Radio interview – Triple M Brisbane, The Rush Hour
LIAM FLANAGAN, HOST: Prime Minister, welcome.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Wonderful to be here. I’m a bit almost knocked out by the fumes as you come in the studio here.
LIESEL JONES, HOST: : It was not my fault. That was Dobbo and he sprayed all the spray around.
BEN DOBBIN, HOST: A bit of eucalyptus never hurt anyone. So big night here in Brisbane.
PRIME MINISTER: Huge night here in Brisbane.
DOBBIN: Mainly because Adam Reynolds, the former South Sydney player is going to steer the Broncos around.
PRIME MINISTER: Well I hope so because they’re playing the Roosters tonight, so I’ll be cheering for the Broncs tonight.
DOBBIN: But more importantly, the Matildas: never has the women’s game been on showcase more than right at the moment. And to have Suncorp Stadium full, Prime Minister, it’s a special night.
PRIME MINISTER: It is just fantastic. And I was there last week for the Ireland game in Sydney. And just to see all the – not just young girls, but young boys as well – with their faces painted and they were all so excited. It is remarkable. I mean last week you had 75,000. Tonight will be full as well, 48,000. Tomorrow, I’m meeting with the US Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken and the Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin with my team Richard Marles and Penny Wong. And Lloyd Austin will be there tonight, the US Defence Secretary, it’s a big deal. And it’s so good that that women’s sport is being put up there on an equal level and that’s a great thing.
JONES: And it’s so lovely to see Brisbane on the world map as well with Brisbane 2032 with the games coming.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s going to be big.
JONES: This is great practice. How do you think the world perceives Brisbane at this point?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s a global city. And I think that the event here will help with that. But the whole lead up to the Olympics, I think is very exciting. You’ve had a very successful Commonwealth Games. You had, of course, an NRL Grand Final in the pandemic.
DOBBIN: A sad night for you.
PRIME MINISTER: It was indeed. It was very sad night sitting in my lounge room there in Marrickville surrounded by red and green balloons. Brisbane is a great city. And it will be fantastic Games and events like this just helped to build the momentum.
JONES: Mr. Albanese we know that you love your South Sydney. We love that you love NRL. If there’s one Prime Minister I adored was John Howard because he used to always wear the Telstra Dolphins tracksuit. If he went around Lake Burley Griffin. Would you like to expand your tracksuit collection maybe and go the level of John Howard for any other tracksuits?
PRIME MINISTER: He just had the Wallabies.
JONES: Well he wore the Telstra Dolphins once. I remember I saw it on TV and I got so excited.
PRIME MINISTER: Might have been just once. I must have missed that.
JONES: They are going very well now, the Dolphins.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah certainly. They they’re on fire.
JONES: They are.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s quite extraordinary. At least three world records in the past few days there at the World Championships including Molly – 19, is that right?
JONES: Yes. She’s from Logan.
PRIME MINISTER: Just amazing. I watched the 100 metres and she smashed it. So it was it was fantastic. Every day we’re waking up to world records being set there set there in Japan.
FLANAGAN: Prime Minister, obviously you’re meeting with the American dignitaries at the moment. But there’s a there’s a local dignitary by the name of Tom Tate, who wants the Commonwealth Games. And he’s asked that the Federal Government redirect the funding. Any chance?
PRIME MINISTER: I think if Tom Tate wants to hold the Commonwealth Games he should fund it. We’ve made a substantial contribution to the Brisbane Olympics. Our big focus is the lead up to 2032 and that will be a big deal. And it won’t be just in Brisbane, of course regional Queensland will benefit from that. And sports will benefit in the lead up. Just this week we’ve announced an additional $20 million – Annika Wells, another great Queenslander – announced to help the Olympic team in the lead up to Paris, which of course is next year. And that will be an important event for the Australian team. But it looks like the swimmers are going to completely smash it.
JONES: Do you hope that you are Prime Minister at that time because you get all the best seats.
PRIME MINISTER: In 2032?
JONES: Yeah 2032. Can you hold on?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s a while off. I want to get through the next one first.
FLANAGAN: Australian Prime Minister, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joining us here on Triple M’s Rush Hour. Prime Minister, we’re going to ask you to hang around because we are currently planning a motorcade for our Olympic legend Lisa Jones. And as a man who has been in many motorcades we would love some expert insight from you.
