Less than two days after Katy Gallagher announced her tilt at a Senate position, her likely successor as chief minister Andrew Barr sat down with Sunday Canberra Times journalist Ben Westcott to discuss his vision for a prosperous and economic diverse Canberra, the road to the 2016 election and how a school jumper sparked his passion for politics.
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BW: To start off with, it's the big day. Eight years in the assembly and now you're reached the top job, well imminently. What are you feelings now you've reached this point?
AB: It's a mixture of emotions, a degree of excitement and it was somewhat unexpected. I think I was sitting next to Katy at the Labor Party annual dinner when Kate Lundy made her announcement, which I wasn't expecting either. So there was a few stunned faces around the room at that point! But then we quickly realised that, yes this was going to have some implications. So I guess I'd sort of begun to adjust to the point that she's have to give the Senate opportunity serious consideration and then what that would mean for me. So it is that question of having been in the deputy role and having acted as chief minister I've had a bit of a taste of it but it is a significant step up. I recognise the challenges that are there but I'm excited at the opportunities. I look forward to shaping a team and it will be a different focus for the government. It won't be radical change but there will be some areas where a different style of leadership will be apparent. I can safely say that I'll be closer to Katy's style than Jon Stanhope's.
BW: Before we get into the particular challenges you face or what you might like to accomplish, looking way back to when you first decided to get into politics, what was your motivation?
AB: It was a defining moment in my high school career I believe, all the way back in the late '80s at Lyneham High. I was sent home from attending an extracurricular activity because on a very cold Canberra winter's day I had another jumper on on top of my school uniform. And this prompted the political activist in me to say this is a bit rough, being denied access to education on the basis of what I was wearing. So that began a campaign where I ran for the school board and got elected on a policy of not excluding people from education based on whether they were wearing, school uniform or not. I then got elected school captain of Lyneham High. So I think the political itch came all the way back as a 15-year-old.
BW: Each chief minister leaves their own mark on Canberra – in however long you're Chief Minister what would you like to achieve in the ACT?
AB: I think in the short term the challenges are principally in the economic front. We've got a task ahead of us around managing to maintain growth and momentum in the economy, given everything that's been thrown at us by the Commonwealth government and a range of other circumstances beyond our control. I have that short term focus – I think the longer term vision will be around a transformation of parts of Canberra to see a greater level of vibrancy, vitality and a capacity to attract and retain younger residents. So the sort of things that have happened in Braddon, that concept of the urban village, I want to see more of and will be looking to drive policies that will achieve those sorts of outcomes. I set the challenge to the tourism and events industry at their awards night the other night. The city of Wellington was awarded the title by Lonely Planet of the Coolest Little Capital in the World. I'm very keen for Canberra to steal that title and I think we're well on our way.
BW: So if there was a legacy you wanted to leave to the ACT it would be that urban transformation?
AB: It would be more diverse economy, a more diverse community, one that has capacity to continue to attract leading researchers, thinkers, students, academics, so that this place becomes the leader in innovation and ideas in Australia. I think we have an opportunity in this city state, with one level of government handling the municipal and state level functions, to enable that to occur. That means supporting the university sector to grow, that means encouraging new investment into the economy. The other big challenge for us is that the Commonwealth, regardless of whether it's a Liberal or a Labor government, will not be making big investments into our city's infrastructure or its next phase of growth. So we have to be more self-reliant and we have to attract more capital into the city and that's got to come nationally and internationally. That will be another priority for me, to bring that national and international focus to the city. We've turned 100, we've grown up and it's time to be a bit more bold and a bit more ambitious in our role in the nation and indeed internationally.
BW: With Katy Gallagher health was always her primary portfolio and her primary passion – what would you say yours is? What will be the primary portfolio under a Barr government?
AB: There are really going to be three main priorities and that will be around the economy, health and education. Health and education account for around half of our budget so it will continue to be a major focus for us, and after seven years in the education portfolio that's a major area of focus for me. But I'm conscious as chief m inister you can't hold every portfolio and you need a strong team and that's certainly what Simon Corbell and I will be sitting down to over this weekend and the coming weeks to work out how that team is shaped. You can expect a focus on education, including primary, secondary and the tertiary sector too – I think that'll be a significant economic economic contributor. In the end the capacity of this economy to generate more jobs is going to be critical too because in order to generate the revenue to provide the health and education services we want to provide we've got to have a strong and growing economy… The treasurer and economic development minister in me is very conscious of the need to continue to attract that new level of investment in the economy and for it to continue to grow, because it's very difficult to achieve all your social policy aims without a growing economy.
