PShift interview with the Honourable Teresa Gambaro, Federal Member for Brisbane
PShift (4ZZZ fm 102.1) Friday at Noon 23 Aug 2013
Introduction
During this current federal election campaign we have seen a series of debates mainly between the leaders Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott. At the local level GetUp has been organising candidates debates. On Tuesday night (20 Aug 2013), PShift attended the candidates debate which was held up at Kelvin Grove campus of QUT.
The sitting member Teresa Gambaro didn’t turn up.
PShift did this interview with Teresa this morning. Lets have a listen.
PShift: Could you please introduce yourself?
Gambaro: My name is Teresa Gambaro, I have a passion for improving Brisbane’s local communities, I am a Liberal National Member of parliament from 1996 and am a sole parent juggling work and family commitments.
PShift: What are the key issues of this election?
Gambaro: The economy, road traffic congestion, (pause) affordable and flexible child care.
PShift: Why hasn’t the LNP costed the promises that it has made during this election campaign?
Gambaro: We do not accept the government’s methods of adding up the costs of our promises.
PShift: Why didn’t you front the GetUp! Candidate forum at Kelvin Grove on Tuesday night? All the other candidates turned up except Family First. As the sitting member are you afraid of criticism?
Gambaro: I am too busy helping constituents, doorknocking, making shop visits, attending citizenship ceremonies, doing interviews, going to branch and campaign meetings, and community events. And that’s all in one day!
PShift: But that is exactly the same answer that Kevin Rudd gave when he failed to turn up at the candidates debate. The only difference was Rudd sent a proxy, Senator Moore to answer constituents’ questions.
Gambaro: Well I’m not the Prime Minister and I don’t have a Senator that I can send along to a Candidate’s debate.
PShift: There were boos in the Kelvin Grove auditorium when you didn’t turn up. Why didn’t you at least send along one of your staffer’s to field questions? Don’t you accept the democratic process?
Gambaro: Well of course Labor and the Greens will bring along their cheer squads to events like that. I heard that Senator Claire Moore got a roasting at the Powerhouse. My staffers work enough overtime as it is without sending them up to Kelvin Grove till 10 at night. You know that GetUp! is just a front for the Greens.
PShift: Speaking of the Greens, their candidate Rachael Jacobs says that the LNP refuses to publish the cost of its election promises, is Rachael right?
Gambaro: The Greens have a nerve; their promises are in cloud Cuckoo land. They want to turn off the lights by doing away with coal-fired power stations.
PShift: What do you want to do about climate change?
Gambaro: Abolish the carbon tax.
PShift: Won’t that make it easier for business to pollute?
Gambaro: Brisbane has been transformed into this dynamic, electric city and I’m humbled to be part of it. Where would we be if the Greens had control of government and turned out the lights.
PShift: Isn’t that what Joh Bjelke Petersen did in 1985 by sacking 1,005 workers from South-East Queensland Electricity board?
Gambaro: No Joh was good for Queensland and for jobs in this state. I want to follow in his footsteps by cutting red tape for small business and creating jobs.
PShift: The greens candidate says that homelessness along with aboriginal disadvantage are the two most important moral issues facing Brisbane. Do you agree?
Gambaro: The Gambaro family trust donated prime land in Hope Street South Brisbane so that housing could be built for homeless people. I am very proud of that. Homelessness is an important issue but so are traffic congestion and the need for small business to have the freedom to get on with doing business.
PShift: I think the Gambaro’s are the biggest retailers of fish in Brisbane ... and the word Gambaro is Italian for prawn – which came first the family name or is it just a good trading name you thought up to improve business?
Gambaro: Don’t be cheeky young man … our family name dates back centuries and so does our association with the products of the sea.
PShift: Kevin Rudd said sorry to the stolen generation why didn’t John Howard?
Gambaro: People have to learn that to be human means more than saying sorry.
Pshift: Tess Brinums from Style Magazine says that “you are a warm funny eloquent woman who has to touch up you lipstick just like the rest of us.” Does this kind of journalism embarrass you when there are homeless aboriginal people wandering around Fortitude Valley?
Gambaro: On the contrary, it is because of my high profile that I can get things done and help the homeless and indigenous people.
PShift: A sort of trickle down effect?
Gambaro: We need to implement a Productivity Commission Enquiry to ensure flexible and affordable childcare for Brisbane families.
PShift: But State governments are taking children away from Aboriginal parents.
Gambaro: I’m talking about having better conditions for working mothers, so that they can have child care when they need to go to work. This is a work productivity question that is most important.
PShift: I think we should leave it there. Do you have a musical request to play on the show?
Gambaro: Dean Martin singing ‘Everybody loves somebody sometime’
Song plays.
[Especial Thnx to Camille who did Teresa's voice and to Corey for a little known fact - that there is a plaque to the Gambaro family in Hope Street Sth Brisbane. The Gambaro's donated the land so that the Blligh government could build homeless accommodation at 'Common Ground' ]
