Radio Interview – FiveAA Mornings with Leon Byner
LEON BYNER, HOST: Let’s talk to Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Leon. And can I say congratulations on quite a magnificent career? I know you’ll continue to be there as a casual participant rather than each and every day. And I just think it’s always been wonderful talking with you. And can I say as well, that you are someone who has championed issues over the years, particularly standing up for the people of Adelaide in South Australia?
BYNER: Well, thank you for saying that. And I’ve got to say that I should thank you too, for being so available to come on and talk to the people of SA, because we’ve discussed a lot of what sometimes have been contentious issues. In fact, we’ve got the final sitting week of Parliament. It’s usually furiously busy. And this one’s not going to be an exception. What are some of the major pieces of legislation that have passed this week?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it’s been big this week. We have passed legislation yesterday allowing for people who are pensioners to essentially earn more. And that’s a good thing. It’s good for them. But it’s good for the economy as well. We have skills shortages in this country. And we know that people who have experience can really make a particular contribution in workplaces with the experience that they have. So, that was an important piece of legislation. Of course, our industrial relations legislation will pass the Parliament this morning. And it is absolutely vital to get wages moving again. But there are a number of elements of it that are really important. One is making gender pay equity, that is equal pay between men and women, an objective of the Fair Work Act. Measures like making it illegal to advertise a job for lower than the minimum wage, which most of your listeners would find astounding that that’s okay today. What it will do is aimed at lifting wages, particularly for the care sector and those people who’ve fallen behind. And that’s been an important piece of legislation. We’ll also be receiving from the Senate, the Territory Rights bill. That is about voluntary assisted dying, and having the territories all having the same rights. Of course, it’s up to states to determine those issues, but territories previously weren’t able to control their own destiny. And we’ve got a really important piece of legislation we introduced on the National Reconstruction Fund being created. That’s about making things here, about getting manufacturing back. We know that South Australia copped it hard when the former Government told the car industry to leave. We want to make things here in Australia. We need to be more resilient and more self-reliant.
BYNER: I’m so pleased to hear that, because we’re good at making stuff.
PRIME MINISTER: We are. And we are great at innovation and ideas and breakthroughs in technology. But quite often, we’ve seen those breakthroughs, every solar panel in the world has technology that was developed in Australia, but we export all the minerals that go into them as well, and then pay more for them when they come back. I want to see things made here. And this is an important step forward.
BYNER: Tell me, looking back over so far, since you’ve been Prime Minister, are there any things that would stand out to you that you think, ‘Gee, I reckon I could have done that better’?
PRIME MINISTER: You can always do things better with the value of hindsight. But I must say that I’m satisfied that we are delivering on our commitments. Already, we’ve passed legislation so that those 180,000 fee-free TAFE places will come in on January 1 next year. Medicines will drop from $42.50 a script to $30 on January 1 next year. Cheaper child care comes in on July 1 next year. We have delivered on the commitment that we’ve said. There are challenges, though. Aged care, we don’t pretend that you can fix that in just a short period of time. But we’ve got measures in place already legislated. Indeed, the first bill that was passed was about aged care. This is a system where older Australians haven’t been treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
BYNER: Well, it’s good to hear you say that. Because they are the people that have contributed so much to the community. And nine times out of 10, they’re either direct blood relatives or close friends of all of us and those listening. So, that’s a wonderful initiative, because I reckon we owe the mature aged citizens of our country a little bit back after what they’ve contributed. And it’s great that you feel the same way.
PRIME MINISTER: We sure do. And it’s so important that we do pay people back for their contribution. That’s why we’re also, in the Budget, establishing eight new veterans’ hubs, so that people who have served our country in our uniform can get a one-stop shop, if you like, of assistance. How do they connect whether with support like mental health support, we know that that’s a major issue, we’re having the Royal Commission at the moment into veteran suicide. But also, practical measures like assisting with employment. I did a wonderful event last week, the Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Awards. And what that’s about is acknowledging veterans, but importantly, as well, employers who are employing large numbers of veterans because they know that the diligence and the capacity which makes our Defence Force function so well, they are skills that are transferable into the private sector when people leave their Defence Force. And we need to make sure that people aren’t left behind. That was a big theme of mine in the election, you’d remember, Leon. No one left behind, no one held back. That we look after the vulnerable, but also through the measures like the additional university places, fee-free TAFE, cheaper child care, that we’re not holding people back, we are giving people that opportunity to go forward. And businesses, through our National Reconstruction Fund, will receive that as well.
BYNER: Anthony, is being Prime Minister what you thought it would be?
PRIME MINISTER: I don’t think anything could prepare you for it. It’s an extraordinary honour. And I truly believe, Leon, that this is the greatest country on Earth.
BYNER: Yes.
PRIME MINISTER: But together, if we work together, we can be even better in the future. We live in such a fast-changing world. And I must say the obligation to participate and represent Australia in forums like the G20, the meeting of the 20 largest economies in the world, other conferences which are important, APEC in our region, supporting our jobs and trade and our economic growth, that has taken up some time, it’s got to be said, and I approach the Christmas season hoping to have at least a day off. But it is just an extraordinary honour. And I must say, something that was unexpected, I guess we all knew that it would happen at some stage, but I hadn’t, before it occurred with Queen Elizabeth the Second, we kind of thought she’d live forever. She reigned for 70 years. And I must say that was an extraordinary honour to represent Australia at The Queen’s funeral just a short while ago.
BYNER: I’ve got to say that your humility and availability to be able to talk to South Australia when we felt it was needed is something that, for me, is a stand-out about you. And I thank you for that. I really do. And so do the people of our state.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Leon. And I wish you all the best. We’ll continue to chat. I have no doubt about that.
BYNER: Yes. Well, have a great Christmas and look after yourself. What are you going to do on Christmas Day?
PRIME MINISTER: On Christmas Day, I always go each and every year and help a fellow called Reverend Bill Crews who runs the Exodus Foundation in my electorate. So, I will have Christmas lunch with a couple of thousand people who he feeds at the Loaves and Fishes Restaurant, which is basically in his church there in Ashfield. And it’s just a wonderful day of sharing with people who, they might be homeless, they might just have no one to have Christmas Day with. And it is so uplifting. And that’s something I do every Christmas morning. And I find it uplifting of myself and the other volunteers as well. It’s interesting, there’s always more volunteers than can be catered for to assist there. Because it is really, truly the gift of giving that makes that time special. And that is what the spirit of Christmas is about.
BYNER: Prime Minister, thank you for being on the show. And again, congratulations and thank you for your very regular availability to talk to the people of our state.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Leon. All the best.