Media Releases
Doorstop - Rochedale South, QLD
20 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: It’s great to be here in Queensland with Premier Palaszczuk, her colleagues and the Deputy Prime Minister and our federal colleagues to be talking about a great partnership to deliver $1.3 billion of additional and brought-forward expenditure by the Commonwealth, together with over $600 million from the state government, to put a real boost into the Queensland economy. And what’s good for the Queensland economy is good for the national economy. I want to thank the Queensland Premier as well as all the other states and territories Premiers and Chief Ministers for working so closely together with the Commonwealth to identify these projects that we can bring forward, that we can put additional investment into to both create the jobs and provide the support to our economy as it goes through a difficult time globally as we go through the drought. But at the same time, to ensure that we’re getting people home sooner and safer, that we’re getting on with these important projects. Whether they are in metropolitan areas like we are here today or out in rural and regional areas where we can see the benefits of that not just in the improved infrastructure and jobs it brings, particularly for those areas that are affected by drought, but by making our rural and regional roads safer for those communities as well.
This is part of a broader program of works that we’ve been bringing together as a Commonwealth since the last election, over the last six months, which means we’ll have $3.8 billion in brought-forward and additional investment going into our national economy and $1.7 billion of that will be in just over the next 18 months alone when it comes to the bring forward that investment and a third of that is all coming here to Queensland. There are big infrastructure and transport tasks here in Queensland, and it's important that governments of whatever political persuasion work together to get these projects done on the ground.
So this is the time to get this stuff done. I appreciate the way that Premier Palaszczuk and all of the state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers have worked together collectively to do what's good for our economy, what's good for our community, to ensure safer and more efficient roads and rail infrastructure, and importantly, to provide support to regional and rural communities who are doing it so tough. So I'm going to ask the Premier to speak and the Minister speak and the Deputy Prime Minister who can talk particularly about where we've got to inland rail today and then happy to take questions. Premier.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Thanks, PM, and it's great to have the Prime Minister here in Queensland. And as I've always said, we always work best when we work together. And this is a clear signal that we can sit down, we can work through things in the best interests of the people of this great state. And I know that we want to make sure that we continue to build the economy and get people out there into work. What this money means is accelerated money, it means that we can get on with the job of making sure that we have the key infrastructure that we need right across Queensland. It's not just the South East. This package includes money across regional Queensland, whether it's Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay, the light rail on the Gold Coast, which now means we can get it shovel ready for next year, the extensions to the M1, we know how important the M1 is with 160,000 people travelling that each and every day, 210,000 down the southern end. So this is great news for Queensland. It's a great infrastructure package and I was just having coffee this morning and some people said to me, isn't it fantastic that you and the PM have got a package together for jobs for Queenslanders? And I hope that this is a sign of more things to come. I just want to thank the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Mark Bailey, everybody who's been involved in working on this. It's been a lot of work behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, it's great news for Queensland and I’m pretty proud today. Thank you.
THE HON. MARK BAILEY MP, QLD MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS: This is a massive day for Queensland. The Palaszczuk Government has advocated for infrastructure funding and the Commonwealth has listened and this is a fantastic agreement for jobs, for roads, for light rail here in Queensland. This means those two M1 interchanges there are at exit 41 and 49 are fully funded. One of the highest growth population areas in the country [inaudible] there doubling the capacity across there. And, of course, light rail on the Gold Coast. What a fantastic boon for Gold Coast residents to see the third stage from Broadbeach to Burley being fully funded across all three levels of government. I'd like to acknowledge the work of Tom Tate the Mayor of Gold Coast who has been very much a part of this agreement. This is fantastic news, but we've taken the opportunity to deal with a whole lot of things here right across Queensland, not just here in the South East. So a massive acceleration of funding into the Cape York package to seal the Peninsula development road there, to open up the Cape and to make a safer road. That means a huge amount to the Cape York community. Acceleration of over $50 million in Mackay, there are accelerations there in Cairns and Rockhampton as well. And we're doing a joint business case to do the planning work for a rail line from Salisbury down to Beaudesert into Gladstone, Yarraville so those kinds of growth areas to get the rail going there as well. So this has been a fantastic and quite widespread deal between the Commonwealth and the Palaszczuk Government. I want to thank all the federal colleagues, the Deputy Prime Minister, in particular, Michael McCormack, has worked closely with us to work our way through a lot of issues. This is an excellent deal for jobs, for infrastructure and for Queensland.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, thank you, Mark. And yes, you are right, our officers get on very well and so do we. And we need to continue to do that. Continue to do that for and on behalf of Queensland and Queenslanders. It's a big state and a big state needs big infrastructure and a big infrastructure package we are announcing today. Delighted to be here with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, of course, Mark Bailey, the Minister here with whom I've worked so closely. Also, we have a number of Queensland members, local members and ministers. But also very, very pleased, I'm here with my federal colleagues, my federal LNP colleagues, Angie Bell and Bert van Manen. I know they've campaigned and they've fought hard to make sure that we've got a better M1 motorway and I know they've fought hard to make sure that we've got the right road and rail infrastructure in place to get people to where they need to be sooner and safer. And of course, with the M1, there's many, many tradies on it at the moment. We've got the kids to school. It's now tradies turn and tradies time. And the number of utes that go up and down this busy motorway during daylight hours and indeed after hours as well. Time is money for them. They need to get where they want to be as soon as they can, as safe as they can. And the upgrades that we're announcing today are going to be enabling them to do just that. But I'm a regional member and I know how important regional infrastructure is. And as Mark Bailey has just indicated, this package also includes a number of road infrastructure upgrades for Cairns and I know Warren Entsch is going to be delighted with that. I spoke to Michelle Landry and George Christensen last night about the upgrades for the ring roads at Rockhampton and Mackay, respectively. And they were very, very pleased that we're getting on, we’re fast-tracking those projects. What we want to see is more high-vis on the ground. What we want to see is more excavators pushing dirt around. This means jobs. This means an economic boost for Queensland. Queensland needs this boost. It's all about jobs. It's all about making sure we've got the right infrastructure in the right place. I'm delighted that the Queensland Government and the Australian Government have now come to terms for the intergovernmental agreement for the inland rail, that 1,700 kilometre corridor of commerce between Melbourne and Brisbane. And I know that this package also includes money for the Port of Brisbane, but more importantly, that inland rail, the Queensland component of that $9.3 billion nation-building infrastructure is going to benefit Queensland by around $7 billion. The majority of the construction work, 7,200 workers in the construction phase alone and the majority of the benefits are going to come to Queensland. Mark Bailey knows that, I know that, the Premier and the Prime Minister know that and I'm glad we've been able to reach agreement and sign off on that important nation-building infrastructure project. Because when the inland rail was first mooted, there was going to be a $10 tonne per saving for product moving it from inland to port, then, of course, to our export markets. Well, the CSIRO has now identified that that saving could be up to $94 a tonne and indeed an average saving of $76 a tonne. So that means more money in the Queensland economy, more money for the nation and when you have more money circulating around, that creates more jobs, that creates more trade and more opportunities. So well done. I'm pleased that this package today includes money for the Cunningham, the Warrego and the Bruce Highways as well as the M1. This is a great package, not just for the metropolitan areas and south east Queensland, but indeed for regional Queensland. When regional Queensland is strong, so too is the state and when Queensland is strong, so too is our nation. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Michael. I'll ask the Premier to join me. Thanks for that geographical tour around Queensland too, mate, that was tremendous. He knows his way around, getting stuff done. Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: It seems that peace has broken out, why has it taken so long? The Palaszczuk Government has been complaining since the Budget that there’s been no federal money for infrastructure here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's been lots of federal money for infrastructure, but what we've been able to do over the last six months working together, not just with Premier Palaszczuk, but on Monday, I was standing up with Premier Marshall. We’ve painstakingly gone through this process of identifying the projects that could be brought forward, the scoping of works, the scheduling of works, the additional funds that may be required, the movement and things like material prices and things of that nature. And we've been able to arrive at this package of some $3.8 billion. So we've been working on this since the election and you don't just rush into spending $3.8 billion, spraying it around out of a hose. You actually do it carefully and you do it in consultation. And so I very much appreciate the working relationship that we've been able to proceed with to get to this announcement today. And I said, you know, around the country, it's $1.7 billion just in the next 18 months. Now, you add that to the tax cuts we put in place just after the election and the additional investment going into drought-affected communities with stimulus programmes there. That's $9.5 billion by the end of next financial year that would have gone in an extra investment in the Australian economy in a difficult time.
JOURNALIST: So is this a stimulus for a stalling economy?
PRIME MINISTER: This is investment for today with benefits for the future.
JOURNALIST: Given you’ve brought forward the infrastructure funding and Josh Frydenberg says we need to work for longer, is it time to revisit the timing of the income tax cuts?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't agree with your assessment of what Josh Frydenberg said. What Josh Frydenberg has simply said is we want people to have more opportunities in the future about how they participate in the economy. What they want to do is up to them. And we've got an ageing population in Australia and I think people living longer, being more healthy, having more options is a good thing. It's a good thing for them. It's a good thing for our economy and we want to have policies at federal and state levels that support people in the choices they want to make as they age. But our response as a government has been proportional. It's been measured. It's been careful and it's been well planned. This is no cash splash. That's what we've seen previously. What we've seen at the moment is a careful investment in the Queensland economy and the national economy at a time when the Australian Government understands the pressures that are on the economy.
JOURNALIST: Premier, last week you said the greatest threat to the Queensland economy is Scott Morrison. Do you still believe that given this is such a boost for the Queensland economy?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: There will be many tunnels.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: I'm very happy with the progress today. And look, earlier this year, the Prime Minister put out a call to states about ways in which we could fast-track infrastructure across the state. And as always, we have yearly plans. We have $49.7 billion of infrastructure planned over the next four years. We have our yearly infrastructure plan. So we're able to identify very clearly to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, key projects that we think can get underway faster and sooner. So I'm really happy with the progress and it's a good day today for Queensland. I'm not going to shy away from that.
JOURNALIST: So there's been progress on the roads today, but how about with the hospital? There’s billions of dollars waiting there, are you willing to [inaudible] resolution? Premier, why won’t you sign onto the deal to get the…
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: No, no, no, we’re very close to signing that. I think that's a matter of days away as well. And I've indicated that previously that we were keen to get that done as quickly as possible so I don’t have any problems there.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just back on Josh Frydenberg’s comments…
PRIME MINISTER: Before we moved to more general issues, I'm going to hold a more general federal press conference after this. At the moment, we're going to just stay on the infrastructure. The Premier is going to hold one as well so we can deal with, I'm sure, the many other things you'd like to raise.
JOURNALIST: Can you clarify if every state will have projects brought forward or get new funding as well?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes. They've all got brought forward or additional investment coming over the forward estimates.
JOURNALIST: How will you ensure that money is not wasted and you won’t run into capacity constraints with all the money going into these projects?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's been the process we've been working through. See, if we’d just rush to these announcements and hadn't worked through them, then you put these projects at greater risk of exactly what you're saying. So we've worked carefully with the state government and at the end of the day, it's the state government that manages the delivery of these projects. And so we listened carefully to their advice and what they believe is possible over this timeframe and to support them in those decisions, to roll these projects out on the ground. So we're backing the work that has been done to assess these projects and obviously, it's a matter for the Queensland Government to deliver them on the ground.
JOURNALIST: Premier, do you feel your stubbornness, I suppose, in holding out for another deal has resulted in what is more money for Queensland?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: In terms of signing up for the inland rail?
JOURNALIST: Yeah.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Look, no, I actually think that we were very clear with the fact that we believe that there should be a fair share of funding coming into Queensland for infrastructure. And like I said, a total package today of $1.9 billion which will mean accelerated works and jobs for Queenslanders. You know, it's great news.
JOURNALIST: Premier, a few weeks ago you said that you were open to discussing with the Prime Minister a smaller version of the Bradfield Scheme. Have you had any conversations around that?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: No, we haven’t done that at the moment. Our department is still doing some work on that at the moment.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you considered or are you contributing to the Queensland bid for the Olympics?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we're putting from memory it was $15 million dollars to support the bid operation, it's not called a bid anymore. But the actual organisation that will come together to manage that process with the IOC and Ted O’Brien, who's been my representative here in Queensland, has been working very closely with the Premier on that project. They were recently overseas pursuing that with the IOC and I think that relationship is working really well. We’ve got a little bit more work to do, which we know before the end of the year. And I think that's progressing well. I think it'd be great for Brisbane, I think it'd be great for Queensland, it’d be great for Australia. Coming from the state that last hosted the Olympics in Australia, it was certainly good for Sydney. And the state government took the lead on it back then and the state government will take the lead on it here.
