Opening remarks – Federal Cabinet Meeting
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister: This is the third meeting of the Cabinet to be held in Queensland. And it’s great to be back here. And most of us, of course, will spend the week here into the weekend.
The first thing I want to say is that all of us are relieved that the four Australians who were missing in Indonesia have been found.
We thank the DFAT officials and Australian government agencies who have assisted with the search and rescue efforts.
But we particularly thank our Indonesian friends, who, once again have come to Australia’s support in a time of need.
And I’ve reached out to Jokowi, our friend, and to thank him personally for the effort.
We’ve got a big week.
Tomorrow we’ve got National Cabinet, where housing affordability and supply is very much front and centre on the agenda.
And the eyes of the nation will be on another event tomorrow, that is a significant event.
The Matildas have inspired the nation.
And tomorrow, eight o’clock, the eyes of the nation will be on them. And regardless of the outcome, but we’re hopeful of a positive one, what we know is that they’ve inspired generations of young girls in particular, but young boys as well, to play team sport.
And we know that team sport can be so important in young people learning how to win and how to lose, the importance of teamwork, the importance of looking after each other, and it’s good for health, physically, but it’s also very good for mental health and good for development as young people grow up – so it is so important.
I can’t recall an event that has inspired the nation quite like this one over such a long period of time.
You had Cathy Freeman’s run was pretty significant. This is a different feeling.
And Jim, I’ve got to tell you that I am advised that the loudest ever decibel of noise has been set at the stadium at Lang Park, not at State of Origin, but on Saturday night with the Matildas.
That really says something because Lang Park’s pretty noisy.
I was there when GI was playing for Queensland, and it was it was 30-0 at halftime, and it was pretty noisy that night.
But for the Matildas it really was something, and it was something to be present when 50,000 people stopped breathing for a couple of seconds on ten occasions for all of the spot kicks that were held the other night.
So, the whole of Australia is behind the Tillies.
And we wish Sam Kerr and that wonderful team all the best.