Press conference - Brisbane

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's wonderful to be back in Brisbane announcing another of Labor's candidates here in the great state of Queensland at the federal election, which will be held sometime over coming months before May of next year. Today is also wear it Green and Gold Day for our Olympians, who are doing us proud. Not the least of which, of course, is the 4x200m swimmers. I want to give a shout out to Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O'Callaghan, Lani Pallister and Brianna Throssell for the magnificent and very clear victory that they have achieved. I do want to make the point, as someone who is obviously male, that it's the women who are doing the heavy lifting for the Australian Olympians up to now and doing our country proud, bringing home gold medals for Australia. Of course, we're proud of every single Olympian and Paralympian and their support teams as well. Importantly as well, a shout out to their families who are providing the support that is required, not just while the Olympics are on, of course, but the days, weeks, months and many years that go into preparation for performing for Australia. We are having late nights and early mornings here in Australia due to the time differences with France but we are loving every single minute of it. When it comes to women, I'm about to introduce a fantastic one in Renee Coffey here to you today. I do want to make a point, though, that this morning I woke up to read about Jemma Tribe. She's someone whose been a member of the Liberal Party for 15 years, who's resigned because she was told to go and lose weight, was told that a woman's place wasn't to be a representative in public office in the Liberal Party. I've got to say this about something I've noticed about the LNP under Peter Dutton here in Queensland, which is that after what is completely inadequate representation of women, they've actually gone backwards with the candidates that they've selected to replace people like Karen Andrews here in the LNP as representatives at the federal election. Well, my Government, which is majority women, and that is a good thing, we broke the record for the number of women ministers when I did the reshuffle on Sunday with the addition of Malarndirri McCarthy, who I'll spend time with later today at the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land and also Jenny McAllister, becoming ministers. That is the most representation of women we've had in any ministry in any Australian Government. Only beating, of course, the one that was there the day before, under my Government as well. We want to be truly representative of the whole country. We also want to make sure that we're a government that gets things done. Here in Queensland, in the last month, every single Queenslander, now that we're into August, will have received their tax cut. Making a difference. Those earning under $45,000 getting a tax cut, who were going to get nothing. Average workers getting double what they would have got, $1300 energy bill relief, cheaper childcare, fee-free TAFE now adding up to 500,000 fee-free places. In addition to that, of course, real wages growing again. Under my Government, we want people to earn more and keep more of what they earn. All of that happens because a government is able to make decisions and get things done. Our $32 billion Homes for Australia Plan actually looking for real solutions, not looking to just protest. We have an option, of course, here in Queensland, in a seat like Griffith at the next election, of voting for more negativity under Peter Dutton, more deciding what they're just opposed to. And their partner in the Noalition, the Greens political party, who combine with the Liberals so often to oppose measures which are going forward, such as the shared equity scheme for homes, which is a part of David Crisafulli's plan here for the LNP in Queensland, but they vote against it in Canberra. It was part of the Greens political party's policy at the last election as well. I think the people of Griffith deserve to have a voice in government, a voice which is constructive, a voice which is embedded in the local community, and Renee Coffey will bring that as the Labor Member for Griffith. That is why today, I'm so proud to announce Renee as our candidate. Renee is someone who has spent a lifetime working for not-for-profit organisations, assisting people who are in need, making a difference, raising a family here in this beautiful part of Brisbane, living in Norman Park, like another famous member for Griffith did in Kevin Rudd, now doing a wonderful job as the Australian Ambassador to the United States. Renee has the intellect, the skills, the capacity to be an outstanding local member, but importantly as well, to make a policy contribution to my Government going forward. Not waiting for decisions to be made and then sitting back and just being a blockage and opposing things or deciding whether to organise protests. Someone who will actually make a difference to people's lives, someone who is supporting the cost of living measures that we've made, someone who's supporting the Urgent Care Clinics, including one here in the centre of Brisbane, that's making a difference. One of the 66 Urgent Care Clinics that we've opened all around the country, providing healthcare when people need it and all people need is their Medicare card, not their credit card. The increases as well that we've had to the bulk billing incentive, tripling it, making a difference, seeing hundreds of thousands of Australians being able to see their local GP for free, all of these measures are making a difference. Now, I want the Queensland team, which is quality, with people like Jim Chalmers and Anika Wells, to be joined by others so that Queensland can have proper representation in my Government. Not just more of the same with the LNP, more of their negativity, more of their plan, not for renewables, but a plan so-called for nuclear energy, decades down the track, the most expensive form that will take too long. We want a representative who will be serious about making a difference. Renee Coffey is just that person. I was very pleased that she was preselected here in Queensland. We had a preselection concluded a couple of weeks ago and one of the things that Renee showed in advocating for her to be the candidate was the strength of character that she has. I'm very pleased to introduce Renee to you this morning.

