Interview with Kevin Andrews, Minister for Social Services

“The Coalition is committed to an adequate safety net but we also need to ensure the welfare system is sustainable for future generations.”

In a question and answer session with the Middle East Times, Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews talks about the need for a review of the social welfare system to ensure its future sustainability, especially unemployment benefits. He also talks about his passion for cycling and the benefits to parliament of having MPs with varied skillsets, professional and legal.

There’s a view that you and the Liberal party are in the process of overhauling the welfare system. Is this true, and if so what are your plans. If not, what is it that you intend to do?

The Coalition is committed to an adequate safety net but we also need to ensure the welfare system is sustainable for future generations. That’s why my department is currently conducting a review into Australia’s welfare system which Patrick McClure is advising on. I’m currently awaiting their report. This review is not about pushing people off welfare or making short term savings; this is about the long-term sustainability of the social welfare system.

You have just announced increases to the pension. How does this fit with your overall plans for the welfare system?

From March 20, Australia’s 3.6m pensioners will get a significant increase in their pension. For singles this means almost an extra $16 a fortnight; for couples almost $24 extra a fortnight. In addition to that, a million people who receive Newstart and other allowances will get an increase of about $10 a fortnight. The government believes the pension should take into account increases to the cost of living which is why it is reviewed every six months.

There has been some criticism of your stance on the unemployment benefit; can you clarify your stand and plans?

The government acknowledges it is important to maintain an adequate safety net for those who cannot provide for themselves but we also acknowledge that work is often the best form of welfare for those who are able to participate in the workforce in some capacity. The welfare review is currently looking into income support payments, like Newstart, and I am awaiting its advice.

As Minister for Social Services, where do other portfolios such as Human Services and Immigration cross over and what is your role there?

The Social Services Portfolio encompasses a number of areas for which I am the responsible Cabinet Minister, including Human Services, Ageing, Disabilities, Settlement Services and Multicultural Affairs. I am fortunate to have assistance from senators Payne, Fifield and Fierravanti-Wells who are involved in the day-to-day running of these areas.

You are seen as traditional and conservative on issues such as same sex marriage, abortion, and euthanasia. How do your personal views and opinions sit with you when forming policy and dealing with many Australians, including colleagues who hold different views, and how do you see that unfolding in Liberal Party politics, policy, and agendas?

While I do hold conservative views on these issues, the Liberal Party is a broad church and we are able to discuss things within the party in a respectful and civilised way.

In your maiden speech to the House of Representatives in 1991 you said: “The Liberal Party is not hamstrung by a big brother centralist ideology but orients itself around the needs of the individual and the family.” What did you mean by that, and looking back how do you think the Party fared on that?

The Liberal Party believes in the liberty of the individual and the social cohesion that families contribute to the community.

You have been an MP now for more than 20 years. What have been the highlights? What have been the lessons learned, and what do you see as your future?

I think the best part of my years in the Federal Parliament has been representing the people of Menzies and I look forward to doing that for many years to come.  I have also had the opportunity to hold a variety of portfolios during my time in both Government and Opposition including Immigration, Ageing and Employment and Workplace Relations.

You are a qualified lawyer and barrister, and a keen cyclist. There are, across all parties, lawyers represented but sportspeople are rare, and cyclists even rarer. Should this imbalance be rectified, or is that notion ridiculous?

Yes I am an avid fan of cycling from a recreational perspective but also from watching my son who cycles competitively. Several Members of Parliament also enjoy cycling, probably the most high-profile being the prime minister who I enjoy riding with on occasion. We also both take part in the annual Pollie Pedal cycling event which raises much-needed funds for Carers Australia. There have been a few sportspeople in the parliament, past and present . Most notably was one of Australia’s greatest ever cyclists, Hubert Opperman, who was a Member of Parliament and Minister for Immigration during the Menzies Government. I think the best thing about parliament is its representatives come from a variety of working backgrounds that bring different experiences and skill sets to both the parliament and their constituencies.