Media Releases
Joint Press Statement with Adil Abd Al-Mahdi , Prime Minister of Iraq
20 December 2018
Prime Minister, Prime Minister of Iraq
PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ ADIL ABD AL-MAHDI: In the name of God the merciful, the benevolent, we renew our welcome to his excellency Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison. In our first meeting, we discussed the relations between the two countries and we discussed the important security cooperation regarding the liberation of Iraq from Da’esh and liberating also the area. Also we discussed the importance of the economic trade relations, cultural relations, to serve the interests of our countries and people and also to enhance… to promote security and stability in Iraq. And we also discussed the situation in the region and the importance of… that Iraq should have good relations with all countries of the region and the friendly countries to Iraq.
There is no doubt that terrorism and poverty is a common enemy to our countries and people. We thank Australia as a country and people and Government to stand with Iraq and its war against Da’esh. We hope to continue cooperating and we hope even to promote this cooperation to include more fields and sectors for the interests of our two countries. Iraq, your excellency, is looking forward for a wide participation of Australian companies and investors, those well-known companies, which are well known of their capabilities and the investment and reconstruction and to find job opportunities for Iraqis to promote stability. Because the stability of Iraq is the stability of the region, and the stability of the region would be stability for the whole world.
Iraq is a diverse country in terms of religion, nationality, or maybe even culture and even civilisation. And Iraq has one of the oldest civilisations. That’s why this diversity needs peaceful coexistence and needs maybe some support and understanding by all our friends for the importance of making use of this diversity in order to have more relations. We think that Australia knows the dimensions of this situation. Sometimes people might think that this diversity reflects some conflicts but we had such experiences I think that now everyone know that diversity is such a great thing to reach the unity. We look for all our citizens on the basis of national identity. Diversity has such a nurturement and powerful feel… factor to the country that we are looking for and investing in it.
We are keen to have balanced relations with the countries of the world, especially countries of… our neighbouring countries. The Constitution of Iraq is written by Iraqis. We have democracy and we had elections in a very peaceful way. So this experience is such a good experience in the region, so it should be supported and encouraged in order to encourage the whole region and to attain stability in the region. Iraq does not want to be a base or path for terrorism. Iraq is not going to use its lands to launch any attacks but we would like to build friendships with all countries based on mutual respect and mutual interests, according to the United Nations convention. Thank you your excellency for visiting Iraq and we welcome you once again and we would like to hear your remarks.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA SCOTT MORRISON: As-Salaam-Alaikum.
PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ ADIL ABD AL-MAHDI: Wa-Alaikum-Salaam.
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA SCOTT MORRISON: It is a great pleasure and privilege to be here with you, Prime Minister, and to congratulate Iraq and the Iraqi people for its brave fight against extremism. And in doing so, we acknowledge the great suffering that the Iraqi people have experienced over this time of their brave fight.
Australia is a friend of a free, independent and sovereign Iraq and that has always been our goal and our motive in seeking to support Iraq in these difficult years and over a sustained period of time. We have been here for some years and the invitation of Iraq and we remain here at your invitation, seeking to support you with your goals. And I congratulate you again on your election as Prime Minister and as you’ve continued to form your Government. And I also congratulate you on your emphasis in your remarks particularly today on the inclusive nature of how you’re seeking to rebuild the economy of your country to ensure that all Iraqis, wherever they live, whatever their backgrounds, that they are able to participate in Iraq’s future in an equal way and to have the same opportunities. Whether it is for a job, for their health, for their education, these basic things that we would want for all Iraqis and I know you want for all Iraqis as well.
So we want to encourage you in that process, whether it’s the work we’re doing through our humanitarian aid. Since 2014 Australia and over the next few years will have invested some 180 million Australian dollars in supporting the humanitarian effort here in Iraq and we will continue to do that, of course, as Iraq continues to improve and progress then the nature of Australia’s arrangements and support will change. But that is a reflection of the progress that is being made and nothing other than that. Our friendship and our support remains just as strong.
So I want to thank you again for the opportunity to come here and visit with you today. I wish you and your Government, and the Iraqi people most importantly, every success. You have been brave in the face of extremism and now it requires a new form of bravery to build that economy. With so many young people in Iraq defiant and have hope for their future and a job. Jobs are as important in Iraq as they are in Australia, and we’re both committed to seeing more jobs and I look forward to seeing that happen here in Iraq as well as back home. So thank you very much for your hospitality today, it’s been a great pleasure to be here and to meet with your party and particularly with yourself. Thank you.
Addressing Task Force 632 - Iraq
20 December 2018
PRIME MINISTER: There’s only one thing I wanted to come here to do, whether it’s here or up at Taji; it’s just to say thank you. That’s it, thank you. Not just from me – I am saying thank you from me and Jenny and my two girls, just as Australians – but I’m also saying thank you on behalf of my Government.
I sat in our National Security Committee of Government for the last five years pretty much, I’ve been there when we’ve made all the decisions that we’ve made, which is why we’re here doing what we’re doing here as a Government, what we’re doing now and what I know many of you have been doing for many, many years now. The Government thanks you, the Parliament thanks you and the other thing is that the country does. I have been a member of Parliament now for over a decade and at this time of year when you say to people in your community - and some of you here come from our of the part of Sydney where my electorate is and where I’ve lived with my family down in southern Sydney – and you say: “Just think about our serving men and women overseas this Christmas”. They all nod and they go: “Yeah we will, I’m glad you said that.” Because they want to, because they know you’re here doing your job and this is where you do your job and you know that. But that does mean that for many of you this will be the first time you haven’t been there with your kids at Christmas, the first time when you haven’t been there with your wife or your girlfriend or your parents. For some of you, you’ve done it many, many times and you’ve worked out routines and things to make sure it’s just that bit easier on the kids – I’m a dad, I know what it’s like to be away from your kids at important times in their life – and that’s something you give for your country. It’s something you give in your service, to come here and you do what you do.
Now I know this team here is the best of the best. I know a lot more about Two Commando than I do about SAS, but SAS’ reputation precedes it. But when you chose to do what you do, you make a conscious decision about the contribution you’re making and I would hate for you to think that as you’re doing that – you’ll have great days and you’ll have really difficult days – but that on any of those days, that you didn’t know how much your country appreciates what you do. Because they really do. Kids, do, little kids do, grandparents do, right across all the generations of Australians, there’s no group of Australians I think, that is more respected than our serving men and women and that respect continues when you no longer wear the uniform and you go back into civilian life as a veteran. Australians absolutely support what you’re doing and you’re doing what you’re doing based on decisions the Government has made. You don’t get to make those decisions, but the choice you’ve already made is that you’re going to serve in whatever conditions, or in whatever task that you’re asked to do. So as a Parliament, as a country, as a Government, as a Prime Minister but also just as a fellow Australian, I want to tell you how grateful we are.
The other thing I wanted to do is pay honour. That’s an important word, not just in the military but in our community and our society and one of the things I love about the various parts that make up our defence forces, is that everyone has a good sense of the heritage of whatever part of the military they’re from. I’m someone who likes to understand the heritage of things and I have all sorts of people that I think about when I go about my own job. There was a guy I came across a number of years back when we were trekking the Wau to Salamaua Trek, the Black Cat Track. We’d done this as few times – not Black Cat, we’d done Kokoda and Sandakan as I was mentioning to a few of you before – and we learned of a bloke called George Warfe. Does anyone remember George Warfe? The Mad Major he was called and he was one of Australia’s first commandos. He had been in the Battle of Bardia over in the Middle East there when they took Tobruk, all of those things. He was well-decorated and he found his real calling when he found himself in the jungles of New Guinea when there was the surge on following Kokoda. They were going, advancing towards Salamaua which was a movement that was occurring while at the same time, they were coming around the other way to Tarakan Island which was a critical battle as you’d know, in the Second World War. But this was a bloke who was a builder and a cabinet-maker from Melbourne. He wasn’t trained really in any of these things like jungle warfare. But he had to use his ingenuity, he had to use his determination and his sheer drive to sort of understand how to fight in those environments. I think a bloke like George Warfe is absolutely emblematic of what you guys and girls do; the ingenuity, the capability, the commitment, the problem-solving but most of all the passion for what you’re doing. So I think you’re a great tribute to guys like George Wharf who went before you and you’re really honouring I think, that tradition so it’s my great privilege to come here and honour you in the same way. We recognise it, we get it and we thank you for it. So I hope you have the best Christmas you can have here and I hope you enjoy those moments that you have to Skype and Facebook and WhatsApp video and all the various things we have these days, which is much better I suppose, than it used to be. I hope you enjoy those moments but more importantly, I look forward, as I’m sure you do, to when you can go home and be with your families and friends, your mates and parents, kids and all of that. You can tell them you have served your country because you have and I know you’ll keep doing so.
Thank you very much and God bless.
Middle East Headquarters Region remarks
20 December 2018
PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you very much. It’s a great pleasure and it’s an honour and it’s a privilege to be here with you, the serving men and women of Australia’s Defence Forces. Last night, a few of you had a meal with me. We had a curry. I love curries. One of the reason I love curries - there is a point to this story, I promise - is how you put it all together. You start with your oil, so last night it was a Sri Lankan chicken curry, how good is that by the way. Start with the oils, you put your curry leaves in there, get your spices in there, your whole base. It infuses the oil, you put your onions in, it’s layer on layer. You may have marinated the chicken with coconut cream. It comes out like magic. How you blend it together, all of these different ingredients, to produce something which is pretty magnificent, is how I have experienced seeing what you do here. Whether it is here, or over in Taji, it’s the time I’ve had to spend. I can’t tell you how impressed I am about how all the different specialist units, components, skills and backgrounds, are blended together to make an amazing team. I think that’s the real impressive thing about our Defence Forces and our partners and those we work with see.
There is a humility to the way you do your business. But there is an incredible professionalism, a great pride in what you do, and a tremendous commitment. I came here because I just wanted to do something quite simple - I just wanted to say thank you. I want to say thank you for your service. I wanted to say that as a fellow Australia, as a dad of two young girls living in suburban Sydney. I wanted to do it as the Prime Minister and the leader of the Government who has made decisions which is why you are here. I wanted to do it as a Member of Parliament which I have been for more than a decade and I just had the very sobering experience of signing the book alongside those who have fallen in this theatre over the many years we’ve been here. So I wanted to say thank you. I wanted to say thank you because there are many things that make me proud of Australia. Going along to a school presentation, you see families and kids doing well, holding up their certificates and they’re full of optimism and pride. That makes me proud. It makes me proud that we’re a country that can make some of the most life-saving and difficult to fund and afford drugs for everyday Australians. That makes me proud, that we can do that as a country. It makes me proud when we beat the Indians in cricket.
But I’ll tell you what really makes me proud - looking at you. Looking at what you do and the professionalism with which you do it. The way you look after each other as mates, which has been part of the fabric and the values and the code of our Defence Forces since Australians first put on a uniform and fought together and worked together. I’m incredibly proud, our nation is incredibly proud of what you do. Please never forget that. I know you are. I know you know what you do and you commit to what you do. That’s why you’re here and that’s why you won’t be with your families this Christmas. And for some of you it’ll be the first time you’ve been away from your families on active service. For many, you’ve done it heaps of times, and you’ve got your own traditions, as I said to colleagues yesterday. Where you still make it a special day for your kids, your wives and husband, parents and family. You make that connection. And you’ll make it special here today, as I hear last night about some of the things you’ve got planned and I think that’s tremendous.
But understand Australians are proud. Understand that Australians are thankful for the sacrifices that you make. Understand that Australians are enormously proud of our men and women who wear our uniform. You wear it in our name, you wear it under our flag, and you do it to honour and to serve the values that has made Australia the greatest country on earth in which to live and raise a family.
So with all of that, I wish those of you who have just begun your tours - which is many of you I know - I wish you all the best. Stay safe, look after each other. Do the job, which I know you will. And when you return home to Australia, you will be able to remember the time that you’ve been here. Know that you’ve helped change a country. Know that you’ve done something positive for the future. Know that the reason you decided, all of those years ago, “Yeah, I’m going to join the ADF. That’s what I’m going to do.” That your time here was further proof that that was a very, very good decision on your behalf. And one for which I, and your country, truly thanks you. Merry Christmas, have a great new year, and up up Australia.
Boosting support for older Australians
17 December 2018
Prime Minister, Minister for Health, Minister for Indigenous Health and Aged Care
The Liberal and Nationals Government will deliver more support for older Australians, with a half a billion dollar ($552.9 million) increase to aged care funding including the release of 10,000 high-level home care packages within weeks.
We understand that older Australians prefer to receive support and services in their own home and live independently for as long as possible.
The 10,000 new high-level home care packages deliver important services at home, such as complex clinical care from a range of providers, nursing and mobility care, nutrition, hydration and meal preparation and transport support.
The packages and will be available in early 2019 and will be spilt across 5,000 level three and 5,000 level four care packages, providing up to $50,000 per person in services each year.
The $287 million home care expansion is on top of the extra 20,000 packages funded in the past year, which combined will result in a record 40 per cent increase in the number of people receiving home care packages.
We will also ease the cost of living for 70,000 older Australians by reducing the daily maximum fees payable by up to $400 per year for level one packages, $200 a year for level two packages and $100 a year for a level three packages.