JOURNALIST: Do you need a confirmation on the number of dollars from the Federal Government and are you still on track for a before Christmas announcement?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: So we’re doing the value assessment at the moment. We expect to take that to cabinet before the end of the year and we have another meeting tomorrow with Ted O'Brien, John Coates and other representatives and there has been great cooperation at all levels of government in relation to this and I think it's been a very clear signal about the Olympics that it does need all levels of government to cooperate, and that's what we are seeing. So I'm very positive at this stage.
JOURNALIST: Just on the inland rail, has the intergovernmental agreement been signed? Is that what today is about?
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, two things there. I've got it in my briefcase and if Mark wants to sign it today, I'll happily give him a pen. But otherwise, we were going to do an official signing at Toowoomba in a couple of weeks, weren’t we Mark? So I look forward to getting his autograph then.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just one some other questions…
PRIME MINISTER: Ok, we might move to other things. Thanks very much, Annastacia.
JOURNALIST: Tim Weeks, do you when he will be coming back to Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, he is currently obviously going through his various health checks and other assessments in a safe place. Tim's in a safe place. He's out and he's coming home and we look forward to that very, very much. Again, I want to thank the leadership in Afghanistan. I want to thank the President of the United States, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and all of those who've been working on this for a very long time. And the fact that Tim and Mr King will be actually coming home to their respective countries, I think, is a great relief. And it just goes to show that if you stick at these things and you work at it quietly, you don't seek to showboat around this stuff, that you can get good outcomes for people. It's not always guaranteed. There are tremendous risks. And what has been able to be achieved here with Professor Weeks I think is just tremendous. And I couldn't be more thrilled. The Foreign Minister spoke to Tim's family, it was overnight I think, and they are just rapt and very grateful.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: And given the fact that he has very close connections to Wagga Wagga, I'm delighted as my hometown and I know all Wagga Wagga is celebrating today the freedom, the safety of Timothy Weeks. Well done to everybody who helped make that happen.
JOURNALIST: Just out in the Pacific, there’s a huge measles problem. Are you concerned about what’s going on there in Samoa in particular?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, these are things we'll take advice on from our office of the Pacific and our Post. And we have always been able to respond and assist our Pacific family and friends when it comes to difficult health challenges and things of this nature. So there are established practices and procedures in place for that and we'll be following those as normal.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, I understand Westpac is being prosecuted for some sort of part in money laundering. Are you disappointed by that?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm appalled. I'm absolutely appalled. But what it also shows is two things - the banks need to keep lifting their game, but it also shows that our cop on the beat, AUSTRAC, is doing their job. Just as it was with the CommBank, just as has been again with Westpac. And, you know, they've just got to lift their game on this stuff. And the other thing they've got to do is, you know, they've got to keep supporting whether it's first home buyers or other home buyers or small businesses and others. All of this is not a leave pass to pull up the drawbridge in terms of the credit extension into the Australian economy. We're here today with a big vote of confidence in the Queensland and the Australian economy with a $3.8 billion investment nationally and a $1.3 billion investment here in Queensland. I'm optimistic about the Australian economy. Our economy is outperforming so many of our competitors in other developed nations around the world. You've got countries like Germany who have had negative quarters, Singapore and so on. And here is Australia battling against those headwinds and battling better than others. So I think Australians have reason to be optimistic and we are an optimistic government when it comes to the economy. And that's why we're making the structural investments that we're putting in place. We are investing in Australian aspiration and we're investing in that irrepressible optimism that I know Australians have about their future.
JOURNALIST: AUSTRAC found that Westpac had failed due diligence on transactions in the Philippines and South East Asia. Do you have any concerns that they may be taking part or helping to facilitate exploitation in those areas?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, these are sensitive matters, they're matters that will be before the courts. And so I'm not going to make any other observations other than what I've just done. I think that's the responsible thing to do in these cases. Obviously, it's appalling and distressing. The banks need to lift their game. But they also need to keep doing the lifting in terms of the vital channel of financial support that they provide to the economy, both with small and medium-sized businesses as well as with those in the housing market. Two-thirds of the Australian economy is not the government. It's actually the private sector and that's where we want to see the investment. And I know small and medium-sized businesses are wanting to be out there, taking advantage of things like the instant asset write off, the lower tax rates we've put in place, the quicker payment times we've put in place for small business contractors. I mean, if they're on digital payment systems now, they'll get paid in five days by the government. So these things are backing small and medium-sized businesses and we want to see the financial sector similarly doing that. So these events are not an excuse to keep doing the heavy lifting on that side of the economy, but it is a fairly damning indictment about some of the processes and procedures they've had in place.
Just quickly, last time you were here in Brisbane you were flagging those new laws about businesses boycotting other businesses. Has there been any headway with the legislation?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I said that we're working through those issues carefully. We support the right to protest. We also support the right for consumers to do what they ever want to do individually. I think the way that that's been characterised has been deliberately misleading. What we want to make sure is that decent, hardworking Australians working in small and medium-sized businesses here in Queensland, in particular, are not discriminated against because of the nature of the great work they do and the jobs they create. Thanks very much.
Doorstop interview
20 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: It’s great to be here in Queensland with Premier Palaszczuk, her colleagues and the Deputy Prime Minister and our federal colleagues to be talking about a great partnership to deliver $1.3 billion of additional and brought-forward expenditure by the Commonwealth, together with over $600 million from the state government, to put a real boost into the Queensland economy. And what’s good for the Queensland economy is good for the national economy. I want to thank the Queensland Premier as well as all the other states and territories Premiers and Chief Ministers for working so closely together with the Commonwealth to identify these projects that we can bring forward, that we can put additional investment into to both create the jobs and provide the support to our economy as it goes through a difficult time globally as we go through the drought. But at the same time, to ensure that we’re getting people home sooner and safer, that we’re getting on with these important projects. Whether they are in metropolitan areas like we are here today or out in rural and regional areas where we can see the benefits of that not just in the improved infrastructure and jobs it brings, particularly for those areas that are affected by drought, but by making our rural and regional roads safer for those communities as well.
This is part of a broader program of works that we’ve been bringing together as a Commonwealth since the last election, over the last six months, which means we’ll have $3.8 billion in brought-forward and additional investment going into our national economy and $1.7 billion of that will be in just over the next 18 months alone when it comes to the bring forward that investment and a third of that is all coming here to Queensland. There are big infrastructure and transport tasks here in Queensland, and it's important that governments of whatever political persuasion work together to get these projects done on the ground.
So this is the time to get this stuff done. I appreciate the way that Premier Palaszczuk and all of the state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers have worked together collectively to do what's good for our economy, what's good for our community, to ensure safer and more efficient roads and rail infrastructure, and importantly, to provide support to regional and rural communities who are doing it so tough. So I'm going to ask the Premier to speak and the Minister speak and the Deputy Prime Minister who can talk particularly about where we've got to inland rail today and then happy to take questions. Premier.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Thanks, PM, and it's great to have the Prime Minister here in Queensland. And as I've always said, we always work best when we work together. And this is a clear signal that we can sit down, we can work through things in the best interests of the people of this great state. And I know that we want to make sure that we continue to build the economy and get people out there into work. What this money means is accelerated money, it means that we can get on with the job of making sure that we have the key infrastructure that we need right across Queensland. It's not just the South East. This package includes money across regional Queensland, whether it's Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay, the light rail on the Gold Coast, which now means we can get it shovel ready for next year, the extensions to the M1, we know how important the M1 is with 160,000 people travelling that each and every day, 210,000 down the southern end. So this is great news for Queensland. It's a great infrastructure package and I was just having coffee this morning and some people said to me, isn't it fantastic that you and the PM have got a package together for jobs for Queenslanders? And I hope that this is a sign of more things to come. I just want to thank the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Mark Bailey, everybody who's been involved in working on this. It's been a lot of work behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, it's great news for Queensland and I’m pretty proud today. Thank you.
THE HON. MARK BAILEY MP, QLD MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS: This is a massive day for Queensland. The Palaszczuk Government has advocated for infrastructure funding and the Commonwealth has listened and this is a fantastic agreement for jobs, for roads, for light rail here in Queensland. This means those two M1 interchanges there are at exit 41 and 49 are fully funded. One of the highest growth population areas in the country [inaudible] there doubling the capacity across there. And, of course, light rail on the Gold Coast. What a fantastic boon for Gold Coast residents to see the third stage from Broadbeach to Burley being fully funded across all three levels of government. I'd like to acknowledge the work of Tom Tate the Mayor of Gold Coast who has been very much a part of this agreement. This is fantastic news, but we've taken the opportunity to deal with a whole lot of things here right across Queensland, not just here in the South East. So a massive acceleration of funding into the Cape York package to seal the Peninsula development road there, to open up the Cape and to make a safer road. That means a huge amount to the Cape York community. Acceleration of over $50 million in Mackay, there are accelerations there in Cairns and Rockhampton as well. And we're doing a joint business case to do the planning work for a rail line from Salisbury down to Beaudesert into Gladstone, Yarraville so those kinds of growth areas to get the rail going there as well. So this has been a fantastic and quite widespread deal between the Commonwealth and the Palaszczuk Government. I want to thank all the federal colleagues, the Deputy Prime Minister, in particular, Michael McCormack, has worked closely with us to work our way through a lot of issues. This is an excellent deal for jobs, for infrastructure and for Queensland.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, thank you, Mark. And yes, you are right, our officers get on very well and so do we. And we need to continue to do that. Continue to do that for and on behalf of Queensland and Queenslanders. It's a big state and a big state needs big infrastructure and a big infrastructure package we are announcing today. Delighted to be here with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, of course, Mark Bailey, the Minister here with whom I've worked so closely. Also, we have a number of Queensland members, local members and ministers. But also very, very pleased, I'm here with my federal colleagues, my federal LNP colleagues, Angie Bell and Bert van Manen. I know they've campaigned and they've fought hard to make sure that we've got a better M1 motorway and I know they've fought hard to make sure that we've got the right road and rail infrastructure in place to get people to where they need to be sooner and safer. And of course, with the M1, there's many, many tradies on it at the moment. We've got the kids to school. It's now tradies turn and tradies time. And the number of utes that go up and down this busy motorway during daylight hours and indeed after hours as well. Time is money for them. They need to get where they want to be as soon as they can, as safe as they can. And the upgrades that we're announcing today are going to be enabling them to do just that. But I'm a regional member and I know how important regional infrastructure is. And as Mark Bailey has just indicated, this package also includes a number of road infrastructure upgrades for Cairns and I know Warren Entsch is going to be delighted with that. I spoke to Michelle Landry and George Christensen last night about the upgrades for the ring roads at Rockhampton and Mackay, respectively. And they were very, very pleased that we're getting on, we’re fast-tracking those projects. What we want to see is more high-vis on the ground. What we want to see is more excavators pushing dirt around. This means jobs. This means an economic boost for Queensland. Queensland needs this boost. It's all about jobs. It's all about making sure we've got the right infrastructure in the right place. I'm delighted that the Queensland Government and the Australian Government have now come to terms for the intergovernmental agreement for the inland rail, that 1,700 kilometre corridor of commerce between Melbourne and Brisbane. And I know that this package also includes money for the Port of Brisbane, but more importantly, that inland rail, the Queensland component of that $9.3 billion nation-building infrastructure is going to benefit Queensland by around $7 billion. The majority of the construction work, 7,200 workers in the construction phase alone and the majority of the benefits are going to come to Queensland. Mark Bailey knows that, I know that, the Premier and the Prime Minister know that and I'm glad we've been able to reach agreement and sign off on that important nation-building infrastructure project. Because when the inland rail was first mooted, there was going to be a $10 tonne per saving for product moving it from inland to port, then, of course, to our export markets. Well, the CSIRO has now identified that that saving could be up to $94 a tonne and indeed an average saving of $76 a tonne. So that means more money in the Queensland economy, more money for the nation and when you have more money circulating around, that creates more jobs, that creates more trade and more opportunities. So well done. I'm pleased that this package today includes money for the Cunningham, the Warrego and the Bruce Highways as well as the M1. This is a great package, not just for the metropolitan areas and south east Queensland, but indeed for regional Queensland. When regional Queensland is strong, so too is the state and when Queensland is strong, so too is our nation. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Michael. I'll ask the Premier to join me. Thanks for that geographical tour around Queensland too, mate, that was tremendous. He knows his way around, getting stuff done. Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: It seems that peace has broken out, why has it taken so long? The Palaszczuk Government has been complaining since the Budget that there’s been no federal money for infrastructure here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's been lots of federal money for infrastructure, but what we've been able to do over the last six months working together, not just with Premier Palaszczuk, but on Monday, I was standing up with Premier Marshall. We’ve painstakingly gone through this process of identifying the projects that could be brought forward, the scoping of works, the scheduling of works, the additional funds that may be required, the movement and things like material prices and things of that nature. And we've been able to arrive at this package of some $3.8 billion. So we've been working on this since the election and you don't just rush into spending $3.8 billion, spraying it around out of a hose. You actually do it carefully and you do it in consultation. And so I very much appreciate the working relationship that we've been able to proceed with to get to this announcement today. And I said, you know, around the country, it's $1.7 billion just in the next 18 months. Now, you add that to the tax cuts we put in place just after the election and the additional investment going into drought-affected communities with stimulus programmes there. That's $9.5 billion by the end of next financial year that would have gone in an extra investment in the Australian economy in a difficult time.
