safety coordination mechanism. And it's not that the super industry – I think unfortunately, we've seen it with Medicare and other – not Medicare, Medibank – and other big institutions. Where there's large amounts of funds, they are going to be subject to attack and their job is to make sure they keep their members money stake. There's something announced that was made today, so -

JOURNALIST: [INDISTINCT] just the lighting or is it other aspects of the park? And can you say how long that might take until that goes ahead?

GALLAGHER: Sure, well, it's for the lighting and to ensure that we've got an improvement on the existing lighting, but also that it goes around the entire park. And I think certainly from our point of view, the money's available. It would be up to the club and the council I imagine to make sure that that can be built as soon as possible. I don't know if Zaneta wanted anything to add to that.

MASCARENHAS: It would be done in conjunction with the local council, and the local council would consult with the junior football club about timeframes.

JOURNALIST: And that's incumbent on Labor winning the election, right?

MASCARENHAS: Correct.

JOURNALIST: And is the thinking that the girls would be playing after the boys, so that's why lights make it safer?

MASCARENHAS: So basically, competition games are played at nighttime, that's when the games are played. So, at the moment, all girls at this club, they have to go to other fields to actually play their competition games. What that has a result in is that, particularly when families have boys and girls in the team, there's a point where the girls reach the glass ceiling. And so, often girls end up leaving this club, or when families have a boy and a girl playing at this club, they go to another club that can actually have those facilities. So, I see this as really great. One of the girls that plays at this club, plays at the state competition level, that’s Natalia's daughter, and she's really excited about seeing the investment into this because it just basically literally opens the door for so many more girls. And honestly, when I go door knocking, there's honestly so many little girls that want to be an AFL star. This is mainstream now, and I'm really excited to see this unlock opportunities for little girls.

JOURNALIST: So, they're going to other fields because it's getting too dark, and they don't feel safe to play?

MASCARENHAS: So, the lights at the moment aren't even ideal for training. So, for competition lighting, you have to have a certain lux measurement of the light, and so, it's not great for training, but it's definitely not competition level, so they go to other clubs.

JOURNALIST: [INDISTINCT] so games don’t get played at night?

DARREN GUILD, CLUB PRESIDENT: So, on behalf of the Belmont Junior Footy Club, we appreciate the ministers coming down today, and Zaneta, plus the Mayor and CEO of the Belmont City Council. This is a huge opportunity for girls’ football at our club and also in the state as well, because there is a huge pathway for girls in AFL football now. Unfortunately, we can't host the Friday night games because we don't have the lighting. So, it's fantastic for the club, fantastic for the community and really appreciative of the Labor Party going forward.

JOURNALIST: So, could you just clarify for us what kind of difference this will make to the club?

GUILD: We have two junior Auskick girls’ teams, so we start to filter those all the way through. So, we'll have an increase in members, but as Zaneta said, we also lose boys because the girls go to other clubs, and the brothers of those girls go with them. So yeah, it’s a huge opportunity increase the participation at this club specifically. Thank you.

ENDS