Older Australians who are not currently charged this maximum fee will still benefit because we will increase the value of packages by providing a top-up payment for additional services by providers that is the same amount as the fee reduction.
We are also investing more in providers that support older Australians living in rural and remote areas and people who have been affected by homelessness.
These providers face unique circumstances and cost pressures and we want to ensure their sustainability.
The Viability Supplement for eligible residential aged care providers is to be increased by 30 per cent, through an investment of $101.9 million.
Currently, more than 550 services, accounting for around 13,500 residential care places, receive the Viability Supplement to offset higher care costs in regional areas.
The Homeless Supplement will also be increased by 30 per cent, through a $9.3 million funding injection. Currently, 42 residential services receive the homeless supplement on behalf of more than 1,700 residents.
We will also invest $98 million to fund increased payments to GPs to attend residential aged care homes to treat patients. This recognises the important role of GPs in supporting the health and care of patients in residential aged care.
These initiatives reflect the rollout of our Government’s unprecedented aged care improvements to help ensure older Australians receive the care they want and deserve, where and when they need it.
We have invested an extra $1 billion a year in aged care services since 2013 and have continued our record investment through the 2018/19 Budget’s $5 billion boost over the next four years.
Because without a strong economy and getting our budget back into balance, we can’t make these important decisions. This is why a strong economy matters; because it guarantees the essential services Australians rely on without higher taxes.
It is this strong economic management that ensures we continue to invest record amounts of funding in aged care and other vital health initiatives including mental health, life-saving medicines, Medicare and public hospitals.
Even as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety goes about its’ important work, our commitment to improving care for older Australians will continue at full pace.
Keeping children safe online
16 December 2018
Prime Minister, Minister for Communication and the Arts, Minister for Education
The Liberal and Nationals Government is taking action to support parents and keep Australian children safe online with a new $17 million online safety package.
It will include new resources for parents and carers, an online safety research program and the development of an Online Safety Charter for digital platforms.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government’s top priority was keeping Australians safe.
“We must all work together to ensure the safety of our youngest Australians online, including parents, social media companies and the community,” the Prime Minister said.
“Nothing can be more important than protecting our children and in many cases this means defending them from dangers in the online environment.”
The Keeping our Children Safe Online package includes an education campaign for all parents and new educational resources for parents and carers of children under 5 years old, in recognition of the fact that it is never too early to start teaching good online safety habits.
It will raise awareness of the resources available to parents to protect their children online, particularly the work of the eSafety Commissioner, and develop new resources for parents, childcare centres and community groups to support a safe online environment and positive cybersafe behaviour in young children.
An Online Safety Charter will be developed in consultation with parents, stakeholders and social media and digital platform companies which will outline the Government’s expectations for industry in relation to protecting children online.
The Charter will have an explicit focus on children, recognising they need special protection. A draft will be developed over the summer and the final Charter will be agreed in 2019.
And a new research program will be rolled out to underpin initiatives to keep kids and other vulnerable Australians safe online.
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield said the Government expected digital platforms to do their bit to keep Australian kids safe.
“Our new Online Safety Charter will clearly set out our expectations of industry. We will consult with the sector, stakeholders and most importantly parents over coming months to develop the Charter,” Minister Fifield said.
“Businesses who interact with children in the real world have to meet high standards of safety and digital businesses should be treated no differently.”
“This generation is the first to be immersed in the digital world. There is much we don't know, and as technology evolves we are funding more research to improve online safety,” Minister Fifield said
“This generation of children are the first to grow up immersed in the online world and as digital technology rapidly evolves it is important that we have the best information about the impact on our children and ways to ensure that their experience is a positive and safe one,”
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said parents wanted to be in charge of what their children experience online.
“We know how difficult it can be and how it can feel like it is too hard to take control but parents should be reassured that it is never too early - or too late - to start teaching responsible cybersafe behaviour,” Minister Tehan said.
“That's why we are developing a new awareness campaign and funding new resources to help parents make sensible and safe choices about their kids’ technology use from their very first exposure.”
These latest measures will be rolled out in early 2019 and are part of the Government's ongoing commitment of more than $100 million over the next four years to improving online safety.
The eSafety Commissioner was set up by the Liberal National Government to provide support to families and educators and help victims of online safety. For advice on how to keep your children safe online visit the eSafety website.
These measures complement the Government’s other initiatives to combat bullying and cyberbullying including the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. Schools across Australia are encouraged to register to take part in the National Day of Action on Friday 15 March 2019 by visiting Bullying. No way! website.
The Government has received the independent review of the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015 and the Online Content Scheme, conducted by Ms Lynelle Briggs AO and is considering the recommendations.
Australia's new Governor-General
16 December 2018
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has approved my recommendation to appoint His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) as Australia’s next Governor-General.
General Hurley will be Australia’s 27th Governor-General.
General Hurley is currently the Governor of New South Wales, having been appointed to the role in October 2014.
He has been a very popular Governor of NSW. From his weekly boxing workouts with Indigenous children as part of the Tribal Warriors program to his frequent regional trips, Governor Hurley is known for being generous and approachable to old and young alike.
General Hurley will be sworn in on 28 June 2019, to allow for the fulfillment of his duties as Governor of New South Wales.
Her Majesty The Queen has agreed to extend the appointment of the current Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), until that time.
Prior to his appointment as Governor of New South Wales, General Hurley served in the Australian Army for 42 years, including as the Chief of the Defence Force from 2011 to 2014.
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2010 for eminent service to the Australian Defence Force and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership during Operation SOLACE in Somalia in 1993.
General Hurley and Mrs Hurley have been married for 41 years and they have three adult children: Caitlin, Marcus and Amelia.
The Governor-General holds office at the pleasure of The Queen, however the term is usually understood to be five years.
General Cosgrove has discharged his duties to date with distinction and grace and I thank him for agreeing to continue in the role to assist in the transition.
Press Statement, Canberra
16 December 2018
Governor General, Prime Minister
PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you for joining us this morning on this important day. The office of the Governor General is the most significant in our nation and it is designed under our constitution to provide stability and certainty and continuity to our democracy and to the democratic institutions that protect Australia, that keep Australia together. It was these very important responsibilities that fall to a Governor-General - stability, continuity and certainty - that were foremost in my mind in exercising my responsibility as Prime Minister to make a recommendation to Her Majesty about who the next Governor-General for Australia should be.
I had only one choice, my first choice and he is standing next to me. I am very pleased to announce that Her Majesty the Queen has agreed to appoint His Excellency General David Hurley AC DSC as the 27th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
General Hurley has served Australia for almost half a century and I've had the privilege to serve with him as a minister of a Government in which he served as the Chief of the Defence Force. He joined the Army in 1972, that was not a time when military service was popular - sadly - in our country. He served for 42 years and rose to become the Chief of the Defence Force, a role he was appointed to by the former Labor government. It was General Hurley who first spoke the words; "The standard you walk past, is the standard you accept,” which is a lesson to all of us. It’s a phrase that embodies what Australian leadership is all about. It’s a phrase that has embodied the service of General Hurley. In 2014 he was appointed as Governor of New South Wales by the then Premier Mike Baird and it’s a role where he has shone and Mrs Hurley has shone. He is known for his weekly boxing workouts with Indigenous kids, as part of the Tribal Warriors program. These kids in the program call him “Guv”, I suppose they will call you “GG” now. As Governor, he's taken to the highways and byways of New South Wales and the spirit of people like forebear Lachlan Macquarie. The people of New South Wales have taken to the Hurleys. They are generous and they are approachable and they live out a joyous public service. The Governor and Mrs Hurley have been married for over 40 years are an example in that relationship as well. Mrs Hurley has made Government House in Sydney a warm and inviting place. Her sing-alongs are legendary but they serve as an important purpose - to put people of all walks of life at ease. At so many of their functions, heads of industry and government will find themselves singing along with a local charity worker or someone they’ve met on their travels. When they lived in Canberra, Mrs Hurley was a volunteer with the Canberra Hospital and hospice and she has an enormous compassion and grace. This was very much a package deal in inviting Governor Hurley to take on this role with Mrs Hurley.
As you would be aware, Sir Peter Cosgrove's term was due to expire in early 2019, so when I approached General Hurley, who was the stand-out candidate, my first and only choice, he indicated that he wanted to conclude his term as state Governor before taking up the new appointment in 2019 with respect to his responsibilities for the forthcoming state election. This would ensure that New South Wales has an experienced Governor on hand for their state election in March. He believed the honourable thing was for him was to fulfill his current constitutional obligations before he took on new ones. Sir Peter, who has served our country so well and continues to, has agreed also to a short extension of his term, which also has been approved by Her Majesty. This will mean that both New South Wales and Australia will have an experienced Governor and Governor-General in place at the time of the forthcoming elections. As a matter of courtesy, I have spoken to the Leader of the Opposition and informed him of my recommendation to Her Majesty earlier today. He was made aware of my decision as a matter of courtesy, these consultations or I should say, this information was passed on to him.
When I look for a Governor-General, as I say, I was looking for someone who could fulfill that constitutional role with great dignity, but with a levelness. General Hurley is known for looking people straight in the eye, not up and not down. He was that way with those that he led in the military. He's been that way as a Governor and throughout his life, looking eye-to-eye, face-to-face, understanding people's challenges and issues one-on-one in a very direct and very humble and a very humane way. Mrs Hurley is the same.
So, I am very pleased that he takes on those great Australian values of someone who is able to bring people together. He embodies these great characteristics and I am delighted that he's agreed to take on this important role and continue his career of distinguished public service for the Australian people as Governor-General. Congratulations.
HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL DAVID HURLEY AC DSC, GOVERNOR GENERAL DESIGNATE: Thank you, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: I'll ask Governor Hurley to make some statements and then for questions, I'll ask the Hurleys to retire and I’m happy to take those questions.
GENERAL HURLEY: Prime Minister, thank you. Of course it is the highest honour to be asked to be the Governor-General of Australia. I am very humbled and proud to have accepted. I was surprised to receive your request, Linda and I are enjoying our work at Government House in Sydney and we were looking forward to the next stage of our lives after my term as Governor concluded towards the end of next year. We know though, that if I was to retire, the most significant part of our current role that we would miss would be the opportunity to visit and meet the multitude of extraordinary Australians in our community. I have certainly confirmed in my own mind over the past four years, something that I had sensed about Australia, but really hadn't had the opportunity before to witness on a day-to-day basis; that Australia is a very rich country in a nonmaterial sense. Australians have an amazing and indeed an enormous capacity to contribute their time, their energy, their talents, their emotions, their care and indeed their money to assist others. I look forward to continuing to be involved with them in these pursuits.
As the PM has mentioned, you can't do these jobs without someone standing by your side and Linda has had such a unique manner in the role in the last four years. I look forward for the two of us fulfilling the responsibilities of Governor-General together.
My commitment to the people of Australia is that we will fulfil our responsibilities in the same full-hearted manner that I have worked in New South Wales or we have worked in New South Wales over the past four years, including supporting and encouraging them in their community endeavors, recognising their achievements and promoting those achievements at home and abroad. I will be enormously proud to represent Australia in the role of Governor-General. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Again, congratulations and to all the family, congratulations. Well, I am going to leave the Hurleys to have a cup of tea and we will catch up in a minute, but thank you very much.
Q&A, the Sydney Institute
15 December 2018
GERARD HENDERSON: Thank you Prime Minister for an important address. As I said, the PM has got a busy day so we’re going to take a few questions and they are not going to go too long. So if you have the microphone, you have got the question, so Anne and I are so here with microphones. I am going to lead off. Prime Minister just come back this way some, there is a lot of people watching on television. As you know Australia is an influential nation, a formidable power and as you know and pointed out in your speech, we have been influential in the Middle East and North Africa in the First World War and Second World War, in 1948 particularly under the Chifley Labor Government with the establishment of Israel. So a speech like you are giving today, to what extent do you think we can play a significant role in bringing about a two state solution? Or is it just kind of a role on the sidelines?
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Gerard, this is a critical question. I said in my statement that Australians have earned the right over a very long period of time to be making influential contributions in this area. I said ‘to step up to the microphone’ - and I don’t think we should be doing the microphone drop when it comes to dealing with these issues - I think those who put us in this position deserve better than that. They deserve us to steward that responsibility about how we continue to contribute when you look at our incredible influence both in the creation in the State of Israel and our partnership with it over so many years. It’s hard to say that Australia’s influence has been small. It has been quite great, often through the great fashion of the expatriate population that has settled in Australia, who I think has always kept us up to the mark on these issues, as they should.
So while Australia’s voice and the megaphone we have, is not as great as the great powers - that is true - but I’ve got to say that ever since I raised this issue several months ago, people have been pretty keen to know what we are going to say. I think a world that was disinterested in Australia’s view I don’t think would have responded like that. Of course, I’ll tell you why our voice matters; because we are a successful country, we are a fair country, we are a democratic country, we have got the runs on the board about how you run an effective nation state. You look after your people with compassion and you engage with the world in an outward way. This is our form and our form gives as great respect as Marise knows better than most on the world stage. We come from the voice of reason, we come from the voice of experience, we come from a voice of passion and commitment to the principals of peace, democracy, the inalienable rights of individual human beings. We speak for that, we live that as a country and as a result I think our voice holds great importance.
