Radio Interview – KIIS 1011 Melbourne
JASON ‘JASE’ HAWKINS, HOST: Hey, Albo, good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning to you all.
HAWKINS: Hello mate.
LAUREN PHILLIPS, HOST: Nice to talk to you. It’s been a while.
HAWKINS: I know, I was just saying to Lauren. We haven’t spoken since you turned the big 6-0.
PRIME MINISTER: Don’t rub that in. I’m in denial.
PHILLIPS: Well, actually, Clint had turned 40 since we spoke to you last time and I thought you could have had a joint 100th birthday party.
PRIME MINISTER: Sixty’s the new 40.
CLINT STANAWAY, HOST: Great, we could head to The Lodge for a few beers.
PRIME MINISTER: We’re the same age, basically.
HAWKINS: Hey, Albo, before we get to, we want to chat the referendum and the Voice. Just quickly, before we get to that.
PHILLIPS: We need your help.
HAWKINS: We need a favour.
PRIME MINISTER: Another one? Yeah, what is it?
HAWKINS: Just hear me out. Monday, we obviously have to come in and do the show. And then Tuesday we’re off for Anzac Day.
PHILLIPS: Very important day on the calendar.
HAWKINS: Exactly, I’ll be taking my boys to a dawn service.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh good on you. I’ll be at the War Memorial here in Canberra.
HAWKINS: Good. Now my thing is, is there any point in us coming to work on the Monday?
PHILLIPS: Surely not.
HAWKINS: If we were to do some sort of petition to our boss to get the Monday off, could I put your name at the top of it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well it depends if you’ve got a copy of my signature, I guess.
PHILLIPS: We can find one. That’s easy.
PRIME MINISTER: I reckon, but who’s going to run the show on the Monday?
HAWKINS: Well I know someone that used to be a DJ back in the day, if they’re not doing anything Monday and want to come into KIIS and pull a shift?
PRIME MINISTER: I might be available.
PHILLIPS: Alright, great, we’ll take your word for it. Let’s send the email to the boss now.
STANAWAY: Beautiful. Well, Prime Minister, thanks for joining us. Obviously, there’s so many issues doing the rounds right now. But one we want to get to is the Voice. Because a lot of Australians want a little bit of clarity because the referendum is looming. And it’s an issue that has ignited a lot of emotion in the community. Tell our listeners here in Melbourne, what’s the Voice all about?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s about just two things. One is recognising Aboriginal people in our Constitution, so recognising our history goes back at least 60,000 years. So the wording that’s there will be ‘in recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First Peoples’, so just getting that recognition in there. A statement of fact. And then the how, the recognition, is through a Voice. And what the Voice is is simply a body which will be consulted and can make, may make representations on issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. So your listeners will all know there’s a huge gap, like there’s a 10-year life expectancy gap almost between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
PHILLIPS: That’s crazy.
PRIME MINISTER: There’s a massive gap in education and health. Aboriginal Australians are the most incarcerated people per capita of any people in the world. We need to do things a bit differently.
PHILLIPS: Yeah.
PRIME MINISTER: And we need to listen to people. And what we know is that when Aboriginal people are actually consulted on issues like justice reinvestment, community health programs, Indigenous rangers programs, you get better outcomes.
STANAWAY: Prime Minister, I guess one of the concerns is that this issue will be politicised. It’s a very emotive issue. I know that that you broke down when you were revealing the wording. I spoke to a friend of mine, Megan Waters, who’s a proud First Nations person last night, just to get her opinion. She’s the host of Yokayi Footy, a Fox Footy television program. This is what she had to say:
MEGAN WATERS, YOKAYI FOOTY HOST: If I’m honest, it does feel like a pretty overwhelming time. From my perspective, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done, particularly in communities. We just need to see genuine change. We need more long-term positive outcomes for our people. For too long, it’s been one step forward and two steps back. So I guess, how is voting ‘yes’ going to ensure that the Voice isn’t merely just a flash in the pan?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that’s why enshrining it in the Constitution will mean that it can’t just be gotten rid of. Now it doesn’t have, it won’t have the right of veto, Parliament will retain all of its existing powers. But it does mean that there’ll be a structure there that can be consulted. And your friend is right, we just need to do better. And if we don’t recognise Aboriginal people in our Constitution now, after 122 years, like when is the right time?
PHILLIPS: Exactly right. Hey, Albo, just quickly, what’s the date for this vote?
PRIME MINISTER: It will be sometime between October and December. The legislation hasn’t been carried yet. So under the law, there has to be at least two months and 33 days to when the referendum can be held, so it can held from late September. But it won’t be on AFL Grand Final day.
PHILLIPS: Smart. That’s a smart move.
HAWKINS: There goes my next question. Hey, speaking of big events, just quickly, you jumping on a plane and heading over for the King’s big day? The crowning?
PHILLIPS: Coronation, off to the party.
PRIME MINISTER: I am. It will be a big day. The British know how to do pageantry.
HAWKINS: Do you take a bottle? Like do you rock up empty-handed?
PHILLIPS: Do you take a gift?
PRIME MINISTER: A bottle of nice red, you reckon? Maybe a Victorian pinot noir?
PHILLIPS: Just don’t be embarrassing and take like Ugg boots or something. The amount of times I’ve seen dignitaries hand over Ugg boots.
PRIME MINISTER: Ugg boots? Oh, no. Maybe a six pack of Albo Ale.
STANAWAY: Now you’re talking.
HAWKINS: Mate, if I see you on the news handing over a six pack, that’ll do me, I’ll be bloody proud. Hey, just before we let you go, I just want to show the guys something. Guys, that is Anthony Albanese’s signature.
PHILLIPS: Oh you found it.
STANAWAY: It’s pretty easy.
PHILLIPS: Oh he’s practising. I don’t know that you’re allowed to do that.
HAWKINS: I don’t think you can forge the PM’s signature.
PRIME MINISTER: I reckon it’s best that you do that quietly rather than live on air. Just a suggestion.
PHILLIPS: Well could we just get you to say ‘Jase, Lauren and Clint deserve the Monday off’?
PRIME MINISTER: Jase, Lauren and Clint deserve any time off that they want.
ALL HOSTS: Yeah!
HAWKINS: Of course they do Albo.
PRIME MINISTER: There you go, I’ve gone even further.
STANAWAY: That’s why he’s doing so well in the opinion polls right now.
PHILLIPS: That means we get the Monday before Melbourne Cup as well. Just roll that out whenever we want.
HAWKINS: Hey Albo, we appreciate you jumping on this morning, mate. We’ll talk to you soon.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks guys. Have a great day everyone.