RENEE COFFEY: Thank you so much, Prime Minister, and thank you, everyone, for being out here on this beautiful, crisp morning here in Griffith. I love this community. It's my community. I grew up in Hawthorne, just down the road from where I live with my children and my husband at Norman Park now. My family has been in this community four generations. My mum and dad met at our local high school, at Balmoral State High School, and there's actually a sports house named after my family Coffey there. I love this community. I love the people who are in it and I love the fact that we help each other out, we pitch in and we do what's needed to make our community better. I've been standing up for what's right in this community for many years. I've been working as a CEO, currently in the youth mental health sector. Prior to that, I've had a decade's worth of experience leading a non-profit, working to deliver First Nations scholarships for young people throughout Australia. That's delivered education opportunities for thousands of First Nations young people across Australia. In the community, I'm an active member of our local community groups and our sporting clubs. I have been working at the P&C and on school boards. I've been rolling up my sleeves and pitching in for many years. I've seen what power there is in working really hard in this community to actually get things done. I'm very aware that in this area, the people of Griffith have very high expectations about what they want from a local member. They want someone who celebrates with them, their triumphs, who's there with them through their wins, who's there for them through the hard times and who listens to them and really understands what's going on for them. They want a member who is listening to what's going on in their lives. At the moment, cost of living is tough. It doesn't matter whether you are a young family, whether you are a student who is slogging away, or whether you're trying to work out when you can afford to retire. It's a complex issue and people need longer term solutions, many of which we've heard about today, and short-term relief, which we know that the Albanese Government and the Queensland Government here also is delivering. I've also heard from young people in our area that climate change is a real issue, something that they are deeply concerned about. I've got two little climate activists at home, at my place, and I know that it is incredibly important for people in our community. I've heard from the women in our community as well, about what they need to feel safer and, also when it comes to their health concerns and equality, what they want from their representative. Our community doesn't just want an elected representative who listens. They want real action on these issues. I'm here to listen and to get things done. People here want someone who will meet with them. They want a representative that is about progress, not just about protest. They want someone who will work their guts out to make things happen. Only with Griffith being represented in a progressive Labor Government can we deliver the change that our community is seeking. I'm here to make sure that when the people of Griffith speak, the Government does what is needed to make sure things actually happen. Getting things happening on cost of living, on housing, on climate change and listening to the community is what I'm going to continue to do as the Federal Labor candidate for Griffith. I'm incredibly excited to be joining the team. So, thank you so much.

PRIME MINISTER: Fantastic. Thanks, Renee. I look forward to being out on the hustings with you over coming months. Happy to take some questions.

JOURNALIST: You're spending an awful lot of time in Queensland -

PRIME MINISTER: I love Queensland.

JOURNALIST: You do indeed.

PRIME MINISTER: How could you not like this?

JOURNALIST: If you were a betting man, are you looking for an early election? You said in coming months.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is in coming months. It'll be sometime between now and May. When the car out there with the little flag on the front goes to Yarralumla, you'll know it's called. I have said consistently, as well, that I think three years is too short, is what I have said and that is my position. I wish we had longer terms like we do in every state and territory in the country and where most nations around the world. I'm actually not sure of another one that has an election every three years or shorter, so that's my view. I'm just focused on getting the job done, in making a difference. The difference that we've made here in this financial year already with those tax cuts. People have seen them in their pay packets. So many people have come up to me and said this week I got my pay, I got $80 extra or I got $120 extra or I got $40 extra, and it's made a difference to me. That is something that has got support. Remember when we did those changes earlier this year? The Coalition said first of all, they would oppose them before they'd seen what they were. Then they said they'd roll them back. Then Peter Dutton said we should have an election this year, like months ago, on the basis of this, before July 1. That is what he called for. That is how hostile he was to these changes. They then said they would roll them back and reinstitute the tax cuts for high income earners like myself and others. To do that, I assume they would take away the tax cuts from some of the 13.6 million Australians who've got those tax cuts. Now, that is bad policy and all of the policies that they put forward, I say this about both the LNP and the Greens political party, they don't even try to make things add up. We inherited a $78 billion deficit under the Liberals. We turned that into a $22 billion Labor surplus and we've delivered another surplus this year. You can't just have a magic pudding approach, which is what the Greens and the Liberals have. You have to make things add up because that's how you provide cost of living relief whilst you put in that downward pressure on inflation.