GERARD HENDERSON: Stephen Hollings.
STEPHEN HOLLINGS: Prime Minister thank you very much for your speech and thank you for your references to the leadership role that Australia has played in since 1948 and beyond in the UN. At the beginning of your speech and also at the end you talked briefly about the Pacific. I was wondering if I could ask you more about the challenges you see to our traditional leadership role in the Pacific, given the fact that big powers now have taken such interest in countries very close to our home?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure, well thank you very much for the question. I have titled it the Pacific ‘step up’ because that’s what it is. Now our pace and level of involvement with our overseas aid program in the Pacific has been strong over many, many years. But as I said, we are more than the sum of our transactions whether that be aid or trade there is another dimension to our relationship with the Southwest Pacific which we are stepping up on. It is cultural, it is educational programs like once again ensuring that young people from across the Pacific will be given scholarships to come to Australian schools, that we are extending both our strategic partnerships, whether it is in defence or law enforcement, training officers, lifting standards, working alongside and continuing on the work we have just been doing over the last few years particularly up in PNG through their constabulary. But also the work we are doing in health, the work we are doing in cultural exchanges, whether it is on everything from football - it doesn’t matter what code you follow, they will follow it all - these are cultural connections. Our unique role here is to be the honest family member who can engage together with our other family partners in the Pacific with how we deal with the rest of the world.
There are plenty of people making offers, as to how they might come and help and they do look to us like a brother or a sister to say: “Well, what do you reckon, will this be good for us?” You would know; “You’re part of our family.” That is very much how I have communicated the nature of our role along with New Zealand with the other world leaders and that is well received. The great powers, they have a presence in so many places but their size means they don’t have the advantage of flexibility which we do. So there; through our great partnerships with them, we are able I think to achieve even more on behalf of our Pacific brothers and sisters.
So the most exciting project in PNG joining together with United States, Japan, New Zealand and ourselves to take PNG from 16 per cent electrification to 70 per cent by 2030, that’s a game changer. That changes our part of the world. Think of what that will mean in Papua New Guinea. When I am often asked about why I am in Papua New Guinea, I say if you walk the Kokoda track you know why and that will never change.
GERARD HENDERSON: Final question, Katherine O’Regan.
KATHERINE O’REGAN: Thanks Gerard and thanks Prime Minister for coming to today to the Sydney Institute it’s good to see you again. One of the things which I think is great is a clarification you have given in terms of Israel, but maybe you can expand a bit more on why West Jerusalem and particularly the trade and defence presence that will be there and how that can work towards the two state solution?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure, let me start with the second part first. Trade and defence - I am particularly talking about defence industry when I am talking about defence as we know - the Ministry is established in Tel Aviv so we are not talking about a diplomatic type activity there. We are talking about trade activity there as we have been embarking upon what has been the biggest capitalisation of our defence forces since the Second World War, getting to 2 per cent GDP of investment in defence. That is a well-recognised achievement. Now as I have met with the various leaders in recent times, not too many people are moving in that direction and that is well respected particularly by our allies. That defence industry capability in the partnerships we are making there, right through the supply chain, are incredibly important. So this is another great opportunity to take another step in that space and our trade relationship with Israel is only building up, particularly in the technology space and particularly in these sort of security type related sectors and that obviously feeds into defence.
I said there were two guard rails, if you like, for the discussion. One was a two state solution and Dave first suggested about how this would be considered in context of the two state solution. I think that was a very interesting suggestion and I was quite taken by it. But the other premise was - as I have outlined - the importance of for us to remain in the rules to Security Council resolutions. We rely on those resolutions in many other contexts, so we don’t get to give ourselves a leave pass on those in how we deal with other issues. So when it comes to West Jerusalem in particular the 1967 boundaries and green light and so on, those issues are not in dispute in terms of where Israel is a resident within those borders. Now where those ultimately are, well, that’s a matter for the final status and that will be determined just like where East is, a matter for final status. So we are not buying into that particular discussion, but what we are saying is that we have got to move this forward.
The rancid stalemate has to be broken. This is our contribution of submitting measured thinking about how we think this can move forward. In part calling it out and daringly ask the question, which others don’t seem to want to ask in this country. Those who say they support Israel didn’t even want to ask the question and even today the Labor Party doesn’t seem to be able to even embrace talking about the answer we’ve put forward.
So people know where we stand I think we have always been consistent on this issue. My view is the same today as it was yesterday and what it will be tomorrow when it comes to this issue. It may not always be popular and it may cause controversy from time to, time but politics is about doing what you believe in. I’ll leave it at that.
Backing Queensland’s Bait Prawn Industry
14 December 2018
The Liberal National Government is supporting jobs in the Queensland bait prawn industry as it works to recover from an outbreak of white spot syndrome virus.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said $5 million over three years will be shared among local organisations to relieve costs of keeping our country free of the virus.
The funding will also be used to educate commercial and recreational fishers on the risk of not using commercial bait.
"The bait prawn industry plays an important role here in Queensland and we want to make sure these businesses survive and keep employing locals," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
"We want to help get rid of this virus so fisherman down the coast here can get back to business as usual."
Queensland’s continuing efforts to control and contain the disease mean uncooked prawns, including those used for bait, are unable to be moved outside of the affected area until they are treated.
Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews said the Queensland bait prawn industry is experiencing significant losses in revenue, affecting the livelihoods of Australian fisherman, both in Queensland and interstate.
"The white spot outbreak area extends from Caloundra to the NSW border and west to Ipswich where the greasyback prawn is found,” Minister Karen Andrews said.
"This is a common bait for recreational fishers, and the Coalition is helping to stamp this virus out."
“The Coalition is working to protect the local prawn farming industry and jobs through this funding allocation."
The white spot syndrome virus is a highly contagious infection that affects crustaceans, such as prawns, crabs and yabbies.
There is no impact to human health, so Australians are encouraged to support the local seafood industry, particularly over the Christmas period, by continuing to buy and eat Australian seafood.
Linkfield Road overpass to be duplicated
14 December 2018
Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Home Affairs
A duplication of the Linkfield Road overpass will bust congestion and improve safety at a notorious bottleneck in Brisbane’s north.
The overpass currently forces vehicles to merge from two lanes to one before the Gympie Arterial Road on-ramp, frustrating thousands of motorists on a daily basis.
Federal LNP Member for Petrie Luke Howarth and Federal LNP Member for Dickson Peter Dutton have been fighting for funding to bring the duplication to fruition and have received thousands of signatures to a petition in support of the upgrade.
Today the Liberal and Nationals Government announced a commitment of up to $100 million to help fund 80 per cent of the works.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the upgrade would make sure that local motorists aren’t stuck in traffic while doing the school run and traveling to and from work.
“We are focused on congestion busting upgrades which get people out of traffic so that they can spend more time with their families in the morning and at night," the Prime Minister said.
“This upgrade has long been called for by local residents and they have been extremely well supported by their Federal LNP Members in Luke Howarth and Peter Dutton.
"Luke and Peter have been campaigning for this critical upgrade for months and because of our efforts to build a stronger economy we are able to back them in.
“Now it’s up to the Queensland Labor Government to get on-board so work can start as soon as possible."
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the upgrade would improve safety in the area.
"We know the accident and near-miss rate at the northbound highway connection to the Gympie Arterial Road is a major issue," Mr McCormack said.
"This upgrade will create a safer overpass and bust the congestion that motorists endure as they merge from two lanes into one."
Federal LNP Member for Petrie Luke Howarth said the upgrade would be welcomed by motorists who regularly travel on the overpass.
"This upgrade will remove a significant bottleneck that has been a source of great frustration," Mr Howarth said.
"In particular, it will reduce driving time for the thousands of motorists who access the Gympie Arterial Road and Bruce Highway from Linkfield Road, getting them home to their families sooner and safer."
Federal LNP Member for Dickson Peter Dutton said the upgrade would include an in-depth planning phase.
"The exact scope of this upgrade will be investigated as part of the planning process and I look forward to seeing the overpass transformed to be a safer and more efficient part of the road network," Mr Dutton said.
"This is a great outcome for the Linkfield Road overpass campaign which Luke and I launched in March this year and is a well-deserved reward for the thousands of people who signed the petition and contributed their time and voice to this worthy issue."
The $100 million commitment to the Linkfield Road overpass builds on a commitment of $150 million for northbound entry and southbound exit points at the Dohles Rocks Road interchange on the Bruce Highway.
The Palaszczuk Labor Government is yet to commit its 20 per cent contribution to the Dohles Rocks Road interchange project and will also be asked to fund 20 per cent of the costs to duplicate the Linkfield Road overpass.
In total, the Federal Liberal Nationals Government has committed $10 billion to upgrade the Bruce Highway corridor as part of an overall $20.4 billion commitment to transport infrastructure in Queensland since 2013.
Annual Progress Report on Implementation of Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Recommendations
14 December 2018
Prime Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Families and Social Services
Our Government has today tabled the first Annual Progress Report.
The Report highlights the progress being made across the Australian Government to implement the recommendations made in the Royal Commission’s Final Report presented to the Governor-General in December 2017.
Since the release of the Final Report, significant progress has been made. Action is being taken on all recommendations where the Australian Government is responsible, with work continuing in partnership with states and territories to ensure children are safe from abuse in institutional care.
Key achievements as outlined in the Annual Progress Report include:
&stablishing the National Office for Child Safety – July 2018.
Commencement of the National Redress Scheme – July 2018.
Finalising the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations for Council of Australian Government endorsement and developing National Standards for Working with Children Checks with states and territories.
Opening the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation – July 2018.
National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse – October 2018.
Implementing the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework across Australian Government entities.
The Prime Minister has also written to all institutions from which the National Redress Scheme has received applications demanding they sign up urgently.
The redress scheme is an important part of acknowledging the harm caused, and holding institutions to account. Institutions need to meet their obligations to the community.
While the Royal Commission’s report is focused on the issue of abuse in institutions, measures are being implemented with a broader focus on child protection, wellbeing and safety.
Children should always feel safe and be protected from abuse.
State and Territory Governments and other institutions will produce their own annual reports outlining their progress in implementing the recommendations that apply to them.
As the Report highlights, work on the implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations such as the development and implementation of a national strategy to prevent child sexual abuse will continue in 2019 and beyond.
To find out more about what the Australian Government is doing to protect our children visit the Child Abuse Royal Commission Response website.
Doorstop, Bridgeman Downs
14 December 2018
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs, Federal Member for Petrie
LUKE HOWARTH MP, MEMBER FOR PETRIE: Good morning everyone. Welcome down to Bridgeman Downs. I’m Luke Howarth the Federal Member for Petrie. It’s really great and I welcome this morning the Prime Minister to my electorate here as well as the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and the Minister for Home Affairs and a local member for Dickson, the Hon. Peter Dutton. This morning we’re announcing a very important announcement around the Linfield Road Overpass. This overpass has been congested here for far too long. Along with the Member for Dickson Peter Dutton, we’ve been campaigning to upgrade this overpass for well over 12 months. The State Government has been completely silent on the issue, they’re not committing to busting these local transport congestion issues and it really is important that these roads are fixed for local people. So, pleased to have all of you here and I’ll hand over to the Prime Minister to announce the details.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much Luke it’s tremendous to be here with Peter and the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack to announce yet another project which is about congestion-busting in our cities. But also, boosting our investment right across Queensland for important infrastructure projects and important transport infrastructure projects. Already we’ve got $2 billion down as a Government for infrastructure projects here in Queensland and we continue to wait on the Queensland State Government to put in their share. There’s over $1.2 billion that we’re waiting on from the Queensland State Government to match the $2 billion we put down for projects like the one I’m just about to announce now.
It’s $100 million for the Linfield Road Overpass right here, which is a congestion-busting project which often turns what we see here behind us, into a car park most mornings. It is important that these projects are put in place to bust the congestion and ensure that small businesses that use these roads, that people getting to and from work can get home in time to be with their families, they can leave at reasonable hours to get to work and the pressures of a city that is growing, can be alleviated by investing in the infrastructure.
Now the reason we can invest this $100 million on an 80-20 – so we’re putting in 80 per cent – 80 per cent of the funding, the reason we’re able to do that is because we’re running a strong economy and we’re running a strong Budget. On the 2nd of April next year our Government, the Liberal and National Government will hand down a Budget in surplus for the first time in 12 years. It has been our ability to keep expenditure under control, taxes under control and see the economy grow that means we’re able to make these important investments in congestion-busting infrastructure here in Brisbane. It’s also why we can invest in affordable medicines, in Medicare, in hospitals and schools. I welcome the fact that we’ve finally been able to get the Queensland State Government on board for our national schools funding deal which will put record funding into Queensland schools. So we welcome that agreement finally coming through. But we’ve got a real contrast here; while we’re investing in the infrastructure Queensland needs, we’ve got a state government that is investing in a bigger and bigger public service. I mean more desks is not the answer to Queensland’s road needs. More roads is the answer to Queensland’s road needs and that’s why we’re investing in this project here, $100 million on an 80-20 basis. We call on the state government to join us, we’re still waiting for them to be here on the Pine River to Caloundra section we’re still waiting for them on the Gold Coast Light Rail. I mean we’re putting serious money down and 80-20, like we are here on this particular project and we need the state government to get control of their budget, which is blowing out with now $7 billion more in a bloating public service, when that money could be going into road infrastructure here. That’s where it’s needed. More roads, not more desks.