JOURNALIST: So is this a stimulus for a stalling economy?
PRIME MINISTER: This is investment for today with benefits for the future.
JOURNALIST: Given you’ve brought forward the infrastructure funding and Josh Frydenberg says we need to work for longer, is it time to revisit the timing of the income tax cuts?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't agree with your assessment of what Josh Frydenberg said. What Josh Frydenberg has simply said is we want people to have more opportunities in the future about how they participate in the economy. What they want to do is up to them. And we've got an ageing population in Australia and I think people living longer, being more healthy, having more options is a good thing. It's a good thing for them. It's a good thing for our economy and we want to have policies at federal and state levels that support people in the choices they want to make as they age. But our response as a government has been proportional. It's been measured. It's been careful and it's been well planned. This is no cash splash. That's what we've seen previously. What we've seen at the moment is a careful investment in the Queensland economy and the national economy at a time when the Australian Government understands the pressures that are on the economy.
JOURNALIST: Premier, last week you said the greatest threat to the Queensland economy is Scott Morrison. Do you still believe that given this is such a boost for the Queensland economy?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: There will be many tunnels.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: I'm very happy with the progress today. And look, earlier this year, the Prime Minister put out a call to states about ways in which we could fast-track infrastructure across the state. And as always, we have yearly plans. We have $49.7 billion of infrastructure planned over the next four years. We have our yearly infrastructure plan. So we're able to identify very clearly to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, key projects that we think can get underway faster and sooner. So I'm really happy with the progress and it's a good day today for Queensland. I'm not going to shy away from that.
JOURNALIST: So there's been progress on the roads today, but how about with the hospital? There’s billions of dollars waiting there, are you willing to [inaudible] resolution? Premier, why won’t you sign onto the deal to get the…
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: No, no, no, we’re very close to signing that. I think that's a matter of days away as well. And I've indicated that previously that we were keen to get that done as quickly as possible so I don’t have any problems there.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just back on Josh Frydenberg’s comments…
PRIME MINISTER: Before we moved to more general issues, I'm going to hold a more general federal press conference after this. At the moment, we're going to just stay on the infrastructure. The Premier is going to hold one as well so we can deal with, I'm sure, the many other things you'd like to raise.
JOURNALIST: Can you clarify if every state will have projects brought forward or get new funding as well?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes. They've all got brought forward or additional investment coming over the forward estimates.
JOURNALIST: How will you ensure that money is not wasted and you won’t run into capacity constraints with all the money going into these projects?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's been the process we've been working through. See, if we’d just rush to these announcements and hadn't worked through them, then you put these projects at greater risk of exactly what you're saying. So we've worked carefully with the state government and at the end of the day, it's the state government that manages the delivery of these projects. And so we listened carefully to their advice and what they believe is possible over this timeframe and to support them in those decisions, to roll these projects out on the ground. So we're backing the work that has been done to assess these projects and obviously, it's a matter for the Queensland Government to deliver them on the ground.
JOURNALIST: Premier, do you feel your stubbornness, I suppose, in holding out for another deal has resulted in what is more money for Queensland?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: In terms of signing up for the inland rail?
JOURNALIST: Yeah.
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Look, no, I actually think that we were very clear with the fact that we believe that there should be a fair share of funding coming into Queensland for infrastructure. And like I said, a total package today of $1.9 billion which will mean accelerated works and jobs for Queenslanders. You know, it's great news.
JOURNALIST: Premier, a few weeks ago you said that you were open to discussing with the Prime Minister a smaller version of the Bradfield Scheme. Have you had any conversations around that?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: No, we haven’t done that at the moment. Our department is still doing some work on that at the moment.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you considered or are you contributing to the Queensland bid for the Olympics?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, we're putting from memory it was $15 million dollars to support the bid operation, it's not called a bid anymore. But the actual organisation that will come together to manage that process with the IOC and Ted O’Brien, who's been my representative here in Queensland, has been working very closely with the Premier on that project. They were recently overseas pursuing that with the IOC and I think that relationship is working really well. We’ve got a little bit more work to do, which we know before the end of the year. And I think that's progressing well. I think it'd be great for Brisbane, I think it'd be great for Queensland, it’d be great for Australia. Coming from the state that last hosted the Olympics in Australia, it was certainly good for Sydney. And the state government took the lead on it back then and the state government will take the lead on it here.
JOURNALIST: Do you need a confirmation on the number of dollars from the Federal Government and are you still on track for a before Christmas announcement?
THE HON ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: So we’re doing the value assessment at the moment. We expect to take that to cabinet before the end of the year and we have another meeting tomorrow with Ted O'Brien, John Coates and other representatives and there has been great cooperation at all levels of government in relation to this and I think it's been a very clear signal about the Olympics that it does need all levels of government to cooperate, and that's what we are seeing. So I'm very positive at this stage.
JOURNALIST: Just on the inland rail, has the intergovernmental agreement been signed? Is that what today is about?
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, two things there. I've got it in my briefcase and if Mark wants to sign it today, I'll happily give him a pen. But otherwise, we were going to do an official signing at Toowoomba in a couple of weeks, weren’t we Mark? So I look forward to getting his autograph then.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just one some other questions…
PRIME MINISTER: Ok, we might we might move to other things. Thanks very much, Annastacia.
JOURNALIST: Tim Weeks, do you when he will be coming back to Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, he is currently obviously going through his various health checks and other assessments in a safe place. Tim's in a safe place. He's out and he's coming home and we look forward to that very, very much. Again, I want to thank the leadership in Afghanistan. I want to thank the President of the United States, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and all of those who've been working on this for a very long time. And the fact that Tim and Mr King will be actually coming home to their respective countries, I think, is a great relief. And it just goes to show that if you stick at these things and you work at it quietly, you don't seek to showboat around this stuff, that you can get good outcomes for people. It's not always guaranteed. There are tremendous risks. And what has been able to be achieved here with Professor Weeks I think is just tremendous. And I couldn't be more thrilled. The Foreign Minister spoke to Tim's family, it was overnight I think, and they are just rapt and very grateful.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: And given the fact that he has very close connections to Wagga Wagga, I'm delighted as my hometown and I know all Wagga Wagga is celebrating today the freedom, the safety of Timothy Weeks. Well done to everybody who helped make that happen.
JOURNALIST: Just out in the Pacific, there’s a huge measles problem. Are you concerned about what’s going on there in Samoa in particular?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, these are things we'll take advice on from our office of the Pacific and our Post. And we have always been able to respond and assist our Pacific family and friends when it comes to difficult health challenges and things of this nature. So there are established practices and procedures in place for that and we'll be following those as normal.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, I understand Westpac is being prosecuted for some sort of part in money laundering. Are you disappointed by that?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm appalled. I'm absolutely appalled. But what it also shows is two things - the banks need to keep lifting their game, but it also shows that our cop on the beat, AUSTRAC, is doing their job. Just as it was with the CommBank, just as has been again with Westpac. And, you know, they've just got to lift their game on this stuff. And the other thing they've got to do is, you know, they've got to keep supporting whether it's first home buyers or other home buyers or small businesses and others. All of this is not a leave pass to pull up the drawbridge in terms of the credit extension into the Australian economy. We're here today with a big vote of confidence in the Queensland and the Australian economy with a $3.8 billion investment nationally and a $1.3 billion investment here in Queensland. I'm optimistic about the Australian economy. Our economy is outperforming so many of our competitors in other developed nations around the world. You've got countries like Germany who have had negative quarters, Singapore and so on. And here is Australia battling against those headwinds and battling better than others. So I think Australians have reason to be optimistic and we are an optimistic government when it comes to the economy. And that's why we're making the structural investments that we're putting in place. We are investing in Australian aspiration and we're investing in that irrepressible optimism that I know Australians have about their future.
JOURNALIST: AUSTRAC found that Westpac had failed due diligence on transactions in the Philippines and South East Asia. Do you have any concerns that they may be taking part or helping to facilitate exploitation in those areas?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, these are sensitive matters, they're matters that will be before the courts. And so I'm not going to make any other observations other than what I've just done. I think that's the responsible thing to do in these cases. Obviously, it's appalling and distressing. The banks need to lift their game. But they also need to keep doing the lifting in terms of the vital channel of financial support that they provide to the economy, both with small and medium-sized businesses as well as with those in the housing market. Two-thirds of the Australian economy is not the government. It's actually the private sector and that's where we want to see the investment. And I know small and medium-sized businesses are wanting to be out there, taking advantage of things like the instant asset write off, the lower tax rates we've put in place, the quicker payment times we've put in place for small business contractors. I mean, if they're on digital payment systems now, they'll get paid in five days by the government. So these things are backing small and medium-sized businesses and we want to see the financial sector similarly doing that. So these events are not an excuse to keep doing the heavy lifting on that side of the economy, but it is a fairly damning indictment about some of the processes and procedures they've had in place.
Just quickly, last time you were here in Brisbane you were flagging those new laws about businesses boycotting other businesses. Has there been any headway with the legislation?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I said that we're working through those issues carefully. We support the right to protest. We also support the right for consumers to do what they ever want to do individually. I think the way that that's been characterised has been deliberately misleading. What we want to make sure is that decent, hardworking Australians working in small and medium-sized businesses here in Queensland in particular are not discriminated against because of the nature of the great work they do and the jobs they create. Thanks very much.
Additional funding for congestion-busting M1 exit upgrades
20 November 2019
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure
The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government has put commuter safety and reducing congestion at the forefront of its infrastructure agenda by announcing it will contribute an additional $46.3 million to upgrade the M1 Pacific Motorway at Exits 41 and 49.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government had committed $96.3 million to upgrade both exits under the $4 billion nationwide Urban Congestion Fund.
“Today’s announcement is another example of this Government working to bust congestion and deliver safer roads,” the Prime Minister said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government is committed to bringing forward projects that will have a significant benefit to communities, especially those in regional areas.
“This critical infrastructure will provide job opportunities to local trades throughout construction and when complete will ensure people get to and from their destination sooner and safer,” Mr McCormack said.
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the Government was tackling road network pinch points across South East Queensland and beyond under the Urban Congestion Fund.
“This is about busting congestion on key routes like the M1 Pacific Motorway here in Queensland, reducing the time people are spending stuck in traffic and improving road network reliability by addressing local bottlenecks,” Mr Tudge said.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the additional funding would cut travel times and make access to and from the M1 safer and easier.
“The Exit 41 and Exit 49 projects will complement other investments along the M1 Pacific Motorway including the Pacific Motorway–Gateway Motorway Merge and between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill,” Mr Bailey said.
Federal Member for Forde Bert van Manen said thanks to these critical upgrades, people in his electorate of Forde would spend less time in traffic and more time with their families.
“Exit 41 – Yatala South intersection and Exit 49 – Pimpama intersection often experience heavy commuter traffic, and by upgrading these exits we will bust congestion and keep Queenslanders moving,” Mr van Manen said.
