Radio interview – KIIS FM Will and Woody
WILL MCMAHON, HOST: Woods, we’ve just been told by the puzzle master that we’ve got a special guest who’s going to help us with our next clue.
WOODY WHITELAW, HOST: I say we just crack in, hello.
MCMAHON: Who you think’s Taylor Swift.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Hey, how you going?
WHITELAW: It’s definitely not Taylor Swift. It’s not Taylor Swift.
MCMAHON: I think I recognise that voice though.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s certainly not Taylor Swift.
MCMAHON: No it’s not. It’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
WHITELAW: It’s Anthony Albanese!
MCMAHON: It’s the PM!
WHITELAW: Albo, how are you, mate?
PRIME MINISTER: I am very, very well. How are you guys going? You’re stuck?
MCMAHON: Yeah we’re stuck. Well, technically it’s called trapped, but we’re also stuck.
PRIME MINISTER: Trapped, couldn’t happen to two nicer blokes.
WHITELAW: Yeah, that’s right, mate.
MCMAHON: Have you ever been in a room one on one with another person for 48 hours, going on 72 hours?
PRIME MINISTER: No, no, I can’t say that I have.
MCMAHON: No, it’s a strange setup, mate. It’s a very strange setup.
PRIME MINISTER: It would appear to me that this is completely self-inflicted.
MCMAHON: Yeah, no that’s true. It is, yeah.
PRIME MINISTER: So you can’t complain, then.
WHITELAW: No, we can still complain. Because the idea in our head sounded great.
PRIME MINISTER: Just complain to each other.
WHITELAW: Yeah, exactly.
MCMAHON: That’s all we’ve got. Now, Mr Prime Minister, I would love to talk, because I think you are going to help us out with a puzzle. Apparently you’ve got some information which is going to help us, which is awesome. But I imagine, because again, we are very limited in terms of information in here, but I know there is a very special choice that Australia is going to have to make about the Voice very shortly. And I imagine you’re here to talk about that first.
PRIME MINISTER: I am indeed. Every Australian will get the opportunity to vote for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. At the moment, of course, our Constitution kind of pretends that this country began in 1788. And we know that we’ve got 65,000 years of history, and that we share this continent with the oldest continuous culture on Earth, and that should be a source of pride. So, we want to recognise Indigenous people in our Constitution, and we want to also give them the opportunity to have a Voice so that they can be listened to on matters that affect them. So, we know that there’s an eight-year life expectancy gap, for example. We know that a young Indigenous person is more likely to go to jail in Australia than to go to university. So, we really need to do better. And what we know is that where matters affect any group of people, it is good that you will get better outcomes if you consult them and ask them what their views are. And that is really just all the Voice is, an opportunity to listen. It won’t change any of the power structures of the Parliament or anything else. But it will be a moment, I think, of national unity.
WHITELAW: Yeah, listening, no doubt, is the way forward, as you said Mr Prime Minister. Has a date of the referendum been released yet?
PRIME MINISTER: No, but it will be sometime between October and December. We have to wait two months and 33 days, at least, before it can be held after the passing of the legislation for the referendum that was passed earlier on this week by the Senate. So, we know it’ll be between October and December, but a date will be set plenty of time in advance. But I’d encourage people to log on and search for the real information, have a look at the question which will be asked. It’s a pretty simple one question proposition.
MCMAHON: So there’s only question that’s going to be asked of everybody on that day?
PRIME MINISTER: There is just one question that people will write yes or no to.
MCMAHON: Okay, that’s nice and simple.
PRIME MINISTER: And if not now, when?
WHITELAW: Yeah, okay.
MCMAHON: Because I think a big part of this is obviously just people not knowing all that much exactly about what the referendum is, but it sounds like you’re just going to be asked one question guys. Can I ask, Mr Prime Minister, I feel like for me and for a lot of people I speak to, that this is, I mean, particularly after hearing you speak about it as well, it’s almost a bit of a no brainer. I was hosting the show with Brooke Boney for a couple of weeks earlier and talking to her about it as well. She’s a Gamilaroi woman, just how simple a choice this can seem, because you’re just giving people a chance to be considered, particularly when things are about them, which just seems bleedingly obvious.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah.
MCMAHON: Do you think that it is heading that way? Do you think that’s what everyone else is thinking or how’s the campaign placed?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I think Australians will vote yes. People are generous. And 20 years ago, no one did Acknowledgement of Country. There wasn’t Dreamtime at the G. It was a different world, and gradually, what has happened in recent times, is that we have recognised the need to give respect to Aboriginal people. And so it is happening, and I think that overwhelmingly, Australians are generous people. It won’t have any downside here, it’s all upside. It won’t impact, non-Indigenous Australians won’t be directly affected, because everything will continue.
MCMAHON: It just seems like a no-brainer.
PRIME MINISTER: It is just a real opportunity. But changing the Constitution is hard, and there’ll be a lot of misinformation out there saying all these things will happen that’ll change. It won’t. It’s an advisory body only. It doesn’t have veto power, it won’t have any power over the Parliament, but it is a chance to listen.
MCMAHON: It’s something that’s only going to be considered once it’s affecting people who are Aboriginal or of Torres Strait Islander descent. So, that, for me, is interesting. It’d be like putting Woody and I in a room and then not telling us what you were going to do to us when we’re in here, which is effectively the situation we’re in right now.
WHITELAW: And it’s a shocking situation.
MCMAHON: It’s a shocking situation. I wish we had an advisory body that was consulting us.
PRIME MINISTER: This is a welfare call.
WHITELAW: Now, speaking of us being trapped in a real life escape room, though, we have heard, Mr Prime Minister, that you have some very important information to help us get out of the room, which you’re going to tell us about right up next.