I’m going to hand over to the Deputy Prime Minister, who will talk more about how our infrastructure programme is busting congestion in cities and setting states up, like Queensland, where we can get those partnerships in place if they’d only come on board, to ensure that we can take the state forward. Michael?
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, THE HON MICHEAL MCCORMACK MP: Well thank you Prime Minister and yesterday I was in Parkes in central west New South Wales turning the first sod on the Inland Rail, a 1,700 kilometer corridor of commerce between Brisbane and Melbourne. That’s $9.3 billion of investment, $6 million of which is going to go into Queensland. Queensland is the big beneficiary of the record $75 billion spend in the Liberal and National Federal Government is investing right across the nation. Of course this Linkfield Road Overpass duplication announcement today is going to be so important for south east Queensland, so important to the electorates of Petrie and Dickson, so well represented by Luke Howarth and of course Peter Dutton. Good local members making sure that they have listened to the needs and wants and expectations of their local constituents and they’re delivering, delivering in spades, delivering a congestion-busting programme that is going to see people be able to get to the Gympie arterial road, to the Bruce Highway, wherever they want to get, they’re going to be able to get there quicker when this duplication happens. So we call on the state Labor government here in Queensland to also get on board, to provide 20 per cent of the funding. We’re stumping up 80 per cent. We believe that’s necessary because we want to get people home sooner and safer, that’s what our $75 billion investment right across the nation means for Australian people. It is getting people home sooner and safer. It is making sure that we address the freight task, the logistics task that this great nation has. So for these people here in Brisbane, for the constituents of Peter Dutton and Luke Howarth, this is going to mean such a difference to them, to be able to get to – as the Prime Minister has just said – home to their families, to their workplaces, but doing it quicker, doing it safer. That’s what it’s all about. I’d like to ask Peter Dutton also if he’d like to make comments.
MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON PETER DUTTON MP: DPM thank you very much, Luke, firstly thank you very much for having us here in your electorate in Petrie and to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, thank you very much for your support. This is a big day for the local residents here in Petrie and in Dickson. This is an announcement that will change peoples’ lives and the way in which they commute to work and back home in the afternoon. Just behind me, on any day you can see traffic banked up, for kilometers back. People who come from Warner or Eagles Hill will sit in their cars on some days for much longer than they need to. This $100 million announcement today is going to change the way in which they drive to work and come home. It will reduce the amount of time they need to spend in their cars. I want to say thank you very much to Luke Howarth in particular, who has been a champion for this project, together we’ve worked very closely gathering signatures to demonstrate to the state government that there is a definite need. Why the Palaszczuk Government hasn’t yet recognized that this is a worthy project to invest in, is beyond me. You only need to talk to local residents who are stuck bumper-to-bumper in traffic each morning where the two lanes go down to one. If the State Government was listening to those local constituents, this probably would have been built by now. So I hope today the $100 million announcement from our Government says to the State Government that we need your 20 per cent and this project will get underway as soon a possible. It is going to make a big difference in the lives of local constituents. In a big way, it’s Luke Howarth’s hard work and I want to say thank you again to the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister for their support. There were a lot of competing road projects around the country but this has been identified as a priority in our area. I’m very proud that we’ve been able to work really hard, over a long period of time and to deliver this for our local community. Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER: Well thanks Peter and congratulations to you and to Luke. Our entire Queensland team of LNP members in the federal Parliament really do work together as a team and they identify the priorities that are needed for road infrastructure right across the state. So Peter and Luke don’t just have the support obviously of myself and the Deputy Prime Minister in pursuing this project, they have the support of their entire LNP federal team who are backing in this project as well. Because as a team of LNP members, they are putting Queenslanders first, they are putting Queensland first and they’re backing that in with their shared support for each of these projects. So well done Luke and well done Pete. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister I want to ask about the federal corruption watchdog.
PRIME MINISTER: Yep, why don’t we focus on road projects first and I’m happy to deal with any other political issues as you like. But particularly with both Luke and Peter here –
JOURNALIST: Questions about the road, in terms of the State Government funding, is someone actively then approaching either the state member or the State Government to actually start to talk about this?
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, Luke do you might want to comment on that?
MEMBER FOR PETRIE: Thanks Michelle that’s a good question. Back the February this year, I wrote to Mark Bailey about the importance of the Linkfield Road for all the people of Bald Hills, Bracken Ridge and Carseldine and up in Peter’s electorate. I haven't had a response from the Minister, the State Minister yet, but he's well aware of the situation. He was out here yesterday with the Member for Pine Rivers looking at the area, I saw him down here. So perhaps he is aware and you can put those questions to him. So this isn't something new. He knows it needs to be built and we’d ask him to get on board as quickly as possible so we can build it.
JOURNALIST: What area, like the length, whereabouts is this duplication going to go to and from?
MEMBER FOR PETRIE: Particularly the overpass right near Bunnings at Carseldine here, we know that's where the bottleneck is in particular, where it goes back to two lanes. So we've had the overpass along Telegraph Road that the Brisbane City Council and the former State Government built. But this bridge here over Gympie Road is an absolute priority. In many ways the State Government should be funding the lot. But the Federal Government, because of our growing economy and because of the need for local people, have stumped up 80 per cent, so I don't think it's too much to get 20 per cent.
JOURNALIST: Where will it actually end? Like it will link up to the overpass but will it go to this intersection?
MEMBER FOR PETRIE: Yeah, it’ll come right through to here so you get clear traffic flow, four lanes, two lanes in each direction. $100 million of course is a lot of money. We've also finished construction at Boundary Road overpass, which was $100 million in total. That was 80 per cent, $80 million federal and 20 per cent state, federal, $20 million state. Up there we’ve got a new six lane bridge, two lanes each way with two turning lanes. Next year, the Deception Bay overpass starts in June. Once again, $120 million as the Prime Minister will be aware, coming up and announcing that funding that will start in June next year. And so now, we've got additional funding for this third overpass here and of course, Peter Dutton was instrumental in getting the on-and-off ramps at Murrumba Downs, in Griffith where the Federal Government has put $120 million on the table there. We're still yet to hear anything from the State Government on that as well, so they really need to get their act together.
PRIME MINISTER: Any other questions on infrastructure? I should stress again that the reason we can do this is because of the strong Budget. I mean, when you're in Queensland blowing your budget out, by another billion dollars on the public service, I mean, this is the pressure that the Queensland Government has put on themselves. Which means that they're letting Queenslanders down by not coming forward and putting in their contributions to all of these projects.
I mean they've got a coal-fired public service here; they are taking all the royalties that are coming out of an industry that they decry, and what it’s basically doing is bloating the public service and not putting the money where it really needs to be, which is into roads and infrastructure.
So we want to see them get control of their Budget. But it's a reminder that Labor just can't manage money. They're no different at a federal level under Bill Shorten than they are here in Queensland and that's what you can expect so see; money going to the wrong things, while infrastructure priorities like this don't get the attention they need.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the anti-corruption watchdog federally. Why have an anti-corruption watchdog if it can't make corruption findings?
PRIME MINISTER: Because it’s job is to be an investigative body and prepare a brief of evidence to provide to the DPP, so that charges can be laid and prosecutions can be pursued. I mean the whole point is to actually - where people have engaged in criminal conduct - that they get held to account and the book gets thrown at them. There's no point in having a kangaroo court just issuing press releases. What you need is an investigative body with teeth, that actually can pull together and investigate, put a brief together. I mean, Peter knows all about this as a former policeman; this what is we're giving them the powers to do, to actually hunt this stuff down, deal with it and see people brought to justice over these things, not to engage in some sort of political stunt. This is a serious body with a serious job and serious resources to do it.
And I note the comments the Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the Labor Party was making yesterday. This will apply to any criminal conduct, whether it's occurring now, or has occurred previously, if that conduct was a crime at that time. So the idea that it won't deal with, you know, the actions of this government, or former governments, the government that Bill Shorten was a part of, of course there were all those issues that arose at that time - if there's any criminal conduct, that was a crime at that time, well, of course that wouldn't escape the attention of the body we put in place either.
So, you know, I thought that the press conference from Bill Shorten and Mark Dreyfus proved yesterday that Bill Shorten's got the worst lawyer in the country. I've got the best one in Christian Porter and I think that was on show yesterday.
JOURNALIST: So the former New South Wales Corruption Commissioner said the public is entitled to know what the court is doing, that is why they hold public meetings, public hearings. You said it should be the same with anti-corruption body, so why do you say otherwise, that it should happen in closed door sessions.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm from New South Wales and I’ve lived through what has been the farce of the New South Wales ICAC. At the end of the day, the New South Wales ICAC has, I think, disappointed, because it just became a vehicle for corporates, for bureaucrats, for politics - politicians and others - just to sling mud around. That wasn't elevating or doing anything about improving public administration. That's why this will run like a police force. It will actually investigate crimes and ensure that crimes and those who perpetrate them, are brought to justice. That's its job. It's not there to provide a sort of a ‘Judge Judy’ daily episode.
JOURNALIST: How do you know it is doing those things if it is all happening behind closed doors?
PRIME MINISTER: By getting results, by people getting charged, by prosecutions being pursued. Because that’s what we do, we're serious about law enforcement in this country. We have demonstrated that. We have demonstrated our seriousness about ensuring that criminals get no truck here in Australia. That’s why Peter and I cancelled 3,000 visas of criminals and sent them home. Our record as a Government, as a Liberal and National Government is that there's no quarter given to criminals under our Government. This new body will ensure that that record is continued.
JOURNALIST: How does the concept of private inquiries sit in what is meant to be an open and transparent democratic process?
PRIME MINISTER: It works the same way that any criminal investigation is undertaken. I mean police don't conduct investigations in that way. They just get on with the job, they prepare a brief, people are charged, it goes to court and if it's able to be proven in court, people go to jail. That's how it works.
JOURNALIST: We're talking about elected representatives.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, they're subject to the same justice as anyone else in this country. So they should be.
JOURNALIST: What’s your reaction to the Productivity Commission's reports that urge you to abolish the Department of Veterans Affairs?
PRIME MINISTER: Well on veterans, we've been working incredibly hard. We've got the number of days it takes for veterans claims to be dealt with significantly reduced, about five-fold, over the last few years. Because we have investing in the system at veterans affairs. Veterans Affairs does a very important job for our veterans. We want to see our veterans respected and we want to ensure that the benefits that are there to support them when they come back home after they’ve finished their service, can assist them to adjust to civilian life. That’s why we’ve announced programmes recognising their service, by the compact agreement which is getting them into jobs and working with corporates to get them into jobs, as well as ensuring they can get simple discounts from anything from a cup of coffee and their dry-cleaning to something more substantial. We have put in a comprehensive programme to support veterans in this country, to make sure they get the respect they deserve and there is a culture of respect for veterans were we thank them for their service. So the Productivity Commission will make recommendations from time to time, but what is most important to me is that veterans get the support and the benefits and respect they deserve. Any decisions taken by our Government will have that as it’s top priority.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Gary Spence the LNP leader, is reportedly going to resign today. How do you feel about that, will you be sorry to see him go, given he had a hand in the leadership spill? You’ve obviously become Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Well to my knowledge, he's not made that announcement at this point in time so I think that’s all a bit premature.
Thanks very much.
Review into integration, employment and settlement outcomes
13 December 2018
Prime Minister, Minister for Immigration Citizenship & Multicultural Affairs
The Liberal National Government has commissioned an independent review into Australia’s integration, employment and settlement outcomes for refugees and humanitarian entrants.
We are focused on keeping Australians together. This means ensuring all new Australians can find their footing and participate in their new home.
“We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to help people get jobs, and integrate into the community,” said Prime Minister Morrison.
“Having a job gives people financial independence, increases their personal connections and is one of the quickest ways to improve language skills.
Professor Peter Shergold AC will chair the review, which will recommend ways to improve integration, employment and settlement outcomes.
“I have asked Professor Shergold to provide my Government with advice on how we can better ensure refugees and humanitarian entrants can make valuable contributions to our society and our economy.”
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said Australia has one of the most substantial refugee and humanitarian programs in the world.
“Our per capita refugee and humanitarian intake is matched by very few other nations,” Minister Coleman said.
“We are a vibrant and very successful multicultural country, but we also have clear responsibilities in building an even stronger and more socially cohesive society.
“This review will ensure refugee and humanitarian entrants, those that have already arrived and those not yet here, are best placed to succeed and contribute to the Australian way of life.”
The review will consult broadly with stakeholders across the country and across sectors and will deliver a report to the Government in February 2019.
Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB
13 December 2018
BEN FORDHAM: Thank you very much, there’s Bernice. This is Scott Morrison, Prime Minister, good afternoon.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day. Bernice is far more interesting, you should have stayed on the line, mate.
FORDHAM: Well I didn’t want to brush you.
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: I appreciate that. But how good is she?