Federal Member for Fadden Stuart Robert said the Australian Government was committed to ensuring the joint investment would deliver on the project’s key objectives.
“I am pleased to be able to move ahead on delivering these priority upgrades that are critical to the economic productivity of Queensland,” Mr Robert said.
The Pacific Motorway – Gateway Motorway Merge is under construction and expected to be completed in mid-2020. Construction of the Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill upgrade is expected to start in mid-2020.
Infrastructure to boost jobs and bust congestion
20 November 2019
Prime Minister, Premier of Western Australia, Minister for Finance, Senator for Western Australia, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, WA Minister for Transport
The WA economy will receive a $940 million boost from additional Federal and State infrastructure funding over the next four years.
A $868 million injection of Federal funding will increase total federal infrastructure investment in Western Australia from about $4.5 billion to about $5.4 billion over the next four years.
The Morrison and McGowan Governments have been working together to get more projects underway to drive jobs, strengthen the economy and get people home sooner and safer.
In addition, the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments have announced a new round of road and METRONET projects in Perth and surrounds to further bust congestion, boost jobs and improve safety.
More than $200 million in Federal and State contributions will fund six projects including the widening of Mitchell Freeway southbound between Hodges Drive and Hepburn Avenue and construction of a new METRONET station at Lakelands on the Mandurah rail line.
The latest package of works will generate around 1,000 jobs, adding to the thousands of other jobs being created by other WA infrastructure projects that are either under construction or in the pipeline.
The State Government highlighted what existing projects needed a bring forward of funding to meet the State Government’s ambitious timeframes for construction.
At the same time both Governments have progressed a number of congestion-busting road and METRONET projects in and around Perth, boosting employment and improving road network safety.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the eight existing projects where funding has been brought forward would help drive jobs and the economy, and deliver the roads and rail WA needed to help bust congestion.
“With $817 million in additional federal funding being injected into these eight projects over the current forward estimates period we’re focused on getting people to work and home sooner and safer while also boosting WA’s economy,” the Prime Minister said.
“We’re delivering this package of critical road and rail projects sooner as part of our $100 billion pipeline which forms a key plank of our plan for a stronger economy.”
Premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan said the new package of works will generate around 1,000 jobs, adding to the thousands of other jobs being created by other WA infrastructure projects that are either under construction or in the pipeline.
“We’re already embarking on the biggest road and rail building program WA has ever seen,” Mr McGowan said.
“This new agreement with the Commonwealth comes on top of the almost 500 road and METRONET projects currently underway or in the pipeline – when complete it will be an unprecedented transformation of our transport network.
“My Government’s number one priority is local jobs – this new infrastructure package will create more WA jobs and more opportunities for local businesses.
“The bringing forward of funding by the Commonwealth also ensures that the State Government can get on with building the projects.”
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said that this package again demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure WA gets its fair share in federal infrastructure investment to boost growth, create more jobs while improving road safety and busting congestion.
“Since 2013, the Federal Government has committed more than $13.5 billion in additional federal infrastructure funding to support projects across Western Australia.
“Our Government is focused on delivering projects which deliver real benefits to Western Australians, whether it’s upgrading the Great Northern Highway and Apple Street intersection ensuring better safety for motorists or improving commuter congestion on the Mandurah rail line.
“The package of works will significantly benefit all West Australians now and in the future,” Senator Cormann said.
“These projects guarantee work for local trades and keep money flowing through local businesses throughout the construction phase and beyond.”
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said starting construction on $430 million worth of Urban Congestion Fund projects across Perth was a top priority.
“This string of Urban Congestion Fund projects will bust congestion to save WA commuters and business precious time and money,” Mr Tudge said.
“We also want to improve the overall safety and capacity of Perth’s freeway system, which is why projects like the Mitchell Freeway widening, due to be completed in 2021, are crucial.”
From 2014 to 2018 there were 560 crashes on this freeway including one fatality and 126 crashes in which people required medical attention.
Western Australian Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti said this is a significant undertaking by both governments to add to the existing pipeline of road and rail works across the State.
“The package of works has something for Perth’s northern, eastern and southern suburbs which are all experiencing significant population growth,” Ms Saffioti said.
“These road and rail projects will join a long pipeline of other major infrastructure developments such as METRONET that will create local jobs and set the foundation for our economy to grow.
“The State Government put forward an ambitious timeframe for the existing projects and we’re working hard to get new contracts underway, as soon as possible, including having to work through Federal environmental processes.”
The McGowan Government is committed to building Karnup Station, and with 80 per cent of funding on offer from the Commonwealth for Lakelands Station, the State Government has also agreed to progress with the construction of Lakelands.
Senator Cormann also pointed out that in the Perth’s Hills, two intersections connecting Great Eastern Highway and Old Northam Road – one in Sawyers Valley and one in Wooroloo - will be upgraded to improve safety.
“These upgrades, worth $14.4 million, will create 70 jobs and reduce the risk of serious crashes,” Senator Cormann said.
“A new roundabout at the intersection of the Great Northern Highway and Apple Street in Upper Swan will improve safety and help reduce congestion as population in the area continues to grow.
“Seed funding of $2.5 million has also been provided to plan a full grade separation at the intersection of Reid Highway and Erindale Road in Balcatta. The resulting planning will enable both governments to consider future investment to build the new interchange.”
New infrastructure projects:
Mitchell Freeway (Hodges Drive to Hepburn Avenue) Widening southbound
Cost estimate: $76 million
Jobs created: 530
Funding spilt: $38 million Federal, $38 million State
Lakelands Station (Mandurah Line)
Cost estimate: $80 million
Jobs created: 200
Funding spilt: $64 million Federal, $16 million State
Great Northern Highway (Apple Street) Intersection Upgrade
Cost estimate: $14 million
Jobs created: 90
Funding spilt: $7 million Federal, $7 million State/City of Swan/private sector
Wanneroo Road (Morley Drive) Intersection Upgrade
Cost estimate: $15 million
Jobs created: 90
Funding spilt: $7.5 million Federal, $7.5 million State
Great Eastern Highway (Old Northam Road) upgrade two intersections at Wooroloo and at Sawyers Valley
Cost estimate: $14.375 million
Jobs created: 70
Funding spilt: $11.5 million Federal, $2.875 million State
Reid Highway (Erindale Road) project development for grade separation
Cost estimate: $2.5 million (seed funding)
Jobs created: TBA
Funding spilt: $2 million Federal, $0.5 million State
Project funding brought forward:
$283.6 million for the Bunbury Outer Ring Road
Funding to flow immediately from this financial year over the next four financial years to enable the commencement of works in early 2021 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $681.6 million ($283.6 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $170.4 million
$82.8 million for the Albany Ring Road
Funding to flow over the next four financial years to enable the commencement of works in late 2020 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2021-22
Australian Government contribution to the project is $140 million ($82.8 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $35 million
$36.2 million for the Alice Springs to Halls Creek Corridor Upgrade
Funding to flow immediately and over the next six financial years to enable the commencement of works in 2020 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $75 million ($36.2 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $18.75 million
$16 million for the Fremantle Traffic Bridge
Funding to flow over the next five financial years to enable the commencement of works in 2021 after previously being allocated beyond 2021-22
Australian Government contribution to the project is $115 million ($16 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $115 million
$156.7 million for the Karratha to Tom Price Corridor
Funding to flow immediately and over the next six financial years as construction on Stage 3 is already underway after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $248 million ($156.7 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $62 million
$40.8 million for the Newman to Katherine Corridor Upgrade
Funding to flow immediately and over the next four financial years to enable the commencement of works by 2020 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $70 million ($40.8 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $17.5 million
$40.8 million for Port Augusta to Perth Corridor
Funding to flow immediately and over the next three financial years to enable the commencement of works in 2020 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $50 million ($40.8 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $12.5 million
$159.9 million for Tonkin Highway Gap
Funding to flow immediately to enable the commencement of works in mid-2020 after the majority of funding previously being allocated beyond 2021-22
Australian Government contribution to the project is $232 million ($159.9 million brought forward)
Western Australian Government contribution to the project is $58 million
Today
20 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
DEBORAH KNIGHT: Live from Brisbane, from the River City, good morning to you, PM.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day, Deb.
KNIGHT: Now, before we look at the infrastructure spend, I want to ask you about the release of Australian Professor Tim Weeks, held hostage by the Taliban for more than three years. An enormous relief for his family, knowing he's being freed. Is he in good health?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, Marise Payne, the Foreign Minister, has been in touch with the family today. He's obviously undergoing all those assessments now that he's in a safe place and so far, the reports are good. But obviously, it's been a very traumatic time for him and Mr King and we're just very grateful to the fantastic work of the United States, in particular, President Trump and Secretary Pompeo working together with the Afghan government and being able to secure Tim's release. I know his family are overjoyed. They're obviously asking people to respect their privacy. But again, we've been able to, working with others, get another Australian home. And I think this is something that is very welcome, particularly as we come into Christmas.
KNIGHT: Absolutely. Can you reveal where he is now and when he might be home with his family?
PRIME MINISTER: I won't be making any further comments on that at this moment. You’d imagine that's fairly sensitive information. But I can tell you he's safe and he's out and he's coming home.
KNIGHT: Yes, it is wonderful news that is for sure, especially coming into that Christmas period. Now, on the information of the infrastructure spend, there have been calls to bring forward the spend that you've announced for months now. What's changed for you to hit the green light? And what sort of projects will we actually see?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, nothing's changed. We've been working on this with the state and territory Premiers, as I've been saying for months now since the election, and we just don't go rushing around spending money like this. We plan it carefully. Straight after the election I sat down with all the Premiers and Chief Ministers around the country and said I want to bring some projects forward. I want to get things happening now. And that's what we've been able to work through over these many months. And $3.8 billion of bring-forwards and new investment into projects, whether it's on the M1 here up in Queensland or the Tonkin over in Western Australia, the Monash in Melbourne, Princes Highway in New South Wales, all of these projects, North-South corridor down in Adelaide. All of these projects are proper projects which are going to get people home sooner and safer, will strengthen our economy, improve how our economy works, not just now but well into the future. So it's careful, considered investment, not just helping jobs now but helping our economy and the liveability of both our regions in our cities into the future.
KNIGHT: It's certainly welcome news. And I guess it begs the question, if you can fast track spending on infrastructure, would you also consider bringing forward stage two of the tax cuts if the economy does still need a boost?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're not engaged in any sort of panic measures or crisis measures. I mean, you don't run the country on defqon 1 the whole time at or at any time unless it's absolutely critical on those sorts of issues. So we're calmly and soberly working through the issues we've had. When you put together, Deb, both the infrastructure that I'm announcing today with the extra investment we've put into the rural and regional communities to support those communities through the drought and the tax relief we provided at the beginning of this financial year, that's around $9.5 billion of extra investment, both this year and next, that we're putting into the economy. Now, that's, I think, a proportional and a well-constructed balance of supports that are both not just about a sugar hit. They don't provide the sugar hit, that's not what it's for. It provides more money in people's pockets now, but also into the future. These are structural changes we’re making, not one-off cash splashes, which Labor did when they were in government.
KNIGHT: So does this mean that there is some wriggle room now on the surplus so that if the economy does need a further kick start are prepared to keep spending, even if it would put the nation's books into the red?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've brought the Budget back to surplus after six years of very hard work. And the surplus is important because it means we pay down debt. If we don't have surpluses, the debt grows and grows. And that means our interest bill grows and grows….
KNIGHT: So the surplus stays?
PRIME MINISTER: Services like hospitals and schools. So the surplus remains very important to Australians to ensure we pay down debt and guarantee the essential services and hospitals and schools and other things that they need. So we're doing this in surplus with no new taxes and ensuring we've been able to pay debt and deliver the strength and support to the economy, which is necessary at a time. As we all know, the global economy is going through some rough patches and we're growing stronger than many and most developed economies. I mean, Germany, Singapore, South Korea and the UK all recently had negative quarters of growth and our economy is growing. So it's a tough time, but Australia's faring better than most.
