Interview with Afternoon Agenda,Sky News

Part of this transcript has been redacted in accordance with Digital Transformation Agency guidelines.

Tom Connell, Host: Joining me now, Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts. I spoke to you a short time ago. You missed the debate. Did you catch the NATO press conference this morning as well?

Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs: Well, Tom, this morning I was at the very sad occasion of the funeral of a great Australian, Stefan Romaniw, a real hero of the Australian Ukrainian community. There was a turnout of hundreds of people. Four current and former premiers, former prime ministers, MPs from state and federal level. Very significant day for our nation. So that was what I was doing this morning, Tom.

Connell: So, no view. I mean I'm sure you've caught up on that. I'm sure you've got a Foxtel subscription, we might not need to arrange one for you. Caught up on the comments on your flash app or whatever it might be. Still confusion from the current president.

Watts: Well, Tom, you'd hardly expect me to be speculating on matters like this from the other side of the world and I really don't think it's in the national interest for members of the government, particularly members of the foreign affairs portfolio, to be engaging in a running commentary on the US electoral system and the US electoral process. The next US presidential election is rightly a matter for the American people. I know that regardless of the outcome of the next US presidential election, the relationship between Australia and the United States will remain strong. You know, in the last few days, we've seen the Australian-American leadership dialogue being held in Washington, and the messages that I've had from my friends in both Australia and the US from that dialogue have really underlined the fact that the support for the Australia-US alliance is deep, and it's broad, across both sides of politics in Australia and in the United States. So, regardless of any potential outcome in the upcoming election, the Australian-US alliance will remain strong.

Connell: Now, I know you're across domestic issues. Clear this up for us, put us out of our misery. We're not going to an early election, are we?

Watts: Well, Tom, the Prime Minister has been very clear that the next election is due next year. Now, you've seen that the Prime Minister's been out and about and that we've been getting ready, selecting candidates early, as you would expect us to do. But as a government, we're focused on delivering for the Australian people. You know, July 1 was just a few weeks ago, and on July 1 we delivered tax cuts for all Australians, not just some. We delivered energy bill relief for all Australians, $300 for every household, $325 for small businesses. We freezed medicine costs in the PBS. So, this is what we're focused on. Now, I understand why the media and perhaps the Opposition might be focused on the speculation business. But as a government…

Connell: Well, we have to. We don't have fixed terms, Tim. Can you sort that out for us? Fixed terms so you can plan you life. I can plan…

Watts: That's your job, Tom.

Connell: My job is to sort out fixed terms?

Watts: Your job is to speculate on these things that the media likes to obsess about and the Opposition likes to obsess about. In government, we're focused on delivering for the Australian people.

Connell: No but I'm saying your job could be arranging fixed term elections. That'd be a good plan. You wouldn't have to worry, I wouldn't have to worry. That'd be easier, wouldn't it?

Watts: Well, Tom, I think the Prime Minister's commented on this as well. You know, we've looked at fixed four year terms in the past in Australia. That would require constitutional reform. You know, there have been a few attempts at that in the past, unsuccessfully. So, you know, this is the system we have. But the Prime Minister has been clear that the next election is due next year.

Connell: All right. I'm probably not allowed to, I guess, as a political reporter, handout for referenda, but if you had one on that I'd be tempted, maybe I'd take a sabbatical. Look, anyway, what about on the policy front? Because reports that the Prime Minister is telling some of the humble members of the outer ministry and backbenchers to just steer clear of the nuclear debate. It was getting a bit petty. No more three-eyed koalas or three-eyed fish. Did you get a bit carried away with sort of trying to poke fun at this policy rather than debate it seriously?

Watts: Well, Tom, what I'd say is that energy policy clearly is a serious issue. We know that Australians are doing it tough at the moment and that's why through the parliament we have delivered, not just this year, but in previous years, energy bill relief for Australians. Now, it's a serious matter that those efforts to deliver energy bill relief for Australians were opposed by the Opposition in the parliament. And similarly, it's a serious issue that Peter Dutton's response to energy costs in Australia is to propose a risky, long-term, expensive nuclear energy plan. Now, that's not in the interests of Australia as a nation. It's not in the interests of Australian households who want to see cheaper, cleaner energy. We're getting on with the job of delivering that for the Australian people, and that's our focus in the Albanese Government.

Connell: But the main way that's been delivered at the moment, though, is through rebates. I mean, what was supposed to happen in this term was the actual cost of energy coming down. It hasn't by the amount that Chris Bowen said he would. Is it also time for Labor to take stock on your side of the policy and, you know, look at some of the large scale renewable projects. Are they getting enough community support? Are they going to be on budget and maybe being open minded to something that is base load and zero emission?

Watts: Well, Tom, what we are delivering is record numbers of approvals for the rollout of large scale renewables, you know, firmed by batteries. And we're doing this, we're getting on with this job of delivering for the Australian people because that's the cheapest form of energy that we need to deliver for Australians. Now, nuclear, it's too long term, it's too slow to keep the lights on and it's too expensive, it's too costly to reduce power bills. ... What the Australian public wants their government to do is focus on delivering, and that's what we're doing. We're delivering the rollout and the transition to the cheapest, cleanest form of energy out there. That's renewable energy firmed by battery storage.

Connell: Tim Watts. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

Watts: Pleasure, Tom.