FORDHAM: She’s fantastic. You have just been raised in a conversation with Mick Fuller, the NSW Police Commissioner.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, good bloke.
FORDHAM: Because, once upon a time when you were neighbours, according to the Commissioner, and I think this has been confirmed, you used to bring his bin in. When he’d leave the bin outside, the wheelie bin outside, and he was too lazy himself to bring it in, you would collect his bin and wheel it in for him. True or false?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: That’s what good neighbours do. That’s what they do. Mick is a great bloke and that’s the Shire way.
FORDHAM: How come you don’t do it anymore?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I don’t take the bins out anymore.
[Laughter]
FORDHAM: Why?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: Because I haven’t even found where they are yet.
FORDHAM: Ah of course, at Kirribilli House.
PRIME MINISTER: At my place, Jen would be home for often than not to take the bins out as I’d be travelling or something.
FORDHAM: Hang on, hang on, hang on. When you say my place, you mean our place?
PRIME MINISTER: No, no, when I lived in the Shire.
FORDHAM: Oh OK, I’m just clarifying there.
PRIME MINISTER: That’s very true Ben, and you’re right to point that out.
[Laughter]
Often neighbours would do that for each other, mate. I think that’s done in most parts of the country and Mick’s a good bloke.
FORDHAM: Well if you really loved him you’d be driving from Kirribilli House back to the Shire just to make sure the bin was in.
PRIME MINISTER: Fair point, I think that’s a fair point.
FORDHAM: Well I’ve just realised, we’ve got blokes from the Shire in charge of the NSW Police Force and in charge of the country. That’s not bad.
PRIME MINISTER: Well mate, it’s an amazing place down there in southern Sydney, what can I say?
FORDHAM: There are all sorts of problems at the Sharks though, maybe you need some of those leaders in charge of the Sharks?
PRIME MINISTER: Well yeah, that is a bit troubling. They’ve got to work all that out, I just sent a text to Flanno the other day just seeing if he’s alright, like you do when friends of yours are under the pump a bit. So look, I don’t know where all that’s going, I don’t know enough about it. But I know fans would be a bit troubled and concerned, but hopefully everything will be alright. We’ll see.
FORDHAM: Do you feel like you’re under the pump at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: Nah mate, I just love doing the job I’m doing. We’re getting through everything and we’ve had a strong week. I was just down with all the Premiers yesterday agreeing how we can better manage population and $1.25 billion extra into hospitals and community health, particularly on mental health and things like that. So we’re just getting about the job and coming into Christmas, obviously everyone is looking forward to spending some time with family and hopefully your listeners will and they’ll have a safe time together. It’s a lovely time of the year and I’m also always remembering this time of the year that people will be feeling that little bit more lonely and isolated. So I think it’s important people keep an eye out for that. And particularly our troops overseas, we wish them well too.
FORDHAM: You mention COAG, how are you going to balance that? I know that this is probably going to be a difficult balancing act but I mentioned on the show yesterday that South Australia and Victoria are saying no, no, we don’t want to slow things down, we want just as many as we’re getting or more in terms of migrants. And then you’ve got Gladys Berejiklian saying I want to halve it. Is there a way of doing that so you can satisfy Gladys in New South Wales and also satisfy Dan in Victoria?
PRIME MINISTER: Well that’s the whole point. I mean, it’s like rainfall - there is no such thing as average rainfall around the country. There is no such thing as average population growth. It’s different in every city and the needs are different in all different parts of the country. So what we’re doing with our migration program, and I think I’ve hinted pretty clearly that it won’t be as large next year as the cap has been in the past, because it is running under the cap quite consistently now. But we’re going to make sure we get the people where we need them and where the pressure is on in places like Sydney and I’ve got to say in parts of suburban Melbourne - I’m surprised Dan is keen to see more and more people piling into Melbourne because that will just put more pressure on their standard of living - but we just want to work closely with the states. You can’t do these things in isolation. I mean, they build the roads and they manage the schools and the hospitals. We’ve got to connect up how you deliver all that with what you’re setting your migration program at.
FORDHAM: When you say you’re surprised that he wants more migrants in Victoria, do you reckon he’s got it wrong or do you reckon he’d know his state well?
PRIME MINISTER: Well you’ve got to rely on the states to make those calls. I mean, if that’s his call, you know, I’ve got to respect his call on that. But at the same time, we will at the end of the say… the Commonwealth sets what the migration program is. We’ve got to manage our temporary migration program. For every extra ten people you get in Australia each year, four of them are temporary migrants. So they’re students or long-term visas on tourism and things like that. Just under four of them were born here and two of them are permanent migrants. The key thing that’s driving population growth for these temporary migrants, so that’s what we’re trying to manage together and make sure that we’re sending them to the places that they’re needed most. And Gladys made the good point that she’d like to see regional universities and some of the students go out into regional areas which is good for those towns.
FORDHAM: Sounds like you want to give a bit more power to the states on this issue.
PRIME MINISTER: Well I just want to listen more to them. I mean, we have to make the ultimate decision - and I will - but what has been missing, and I found this when I was an Immigration Minister too, there just wasn’t enough feedback coming back from the states and territories about where the choke points are, where the pressure points were. And we need to know that stuff, and they’re the ones who run it. So it made sense for us to get together and have this new framework for sorting this out.
FORDHAM: Was it feedback that led to your change of heart on a Federal anti-corruption commission? Because once upon a time you described it as a fringe issue, you have confirmed today that it’s going to be a reality. Was it feedback or was it satisfying other parties, what was it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well we’ve been working on it since January. I mean, it wasn’t an issue that I was pressing as my top priority when I took over as Prime Minister.
FORDHAM: Sure.
PRIME MINISTER: I knew it was something I had to resolve by the end of the year. My top priorities were drought and small business, getting taxes down and that’s what we’re addressing, and health funding. But it was on the list to get done by the end of the year and we’d had the work that had been going on and Christian Porter as the Attorney-General kept bringing that forward. But what I have never been interested in was the sort of kangaroo court type arrangement which we’ve seen in this state for too long where it’s only ever used - well it seemed to only be used - for people to have a shot at each other…
FORDHAM: It’s a sledgehammer.
PRIME MINISTER: You know, as either settling commercial vendettas, political vendetta or personal bureaucratic vendettas. Now, what… and you’ve got to make ensure you have a commission that has teeth, and ours will, and powers and resources, but the idea is that it is an investigative body. It goes and finds out whether the claim is actually fair dinkum. And if it is, send it to the DPP, press charges and prosecute.
FORDHAM: You mention the drought, I’m wondering how Barnaby Joyce is doing as the Special Envoy on the drought and how Tony Abbott is doing as the Special Envoy on Indigenous affairs. Because there was some who were warning you when you made those appointments, look Barnaby and Tony are going to cause trouble for you.
PRIME MINISTER: No not at all, they have been great. I mean, Tony gave a speech in the House of Representatives before we rose and he has set out some really good agendas there for how we keep these kids, Indigenous kids, in schools in remote areas. We’ve already been addressing some of those housing issues and some of those remote communities being identified and some money being flowed towards that. I mean, he was making the really good point that we want teachers to go into these remote areas, not to get some sort of leg up and promotion or some extra pay, this is premier league teaching, is his point. And you need your best teachers out there because this is hard core, hard work. And we need to look at ways we can get those type of you know, those teachers who see this as a vocation and a calling, to go and be in these places and change the lives of these kids. I thought that was a good point. And Barnaby has worked closely with us on the drought summit and just at the moment, we are continuing to work on getting this household farm assistance paperwork and bureaucratic burden down and that was the last meeting I had with him, that was about ten days ago. So both of those guys have just got about it and got to work and I really thank them for the work they’ve put in.
FORDHAM: What about Malcolm Turnbull, is he still in the picture, does he still offer bits of advice from the sidelines?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven’t heard from him for a while. He’s left Parliament, he’s left politics, and I respect that and I wish him and Lucy all the best for Christmas and this time they’re spending with their family and good luck to them. And you know, good for them, I wish them only the best things and I’ll always treat all former Prime Ministers with the courtesy and respect both they and the office deserves.
FORDHAM: But do you lean on each other? Does he lean on you with advice or do you lean on him for advice?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh no, I wouldn’t say that. But I spend a bit more time talking to John Howard.
FORDHAM: You speak to Mr Howard quite a bit, do you?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course.
FORDHAM: You’d be mad not to.
PRIME MINISTER: In the same way I used to talk to- when I was Treasurer, I used to talk to Peter Costello quite a bit and John as you know as he is the elder statesman of the Party, but you know he did the job for eleven years.
FORDHAM: How often do you reckon you speak to him?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh I talk to him every week or two, yeah. But sometimes it happens just a bit more often than that. We’ve had them around for dinner and Mrs Howard is just lovely and so I’ve had a long-standing relationship with John Howard.
FORDHAM: Is he on the payroll?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: No, no.
FORDHAM: Well I’m happy to negotiate on his behalf.
PRIME MINISTER: Are you? Fordham Management.
FORDHAM: Well I mean he’d be worth a bomb.
PRIME MINISTER: He is a tremendous bloke. But look, I've had the opportunity to meet with a number of people that you have the privilege to do in this role. I had a really good catch up with the former Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who he was in power as a centre-right person like myself. And he was an outstanding Prime Minister of Canada and we - he’s written a great book actually - we spent a bit of time talking about these things. So part of this job is to lean on people who have done it well before and to learn from their experience and try and ply that. And that’s what I’m seeking to do Ben. I know I’ve got a big job ahead of me, mate. I know we’re behind but I tell you what mate, I’m going to fight this thing for the people I believe in every single day.
FORDHAM: You sound energetic. What are you doing for Christmas?
PRIME MINISTER: A family Christmas, which is just the best. I haven’t seen my girls for a little while so I’m looking forward to seeing them soon, and Jen. We’re just going to have a lovely family Christmas and for those of us who have had the blessing of family, it is just the best thing on earth and I just feel terribly for those who don’t and I hope in some way that we can give them some cheer this Christmas as well.
FORDHAM: Realistically, how long will the phone go off? How long can you say, “Righto, you know, you know what, I’m here with the family, I’m with the girls.” The phone is off for the next, what, week? Day? Hour?
PRIME MINISTER: There will be a period where I officially stand aside and Michael McCormack will be the Acting Prime Minister for about a week.
FORDHAM: Right.
PRIME MINISTER: And that’s when you can really do that. I’ll take a short break for that to come back for the Pink Test with Glenn McGrath which will be great, here in Sydney, and it will be great to support that tremendous event. But no, there will be a bit of time for that then and hopefully for the family’s sake it’ll slow down a bit. But they understand Ben, they are very supportive of what I’m doing. You do anything in public life as a family and as a team and I’m just blessed by the wonderful family I have and particularly Jenny who is, you know Jen, you’ve met here, she is just amazing.
FORDHAM: You sound like you’re in a very good space at the moment. You’ve got a big year ahead and I hope you get some time with the family over that break and we’ll talk to you in the New Year. Merry Christmas.
PRIME MINISTER: Good on you mate, all the best. Take care.
Government Response to Religious Freedom Review
13 December 2018
Prime Minister, Attorney General
Our government is acting to protect religious freedom in Australia and to protect the rights of Australians to be themselves.
Our response to the Religious Freedom Review, chaired by the Hon. Philip Ruddock, is about protecting every Australian from discrimination.
The Review concluded there is an opportunity to further protect and better promote freedom of religion under Australian law and in the community. We have accepted 15 of the 20 recommendations, and we will consult with the States and Territories on the terms of a potential reference to the Australian Law Reform Commission on the remaining five recommendations. Those recommendations deal with current exemptions to anti-discrimination provisions in Commonwealth, State and Territory law.
Australia is a place where discrimination on the basis of a person’s identity — including their religious identity — is unacceptable. It is also a place where we respect the right of religious institutions to maintain their distinctive religious ethos. Our laws should reflect these values.
Our commitment to striking an appropriate balance is clear in our proposed amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. We have sought to overturn exemptions introduced by Labor so we can make clear that discrimination against students is not acceptable, while at the same time ensuring religious educational institutions can teach and maintain rules consistent with their faith.
The Labor Party’s opposition to those amendments highlights how difficult it is to secure bipartisan support on these sensitive issues. Our offer stands, however the issue highlights why our work with States and Territories and the independent Australian Law Reform Commission will be so important.
We are committed to finding a way forward that cuts through the political debates about whether some rights are more important than others.
Our response to the Religious Freedom Review includes:
establishing religion as a protected attribute in a new Religious Discrimination Act, rendering discrimination on this basis unlawful;
establishing a new statutory position of Freedom of Religion Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission;
developing a Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill for introduction into Parliament as soon as practicable, implementing a range of amendments recommended by the Ruddock Review;
supporting the Australian Human Rights Commission to increase community awareness of the importance of freedom of religion.
We look forward to consulting on the legislative package, which we intend to introduce in 2019.
We thank Mr Ruddock and the Expert Panel that informed the Review, as well as the Australians who took the time to have their say.
The Review and our government’s response is available at: https://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/HumanRights/Pages/Freedom-of-Religion.aspx
Commonwealth Government to establish new integrity commission
13 December 2018
Prime Minister, Attorney General
A new Commonwealth Integrity Commission will take the lead on detecting and stamping out any corrupt and criminal behaviour by Commonwealth employees.