JOURNALIST: Just on the Middle East, Hezbollah's leaders have vowed strong retaliation against Israel following those two assassinations in the past week or so. What's Australia's message in light of that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, our message is we want a de-escalation. We don't want to see further conflict in the region. We made a clear statement, I made on Friday with the New Zealand and the Canadian Prime Ministers. Calling for that, calling out as well, Iran and its proxies, be they Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthis, calling out their provocations and their actions. We want to see the Biden peace proposal implemented as advanced by the United States. We want to see a ceasefire, we want to see hostages released, we want to see a de-escalation. We want to see moves towards a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security and stability and prosper into the future. We'll continue to advocate strongly on all of these issues, but we're very concerned, and I repeat again the statement that I made yesterday, we're particularly concerned about Australians continuing to visit Lebanon or staying in Lebanon. We're concerned that if there is an escalation and Beirut airport is closed to commercial aircraft, then there may well be difficulty getting people home.

JOURNALIST: PM, there are children in Lebanon who are Australian citizens but their parents aren't. Will the Government fast-track their visas?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, we'll deal with the issues there. I say this - we want people brought home. There are thousands of Australian citizens, there are thousands who have travelled to Lebanon this year in spite of the very clear statements that the Australian Government has made. We don't produce this advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade websites, these travel warnings aren't academic, they're real and people need to focus on them.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just on the Fair Work Commission's comments that it lacks jurisdictional powers to properly investigate the CFMEU. Master Builders in that industry have appealed for a watchdog with powers to enforce criminal and industry investigations, is that something you will consider?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we've said is that the Fair Work Commission are considering the appointment. That's required to clean up the CFMEU and to clean up what's happening on building sites. We're certainly prepared to legislate if that's required, and we will do so. Previously of course, there was the ABCC presided over, was there the whole time that John Setka was increasing his power and influence in the CFMEU and extending it across state borders from Victoria into South Australia and into Tasmania. We want a clean industry. We want an industry where people can go to work and operate safely, where business operates safely as well, and we want to clean up the industry.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the CFMEU branch here in Queensland are not conceding to the administration. How confident are you [Inaudible].

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll be prepared to legislate. John Setka didn't send me a birthday card after I expelled him from the Labor party. I did that within weeks of becoming the leader. There is no place in the union movement for the sort of activity, including activity I read about on the front page of the newspaper here in Brisbane as well. There's no place for violence in workplaces or indeed anywhere in our society. Violence is a crime, it should be prosecuted. Our view of criminal behaviour is that the police should prosecute people when they commit a crime and violence is a crime.

JOURNALIST: They're also starting to slow down major projects. Cross River Rail runs right underneath here, it's supposed to be opening Exhibition Station last weekend [Inaudible]. They are starting to delay major projects, billion dollar projects. Have you got that legislation ready to go?

PRIME MINISTER: We will have legislation ready if it is required, we've made that very clear. And Murray Watt, another great Queenslander, will have responsibility for that.

JOURNALIST: Just on that watchdog. The FBI has a racketeering squad in the US that has the powers to investigate organised crime within the unions. Is that something that could be included in the legislation?

PRIME MINISTER: Well police have powers to investigate criminal activity. We have a range of authorities in this country, including state and federal police, to investigate when criminal activity occurs.