BW: You've always been a high profile campaigner for gay rights, not just in the ACT but around Australia. Now that you are taking the top job will you continue that fight?
AB: Yes. I think there are some important symbolic outcomes out of this process. I have noticed there's been a degree of media interest in the question of the first openly gay leader at a state or territory level. On one hand I guess it's disappointing that it's nearly 2015 before that has happened but equally I don't think it's as much of an issue in Canberra as some of the interstate media might perceive it to be. I mean time will tell on that obviously but to date I haven't experienced [my sexuality] being a particular issue in terms of community response. They want their politicians to get on and do the job. I think people's personal lives, while of interest, are not central to how they conduct their professional lives. But yes I will continue to be an advocate within the Labor Party, nationally and locally, and I think there are a range of issues where there is still some work to be done within the community and within the Labor Party on reform.
BW: Why did you join Labor?
AB: That goes back to the '80s – the reason we came to Canberra was my dad got a scholarship with the Commonwealth Treasury. We were from Lismore originally … [and] it was in the late '70s, we came to Canberra. He worked at Treasury for Paul Keating at that time so I guess growing up in my household Keating was highly influential on the subject of a lot of dinner time conversation. My dad was also working with Ken Henry and others in that period in Treasury in the '80s so I guess I've been infected by the Labor Party reforms of the 80s. From that point it was pretty clear to me.
BW: Have you given any thought to your new leadership team?
AB: We'll sit down over the next few days to work through those options. Simon Corbell and I will be looking at how that can best work. This afternoon we'll look at some options and then consider them for tomorrow. So I'll have an announcement on that obviously in the near future I can certainly confirm that I'll be keeping the treasury and economic development portfolios but outside of that we'll have to look at the shape of the team. There'll be a new minister coming in early next year and when that happens we'll look at the balance of the portfolio responsibilities and the various interests. I note there was only a reshuffle recently in bringing Mick Gentleman into the ministry so there won't be radical change but there is some change which is necessary a result of a new minister and a new chief minister.
BW: Have you spoken to your parents about your new job? What was their reaction?
AB: Yes, yes, we had a quiet family dinner last night. They're excited but there's a little bit of trepidation across the whole family about what will be a very different level of public exposure. But they've always been very supportive of everything I've ever done, I've been really lucky to have such strong family support through coming out in the '90s and then going into politics as well. We have some robust policy discussions at times with Dad being an ex-Treasury official – he has some strong views – and my mother worked as a teacher in the ACT education system. So she's worked in the ACT public service as well [plus] they've been long-time Canberrans, too. It's good to have that level of support and opportunity to discuss the issues.
BW: It's half way through the parliamentary term and in two years you'll be facing the electorate again. Are you confident those two years will give you enough time to communicate your vision and prove to the ACT people that you should be leading the government into 2020?
AB: Yes, I think that is enough time. When previous transitions have occurred that sort of midterm point is appropriate. It gives an incoming leader opportunities … so come October 2016 it will be a very clear choice on the future direction of Canberra, from a progressive government I'll lead to a conservative alternative coming from the Liberal Party. My view is with those progressive values at the front and centre of our approach to seeking reelection that we will be successful. But there's a lot of hard work between now and then [and] I am looking forward to that challenge and certainly to the conversations that we'll be having with the Canberra community in the next 18 months in particular, about what the next five years and what ten years will look like in the ACT.
BW: Will there be any change in how Mr Fluffy crisis will be handled?
AB: Not dramatically. We indicated after the passage of the bill that we were very keen for those who have yet to engage with the taskforce to do so, that we would maintain the maximum amount of flexibility that we possibly can within the structure of the scheme. Within the whole viability and affordability of the scheme there's not a huge amount of room to move fiscally, but there is certainly in terms of being able to respond to the individual circumstances. It is very clear there are a thousand different, individual circumstances. But the priority in the short term now needs to be to assist those who need to move urgently and we will be doing that before Christmas and then there's nearly 700 registrations for the evaluation process. My preference would be that we can assist as many people as possible into a new home as quickly as possible and we'll focus on those who are ready to make that transition first ... I can only reiterate Katy's message from the other day that we want to talk to people, we will be flexible and we do recognise there are a range of different individual circumstances. Our best endeavours will be to ensure we will try to look after everyone's individual needs, but sometimes you can't always get everything that you want.