The new CIC will be the lead body in Australia’s successful multi-agency anti-corruption framework.
Our government is committed to ensuring that Australians remain confident their representatives and Commonwealth employees are acting in their best interests.
This is a serious new Commission with teeth, resources and proper processes that will protect the integrity of Australia’s Commonwealth public administration, while avoiding the pitfalls, weaknesses and abuses of systems introduced by state jurisdictions and being proposed in alternative models.
We began carefully considering options for a national anti-corruption body in January this year, and we have taken the time to ensure this model fits into the existing system but avoids the worst aspects of some state anti-corruption bodies.
We have been determined to get this right, rather than ride a political bandwagon.
The CIC will be a well-resourced, centralised and specialist centre that will investigate criminal corruption across the Commonwealth. It will be an independent statutory agency led by a commissioner and two deputy commissioners, with public sector and law enforcement integrity divisions.
The public sector integrity division will cover departments, agencies and their staff, parliamentarians and their staff, staff of federal judicial officers and subject to consultation judicial officers themselves, as well as contractors.
The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI) will be reconstituted as the law enforcement integrity division, with a significantly expanded jurisdiction to also include the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and the whole of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR).
Both divisions will investigate allegations of criminal corruption. We will amend the Criminal Code Act 1995 to add new corruption offences to ensure the most serious and systemic incidents of corruption are clearly understood and can be punished.
The overwhelming majority of people working for the Commonwealth do the right thing, and they do their work for the right reasons. The CIC will help ensure that this remains the case.
Our government will avoid the serious failings of state-based integrity bodies that on too many occasions have proved to be ‘kangaroo courts’ falling victim to poor process and being little more than a forum for self-serving mud slinging and the pursuit of personal, corporate and political vendettas. We have learned from their mistakes in bringing our proposed new Commission together.
While the CIC will have the power to conduct public hearings only through its law enforcement division, the public sector integrity division will not have the power to make public findings of corruption. Instead, it will be tasked with investigating and referring potential criminal conduct to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This approach ensures that it is the courts that make findings of criminally corrupt conduct.
It is disappointing Labor has sought to undermine Australians’ confidence in the public service in recent months, announcing a proposal for an integrity commission yet providing no detail of how it would work, how it would be structured, or how it would operate within the existing multi-agency framework.
Our approach is designed to give Australians confidence appropriate mechanisms are in place to detect and prosecute corrupt or criminal behaviour by all commonwealth employees.
Further details on the CIC model are available in a paper at https://www.ag.gov.au/Consultations/Pages/commonwealth-integrity-commission.aspx
We will undertake extensive public consultation on the proposed model, led by a panel of technical experts. The outcomes of that consultation process will feed into the final design and our government will then legislate to implement that design.
Australian Space Agency to Adelaide
12 December 2018
Prime Minister, Premier of South Australia, Minister for Industry Science and Technology, Minister for Cities Urban Infrastructure and Population
Australia’s Space Agency will be located in Adelaide, reinforcing South Australia’s long-standing contribution to the nation’s space journey.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said South Australia was a key hub for innovation and the technology industry, making it the ideal home for the new Agency.
“Australia’s space industry is set to hit new heights,” the Prime Minister said.
“This Agency is going to open doors for local businesses and Australian access to the US$345 billion global space industry.
“Our government’s $41 million investment into the Agency will act as a launching pad to triple Australia’s space economy to $12 billion and create up to 20,000 jobs by 2030.
“This Agency is part of our plan for a stronger economy for South Australia and the country which is about delivering long-term, high-wage, high-skills jobs.”
The Agency, to be located at Lot Fourteen at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, is also key to the new Adelaide City Deal, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, aimed at turbo-charging Adelaide’s economy and driving long term investment in the city.
Premier Marshall said long-term investment in Adelaide and its space sector would drive entrepreneurship and innovation while enhancing the city’s liveability.
“South Australia is the ideal location for the Australian Space Agency with a range of local space industry businesses already established here as well as a rapidly growing defence industry sector.
“Establishing the headquarters of the Australian Space Agency in South Australia will launch our space and defence sectors to the next level.
“I look forward to working with the Federal Government, industry and our education sector to capitalise on this incredible opportunity for our state.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said Adelaide was selected to host the Agency after putting forward the strongest case.
“South Australia is already home to more than 60 organisations and 800 employees in the space sector and this decision builds on the very strong technology and defence presence in the state,” Minister Andrews said.
“Australia’s science, research and technology sectors are key in improving the competitiveness of Australian businesses – and only under our government’s strategic and strong economic management can these flourishing sectors continue to expand.
“We are committed to growing Australia’s space sector, and our Government is also investing $260 million to develop world leading satellite capabilities, and to significantly increase GPS accuracy in our cities and regional areas.”
Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said the redevelopment of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital will harness Adelaide’s greatest strengths – its cultural depth, research excellence and commercial potential.
“The Agency location and the Adelaide City Deal will align to allow better management of population growth and city planning,” Minister Tudge said.
“This will ensure jobs, infrastructure, services and public spaces are in place to create a faster-growing, productive and liveable Adelaide.”
“City Deals are about all three levels of government working together to drive the local economy and we are already see many cities benefitting from these deals including Darwin, Townsville, Launceston and Western Sydney.”
The Australian Space Agency will be located in Adelaide by mid-2019 and is set to employ 20 full-time equivalent staff in Adelaide.
Additional information about the Agency can be found at www.space.gov.au. More information on the City Deal is available at https://citydeals.infrastructure.gov.au.
$1.25 billion to improve the health and care of Australian patients
12 December 2018
Prime Minister, Minister for Health
The Liberal and Nationals’ Government will improve the health and care of patients right around Australia with a guaranteed $1.25 billion boost to health services.
This will provide more doctors, more nurses and more services in every state and territory.
This is the tangible benefit of strong economy and it’s why we are so committed to keeping our economy strong.
The $1.25 billion Community Health and Hospitals Program will fund projects and services in every state and territory, supporting patient care while reducing pressure on community and hospital services.
Under the program, our Government will partner with communities, states and territories, health and hospital services and research institutions to provide additional funding in four key areas:
Specialist hospital services such as cancer treatment, rural health and hospital infrastructure
Drug and alcohol treatment
Preventive, primary and chronic disease management
Mental health
The new program will complement our record investment in public hospitals.
Our funding for public hospitals will more than double from $13.3 billion in 2012–13 to $28.7 billion in 2024–25.
This is record public hospital funding delivering more doctors, more nurses and more services.
Our new five year National Health Reform Agreement will deliver more than $30 billion in additional public hospital funding from 2020–21 to 2024–25, taking overall funding during this period to $130.2 billion.
Three Liberal and three Labor state and territories have already signed up to the new agreement, accessing record funding.
A strong economy enables the Liberal and Nationals’ Government to invest in even more doctors, nurses and public hospital services – benefitting patients across Australia.
This is further supported by our record investment in Medicare, provision of medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to make them affordable for patients, and the breakthrough medical science occurring through the Medical Research Future Fund.
Doorstop - Adelaide, SA
12 December 2018
Prime Minister, Premier of South Australia, Minister for Industry Science and Technology, Minister for Trade, Minister for Trade Tourism and Investment, Minister for Cities, Minister for Cities Urban Infrastructure and Population
THE HON STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Good morning. Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this for South Australia, to have the Prime Minister here, having Minister Karen Andrews here to announce that the National Space Agency will be coming to Adelaide, will be coming to South Australia. This is just fantastic news. I want to thank the Prime Minister very much for this great opportunity for our state. I particularly want to thank and acknowledge the work of the Minister, Megan Clarke, who is the first head of the National Space Agency for Australia and of course everybody who has been involved in this incredible bid, this very compelling bid.
Because it is fair to say every other state in Australia has got a capability in space, every other state would like to have had a national space agency headquartered in their state. But South Australia has won it, we put in a very compelling bid. We will make Australia proud with a fantastic facility here on lot 14. Just a year ago, this was a functioning hospital, our major hospital in SA. Now it is being transformed into Australia's most exciting innovation precinct and having the innovation associated with a space agency here will just give it a massive boost. This place will absolutely go through the roof. I want to acknowledge, in particular, the work of Andy Thomas, Australia's first NASA astronaut for his great advocacy to set up a National Space Agency. He and Andrea Boyd, Michael Davis, fantastic support for this. It has been incredible.
Of course, we have just also signed an MOU. This is something that Minister Tudge and the South Australian Government have been working on for some time. It is all centred around this incredible precinct. We couldn't be happier. Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Steven. This is what vision looks like. What we're doing right here. A vision that saw this site, not as a block of flats for the future, but a vision from a Premier that wanted to transform this site into a job magnet and for some of the most exciting visionary jobs you can think of. Working in high technology, working in the space agency, working in the future of Australian science and technology. This is what vision looks like. When we first started discussing this and we were putting out all of the states, Steven Marshall had one message when it came to the Space Agency which was "Beam me up Scotty". That is what he wanted to see and that's what we've done.
THE HON STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER: So as a Premier and Prime Minister, we will go where no Premier or Prime Minister has gone before when it comes to the Space Agency here in South Australia. But I want to commend South Australia on their bid and I want to commend all the other parts of the supply chain of the space industry in Australia. This is a $4 billion industry in Australia and by 2030 we’re taking this to a $12 billion industry. And at the heart of driving that change is the $41 million investment right here in the National Space Agency here in Adelaide. This is the turnaround state, it’s been turned around by Premier Marshall and we are backing in the plans that he has to ensure a stronger economy here in South Australia.
You know, in the last 12 months, 86,000 manufacturing jobs have been created in Australia. The future for manufacturing in Australia is a bright one, and one in eight jobs under the previous Labor Government at a federal level in manufacturing went. They vanished. And our Government in the last 12 months - 86,000 manufacturing jobs. And the way you keep that success going is by making these types of investments. By supporting, of course, new technology industries, but also continuing to support traditional industries. Just this week, the Premier and I were in Whyalla and we were talking about there, with Sanjeev Gupta, about transforming older industries into steel manufacturing plants there and that means you can have both. You can have your new technology industries, which we’re investing in here in this space agency, and you can be bringing along your traditional sectors. Here, talking to the businesses located already here, looking at ways that they can improve the production capacity of our agricultural sector using space technology.
So it is about agriculture, it is about resources, it is about manufacturing, and it also is about new technology. So I think it’s a very exciting day for Australia, as Karen will outline in just a few moments, about how this space agency fits in with the future prosperity of Australia. Unless you have a strong economy, you cannot invest in the things that really deliver for Australians.
Today I’m also announcing that we’re putting $1.23 billion extra into community health and hospitals right across the country. That $1.25 billion is going into cancer treatment, it’s going into drug rehabilitation, it’s going into access to clinical trials, it’s going into mental health right across Australia. So this is a significant investment over and above the existing massive investment, around $30 billion over the next five years, that we’re putting in Australia’s hospitals. The reason we can do that, the reason we can turn up here today, is because we have been running a strong economy. Because the Budget that we’ve been managing and repairing over the last five years will be back in balance, will be back in surplus on the 2nd of April of next year when we down the first Budget surplus in twelve years. That’s what strong economic management delivers, that’s what good Budget management delivers. You don’t want to put any of that at risk by going off on any other tangent. We’ve got the plan to deliver a stronger economy, which means strong industries and it means the services, the essential services like health, that Australians can rely on. So from here, I think we’re handing over to Megan? Sorry, Karen is going to tell us more about how the Space Agency fits into the overall plan and well done Karen for bringing this to fruition with the Premier.
THE HON KAREN ANDREWS MP, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Thank you, Prime Minister, I’m delighted to announce that the Australian Space Agency will be headquartered here in Adelaide. And I’m actually so excited that I very nearly lost my voice so just bear with me. There’s some very compelling reasons for the Agency to be headquartered here in Adelaide. South Australia was in fact the start of the space journey here in Australia. About 50 or so years ago the first satellite was launched from Woomera and since that time there has been a number of advances in the space sector, culminating to date with where we are standing here now which is Lot Fourteen where the Space Agency will be headquartered, along with other space-related businesses. There’s already as strong presence with space-related businesses here in South Australia. There’s about 60 companies currently working in space-related industries, employing about 800 people. We’re planning to grow the space industry, not just in South Australia but right across Australia.
So the Coalition Government invested $41 million to establish the Australian Space Agency. The sector is worth globally about $345 billion US. The Australian slice of that currently stands at $3.9 billion and there are about 10,000 people nationally employed in space-related industries. Our plan is to grow that by 2030 to a $12 billion industry employing an additional 20,000 people. So the Space Agency being headquartered here amongst other space industries is an opportunity for the ecosystem that is already being developed here to grow and mature and puts us in a very, very good place to get an even larger slice of the global market for space-related industries. So I’d like to invite the head of the Australian Space Agency Megan Clarke to maybe say a couple of words and add to that, but congratulations to South Australia.