DOBBIN: I always wonder if – meeting you is fantastic and we’re so grateful that you’re given us some time – but has there been a pinch me moment as the Prime Minister where you’ve met somebody, and you’ve actually been a little bit starstruck?
PRIME MINISTER: All the time.
DOBBIN: Really I’m fascinated when you get to that your level, who you meet that you actually then you’re introducing yourself to them.
PRIME MINISTER: All the time. Well, to give one example that is prescient at the moment, given the Matildas game tonight, I chose Sam Kerr to be our flag bearer at the King’s Coronation show in London. The department came up with the usual suspects, to be frank, and I thought ‘No, I want to showcase the diversity of Australia, who is the best known Australian in the UK at the moment?’ It’s Sam Kerr. I mean, she’s nailing it for Chelsea, a young West Australian as well. She’s an extraordinary role model. And I was taken aback by meeting Sam I have gotta say. She’s quite shy, but she regarded it as a great honour and she did a fantastic job. So we had a reception at the High Commission, I think it was a day or two days beforehand. And it was the most eclectic bunch of people, quite deliberately. We chose Nick Cave. You had Sam Kerr. You had Adam Hills. You had Yvonne Kenny, a soprano. You had a nurse who had worked throughout COVID in a hospital in London. So it was the full gamut of Australians who are there in London, a guy called Daniel Nour, who does medical help for homeless people – Street Side Medics. So it was an eclectic bunch, but it was fantastic. And three Victoria Cross winners, as well. So it was quite a gathering. But all the time, it’s a great privilege being in this job. There’s a Prime Minister’s courtyard, you’ve probably seen in media conferences, sometimes the car drives in and drops you outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament House. And there’s not a day I don’t drive through there where I don’t feel a sense of privilege and honour to hold this position in this great country.
FLANAGAN: Well, there was some allegations that carrying that great big flag is what’s caused Sam Kerr’s calf injury.
PRIME MINISTER: She’s pretty fit.
FLANAGAN: The other thing that we are doing on our show at the moment, Triple M’s Rush Hour, is our Olympic legend Liesel Jones, four time Olympian, got there as a 14-year-old showing us all up. She has a street named after her in Rothwell, Liesel Drive. We campaigned, we’ve had it renamed to Liesel Jones Drive so there can be no confusion.
PRIME MINISTER: As it should be, there’s lot’s of Liesels. It could be after that Sound of Music Liesel.
FLANAGAN: Now, we are celebrating with a motorcade in a couple of weeks. You are a man that knows motorcade etiquette. Is there anything we need to know for our motorcade? Anything we should be preparing for?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, in Australia, they’re they’re pretty sedate. In some countries, you’re in a motorcade where you’ll have motorcycle outriders. I’ve been to one country, I won’t name it, where they carry sticks.
FLANAGAN: On the motorbikes?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, just to make sure people are getting out of the way. Just to be very clear.
DOBBIN: We could bring a motorcycle along.
JONES: Can I make that request? I want one of those.
PRIME MINISTER: I wouldn’t suggest that in Australia.
JONES: I would like Liam on a push bike doing that job.
PRIME MINISTER: When we were in the UK for the King’s Coronation, I spoke to the the outriders beforehand. Of course, if you’re in a city like London, and you get to clear traffic and do what they do and speed – they just had the best time. I said, “Tell me the truth here. Is this about work or is this fun?” And they were like, “Nah this is fun.”
DOBBIN: I could be an outrider.
FLANAGAN: You might need some outriders to get you to the Gabba for tonight’s call if you’re gonna make it there in time. The traffic’s going be a nightmare. Well, Prime Minister, what a pleasure it has been for the three of us to have you join us on the show for the first time. You’ve got a very big night ahead of you. You’ll be heading down to Brisbane Stadium for the Matilda’s taking on Nigeria tonight. A prediction for us?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure, I just hope they get there. The Canadians had a win today.
FLANAGAN: A win and we’re through to the knockout stage.
PRIME MINISTER: A win and we’re through.
DOBBIN: I’m just worried about Brisbane, mate.
PRIME MINISTER: The chooks are cooked. They’re busted.
DOBBIN: They are busted.
FLANAGHAN: They’re going to have that up on the dresser Shut up Prime Minister Albanese. Thank you so much for your time. Enjoy your stay in the river city and we can’t wait to see you again.