KNIGHT: Now, the bushfire crisis does continue and I understand that you will be getting a briefing from Queensland fire chiefs on the situation in that state today. It's a big issue right around the country. Will you be looking at spending more on firefighting resources, particularly the aerial water bombing equipment?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, look, I've spoken to the Queensland Premier about this. Today David Littleproud the Natural Disasters Minister is meeting with all of his state and territory colleagues. The way these things are done is our fire commissioners make recommendations about what the priorities are for additional aviation firefighting assets. They make those recommendations based on their expertise and their technical advice. And then there's a formula for working out how that's paid for. And so we welcome those sort of submissions coming forward. I've said that to the Premier here in Queensland. I mean, such an asset wouldn't be available to deal with the current fires. She acknowledges that. But we're all for the preparations. I mean, we put an extra $11 million into the national firefighting effort on top of the $15 million we're already putting in this year earlier in the season. So these are important investments that we make. I've got to say though, Deb - and there are more than than 70 fires burning here in Queensland - whether it's been in New South Wales, where the bravery has been just absolutely amazing, together with here in Queensland, South Australia's facing a tough day today. The national coordination of effort and the response, I think, has been outstanding. And it's learnt from the lessons of the past, particularly Black Saturday. I mean, this has saved thousands of homes, I believe, and many more lives in the way that everybody has worked together so well.
KNIGHT: They really are our national heroes, our fire crews, aren’t they?
PRIME MINISTER: And worth a shout out from Bono too, I reckon.
KNIGHT: Absolutely, yep that is for sure. Prime Minister, thank you for your time this morning and we look forward to hearing more about the resources for the fire crews as well. Enjoy the River City, thanks so much.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Deb. All the best.
$1.9 billion road and rail boost for Queensland economy
20 November 2019
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Premier of Queensland, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure
A $1.9 billion road and rail package will boost the Queensland economy and drive more jobs, while getting people home sooner and safer.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk hailed the historic deal which fast-tracks spending on a host of road and rail projects all over the State.
The Morrison Government will bring forward nearly $650 million in funding and provide more than $680 million in new funding, with the Palaszczuk Government committing $606 million.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said delivering critical road projects sooner, as part of the Government’s $100 billion pipeline, was responsible and considered economic management.
“We want these road and rail projects delivered as quickly as possible so Queenslanders can benefit from better infrastructure, but importantly we want to boost the economy now.
“We will bring forward more than $440 million in federal funding on top of the nearly $3.8 billion we will spend across the state over the next 18 months,” the Prime Minister said.
“By bringing forward these important road projects we will drive jobs, boost the economy and make Queensland roads and highways safer, while reducing travel times so people can be with their families instead of being stuck in traffic.
“We will bring forward funding for a total of 20 projects right throughout Queensland, including key upgrades on the M1, Bruce, Warrego and Cunningham Highways, and the North Coast Rail Line.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the agreement means jobs.
“I have always said we work best when we work together,” the Premier said.
“We have called for a better deal for Queensland and the Prime Minister has listened.
“We’re getting projects off drawing boards to create more jobs in more industries and deliver the things that make people’s lives better.”
Both governments have reached an agreement on $9.3 billion Inland Rail project, paving the way for the delivery of the project in Queensland.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Liberal and Nationals Government is focused on job growth and strengthening the economy.
“The Government’s record $100 billion infrastructure pipeline is delivering projects people want and need, while providing employment opportunities and economic growth across Australia, in particular in regional communities supporting local jobs,” Mr McCormack said.
“The Inland Rail project is a critical investment for Queensland and is projected to create 7,200 construction jobs and a more than $7 billion boost to the state economy.
“We’re also bringing forward funding and delivery for key projects to benefit not only road freight but improve safety for locals and tourists such as the Rockhampton and Mackay ring roads.”
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said details of the projects included in the deal will be released shortly.
“This is a massive win for Queensland,” the Minister said.
“The Gold Coast’s northern suburbs are growing quickly so we need to start upgrades on the M1 at exits 41 and 49.
“Queensland’s money for those projects was already locked in, so now we can get on with them.
“We delivered a record $23 billion over four years for road and transport in this year’s state budget.
“This deal boosts that record investment and will strengthen the pipeline of work coming online.”
Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the new package followed a significant funding boost for Queensland at the most recent Budget.
“Since coming to Government we have committed more than $25.7 billion towards infrastructure in Queensland and this new package will now see around $10.5 billion delivered across the state over the next four years,” Minister Tudge said.
“These commitments build on an already strong track record of investment by the Morrison Government in Queensland through projects like the Gold Coast Light Rail which will contribute to our SEQ City Deal.”
New and additional federal funding for projects
$400 million for future priorities on the National Network including M1;
Funding to flow immediately over the next two years;
This commitment builds on the $94.3 million in federal funding for existing M1 upgrades being brought forward, and the $46.3 million in additional funding for M1 Interchange Upgrades Exits 41 and 49;
Expenditure of remaining funds will be agreed between the Australian and Queensland Governments;
$157 million for Stage 3A of the Gold Coast Light Rail project;
Funding to flow immediately over the next four years;
This commitment builds on the $62 million in federal funding being brought forward;
Total cost of the project is $709 million
The project will create more than 760 jobs during construction.
Australian Government contribution is now $269 million up from $112 million.
Queensland Government contribution is $351 million.
Gold Coast City Council commitment is $92 million.
$50 million for the relocation of the Loganlea Station;
Funding to flow from 2020-21;
Total cost of the project is $95 million;
Queensland Government contribution is $45 million;
$46.3 million for M1 Interchange Upgrades Exits 41 and 49;
Funding to flow immediately and increases the Australian Government’s contribution to the project to $96.3 million;
$20 million for planning for the Port of Brisbane connection
Funding to flow from 2020-21;
Total cost of the project is $20 million;
Queensland Government will provide an in-kind matching contribution;
$10 million for the development of a business case for the Salisbury to Beaudesert rail line
Funding to flow from 2020-21;
Total cost of the project is $20 million;
Queensland Government contribution is $10 million.
Federal Government project funding brought forward
$225.6 million for Bruce Highway upgrades, including the Linkfield Road Overpass, the Pine River to Caloundra corridor, Stage 2 of the Mackay Ring Road, the Rockhampton Ring Road, and Stage 5 of the Cairns Southern Access;
Funding to flow immediately after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$118.5 million for Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative upgrades including the Cooktown to Weipa, Townsville to Roma, and Toowoomba to Seymour (Queensland section) corridors, as well as Shute Harbour Road;
Funding to flow immediately after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$94.3 million for M1 Pacific Motorway upgrades between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill, Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway, and Varsity Lakes to Tugun;
Funding to flow from 2020-21 after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$90 million for the North Coast Rail Line Upgrade between Beerburrum and Nambour;
Funding to flow immediately after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$62 million for Stage 3A of the Gold Coast Light Rail project;
Funding to flow immediately after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$22 million for new upgrades along the Warrego Highway;
Funding to flow from 2020-21 after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$27 million for new upgrades along the Cunningham Highway;
Funding to flow from 2021-22 after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
$9 million for road upgrades associated with the Hinkler Regional Deal including the Torbanlea Pialba Road Upgrade, Bargara Road Upgrade, and Isis Overtaking Lanes;
Funding to flow from 2020-21 after previously being allocated beyond 2021-22.
$7 million for the North Brisbane Bruce Highway Western Alternative to examine the viability of constructing a western alternative corridor parallel to the Bruce Highway in north Brisbane;
Funding to flow from 2021-22 after previously being allocated beyond the forward estimates.
Sunrise
20 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
SAMANTHA ARMYTAGE: Prime Minister, good morning, welcome.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, a beautiful day here in Brisbane.
ARMYTAGE: I'll bet it is. We don't have much, we don't have any of the detail yet on the exact projects, but we understand they are existing infrastructure projects that will be brought forward. Is this a sign that the economy is in a pretty bad state?
PRIME MINISTER: What it's a sign is of a government that is actually investing in building the infrastructure that people need to get to work, to grow our economy, to get them home sooner and safer. We've been working on this since the election. In the last six months I've been working with the state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers to bring forward projects into this year, next year, in the next few years. $3.8 billion being invested in these important projects like the light rail down on the Gold Coast or the M1 here in Queensland, the Tonkin Highway over in Western Australia or down in New South Wales in the Princes Highway or the Monash in Melbourne. All of these projects that will provide important extra support to the economy through jobs. But on top of that, more money going into drought-affected communities. And of course, there were the tax cuts that we announced and passed through law a few months ago.
NATALIE BARR: But they didn't seem to get through, did they? We're in a bit of a problem here. If you add unemployment and underemployment, it's at 13.8 per cent. We've got record low interest rates, but people aren't spending. Wages are stagnant. So is the economy struggling and is it going to get worse? Is that really why you're doing this?
PRIME MINISTER: The economy is growing and you compare it to, say, Germany, that had a negative quarter of growth, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore, even. Australia compared to these other developed economies around the world, we're continuing to grow where others are failing to grow. And yeah, we have some tough challenges at the moment and the drought itself has taken over 8 per cent off of our farm production over the last 12 months. But yet we continue to grow. And next year, the forecast not just from the government but from international organisations as well, is showing that we're expecting things to improve next year. But that means we've got to keep investing. That's why straight after the election, I just sat down straight with all the Premiers, whatever side of politics they were from. Well, look, a Labor Premier up here in Queensland and in Victoria, but also in New South Wales and in South Australia, where I made announcements earlier this week, just to get this stuff done. That's what people elected us to do, just to get this stuff done. And proper projects, not cash splashes and overpriced school halls and sending cheques to deceased people and things like that we saw when Labor was putting stimulus into the economy. These are real projects that have been carefully considered with long term benefits.
ARMYTAGE: Well, we love real projects and we want to see shovels in the ground. But how much of this will go to the bush and to regional centres? I know we've seen some massive, you know, the WestConnex in Sydney, for example, massive infrastructure projects, belatedly but excellently being built in New South Wales. What's going to happen in the bush?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, this is going into the bush as well. I mean, in South Australia alone, a massive project for rural road safety. We've got the Princes Highway down in southern New South Wales, the Bruce Highway up here in Queensland, out in regional parts of the country. I mean, this is going both into rural and regional areas as well as in the metropolitan areas. And a big part of what this is doing is actually landing the final part of the agreements between the Queensland and the Commonwealth governments on the inland rail, which links Melbourne all the way through to Brisbane, running through so many rural and regional districts up through each of the states that are affected, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. So this is right across the board from coast to coast and from top to bottom. This is where our investment is going. It's an investment in long term outcomes for Australia. And if you're, you know, on the M1 today and that's why we're investing in the M1 to get you to work quicker and to get you home sooner and safer.
BARR: So what else, what other detail can you tell us about where these projects are going?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll be making further announcements about that today. But again, what I stress this is about - when you put the tax cuts the time through just after we were elected together with what we're doing with these projects and importantly in rural and regional communities where we've tripled how much we're putting in to support drought-affected communities since the election, all of that combined is providing much-needed support to the economy as we face these headwinds. But we're doing it without increasing taxes and we're doing it while keeping the Budget in surplus, which means we can pay down debt. See, surplus isn't just some money you find down the back of the couch. What this is, is ensuring that we can pay down the debt that was built up by all those years of deficits. That's what a surplus does. It's very important to have one to pay down debt so we don't burden future generations.
ARMYTAGE: Prime Minister, why announce all of this now? Is this a little Christmas present for Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: It's taken us this past six months to get to this point. I mean, we've been working on this for months and months and we've been doing it carefully, not in a panic, not in a crisis. We don't need panic and crisis. What we need is calm, considered, measured projects, well worked through with the states and territories. This has been a very exhaustive process and I want to thank all the Premiers and all the Chief Ministers for the way they've engaged with us as we've identified these projects. This hasn't been done in a hurry or a panic. It's been done carefully to invest in our economy, to support jobs and to ensure at the end of the day, people get home sooner and safer.
BARR: Ok. While we've got you, Prime Minister, Australian academic Timothy Weeks and his American colleague Kevin King have been released by the Taliban in Afghanistan after being held for more than three years. Have you had any word on Timothy Weeks’ condition?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, the Foreign Minister also spoke to the family this morning and as a result, you know, you'd expect they're just completely overjoyed. And also for Mr King and I'm sure his family, they're equally overjoyed. We thank very much the fantastic work that has been done by President Trump and the United States administration, Secretary Pompeo, who I've been in contact with overnight, in ending what has been three years of absolute hell for Tim Weeks. Obviously, the families asked that their privacy now be respected. But I understand he's, under the circumstances, in good condition and he's currently going through all of those assessments, as you'd expect. But this has been a great piece of work done in the interests of both of these two gentlemen and we couldn't be more pleased to finally get them out safely and to get them home to their families.