DR MEGAN CLARKE, HEAD OF AUSTRALIA SPACE AGENCY: Thank you very much Minister and thank you very much Prime Minister and Premier. Today we’ve got lift off of the Australian Space Agency in Adelaide. Fantastic. This is going to be a wonderful home. We’re here to transform and grow the Australian space industry across the nation. This will be a door for us for our international partnerships, national coordination and international partnerships are absolutely key to our success. I was explaining to the Prime Minister, we’re already getting the support from around the world and from industry. We’ve got a pipeline over the next three years of over a billion of capital being invested into the space industry. Half a billion of that is inbound capital coming in from industry and from other space agencies around the world. It is a fantastic day, we’re looking forward to our new home in a really exciting precinct. This is going to be a hotbed of creativity and thank you so much for your support Prime Minister and for your investment, we really appreciate it.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Megan, and to Karen. Now, all of this is happening at a very exciting part of South Australia which the Minister for Cities, Alan Tudge, has been working closely with the South Australian Government for some time. As we’ve just said, we’ve just signed an MOU around that city deal here in Adelaide and I know that. I’ve got all the SA members here with me this morning from our Federal team right across the state. That’s how… this isn’t just about Adelaide. What’s happening here is good for the whole state and that’s why I’m joined by so many of my South Australian colleagues here today. But I’m going to hand it over to Alan to talk a bit more about the City Deal of which the Space Agency now forms a central part.
THE HON ALAN TUDGE, MINISTER FOR CITIES, URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND POPULATION: Thank you Prime Minister and Premier and colleagues. We’ve signed the MOU today for the City Deal and this deal will be one of the best in the nation because it’s centered on this precinct which will become one of the greatest hubs of innovation in Australia. And what that means is it will drive the jobs of the future so there’s opportunities for more South Australians to work here, to live here, more opportunities for young people so they can stay here rather than having to go to the east coast for other opportunities. It’s also going to help overall with population growth into South Australia, which of course is one of the ambitions of the South Australian Government here.
We want to support that. So there’s three elements to the MOU which the two leaders have just signed. The first is around this precinct, and it’s around innovation and job creation. The second is actually outlining a framework for how we can support population growth in South Australia. As I mentioned, this is one of the strong aspirations of Premier Marshall and we want to back him in. This is also going to be discussed by leaders at the COAG agenda today. And then the third theme of the MOU is around culture and the arts. Again, part of that will be based right here, but we also want to support other initiatives in Adelaide and South Australia in order to build on already the fantastic reputation which South Australia has. Again, that can be a jobs booster because it brings in tourists into this state.
Together, through this city deal, it will be one of the best in the nation. And I think it’ll be a real driver for growth, for liveability, for culture in this state, support the aspirations to growth the population, support the aspirations to grow the economy and make Adelaide an even better place to live.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much Alan. Ok, we’re happy to take some questions. Why don’t we focus first as usual on the order of the day, then happy to take other questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what gave South Australia the edge? Was it the Andy Thomas’s, the Jim Wally’s, the Pam Melroy’s, the Steven Marshall’s, or was it just because we’re here?
PRIME MINISTER: Steven Marshall.
[Laughter]
I’m not kidding, it’s Steven Marshall. It’s all of the others, as you say, but Steven’s vision for this site and for South Australia and for how the Space Agency just power charged that vision was central. We got it, we understand what he’s trying to do and I talk about ‘you have a go, you get a go’. Well that’s what’s happening for South Australia, that’s what we’re doing here. Steven Marshall is having a go for South Australia and he’s getting a go from us by backing his plans and his visions in. I started out with my comments today, “This is what vision looks like.” When people talk about vision, this is it. When you have a Premier and Prime Minister coming together to see a place transformed and to ensure you’re putting in investments and the capabilities that bring that to reality. So it is very exciting today, but it is a great win for vision today and a Premier with a big vision.
JOURNALIST: Are you going to have a lot of other miffed Premiers by this announcement?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the good news is that around the country… take the defence industry. Take the other city deals we have going on. We’re backing in states plans all around the country and it really is a matter of horses for courses. And that space industry has a supply chain that spans the entire country and so the headquarters of the space agency is here but its reach is beyond South Australia. So you know we’ll create that conglomeration of leadership for this sector. But like we see in the defence industry and the procurements that we’re seeing in place there, the biggest in generations, since before the Second World War. I mean, that is transforming our manufacturing industry. It’s no accident that we have 86,000 manufacturing jobs created in Australia last year. Anyone who thinks manufacturing doesn’t have a future in Australia - there are 86,000 reasons why that’s not true under our Government. And that’s just in the last 12 months. Because we have a vision for how manufacturing will be successful in the future. I mean, we were just in there recently and looking at how Boeing was investing in one of the key projects here. Now Boeing’s biggest presence outside the United States is in Australia. And the reason… I was at Boeing earlier in the year. The reason that is true is because of our people and our capability and our ability to adapt technology and get things right. And that’s why the Space Agency here will also be successful in Adelaide.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, initially there was talk about a headquarters and then nodes throughout the country, is that still… are there going to be nodes?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the Space Agency will be here.
JOURNALIST: Everyone else misses out?
PRIME MINISTER: No, because as I just said, the reach and leadership that will come from the Space Agency here in South Australia will impact right across the country. I mean, this gives a real focus, this gives it a real critical mass. We didn’t want to diffuse the potential here in South Australia. We wanted to maximise the potential and the better South Australia and Adelaide Space Agency does here, the better all the other states and territories do.
JOURNALIST: It’s fair to say that people think of space agencies, they think of rockets going into space. Obviously that’s not going to happen here, but what is the core role of the Agency? What is it actually going to do?
PRIME MINISTER: Look I’m probably going to ask Karen to address that, because...
THE HON KAREN ANDREWS MP, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Well you can’t rule anything out at this point in time and there are already satellite launches that are happening in Australia as well. So the opportunity to grow the sector here is immense. So one of the key roles of the Australian Space Agency is to develop opportunities for the industry. $345 billion US is in the space sector and we want a significant share of that here in Australia. So with the Australian Space Agency headquartered in Lot Fourteen, surrounded by other space-related industries, we’re actually giving it the best chance to maximise the opportunities to grow the sector. So certainly launch is part of our capability, we’re already setting up strategic alliances with other nations as well. We will continue to build and grow the sector and who knows where that might take us.
PRIME MINISTER: And Birmo, Simon Birmingham is here. Now as you know, Simon is not just a passionate South Australian, he’s also our Trade Minister. And Simon just might want to comment on how this capability will be able to showcase Australia’s broader capabilities when it comes to selling Australia overseas and how important this is for that.
SENATOR THE HON SIMON BIRMINGHAM, MINISTER FOR TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT: Sure PM. This is such an exciting proposition in terms of Australia’s ability to stand tall on the world stage, generate the type of investment in Australia that Dr Megan Clarke was talking about before. We’re seeing already more than half a billion dollars’ worth of investment coming into the space businesses of Australia. Yes, we’re putting a space agency here in Adelaide. But surrounding that, here in SA and right around the country are hundreds of other business, ultimately thousands of other businesses, that are going to be part of the global supply chain space industry, and from that they will spin off and they will be doing more in the defence industry, they’ll be doing more in agriculture and other traditional sectors which become ever more reliant on new technologies to make sure their productivity is at the top of the world class. And what’s really exciting here is that we see from this small investment, and it is a relatively small investment, government is able to leverage hundreds of millions of dollars of additional private sector investment that’s going to sustain jobs here in SA, right around the country and help us sell our wares to the world.
JOURNALIST: Can we hear more about this city deal, about who is going to be involved, how long it’ll run for and...
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
JOURNALIST: I don’t mean to be selfish but how much money are we going to get?
[Laughter]
THE HON ALAN TUDGE, MINISTER FOR CITIES, URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND POPULATION: So today is the next step in the city deal, which is signing the MOU. And in that MOU it outlines the broad principles and the broad themes upon which the final document will be built. And in that final document, which we hope to sign early next year, again between the Prime Minister and the Premier. It will also outline our federal funding financial contributions as well as the state. There will be federal contributions toward that city deal and it will support those three themes that I was articulating before.
Now in terms of the longevity of it, that will be determined, but all of these city deals are long-term plans, at least a decade, sometimes more.
PRIME MINISTER: But obviously $45 million straight up here today with the Space Agency. Any other questions?
JOURNALIST: Premier [inaudible] jobs for the agency?
PRIME MINISTER: Because it’s growing the entire industry around the country. That’s the point that Simon was just making. To lead this industry forward, to take it from $4 billion in turnover to $12 billion requires integration, collaboration and centralisation at times where capital is being focused to develop new innovations to realise the opportunities that other companies want to bring from all around the world. This is a leverage point, this is a catalyst, that’s what this does, that’s its whole point. It’s to be able to infuse the rest of the Space Agency to centre on Australia, to realise the potential that’s here. And the potential is limited only by the imaginations and the efforts of those that are in the industry. This is not the… the Chief Executive of the Space Agency is not the Chief Executive of every single company who is actually involved in the space industry. They’re the ones who will be investing the capital, they’re the ones who will be realising this and the Government is playing its role by coordinating and providing the leadership to grow the industry.
JOURNALIST: Just one for the Premier. Premier, now that the Space Agency is going to be based here, what else will a South Australian Government be doing to try and foster the growth in this industry?
THE HON STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: This is a critical industry for us in South Australia. I’d like South Australia to be known as the defence and space state. We’ve got plenty of other industries that do well but this is a real point of difference with other states around Australia now and just as Federal Government investment in the defence sector has created many, many South Australian businesses, we’ll be doing everything we can within the state government to do precisely the same here with the space sector. So the Federal Government is putting in money, we’ll be working to develop that ecosystem of smaller and medium sized businesses around the great opportunities. And look, just since stories went up online last night, I’ve been contact by people from right across the world, excited about the potential for right here in Australia, in Adelaide, on Lot Fourteen.
JOURNALIST: How big a role has Andy Thomas played in developing all that?
THE HON STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Andy Thomas was involved right from the get-go. He sat down with the Federal Government and he talked about the need to have a national space agency. The importance of how this would drive innovation right across the Australian economy. Because there’s this enormous technology transfer from the space sector to virtually every other sector of our economy. He was great, he explained it in a logical, calm way. He did sort of needle us a bit because he said, “You know, we’re the only OECD country in the world that doesn’t have a space agency, get on with it.” And he continued to advocate. But as I said, so many other people were involved in that. Jim Walley, Pam Melroy, Andrea Boyd, Michael Davis, Nicola Sasanelli, so many people from right across this state, right across our nation, all getting on board to make sure that we have a national space agency in Australia as the first sort of priority and then of course we’re putting in our very, very best bid to bring that space agency here to Adelaide.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can I ask you a few questions about your health announcement.
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
JOURNALIST: Is today’s health announcement [inaudible] restore funding [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: Well we’ve never accepted that lie by Labor, and I know Labor Premiers will make that point. But the truth is, over the next four years, we’re offering an additional $1.25 billion… well not offering, we’re putting in place, the reality happening. An extra $1.25 billion into community health and hospitals. That’s actually $500 million more than the Labor opposition have pledged over the next four years. So what is means is because of our strong economy, our fiscal management, we are investing more in health and hospitals than at any other time. And this is the best set of funding that any set of Premiers have ever seen.
JOURNALIST: And how many projects will be chosen?
PRIME MINISTER: Well we’ll work together with the states and territories about how we pursue these projects. But the money is there. As I said, it’s focusing on cancer treatment, drug rehabilitation, access to clinical trials and importantly, focusing on mental health which is wherever I go in the country, there is an increasing awareness of the need to do more and be more places when it comes to supporting mental health. Now the Premier and I, the last time I was down here in South Australia with Nick, was we were announcing the extra $50 million just over that for HeadSpace. So we’re a Government that is committed to better mental health for Australians. Over the weekend, I was able to announce $110 million which is going to ensure Medicare supported treatments for eating disorders. Now that is a ground-breaking decision by our Government and I know it’s been welcomed by those who have got the lived experience of living with eating disorders and their families, as well as frankly every parent in the country, me included, for whom this is a source of constant anguish and concern. So these are the investments that you can make when you’re serious about health, and you can only make them if you’re serious about a stronger economy.
JOURNALIST: What decision has the Government made in relation to Israel’s capital?
PRIME MINISTER: When I’m in a position to make that announcement, I will.
JOURNALIST: Do you know about talks involving getting Craig Kelly to run for the Nationals before you [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that’s irrelevant.
JOURNALIST: Is there going to be any announcement of delivery between the states and territories [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes there will be.
JOURNALIST: Can you elaborate on that?
PRIME MINISTER: I will once we’ve had COAG today. But I send my best wishes to the Canberra press gallery for their questions this morning. And we’re about to go off to COAG, it’s great to have COAG here in the turnaround state, the action state, the space state, with Steven today and he’s hosting his colleagues here today. Today's COAG meeting is going to be important. A big part of today's COAG meeting is focusing on national security today and the Premiers and I and Chief Ministers had dinner last night and we are all very much in agreement about the need to reassure all Australians than when it comes to national security, and that national security just doesn't involve counter-terrorism and dealing with organised crime, it involves dealing with all those things. But it also involves keeping Australians safe as we move into what could be one of the most difficult bushfire seasons we have seen in a long time and there are items on the agenda today around the national security agenda which is focusing on emergency management and how states and territories work together on that. And I’ve got to say that whether it was dealing with the Bourke Street attack, whether it was dealing with the Queensland bushfires, the relationship that exists between the states and the Commonwealth in dealing with national security has been very, very strong. We are going to reinforce that today. There is no greater responsibility I have as Prime Minister than to keep Australians safe.
