TROUBLED federal Labor star Peter Garrett has admitted he was dumb to have told broadcaster Steve Price the opposition was going to change its policies once it won government.
Mr Price, a right-wing Sydney shock jock, yesterday told listeners he had a discussion in an airport lounge with Mr Garrett in which the former rock star said Labor's "me-too" policies which mirror the government's would disappear once Labor won power at the November 24 election.
Today Mr Garrett reiterated his excuse, saying the conversation was "jocular" but admitted he had been dumb to have the conversation in the first place.
"It was probably a dumb thing to have done," Mr Garrett told reporters at a shopping centre in his Sydney electorate of Kingsford Smith.
"Certainly the way in which it's now carrying on around the country is a clear indication that we won't be having any more conversations with Steve Price in an airport lounge or anywhere else for that matter."
The government has jumped on the conversation as evidence Labor could not be trusted.
Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he does not believe Mr Garrett was only joking, and the comments show Labor cannot be trusted to implement its policies.
"They cannot be trusted," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Sydney today.
"They are trying to pretend to be as like the coalition as they can be and Peter Garrett let the cat out of the bag.
"What he said is what they are really planning to do, which is to throw out their commitment to follow our policy and to do their own thing."
Mr Garrett said he had spoken with Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd today.
"We reckon that we will have better policies and good policies to take to people at the election - but for the moment I accept responsibility for cracking a joke at the wrong time and the wrong place," Mr Garrett said.
"On that basis I've said to Kevin 'Hey mate, sorry for the stuff-up' and now we'll just get on with the job at hand