JOURNALIST: So, I suppose, what the industry is saying, though, that if you had a dedicated police presence within that watchdog, then that would allow crossover -

PRIME MINISTER: Well look, the police examine, you know, the laws from time to time, state and federal. The ABCC was not successful. That is very, very clear. So you had a dedicated body that all of this activity occurred where everything that you are reading about didn't occur after 2022, by and large it occurred before then. Before then when the former government, I mean, you've got quotes from Peter Dutton, who's now the LNP leader in the federal parliament. You have quotes from him as a Minister speaking about activities that he was saying was occurring on building sites. They were the government. He was a Minister. Like what was going on if the right structures were in place? What we want to make sure is that if any corrupt activity occurs, that prosecution occurs, any crime is properly prosecuted as well.

JOURNALIST: Have you been given any indication how long the administration will last, or when it will come into effect [Inaudible].

PRIME MINISTER: It will last for as long as is necessary to clean up this industry.

JOURNALIST: Former Chief of Army, Peter Leahy, says Australia is a strategic liability to the US if we don't urgently address the ADF capability gaps. What's your response to that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we're doing, we had a Defence Strategic Review that sought to address and make recommendations to support what was required to make sure our defence capability is lifted up. We know that the former government thought that you could defend Australia with a media release. You can't defend Australia with a media release, what you can defend Australia with is defence assets and personnel. That's what my government has been focused on, actual delivery. And we have a close relationship, obviously, with the United States, but with other partners as well. And we are, I reject any idea that we are anything other than an asset internationally as well. I know that the work of the Australian Defence force is highly valued. Highly valued. I was speaking with our Chief of Navy, Mark Hammond just on the weekend. He is working this week internationally as well with their respective partners in our region, and that is something that we have lifted up. Thanks, everyone.

JOURNALIST: The South Brisbane and Griffith is obviously the centre of the Greens wave at the last federal and state election. The Greens member is quite a prominent voice on housing. What's your strategy to take on that member, given how prominent that issue is here?

COFFEY: Thanks for the question. So, I think the people of Griffith are going to make judgement on results and what they see in terms of results. I've been working for results for our community for a very long time. I've been working in First Nations communities. I've been working in the mental health sector. I'm very focused on achieving results and I think that'll be what people make a decision about when we get to the federal election.

JOURNALIST: Brisbane State School will be another issue that the Greens will use during the campaign. What's your view on the future of that school there? Brisbane State School may or may not survive [Inaudible].

COFFEY: I'll have to take that one on notice. I understand that the Queensland government has made an announcement about the future of the school and I understand at the moment that there's no change to the school and the school's future. I will have to check on that, but that's my understanding at this point of time based on what we've been told.

JOURNALIST: Just quickly, I know you're heading to Garma today. Can we expect you to make any new announcements today [Inaudible].

PRIME MINISTER: You can, and I encourage people to watch this space in a few hours, and I'll be speaking at Garma tomorrow. As Labor Leader, as the leader of a major political party, I've attended every Garma Festival that's been held since I've been Leader of the Labor Party and indeed attended Garma Festivals before, both as a Minister and as an opposition member as well. I don't know whether Peter Dutton is heading to Garma. Certainly it is the case unfortunately he's failed to make an appearance there before now. Last year, I know in previous years, Julian Leeser has attended Garma, but I'll certainly be there. I think that it is the major cultural political forum that is held from First Nations people. Not just important for the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land, but it's important national event as well. And I know that many industry leaders will be there, state and territory government representatives, and certainly I'll be there along with the new Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Malarndirri McCarthy, along with Linda Burney, along with Luke Gosling, and along with Jason Clare, our Education Minister as well. It is important that we actually listen to First Nations people and that we engage. So, I will be talking and making some announcements tomorrow at Garma, but I will also be listening. Because quite clearly, when you look at the Closing the Gap targets, we are not doing well enough, as no government, regardless across the spectrum, federal or state or territory, has done enough, has done well enough. When you look at the Closing the Gap, what you shouldn't do in a country like Australia in 2024 is to look at anyone's characteristic and know that there is the sort of gap which is there by chance. Be it education, health, life expectancy, infant mortality, incarceration rates - they shouldn't be determined by someone's origins in this country. And I seek a more reconciled country. I seek a country that brings people together. That is something that I'll continue to advocate as Prime Minister, which I think is the responsibility that I have. We have a great privilege of sharing this beautiful continent of ours with the oldest continuous culture on earth. That's something that requires more work to be done to achieve those practical outcomes and to close the gap. Thanks very much.

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