BARR: It is good news. Ok, Prime Minister, we know you're off to the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services HQ, so we'll let you go. All the best with that and thanks for your time today.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks for your time. And out there in Queensland and South Australia today obviously strong fire warnings. And in New South Wales, they continue to do an amazing job to keep people safe. So thanks to all our firefighters and all those supporting.
BARR: Too right. Thank you, Prime Minister. Talk to you soon.
Release of Tim Weeks, Kidnapped in Afghanistan
19 November 2019
Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women
We are profoundly pleased and relieved that Tim Weeks and his US colleague, Kevin King, who were held hostage since August 2016, have been released by their kidnappers today in Afghanistan.
The Australian Government offers its deepest appreciation to President Trump and the United States for their immeasurable assistance and cooperation, without which we would not be able to welcome Tim back today.
We also convey our deepest appreciation to the Government of Afghanistan, led by President Ghani, for its invaluable assistance with this case over the past three years.
We regard this release as one of a series of confidence-building measures that are taking place in Afghanistan. We hope that such measures will set the stage for a ceasefire and intra-Afghan dialogue.
The Australian Government has provided consular support to Tim’s family throughout this case. Several Australian agencies - including diplomatic, security and military personnel - were closely involved in efforts to secure his release.
Tim’s family has asked for privacy. They have asked the Australian Government to convey their relief that their long ordeal is over, and their gratitude to all those who have contributed to Tim’s safe return.
For privacy and operational reasons, the Australian Government will not comment further on the details of this case.
The Australian Government’s travel advice about Afghanistan is at the highest level: “do not travel”. Australians, including dual-national Australians, travelling to Afghanistan face an extremely dangerous security situation, including the risk of kidnapping, random terrorist attacks, and improvised explosive device attacks.
Doorstop Interview - Adelaide, SA
18 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
NICOLLE FLINT MP, MEMBER FOR BOOTHBY: Well, good morning. I'm the Nicolle Flint, Federal Member for Boothby and I am delighted to have many colleagues here with me this morning. Of course, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Minister Alan Tudge, Minister Mark Coulton representing the Deputy Prime Minister, the Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall, my state colleague Stephan Knoll the Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Transport, and James Stevens Member for Sturt, my colleague from Sturt. It is really, really exciting to be here for this significant announcement for roads in South Australia. I've been out at shopping centres and doing street corner listening posts every Saturday and Sunday recently and the number one issue people raised with me is congestion on our local roads. And I'm so happy to be able to tell them that the Morrison and Marshall Liberal governments are busting congestion. We've already fixed Oaklands Crossing. We're here today at the very exciting Darlington Upgrade and it's wonderful to see the pylons going in for the Flinders Link train line, which is going to transform the south. This is going to unlock billions of dollars of local investment, new student accommodation here at Flinders University, educational facilities, more health facilities, and it's going to connect the south to the city. And I'm really, really proud of what we've done locally and what we're doing for the state. I will now hand over to the Prime Minister to tell us some more. PM, thank you for being here.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you very much, Nicolle. It's great to be back here in South Australia. It's simply great to be with my colleagues. But I've got to say, it's wonderful to be here with Premier Marshall. Premier Marshall is someone I work with. We have got a great partnership between the Commonwealth and the state government and this has been such a turnaround since he became Premier. And it means that we've been able to get on with solving difficult problems, take on big challenges and take up big opportunities, which we're here to announce today. $415 million extra is going into the South Australian economy through a combination of bringing forward project expenditures on these six major projects, as well as putting new money, additional money in, to ensure that we're getting the investment here in South Australia, the infrastructure that is needed to create these tremendous hubs that we see around us here as Adelaide continues to build and take further shape. And that needs the connections, the rail infrastructure, the road infrastructure.
For our economy after the election, one of the first things I did was to engage with all the state Premiers and territory leaders to look at how we could be bringing forward important infrastructure projects that were part of our schedule, that had had the work done that we knew would provide economic benefit and would increase the safety of those travelling around Australia and get them home sooner and safer. And today's announcement is about realising those discussions that we've had with the Premier and I, as I've had in other states and territories where we've announced similar measures. Six projects here, but central to them is a significant announcement which I’ll allow the Premier to go into more detail about. We’re putting in $100 million to make South Australian roads safer, not just here in Adelaide but around the country, around the state. And this is important investment, not just in economic opportunities, creating jobs here in South Australia. But for those who are going about their daily lives, getting to and from work, they're doing it quicker and they're doing it safer and they're getting home at a reasonable time to spend time with their families. This is what congestion-busting infrastructure does. But it's also the jobs that it creates here on the ground. We have many economic challenges that face us, much of which is driven externally. But they're also the challenges we have here and our investments in infrastructure, $100 billion going into infrastructure. You can hear it going on behind me as I speak now. This is the literal message of our government working together with the Marshall government here in South Australia to create jobs and build the infrastructure South Australia needs to grow. And with the partnership we have with South Australia, we will see that growth. Because you’ve got a Premier and a government that’s keen to create growth by working with the Commonwealth government to get things done.
So just running through those figures again - we've got $415 million that is going into these projects that we're announcing today. Some $250 million of that from the Commonwealth is bringing forward investment, plus another more than $70 million dollars on top of that to go more into these projects. About $215 million dollars is going to be spent on these projects by the Commonwealth in the next 18 months. The next 18 months. So that is putting the investment where it needs to happen right now here in South Australia as we're doing elsewhere around the country. Premier.
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Well, thank you very much, Prime Minister, it's great to have you here. We always love having you here in South Australia. And it's like South Australia's Christmas has come early because this is going to be a major injection to improve our roads right across regional South Australia and two important projects right here at Darlington. This is important because it will improve our productivity in regional South Australia. It will improve road safety, that's a major issue for us. But there's going to be a jobs bonanza, an absolute jobs bonanza for South Australia as these projects get brought forward and into production as soon as possible. The projects in country SA are around the Eyre Highway, the Horrocks Highway, and the first phase of the duplication of the road through to Victor Harbour, very improved important projects for South Australia. But equally important is more than $100 million, which is going into a series of projects right across our state, which will have road shoulder sealing as well as overtaking lanes put in place so that we can improve road safety and productivity as well as getting those great regional jobs for our state. Here at Darlington, we know that the Darlington Project is a very, very important project. And as Nicolle Flint said, this will unlock enormous opportunity and growth projects for exactly and precisely where we're standing on this wonderful precinct. We’ve worked very closely with Flinders University, a great university in South Australia, and Flinders Medical Centre. We've upgraded the Flinders Link project, we’ve listened to community consultation. There will be a new station upgrade over and above what was originally envisaged in the scope. We've only got one chance to do this properly. So another $16 million going into that project as well as the money coming forward, Commonwealth and State, to make sure that the Darlington Project can finish by the middle of next year. Commuters want this project to be finished. They want it to be done as soon as possible. Now we've got the money this is great news for our state.
It's great to have a great working relationship with the federal government. We've stopped all of those fake fights. And as the Prime Minister said, when he says to us, what projects have you got? If you've got work and you've done the detailed design work, bring them to us. We have now got a willing ear, a willing ear in Canberra to sit down with us, bring forward these projects and create those jobs. So we couldn't be more excited. And now I'd like to hand over to Alan Tudge, who is also a great friend of South Australia, because he's been the Minister for Cities and helped us very much with our transformation project at Lot 14. Minister.
THE HON. ALAN TUDGE MP, MINISTER FOR POPULATION, CITIES AND URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Thank you very much, Premier and Prime Minister and colleagues. Well, this is more than $400 million dollars to keep Adelaide moving and make our roads safer. And it's been a pleasure working with the Premier and Minister Knoll in putting together this package which we're announcing today. But I'd just like to add a little bit more detail in relation to the two projects where we’re putting in new money and they've been the ones which we can see right from where we stand. The Flinders Link project, which Nicolle Flint was such a great advocate for back in 2016, really kicked it off in that 2016 election commitment. It will finally connect up this university and hospital precinct to the rail network, through 650 meters of additional elevated track from Tonsley right across the North-South Corridor here up to Flinders University. That's going to assist 25,000 students who study here. And of course, it's going to unlock enormous potential up on this is precinct as well. The additional money is going towards a new station down there at Tonsley such that it could obviously be catered for the elevated track, which previously the previous station could not do. And then secondly, in terms of the Darlington Upgrade here, it's obviously one part of the North-South Corridor, the southernmost part. $667 million of federal money total money going for that, 80 per cent of which is federal. And we're putting in additional new money there as well to ensure that that project can be completed on time.
It was mentioned before, this is a jobs bonanza. Already, 370 jobs are being created just from this project alone. The Torrens to Torrens section is already completed and we’ll soon be announcing the start of the next section as well. So that's all up it's more jobs, it’s congestion-busting here in Adelaide and it's catering for the future population growth. I’d just say again, that is has been a pleasure working with the Marshall Government in delivering these projects and ensuring that people can home sooner and safer.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Alan. The Premier’s going to join me. Happy to take questions. Let's talk about the infrastructure announcement first and then happy to…
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, in the past we’ve had a one-way road, the Southern Expressway [inaudible] but yet there is only a single track, rail track, to the University. Haven’t we learned from the past - why not do it now properly as the Premier has said?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, we’re always happy to work with the South Australian Government on the priorities they put forward. What we’re announcing today is the bring forward of infrastructure investments which I think is really important for the South Australia economy right now. The Labor Party is running around saying we should splashing cash like they did last time they were in government. That’s not how we do things. We’re measured, we’re considered. We look at the projects that have come up from the states. They're ready to go and this gives us the opportunity to increase our investment in the South Australian economy and the national economy at the same time on the projects which South Australia have been able to put forward to us. That's what today's announcement is about. It's about providing that further investment in our economy at a necessary time for Australia, consistent with everything we've been saying and ensuring that is going to projects that are a high-priority identified by the South Australian Government.
JOURNALIST: Premier, just for my benefit, so you mentioned the Eyre Highway, I assume that is to make the necessary amendments to the [inaudible] of the railway. You haven’t mentioned the Augusta Highway. What’s the plan with the Augusta Highway and the [inaudible]?
PREMIER MARSHALL: Well, I might get Stephan Knoll to answer that specific question.
THE HON. STEPHAN KNOLL MP, MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MINISTER FOR PLANNING: So, actually, as part of the federal election campaign and the last federal Budget together with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, we've announced $80 million towards the start of that duplication. In fact, we’ll have more to say on that in the coming weeks. There is now $1.3 billion worth of money being spent right across regional South Australia. About half of that from our good friends in the federal government and half from the state government to make regional roads safer and actually put back and reinvest into regional South Australia in a way that we haven't seen for almost two decades.
JOURNALIST: Minister, do you think a double rail line up here would have made more sense?
MINISTER KNOLL: I think this is a fantastic opportunity to extend on an existing asset. What we've had is a train line that terminated on the other side of South Road and for everybody on this side of South Road didn't really have access to that train station. What we've got is a station that is now going to unlock $1.5 billion worth of private sector investment, improve international student numbers in our city, and also improve connectivity to Adelaide. This is a fantastic project and essentially we have to work with the infrastructure that we've got here and build on that existing infrastructure base. But this is a fantastic project that is going to deliver better services for public transport.
JOURNALIST: Minister, on the Darlington upgrade, why does it need another $87.5 million considering it’s pretty well finished?
MINISTER KNOLL: Well, if we look back to the issues that we've had over the course of this project, they’ve been well documented and in fact, the money that the federal government is putting on the table with us today is about making sure that this project gets completed and dealing with some of those legacy issues that we had to deal with since coming to government. I mean, let's not forget, this is a project that actually had major variations to it. Some six days after the contract was awarded. We've had to clean up that mess, we've had to straighten it out. But what we don't want to see is any sort of delay to the completion of this project. The commuters don’t want it, the commuters don’t need it. What they've got is a state and federal government willing to work together for the money on the table to get the job done.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just on a related topic for South Australia, on radio this morning despite what appeared to be promises of a decision of submarine maintenance jobs here before the end of the year, you are now saying might not be before Christmas. That's getting towards the end of the year. So when will there be a decision?
PRIME MINISTER: When the process has been completed.
