CHRIS BOWEN, SHADOW TREASURER: The Federal Government walking away from the Clean Energy Target, as recommended by the Chief Scientist, represents a catastrophic failure of policy on behalf of this Government, and a catastrophic failure of leadership by Malcolm Turnbull. The Clean Energy Target was recommended by the Chief Scientist as commissioned by the Turnbull Government, not by the Labor Party, not by Bill Shorten, but as commissioned by the Turnbull Government.

And now we're reduced to the situation as a country where the Prime Minister can't even implement a policy recommended by a review that he asked for. Now, the Clean Energy Target represents an opportunity, a window of opportunity, to get the policy certainty we so desperately need in Australia, to align our energy policy with our climate change obligations.

For Josh Frydenberg out there yesterday, to be slip-sliding and pretending that somehow a Clean Energy Target is no longer necessary, when he himself had said it would put downward pressure on electricity prices, when the Prime Minister himself had said there was no doubt that it would work as policy, it's very clear Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg have been nobbled by Tony Abbott and the right wing of their party.

Bill Shorten, Mark Butler and myself have made it crystal clear repeatedly that we want to see bipartisanship around energy policy. We want to see a Clean Energy Target with bipartisan support so that investors can know the rules. And know the rules under which they're investing. And this will actually reduce energy prices, compared to taking no action, it will cut pollution and it will see our energy policy and our climate change policies aligned.

Last night, or overnight, we've seen Tony Abbott in an extraordinary intervention claim that climate change isn't real, but if it is real, it might be good. Now, it's one thing for a former Prime Minister to be making outrageous and ridiculous statements like that, it's another thing for him to be calling the policy shots, which is what's going on here. Malcolm Turnbull is Prime Minister in name only. He does not have the authority within the Liberal Party to implement what he knows is necessary. He might as well hand in his badge, if he has to walk away from a policy which has been recommended by the Chief Scientist at his request.

The Labor Party repeats our offer of bipartisanship, to finally put the energy wars behind us, to finally give investors and the sector the policy certainty they need, so that we can actually get reduced electricity prices, as the Finkel Report makes clear. The Clean Energy Target is the best way forward to not only cut pollution but to see electricity prices be lower than they otherwise would be with no action. And just on another topic.

Yesterday we saw the draft Productivity Commission report on GST distribution. The Treasurer was out there yesterday owning this report. Today he's back in the witness protection program. Now, what we've seen is response from Treasurers and Premiers around the country, making it clear that they do not think that states and territories should be worse off as a result of this review, and we agree with them.

Let me make it very clear. Western Australia has very legitimate concerns, and Bill Shorten and I have dealt with those concerns. More than a month ago, going to Perth, announcing a clear policy, an infrastructure package to help Western Australia deal with what have been their very legitimate concerns, particularly on behalf of the incoming McGowan Labor government. On the other hand, the government which has now been in office for four years has made false promises, false starts and talk-fests.

Malcolm Turnbull actually promised a floor to the GST. He actually stood in Perth and told them there would be a floor to the GST distributions. That just hasn't happened, just hasn't happened.

And the fact of the matter is that this proposed model would see New South Wales worse off by $1.17 billion, Victoria, $920 million, Queensland, $729 million, South Australia, $256 million, and Tasmania, $77 million. Well, those states and territories have every right to say that they won't support this new model. It's very clear this is going nowhere.

And the Treasurer needs to front up and fess up to the fact that other states will be worse off under this model. Yesterday he couldn't even bring himself to admit that fact. Asked three times in an interview, isnt it a case that other states and territories will be worse off, he couldn't even honestly answer that question. The answer is yes. I'll answer it for him. The answer is yes.

But not under Labor's model. Under Labor's model, which provides an infrastructure fund for Western Australia, we deal with the concerns of the Western Australian community and Government. We actually have a concrete measure to address those concerns. It's actually the only policy proposal on the table at the moment to fix Western Australia's problems. We have a draft report from the Productivity Commission that's got some way to go. I saw the Treasurer saying it might need more time.

Here's my challenge to the Treasurer: be honest with the Australians people and the people of other states and territories in good time well before the South Australian election. Do not think you can kick this into the grass until after the South Australian election. That would be an act of complete dishonesty on behalf of Scott Morrison, if he was to try that.

We're happy to have our policies debated, have them discussed around the country, in every state and territory. If Scott Morrison thinks he can get away with coming out yesterday and then disappearing, and not answering the people of South Australia and other states and territories about how this will work and that their states and territories will be worse off, then he's got another thing coming. We won't let him get away with that.

On these two matters - the clean energy target and GST distribution - we see the continued failure of the Turnbull Government to provide any concrete solution to the problems facing the Australian people. On both of the matters, Bill Shorten has provided leadership. Labor has provided an alternative. We will continue to do so right up until the next election.

Happy to take any questions.

JOURNALIST: Mr Bowen, the head of DFAT has made some very blunt warnings about Chinese influence in Australian education institutions. Do you share her concerns around limits on freedom of speech or free and open discussion in Australian academic institutions?

BOWEN: Francis Adamson is a deeply respected public servant, a very fine servant of the Australian people and a very well-accomplished secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and one of Australia's most eminent diplomats. So, of course, what she says should be taken seriously. Of course we support freedom of speech anywhere, including at universities. And, of course, universities must be able - they must always feel able - to debate issues, and students at universities must be challenged on their preconceptions. That's what university is about - a free-flowing debate. So, of course, that's correct. And all institutions should be alive to making sure that that continues.

Now, last week I announced Labor's approach to Asian engagement and the FutureAsia policy, which I'm very pleased in the way it's been received, talking about Australia's national interests, talking about deeper engagement in our region. And I made it clear that, as part of that approach, what we need is a step change in engagement with Asia. But what that does not include is acting in a way which is not to Australia's national interest, or in keeping with Australian values. And, of course, that will underpin Labor's approach on all matters.

JOURNALIST: In terms of engaging with Asia, she also makes the comments about Chinas One Belt, One Road infrastructure project and concerns she has with that in regards to how she says it had been received by Pacific countries with huge debts and so forth. Do you share any of her concerns over that project?

BOWEN: The One Belt, One Road initiative is on the big economic changes taking place in our region. Now as Australians and the Australian Government we have a choice, ignore it, pretend that its not happening, or we can think about how we best engage with it. As I said in that speech in the Case for Asian Engagement last week, our view is that we will keep an open mind with One Belt, One Road, or the Belt and Road Initiative as its more latterly being called, and act in the national interest.

I think thats a pretty sensible approach. Open mind, national interest. A pretty sensible way forward.

Again, you can ignore it, pretend that its not happening. Thats not a sensible way forward.

JOURNALIST: Just back again on the GST. The Productivity Commission said that top-ups arent a long-term solution. How long will Labor Governments give top-ups?

BOWEN: Federal Labor has a policy that tops up Western Australia, which sees them through this challenge, and does so over the period which would see them return to a more normal level of distribution under the accepted and projected forecasts to them.

JOURNALIST: But in other states, if they fell below?

BOWEN: Well you know this has been an extraordinary circumstance. In no other instance has a state fallen below 80 cents. Let alone 70, 60 to 50 or 40 cents. In no other instance since the GST came in, has that happened. So what we have done, is a concrete policy offering to see Western Australia through what has been an unprecedented and extraordinary reduction in their distributions. And its not one which has been not only commonly seen, but ever seen, at any other point since the GST has come in.

JOURNALIST: But can you rule out offering more top ups to other state governments if they

BOWEN: Well theres no other state thats projected to go under, anywhere near under 70 cents or anything like that. Nobody is predicting that.

Okay, thanks for your time.