Radio Interview – 2DRYFM | Prime Minister of Australia
DJ BARRY, HOST: We’ve got Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, in the chair out this way. Good morning, or good afternoon, Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, great to be with you. It’s good to be back in Broken Hill.
BARRY: Yeah, I presume you have been off this way before?
PRIME MINISTER: I certainly have, but it’s great to be back. This is my first visit as Prime Minister, so it’s pretty special.
BARRY: Yeah, no, it’s, I suppose, talking about the Labor Party and unions, it’s a pretty big town, union wise.
PRIME MINISTER: It sure is. And it has a great history, of course, of creating so many thousands and thousands of jobs for working people. A great history of the union movement, the Barrier district Council, and of engagement with the Labor Party. And it’s been terrific today, I have spoken to many people around the town here, but also was at the polling booth, the pre-poll, which is open, of course, for the referendum that’s being held.
BARRY: Yes and of course, like I say, we’ve got this week, up until Saturday, to put your vote in. Of course, you’re out on the Yes campaign, and can you explain to me why you’re saying Yes?
PRIME MINISTER: I’m saying Yes, because this is about two things. One is the unfinished business, because we don’t recognise the first Australians in our nation’s founding document. We have a great history that goes back well beyond 1788, it goes back 65,000 years, and that should be a source of pride. And that should be just included in our Constitution. It’s incomplete by not doing that. And the second thing is, a form of recognition that Indigenous Australians have asked for, is pretty clear, and that is to have a Voice. And that is a non-binding Advisory Committee, that will just be a group of Indigenous Australians, able to give advice and make representations to the government about matters that affect Indigenous Australians. And that will produce better outcomes. We know that when we consult people who are directly affected, and listen to them, you’ll get better results than if decisions are just made in Canberra for them.
BARRY: And in particular, health.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, health in particular. We know back in, when the pandemic was on for example, originally, there were some catastrophic projections about Indigenous communities. It was only when the bureaucrats got out of Canberra, talked to people on the ground about how we could improve vaccination rates, improve protection for those Indigenous communities, that you started to get better results. And we know community health programs that involve Indigenous Australians, as well, are the ones that produce better outcomes. And that just makes common sense. By involving people, you not only get to listen to them, you also give them responsibility for the outcomes, and that sense of ownership that comes with having agency. And that’s why it’s so important that people do give strong consideration to voting Yes in this referendum.
BARRY: Yep, like I said, you make your decision up this week, you can pre-poll at the YMCA, or as I said, same on Saturday. Just saying off air, when you came in, you flew over the lakes on the way in?
PRIME MINISTER: I did and it was nice to see lots of water in the lakes there. I remember coming up here some years ago, I was the Water Shadow Minister, a long time ago, more than a decade ago when the area of Menindee was basically empty. And then of course, there have been ongoing issues with water in the region. We are working very hard on the Murray Darling Basin Plan, making sure that we actually advance that, in the interests of agriculture, but also in the interests of the environment, and also in the interest of making sure people get access to good water supply.
BARRY: Yeah, I think we’re about 80 per cent at the moment, we’ve just backed it off a bit, I think there’s a bit of a flow coming down the Murray, so it’s looking good at the moment. But like I say, we had those fish kills, we don’t want them again because they pretty well shocked the community.
PRIME MINISTER: They certainly did. And that was a shock, not only to this community, but I think that the whole of Australia and indeed, that got some publishing around the world because it was such a horrific sight. So, we know that coming up, we can expect a pretty dry, hot summer. So, there is concern about drought coming forward. But we need to make sure that we do what we can to have a sustainable water system in this country.
BARRY: Yep,and we’re talking about summer time coming up, that means barbecues, guess what’s happening this Saturday, Prime Minister? We’ve got the world championships of cheese slaw making.
PRIME MINISTER: Okay
BARRY: Have you ever heard of cheese slaw making?
PRIME MINISTER: No, no. I can try to figure what it might be.
BARRY: What do you reckon is in cheese slaw?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, cheese and coleslaw, I assume.
BARRY: No, no.
PRIME MINISTER: No?
BARRY: Just cheese, mayonnaise and carrot. They’re the base.
PRIME MINISTER: Okay, yeah no, well that makes sense.
BARRY: They’re the basics and it was pretty well started here back in the 50s and 60s, you know, as a cheaper option. So, we’ve got the world championships happen this weekend and the prize is a golden grater.
PRIME MINISTER: Where’s the barbecue taking place?
BARRY: Not a barbecue but we’ve got acommunity markets this weekend here and so, people have to get their entries in by 11am. So, you reckon you’ll be able to get one in, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don’t think it would be fair for the Prime Minister to enter. I think that I will just cheer on whoever wins. So, congratulations in advance to the winner.
BARRY: Yep, this is in conclusion, we’ve just, for the last six weeks, had our radio fund to raise funds here to draw them. And if anybody out there wants to donate, go to our website to 2dryfm.com, and hit the ‘donate’ button. So, you talk to a few community radio stations around the country?
PRIME MINISTER: I do indeed. And from time to time, I used to volunteer occasionally at Radio Skid Row and 2SER in my part of the world, in Sydney. When I had a little bit more time on my hands than I do now, when I was a student. And community radio is so important, it gives that local voice and local flavour, as well as of course, people learning skills and it’s a great outlet.
BARRY: DJ Albo?
PRIME MINISTER: I have DJ’d with various people in community radio, in part to raise funds for them over the years, and it’s always a good thing. FBI in Sydney, I’ve helped out at a couple of fundraising events, as well. Community radio is a really vital part of our communications.
BARRY: Yep, no, good local, I suppose, information. All right, we’d better wrap it up, I know you’re a very, very busy man. Anything to add before we go?
PRIME MINISTER: No, it’s just been great to talk with you and I encourage people to help out in the radiothon that’s taking place, to raise funds for 2DRY FM.
BARRY: Too easy. All right, that’s our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, up in Broken Hill. And let’s get back into the music. Can we have a little promo?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
BARRY: I don’t know,it’s up to you. You’re Prime Minister, something like that, you know? And if you want to relax after a hard day’s work, tune into 2DRY FM, something like that? Three, two, one.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day it’s Anthony Albanese here, 31st Prime Minister of Australia. And I’ve got a message for listeners, if you want to chill out after a hard day’s work, tune into 2DRY FM.