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, that’s right. I do have some info and hopefully it will help
WHITELAW: Outstanding, that’s huge.
MCMAHON: I hope you don’t mind that I just analogised our escape room to this massive referendum and changing the Constitution that’s going on. I hope I didn’t minimise it too much. I thought it was quite clean. Anyway, it’s Will and Woody.
MUSIC BREAK
MCMAHON: Good afternoon, everyone. It is Will and Woody. Guys, we are trapped, all thanks to Indiana Jones and the Doll of Destiny. We’re in an escape room trying to puzzle our way out of here towards our two escape songs, which are the keys to getting out of this room. Woods, we’ve been in here since Monday. Let’s be honest, starting to grind. Now, look, we’ve got a special guest today in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who just surprised us. He’s obviously here to get the word out about the Voice, which is the big referendum which is going to be taking place a little bit later in the year guys. A chance for you guys to vote, purely to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s consulting rights, on whether or not we’re going to make a law which might affect them.
WHITELAW: Seems so obvious.
MCMAHON: I mean, like, generally speaking, if you’re going to do something which is going to affect someone, you should probably ask them beforehand if you can. Not a bad idea.
WHITELAW: Listening is always the way forward. And listening is exactly what we’re doing right now, Mr Prime Minister, because we believe you have some information you want to tell us which will help us get out of this tomb.
PRIME MINISTER: I do indeed, and I am here to help. And the first clue –
MCMAHON: Can we trust you, Mr Prime Minister? And that’s not like a broad question, that’s just purely –
PRIME MINISTER: We’ll see if it works out for you.
WHITELAW: Okay, nice.
PRIME MINISTER: I don’t think you’re in a position to bargain, frankly.
WHITELAW: There could be a vote, there could be a riding on this at the re-election, Mr Albanese.
PRIME MINISTER: Let’s be clear here. Now, if you look up above you, the first clue, because you need two extra pieces of your map.
MCMAHON: Yes, we’re currently missing two pieces to the map.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s in the netting above you.
MCMAHON: It’s in the netting above us. Okay, we’re missing two pieces to the map. Okay, it’s in the netting.
WHITELAW: I’m going to have a wander.
PRIME MINISTER: Climb up.
MCMAHON: Yeah Woods, you go for a scour.
WHITELAW: Can I just ask you, Mr Prime Minister. Are you still DJing? Are you still an avid DJ, Mr Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven’t quite had time to DJ for a little while.
WHITELAW: Ah that’s fair. You are running the country.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, it’s a bit busy, but I often do, I’ve done in the past a fundraiser for the Community Cup that’s held there in Victoria, of course, they have it at Vic Park there.
WHITELAW: Got it.
PRIME MINISTER: Got it?
WHITELAW: Sorry. Got it. I was enjoying that story, Mr Prime Minister, but I’ve got it.
PRIME MINISTER: See, you can trust me. I DJ’d at the Corner Hotel there in Richmond.
MCMAHON: Yeah, in Richmond.
WHITELAW: Of course.
PRIME MINISTER: And they had a fellow called Tim Rogers was the support act, which seems completely absurd. But Tim Rogers from You Am I. So, it was a really good night, actually, it raised lots of money for a good cause.
PRODUCER: Sorry to interrupt, Mr Prime Minister. The boys are still looking in the net. Do they need to look in the net for the fourth card, or fourth coffee bean?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that’s just one.
MCMAHON: There’s only one in the netting.
PRIME MINISTER: The second one, now, you’ve got a wooden box full of snacks, right?
WHITELAW: Yes, we do.
PRIME MINISTER: So, if you look on the underside of the box.
MCMAHON: On the underside of the snack box.
PRIME MINISTER: What snacks have you got, guys?
WHITELAW: We’ve got corn chips, corn chips, carrots, lots of hummus. What’s your favourite snack, Mr Prime Minister?
MCMAHON: Great question.
PRIME MINISTER: I do like a chicken Twisty, I’ve got to say.
MCMAHON: Oh yeah.
WHITELAW: Better than the cheese?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, I’m a Chicken Twistie guy. The cheese, you know, it gets all over your fingers and it stays there for a long period of time. The evidence is there.
WHITELAW: Have you ever had a horror moment, Mr Prime Minister, when you’re moving from, like, very important conference to very important conference and you’ve got, like, a stain on your tie or your shirt or something?
PRIME MINISTER: I keep a spare shirt in the office, I’ve got to say, just in case.
WHITELAW: There you go. That’s quite smart.
PRIME MINISTER: Just in case, there’s a good tip for you. Although it’s probably not as important for radio, I’ve got to say.
MCMAHON: Albo, this has been a very interesting conversation. There’s absolutely no doubt about it. I can’t seem to find this.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s on the underside of the box.
WHITELAW: As in under it, Will. Under it. Oh, here, got it. Got it, Mr Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Under, it was a pretty straightforward clue for you.
MCMAHON: Yeah no, fair enough mate. I’m sure you’ve got bigger things to do than direct us towards pieces of a puzzle in a random escape room.
WHITELAW: Talking about Chicken Twisties was pretty good chat I reckon.
MCMAHON: Anthony Albanese, thank you so much.
PRIME MINISTER: Hit them up for a bill for the free ad.
MCMAHON: Yeah, absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: Send them an invoice.
MCMAHON: Don’t worry about that.
WHITELAW: The chip for the PM. That’s a good tagline, I reckon.
MCMAHON: Mate, thank you so much for joining us. You’ve helped out more than you know. We now actually have got the four bits of the puzzle. It’s been a pleasure talking to you, mate. Good luck with the Voice as well and the vote for the referendum.
PRIME MINISTER: See you guys. Everyone vote yes.
MCMAHON: Vote yes everyone to the Voice. Anthony Albanese here with the assist.