JOURNALIST: When will that be?
PRIME MINISTER: When they’ve thoroughly gone through all the issues and they have been properly assessed to advise the National Security Committee of what’s the best decision in Australia’s national security interests. I mean, these are very important decisions and they will be made in accordance with proper process and consideration of all the real and legitimate issues…
JOURNALIST: So South Australia won’t necessarily keep these jobs?.
PRIME MINISTER: I didn’t say that.
JOURNALIST: It’s a question - say yes they will or no they won’t.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s an assertion that you made.
JOURNALIST: No, no, it was somewhere in between.
PRIME MINISTER: Not one that I responded to.
JOURNALIST: You say it’s serious, I’m saying it’s serious as well.
PRIME MINISTER: Of course it is, and that’s why it’s important that the process be followed to the letter and it will be. And as I said on radio this morning, I commend Premier Marshall for not engaging in the sort of parochial politics on this but actually addressing the needs of the process. Putting South Australia’s best foot forward. He understands as well as I do that a decision of this nature has significant national security implications. And so he is respecting that process fully and as are we and that’s how it will be conducted. I think Australians should feel a sense of assurance about this. This is not a decision that we’re going to make in the backseat of a car over some opportunistic politics. That’s not what’s going to happen. It’s going to be made in the best interests of Australia’s national security.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Israel Folau has said the bushfires in the east are the result of God's retribution for same-sex marriage and abortion laws. Do you agree with that view?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course I don’t. I thought these were appallingly insensitive comments. They are appalling comments and he is a free citizen, he can say whatever he likes. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have regard to the grievous offence this will have caused the people whose homes have been burned down, and I’m sure to many Christians around Australia that is not their view at all and whose thoughts and prayers, let me stress, of Christians, are very much with those who are suffering under the terrible burden of fire. I’ve visited these communities in New South Wales and, you know, I’ve been very disappointed at the comments that have been made all around these fires and the opportunistic politics that has occurred, the cheap points that have been made. Could they just please think about the people who are impacted by the devastating fires? We’ve got in Queensland today many fires burning, several at watch and act level. There are evacuation centres operating up there today. There is firefighting occurring across two major states and South Australia is about to face some pretty serious weather as well. So let’s just focus on those who need our help most and if people don’t have something sensible or helpful to say, can you just keep it to yourself.
JOURNALIST: So he’s misrepresenting Christianity in what he’s saying?
PRIME MINISTER: I’ve made my response.
JOURNALIST: Can you promise that energy prices will continue to fall?
PRIME MINISTER: I can pledge to the Australian people that everything we do is designed to put downward pressure on electricity prices, that’s what I’ve always said. Whether it’s ensuring the better connections across our states as part of the electricity market, the work that’s being done with underwriting generation, the work that’s being done with the retailers to put downward pressure, getting rid of the bogus late payment fees and all these sorts of things which have been affecting particularly hard up retail customers. Everything we are doing – the investments we have brought into generation not just in the renewable sector but in other sectors as well. It’s all designed to get greater reliability and greater [inaudible] into electricity. As the official figures show, they have come off slightly recently. For some retail customers the saving has been much great [inaudible] out of the retail companies from factors outside our control. How long state governments in places like Victoria keep power stations open and things like that, well that’s going to have an impact and that’s a matter for the Victorian Government. We’re working very closely with NSW on a whole range of issues presently and we look forward to those discussions progressing.
JOURNALIST: Is it going to be hard for Australia to have a sense of greater dialogue with China? The Chinese Government has made it clear it’s not going to take any criticism.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't think we're going to have a problem with that because I've just done it. I was just sitting down with Premier Li Keqiang in Bangkok very recently where we had a very broad-ranging discussion, which not only included the many sensitive matters that come up in our discussions, but the very important economic matters that are part of our relationship. I mean, our trade with China is at very, very high levels. Our visitation for Chinese visitors and students is at very high levels. We enjoy a very productive economic relationship with China and a broader comprehensive partnership with China. And that comprehensive partnership provides the channels for us to deal with all these issues. We're not China and China is not Australia. We're not looking to take up their system. They're not looking to take up ours. We respect each other's sovereignty and Australia will always be Australia. Australians will always act as Australians. And that is an important part of the points that we make in our relationship, in the same way that China feels strongly about their system and how they will continue with their system. They’re choices they make.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can I ask your reaction to Malcolm Turnbull's comments this morning that he has no doubt he could have won the last election.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I said at the time of the change that I believed he could, too.
JOURNALIST: Just back on China, Paul Keating this morning described the Australian media’s coverage of China relations as ‘hysterical’. Is that sort of commentary…
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry, could you just repeat that?
JOURNALIST: Paul Keating this morning described the Australian media’s coverage of China relations as ‘hysterical’. Is that sort of commentary helpful?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not going to commentate on Paul Keating's commentary on the Australian media. I mean, what I'm doing as Prime Minister is not commentating. What I'm doing is seeking, I think, successfully to manage the many interests that are part of our very dynamic and comprehensive relationship with China, as I do with all of our other partners. With the United States, with Indonesia, with Vietnam, with Malaysia, with countries in the Southwest Pacific. In the last week, I've had fairly extensive meetings with both the Prime Ministers of Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands. Now, that may not rate as far as some others concerned with meetings with those leaders in China or the United States. But I can tell you, it's very important to Australia to have a positive and engaged relationship with our friends and family in the Southwest Pacific. So it's my job to manage these relationships, not to engage in commentary about them and to do so in accordance with Australia's national interests, which I do in a calm and measured and focused way.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on Australians in Syria, the US has offered to get Australian women and children out of the Al-Hawl camp in Syria. Will your Government take up that offer?
PRIME MINISTER: Our assessment is done on a case by case basis, and our assessments at this point have not changed.
JOURNALIST: You’ve always maintained that the lives of Australian officials should not be placed in danger. If they were not placed life in danger, what other reason is there for not accepting the offer?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't engage in hypotheticals on national security issues.
JOURNALIST: It’s a reasonable question, isn’t it?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s a hypothetical question and national security issues are very serious and you have to deal with the cases as they present, not hypothetically, but as they present in reality. And that's how we'll deal with each and every one of them.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, are you confident that the prisoner swap deal with Timothy Weeks will still go ahead?
PRIME MINISTER: Again, I’ve got nothing further to add on those matters. Ok, thanks very much.
Australian War Memorial Development Project
18 November 2019
Prime Minister, Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel
Official plans for the nine-year Australian War Memorial Development Project have been unveiled, outlining how the contemporary story of service and sacrifice will be told to future generations.
The Prime Minister said the Australian War Memorial told key stories of our nation.
“This Project is about ensuring the stories of an entire new generation of service are told and remembered alongside those that inspired their own sacrifice and to do the same for future generations,” the Prime Minister said.
“This is the most significant reinvestment in our War Memorial since it was established after World War One and ultimately completed following the Second World War. I am pleased our Government is making this overdue investment.
“Recent stories, like the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the peacekeeping missions, all need to be told to a new generation and to the almost 1.1 million people who visit the Memorial each year.
“As well as telling the stories of our veterans, our priority is delivering more than $11 billion each year to support them and their families for their mental and physical wellness now and into the future. This is the memorial to the living that the sacrifice of those who lost all on our behalf demands.
“I want to thank Dr Brendan Nelson who, through his seven years as Director, has elevated the Memorial by listening to those who have served, their families, and ensured their stories are told in a solemn and respectful way.”
Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester said the Australian War Memorial was a sacred cultural institution of international standing and aside from ad-hoc additions to the original building, the Memorial has not seen a major precinct-wide expansion since it first opened its doors.
“The Australian War Memorial is one of the key institutions that ensure our veterans’ service is appropriately acknowledged — it embodies our nation's promise to never forget. It's a place for all generations of Australians to come to honour, learn and heal,” Mr Chester said.
“This project will benefit veterans from more recent conflicts by greatly enhancing the Memorial's capacity to tell their stories in the same way it does the First and Second World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, and will create , for the first time, a permanent display dedicated to showing what our nation does to prevent war in the first place through peacekeeping.
“I would like to echo the Prime Minister’s thanks to Dr Nelson, who has ensured that the stories of what young Australians have given for our country in war and peace over the past thirty years will be told through additional gallery space.”
As part of community awareness, The Memorial has established an on-site information gallery where the detailed plans can be viewed, and where people can learn more about the Memorial’s continuing story. The information gallery is located outside Poppy’s Café, open daily from 8.15am – 4.30pm.
The Memorial has submitted a referral under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (Cth), including a Heritage Impact Assessment, to determine if the plans require formal assessment and approval. The submission will soon be published on the Department of Environment and Energy’s website for public consultation.
During the consultation phases, the Memorial has invited members of the public to provide feedback on the plans to the Department of Environment and Energy’ website. Early works construction to extend the underground car parking facilities on the eastern side of the precinct have begun. It is expected work on the new Anzac Hall will begin in the second half of 2020, with work on the southern entrance commencing the following year.
Work on the project began in 2018, and it is anticipated it will be complete by 2027.
More information about the plans is available on the Memorial’s website.
Radio interview with Leon Byner, FIVEaa
18 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: Great to be here in Adelaide with you and your listeners.
LEON BYNER: Now look, there's $415 million, we're told, that is going to be spent pretty quickly. We're going to move these projects up, the infrastructure projects. How much of this is new money? How much of it, the $415 million?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're bringing forward $78 million of new money and on top of that, we're bringing forward also in total $217 million. And so all up, that means $415 million of a boost to the South Australian economy by investing in these critical infrastructure projects. I mean, there is the Victor Harbour Road duplication, there's the Port Augusta to Perth corridor upgrade. There's the Horrocks Highway Corridor upgrade, amongst a number of other projects. And we'll be making a few more announcements later this morning.
BYNER: How fast will all this happen?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've got around... over $200 million of this money is going to be spent in the next 18 months. And that's the whole point. Straight after the election, in addition to getting our tax cuts moving and all these sorts of things, one of the first things I did was engage with all the Premiers around the country about how we could be able to bring forward some of these projects that we already had in our $100 billion programme and get more of them happening sooner. And so I really want to thank Steve Marshall for the great work he's done with me, along with the Stephan Knoll who's supported us in actually getting a lot of these projects going through the scheduling exercise, which is not a small thing to do, to really bring these projects forward.
BYNER: So this is the freeing up the money part?
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?
BYNER: This is the freeing up the money part?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, this is about getting things rolling and happening now because we've already made the big commitment of $100 billion on transport infrastructure and we and we needed more of it happening sooner and that's what we've been about. So these aren't... this isn't a cash splash. This is not some sort of ill-considered knee-jerk crisis initiative. This is targeted investment in priority transport infrastructure projects that are ready to go and can happen sooner and happen now. But importantly, there's a big safety element to this project what we're announcing today and this is about making roads safer. It means getting people home sooner and safer, which is very important to families, not just here in South Australia, but right around the country.
BYNER: The Civil Contractors Union have been running a big advertising campaign to try and get these very projects you're talking about, especially the country roads, Victor Harbour, Port Augusta. So these can happen now? We start employing people now?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, yes. Let's take Port Augusta to the Perth corridor upgrade. There's $125 million going to that. We're putting in $100 million. The South Australian Government is putting $25 million. We've brought forward - that's the total project - we've brought forward $86.75 million together with the South Australian Government. Now, that's to flow immediately over the next two financial years and that means the commencement of works after previously being allocated 2021-22. So that's come right forward. We've also got the project as you said of Victor Harbour. That's the Victor Harbour Road duplication and so that's, you know, that's a road corridor that will provide three and a half metre lanes in each direction with two metres sealed shoulders and they're separated by two and a half metre wide painted median with a centre wire rope safety barrier. So this is the sort of specificity that we've been going into with the South Australian State Government to get these things happening now.
BYNER: Prime Minister, is this something you're doing with all the states? Is this an Australia wide push forward quickly, bring things forward, create more activity in the community?
PRIME MINISTER: It is and it's not new. Well, I mean, as I said, we got onto this straight after the election. All of these projects that we're talking about here have been as part of the infrastructure plan. And what was clear to me following the last Budget was that straight after the election, we needed to sit down with the Premiers and get as much of this moving as possible. See, having made the big investments, what government is about is implementing them by getting on with it. It's the execution of your plans, not just the having of them. We have the plans, now we're implementing them as we are and on any number of issues around the country.