Today's agenda is very heavily focused on that agenda and we are looking forward to confirming further actions in that space today. And on top of that, dealing with the other matters which deal with health and education but, as Alan was pointing out, another important issue we're dealing with today is population management across Australia. In a state like South Australia, you want more people. In Adelaide you want more people. In states like New South Wales and Victoria, we need to manage that growth because the congestion impacts in Melbourne and in Sydney are affecting the quality of life for our citizens and residents in those cities. And so what I'm calling on the states and territories to do is to work closely with the Commonwealth to ensure we better manage how population is growing in Australia, that it is going to the places we need it to go, where there are the jobs and opportunities and where things are we're hitting our head on the ceiling, that we can temper our population growth in those parts of the country to protect the quality of life of our residents in those major cities. That will be a big arrangement.
The other one is great news for small business today. The Commonwealth is already taking our payment terms down to 20 days for small businesses. I called on all the States and Territories to move in that direction and I'm looking forward to their support for that today on their timetables. The New South Wales Government is moving already on that issue and I welcome that. So I think whether it is on drought, whether it is on payment terms for small business, managing population growth, keeping Australians safe and of course the $1.25 billion extra we're putting into health and hospitals in this country as a Government, means that we're a Government getting on with it and we're certainly getting on with it in South Australia. Thank you.
Doorstop - Whyalla, SA
10 December 2018
ROWAN RAMSEY, MEMBER FOR GREY: They eyes of Australia are on Whyalla today. Not surprisingly, we’ve got the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison and the Premier of the State Steven Marshall here. Thank you both for being here. Senator Anne Ruston is behind me as well and other dignitaries. This is a big day for Whyalla. For the last 15 months, the steelworks in Whyalla have been own by GFG Alliance Sanjeev Gupta, right behind me, and today he announced that Whyalla is to have a longer life. A new steel plant, reinvestment. Council made a series of announcements about new hotels, solar farms. There is a lot happening around Whyalla, it’s a great day to be here, it’s a great place to be after some fairly tough times a couple of years ago. Things have really turned around and I have to say, from my behalf to the Prime Minister to the previous Prime Minister, to the Cabinet. Every time that I banged on the door and said, “We need help in Whyalla.” We have received it. Whether it be the ordering of the new rail, Tarcoola Line, the commitment to the inland rail, the anti-dumping legislations that were changed, or the beneficiation plants. At every turn, the Commonwealth Government has been there, I expect that to continue. I’m going to hand over now to the man of the day, Sanjeev.
SANJEEV GUPTA: This is a very humbling and very exciting day for me. Lots and lots of hard work, especially over the last 15 months since we bought the business. There’s been countless, countless nights, late nights and long days where the team has worked hard. There has been many, many different options considered [inaudible] is what I’m pretty proud of. Australia needs a [inaudible] it’s a country that still has a lot of building to do to provide the steel for that and be able to provide rail for our railroads which continue to grow. So I’m very excited, I’m very honoured, I’m very humbled to see the quality of leadership and support which we’ve received both from our leaders and politicians and also our partners from different ends of the world. I’m thankful to them, thank you.
JOURNALIST: Mr Gupta, how long will it… or what’s the timeline for this next generation? When will you sort of be able to say this [inaudible]?
SANJEEV GUPTA: The net gen work has already actually a lot of work has already happened and we have now today what we signed is the full engineering study which costs tens of millions of dollars which [inaudible] will undertake together with [inaudible]. That is expected to take 6 to 12 months. So let’s say 2019, by the end of 2019 we will have full bankable project which we will then look for partners to fund and then from then, if we start then, another 3 to 4 years. So this is a 5 year project.
JOURNALIST: Mr Gupta can you please direct your answers down this way. And do you plan on hiring any other staff members, any extra staff?
SANJEEV GUPTA: A new project of course, it’s a massive undertaking that will have thousands of new next generation staff members. But the transformation project is what actually is equally important and I sort of… that’s why I distance the two. Because the transformation project is now, the next gen is next gen. So while that is very exciting and I’m very, very passionate about it, what is more important is that we keep going on the last 15 months of work which has been focused on the transformation project, the new mill, the PCI plant and there’s several other ancillary projects which are being finalised now. The total spend on the transformation is over $1.3 billion. So that’s what’s really critical and important now for us for the next two to three years and for the next gen project.
JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to the staff about whether or not they’ll get the money back on their salaries they gave up when the plant was in administration?
SANJEEV GUPTA: All in good time. As soon as the mill starts making money, which is the plan - all in good time.
JOURNALIST: Thanks Mr Gupta. Prime Minister, I know you’re pressed for time…
ROWAN RAMSEY, MEMBER FOR GREY: I’m just going to… thank you Sanjeev. I’m just going to ask Steven Marshall to say a few words to you as well and I didn’t realise she was on my list but the newest Mayor of Whyalla, Claire McLaughlin. Thanks Steven.
STEVEN MARSHALL, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Thanks Rowan. I’m very excited to be in Whyalla, I know the Prime Minister is very excited to be in Whyalla because this place has a fantastic future. It’s had a great history, now what it’s got is a great future and that’s great news for the people of Whyalla. But people of the Upper Spencer Gulf, and quite frankly, the people of our state and our nation. We really want to thank and acknowledge the hard work of Sanjeev Gupta, the GFG Alliance and the management team and the work they’ve put in over the last 15 months to come up with this incredible transformation agenda for this very important city in our nation. Now the State Government of course is backing this, we’ve got $50 million that we’re going to put towards the transformation. $100 million going to a brand new school and also $200 million going into state-wide upgrade of traineeships and apprenticeships. We’re backing Whyalla, we’re backing manufacturing in South Australia and we thank the Federal Government for all the work that they’re doing to make sure that this becomes a reality. Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Scott Morrison.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Steven. It’s great to be here in the comeback city of the turn-around state in South Australia under your leadership, Steven. It’s great to see the renewed confidence that is coming into the South Australian economy and it’s great to see the can-do spirit here in Whyalla.
It was just over two years ago when as Treasurer, working with the then-Prime Minister and Rowan Ramsey and the team here, that we were going through the very difficult administration process. And at that time we stepped up with around $50 million in loans, we stepped up with the rail steel project to ensure that there was the suppliers there and the businesses there that enabled the steel plant to be able to continue. And now we're gear-changing again and it's great to see that gear-change happening under Sanjeev Gupta. We're going into the next phase, the transformation of the plant, which will mean it has a long-term future. That investment is absolutely necessary to secure that and the confidence that Sanjeev has shown in this steel plant, in the workers of this steel plant and the capacity of this town and this wonderful city demonstrates I think what can be achieved. When you’re coming back from where they have come back from, I think it’s a remarkable achievement.
But I think everybody knows here the hard work that’s ahead, the challenge that's still ahead and that's why we will continue to be here, Rowan and I and the entire federal team, working shoulder-to-shoulder with Steven Marshall and the South Australian Government and Sanjeev to ensure that we continue to see the success of this project. There is a lot of work to do on all that but we believe in the future of Whyalla. It is the come-back city in the turnaround state and we look forward to that being realised in the months, in the years, in the decades ahead. We're committed to Australian industry and we have been doing that, whether it is our anti-dumping laws that we've put in place. We haven't been talking, we've been doing when it comes to what has been necessary here in Whyalla, making sure the support was there to make sure we could get to this day and we will get from this day to the next day with that same attitude of just getting on with it and doing it. Thanks very much.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, is it a potential concern with so much foreign investment, we've seen various people make presentations today, is that a sovereign risk in some was for Whyalla and Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't believe so at all and I approved Sanjeev's application as Treasurer at the time. I mean, Australia has always drawn capital from overseas for over 200 years. We've always had an excess of opportunities over investment capital in this country. That has always been the case, and we have the strongest rules in place you could imagine to ensure that any investment is happening in the national interest. And transforming the Whyalla steelworks - I could not think of something more in the national interest than that to secure the future of this city and the workers and the families and the community that live here.
JOURNALIST: That was a last-gasp rescue mission…
PRIME MINISTER: No, it was an investment in Whyalla's future by somebody who believes passionately in it. That’s what it was. And when I see someone who wants to do that, why wouldn't you want to back them in?
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did today’s announcement by My Gupta also reinforce that renewables are the way forward for Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well there is always a mix and we support renewables, obviously, and we've been the supporter of the projects like the pumped hydro project, we stepped in on that several years ago. It is not a choice between them. You actually have to embrace both. They're all part of the energy mix. But it's important to realise that you continue to need reliable power supply, not just intermittent supply to ensure the future of Australia’s industry. And Labor's 45% emissions reduction target, as the Business Council of Australia has said, is an economy-wrecking target. I mean, we have a sensible target, it's 26 per cent, we’re going to meet it in 2030. We've met Kyoto 1, we’re going to meet Kyoto 2 and that is recognised. But you have to be sensible about it and get the balance in this right. We've got sensible emissions reduction targets, we’ve got $15 billion of investment going into renewable power right now, so there is no shortage of that investment going in and you know what the great thing about it is? It no longer needs, into the future, the high-cost subsidies that it used to. It is actually making sense all on its own as an economically viable investment. That's where you want these things to get to. You want them to stand on their own two feet, so how good is that? So a combination of renewables and reliable power generation, sensible emissions reductions targets, meeting our environmental commitments, that is the package we're offering and have always offered.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we wouldn't let a Chinese company build our 5G network, so are there any security concerns with letting a Chinese company building possibly the world’s largest steel plant?
PRIME MINISTER: No.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you have any message for the people of Whyalla who have been waiting a long time to see some investments like these here in the town?
PRIME MINISTER: Congratulations and thanks for keeping the faith in Whyalla and to be hanging in there. We have been hanging in there with you. I mean, this has been one of the most difficult periods in Whyalla's history, these last three to five years, and they've had strong support from our Government, they have had strong support from the Marshall Government, they've had strong support from investors now coming in and seeing the potential. And it just goes to show, you know, the comeback can happen and they've stuck in there, and if you believe in it passionately and you know what you are on about and you believe in the future you are trying to create, well then that comeback is always possible and that's what we keep believing in for Whyalla and that's what Stephen has brought to the state of South Australia. I remember before the state election, I remember the doom and gloom that sat around the business community here in South Australia. And everybody had written South Australia off. And under Steven Marshall, he is turning it around, and under our collective leadership here with Rowan we are turning around Whyalla and with Sanjeev coming in with the critical investments to make that happen that's why I think people in Whyalla today have every right to have a smile on their face.
JOURNALIST: After another poor poll result, is MYEFO your last chance to cut through and get your message through to people?
PRIME MINISTER: MYEFO is going to demonstrate our Government are the responsible economic managers. We promised to bring the Budget back into surplus and that's exactly what we're doing. We promised to create a stronger economy and that's exactly what we're doing. We promised to create over a million jobs and that's exactly what we've done and we promised to invest in the essential services Australians rely on whether it's hospitals, or schools or infrastructure and that's exactly what we've done. So it's around five or six months to the next election and Australians will have more than enough time to weigh up these alternatives of the higher tax, weaker economy approach of Bill Shorten, or the lower taxes and the stronger growth that pays for Medicare that is being provided by my government.
JOURNALIST: So it is not going to be the last roll of the dice then?
PRIME MINISTER: I will let commentators make up whatever stories they like. What I know is our vision for Australia is a stronger economy that pays for Medicare, that pays for hospitals, that pays for schools, that pays for the important infrastructure that Australians rely on. That's why I believe in creating a stronger economy. It's not something you put on a trophy on a shelf, it's something that actually delivers the things that Australians desperately rely on. Like affordable medicines. I mean, we saw under the Labor Government when their Budget fell to pieces they couldn't afford to list important affordable medicines on the PBS. That's what's at risk when you play around with a stronger economy which we're creating.
JOURNALIST: Can you still justify replacing Malcolm Turnbull considering you’re doing worse in the polls now than when he was there?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll let commentators go on all about that.
JOURNALIST: It’s a fair question though, isn’t it?
PRIME MINISTER: And that's one for commentators to muse on, not Prime Ministers.
JOURNALIST: You keep talking about Whyalla and South Australia being the comeback city. I’m guessing given the polls today you’re hoping for a comeback?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'll take Whyalla as my inspiration.
JOURNALIST: So is March now definitely off the table?
PRIME MINISTER: I said the Government will run its full term. I’ve never said anything different to that. I said we're bringing down a surplus Budget on 2nd of April. The first surplus Budget in 12 years. The first in 12 years. That's what a strong economy and strong economic management and strong Budget management delivers. That's why we can fund Medicare. That's why we can fund affordable medicines. That's why we can fund hospitals and schools at record levels. And that's what we'll continue to do by striving to ensure the strongest economy possible. And that stronger economy is a reality here in Whyalla because of the great investments that have been made under our Government and the Government of Steven Marshall. Thanks very much.