BYNER: Got to ask you about Senator Paterson and Andrew Hastie, who were going to go on a study trip to China and now they've been told unless they repent, they're not going to get there or won't be given permission. What's your observation on that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it wasn't a government visit. It was organised by a group called China Matters, which is a private outfit and they were denied visas, which I think is very disappointing. I thought the response by Senator Paterson and Andrew Hastie, I thought was spot on. I thought it was very measured, I thought it was very strong. I thought it was very appropriate. I think this is disappointing and it's for others to explain as to why they took the view that they did, the Chinese authorities. But, you know, we're an open democracy. We speak our minds as individuals and certainly, James and Andrew have always been known for that and will always be who we are.
BYNER: Have we suspended our human rights partnership with China? This was a $7 million programme which helps China advance human rights reforms. Apparently this money has been suspended since August, is that so?
PRIME MINISTER: This matter wasn't being progressed. The last time it met was in 2014. There was no forward momentum on it and so, yes, we discontinued it in August of this year.
BYNER: I want to talk about the bushfire threat…
PRIME MINISTER: It wasn't getting the job done. I mean, we continue to raise these issues, the sensitive issues, whether it be on human rights or otherwise, through our leader’s dialogue.
BYNER: Even if China turns around and says, well, you want to trade with us, there's going to be a quid pro quo, isn’t there?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that hasn't been the nature of discussions at all, to be honest. I mean, these issues are raised by our Foreign Minister. They're raised in our leader-level dialogues, as you'd expect them to be, as part of that. We have a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, and that means it provides channels for us to raise and deal with issues, economic and otherwise.
BYNER: Do they respect our democracy, do you think?
PRIME MINISTER: They respect our sovereignty. I mean, they have a different system to us as you, as I've remarked and I remarked at a recent meeting I had. We're not looking to adopt their system and they're not looking to adopt ours. But there is a respect, I think, for the sovereignty of both countries and their rights to run their countries as they choose to. And we obviously do that as a liberal democracy, which has been the foundation for our prosperity and success as a nation.
BYNER: I want to talk about the bushfire threat. This Wednesday, we're going to cop 42. Fire authorities are saying, hey, hold on to your hats on this. Are you... you're aware, of course, that there's been - and I don't want to get into the he said, she said politicking - but it's very clear, we've been getting photographs from listeners showing us massive amounts of flammable undergrowth close to their properties. It's not on their property, so they can't do anything about it. And it seems to be that many crown operators, that is government departments and others, are just not pulling their weight. They’re telling us to clear, but they're not doing it themselves.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's hard for me to be drawn on that other than to say, look, as we've seen in the eastern states where there've been these devastating fires, issues of hazard reduction has been raised. I’ve got to say, though, that there have been fewer windows within which I've been advised that you can undertake hazard reduction. That said, it remains an enormously important task in mitigating the risk of fire. Now, we're obviously facing much longer fire seasons and, you know, the reason for that I canvassed earlier this year. There are many things that contribute to it, not just climate change, but obviously issues like the drought are being massively impacting in terms of the current conditions that we're facing. I mean, these things have all been acknowledged. When you discuss them, look, that's been a matter of controversy recently. But hazard reduction is equally an important topic and I have no doubt whether it's here in South Australia and certainly in the case in the eastern states, that will be one of the many issues that are looked at again in terms of how the states were keeping up with their hazard reduction targets and what, if any, things were frustrating them from meeting them. Now, that could be just conditions, but it could also be regulation. It could also be practices. And so I'm not drawing any conclusions there. But hazard reduction is an important tool to protect Australians from the increased threat of fire.
BYNER: Where do you go to from here?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll be making some announcements with the Premier. I'm looking forward to doing that and not just on that, but I'm very grateful to the Premier for the support he has recently given to the Commonwealth in how we're dealing with the drought and the recent announcement we made regarding the cooperation we're having in turning the desal plan on and that's going to maintain the integrity of flows into South Australia. So there's no downside for South Australia, but equally, it gives us an opportunity to address some of the most extreme effects of the drought in the eastern states.
BYNER: Before I let you go, and I appreciate the fact that you've made time to come in, I’ve got to ask you one question and everybody is asking about this - the submarines. Are we going to keep 60 per cent of the work and 40 go to Perth, or keep it all or none? Is there any information you can give the people of SA?
PRIME MINISTER: The process is continuing and the decision will be made in Australia's national interest.
BYNER: Will we get it before Christmas?
PRIME MINISTER: I can't confirm that you'll get it before Christmas, no. It's not a small decision, Leon. It's not one that will be made rashly, and it's not one that will be decided on politics or parochialism. It'll be made on the capabilities and the needs of that programme.
BYNER: Will Cabinet ultimately decide?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, it goes it ultimately goes through the National Security Committee of Cabinet. So... and that's done on the recommendations of the rather rigorous process that it has gone through the agencies to advise us on what's in Australia's best interest for our security and our Defence Force. And so that's how it should be done. I want to commend, particularly, Premier Marshall for the way he's engaged in this issue. He hasn't sought to, I would say, politicise this issue. He's just ensured that South Australia's putting its best foot forward. And that's what I think a Premier should do. And I appreciate the way he has engaged with this issue in such a professional way and I think that reflects well on South Australia.
BYNER: Prime Minister, thanks for coming in.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Leon.
BYNER: Merry Christmas, talk soon.
PRIME MINISTER: Good on you, mate.
Faster delivery of road and rail projects to boost South Australia’s economy
18 November 2019
Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Premier of South Australia, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, SA Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, SA Minister for Planning, Deputy Prime Minister
The South Australian economy will be boosted by a $415 million infrastructure package to bust congestion and make regional roads safer.
The Morrison Government has been working with states and territories to bring forward critical road projects across Australia to drive jobs, strengthen the economy and get people home sooner and safer.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the South Australian package included the acceleration of more than $328 million in federal funding across six projects.
“By bringing forward these important road projects we will drive jobs, boost the economy and make roads safer, while reducing travel times so people can be with their families instead of being stuck in traffic,” the Prime Minister said.
“Delivering critical road projects sooner, as part of our $100 billion pipeline, is responsible and considered economic management, in stark contrast to Labor’s daily calls of panic and crisis in their attempt to blow the Budget.
“In South Australia we will provide additional funding for the Darlington Upgrade and Flinders Link Projects as part of Adelaide's North-South Corridor, while bringing forward funding for the Eyre Highway and Eyre Peninsula and Horrocks Highway corridors, Victor Harbor Road duplication and a major rural roads upgrade.”
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said South Australians would continue to reap the benefits of a constructive working relationship with the Morrison Government.
“Today’s announcement builds on our massive $11.9 billion pipeline of infrastructure works over the next four years as we continue to grow our economy and jobs,” Premier Marshall said.
“By working collaboratively with the Morrison Government we have been able to fast track a number of regional road projects to help build regional communities, improve road safety and help save lives on our country roads.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Liberal and Nationals Government is focused on job growth and strengthening the economy.
“The Government’s record $100 billion infrastructure pipeline is delivering projects people want and need, while providing job opportunities and economic growth for communities across Australia,” Mr McCormack said.
“These projects will enhance liveability and connectivity, improve travel times and importantly, enhance safety for all South Australians.”
Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the new package followed a significant funding boost for South Australian infrastructure at the most recent Budget.
“Since coming to Government we have committed more than $8.4 billion towards infrastructure in South Australia and this new package will now see nearly $2 billion delivered across the state over the next 4 years,” Minister Tudge said.
“Today’s announcement not only brings funding forward for projects that can be delivered sooner, there is $78 million in additional funding for existing projects to take them through to completion.
“It also demonstrates a strong capability between the Morrison and Marshall Governments to deliver the infrastructure South Australia needs, whether it’s major projects like the North South Corridor upgrades or smaller, targeted projects through our Urban Congestion Fund.”
Minister for Transport, Planning and Local Government Stephan Knoll said the Marshall Government announced a record $1.115 billion in the most recent State Budget for regional roads and infrastructure.
“South Australia’s regions were neglected for 16 long years under the former Labor administration,” Minister Knoll said.
“South Australia’s regions finally have a Liberal Government that is putting its money where its mouth is and investing record amounts in regional roads.
“Since coming to government, in conjunction with the Morrison Government, we are delivering key regional road projects including the Port Wakefield Bypass, Joy Baluch Bridge duplication, Victor Harbor Road duplication, fixing the Horrocks Highway and investing hundreds of millions of dollars on road safety treatments right across South Australia.”
Project funding brought forward:
$100 million for the $143 million SA Rural Roads Safety Package
Funding to flow immediately and over the next two financial years to enable the commencement of works after previously being allocated beyond 2021-22
Australian Government contribution to the project is $114.4 million ($80 million brought forward)
South Australian Government contribution to the project is $28.6 million ($20 million brought forward)
$86.75 million for the $125 million Port Augusta to Perth corridor
Funding to flow immediately and over the next two financial years to enable the commencement of works after previously being allocated beyond 2021-22
Australian Government contribution to the project is $100 million ($69.4 million brought forward)
South Australian Government contribution to the project is $25 million ($17.35 million brought forward)
$75 million for the $92 million Victor Harbour Road Duplication
Funding to flow immediately and over the next three financial years to enable the commencement of works after previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $73.6 million ($60 million brought forward)
South Australian Government contribution to the project is $18.4 million ($15 million brought forward)
$50 million for the $55 million Horrocks Highway corridor
Funding to flow immediately and over the next three financial years to enable the commencement of works after previously being allocated beyond 2022-23
Australian Government contribution to the project is $44 million ($40 million brought forward)
South Australian Government contribution to the project is $11 million ($10 million brought forward)
Additional funding:
$87.5 million for the Darlington Upgrade
Funding to flow immediately and enable completion of the project on-time in mid-2020.
Total cost of the project has increased from $667 million to $754.5 million.
The additional Australian Government contribution to the project is $70 million (increase of total contribution from $533.6 million to $603.6 million).
The additional South Australian Government contribution to the project is $17.5 million (increase of total contribution from $133.4 million to $150.9 million).
$16 million for Flinders Link
Funding to flow immediately and enable completion of the project on-time in late-2020.
Total cost of the project has increased from $125 million to $141 million.
Both the Australian and South Australian Government will provide an extra $8 million to the project (increasing each government’s total contribution from $62.5 million to $70.5 million).
Radio Interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB
12 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Ray, how are you?
RAY HADLEY: Good thanks. Where are you today?
PRIME MINISTER: We're on the road. We're heading north today up to the Central Coast, and I’ll be back in Canberra this afternoon down at the emergency centre there. But it's going to, it's going to be a difficult day mate, as you know. And I want to thank your program and all the media outlets, mate, I think they've been very good preparing people today, getting the messages out. The Premier has been very clear, as has the Fire Commissioner. And we're just asking people to heed those warnings and help where they can. Think of your own safety as well as those of others. And just the story you just told me, it's happening all over the place and it's great to see it happening, but it's no surprise. Australians are amazing in these circumstances.
HADLEY: Well, Alan's been saying all morning, look, we might sound a bit hysterical, but we want the message to get out there and we want to get to tomorrow and say, look, it didn't happen, but it could have happened. And that's what we pray for and I know you are a man of prayer. That's what we're all hoping and praying for.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's true. And there's been a lot of those going up, I suspect, overnight and today. And let's hope, as I think the Mayor of Blue Mountains said earlier today, let's hope today is a boring day. But what I can say is the preparations that I've seen being put in place between states and territories here in New South Wales, international support as well. The lessons from those terrible Black Saturday fires a decade ago and more, they are all being put in place. And these preparations, you know, we've reduced the risks, particularly with kids not being at school today and all of that. So, look, they're well prepared. They're on high alert. The Defence Force are equally there, they're embedded in all of the operation centres. They've got their commands directly from the Chief of Defence Force as of yesterday that they need to be ready to go when called upon them. They can act locally as well. But obviously, any sort of broader deployment is at the invitation of the New South Wales Government. We've talked about that again this morning. So we really just want to assure people, Ray, that everything that can be done is being done. And, you know, nature will throw some curveballs today, no doubt, and they will have to respond. But I think Commissioner Fitzsimmons, Gladys and the whole team in New South Wales are on this and we're just there to support them in every way we can.
HADLEY: So does Premier Palaszczuk or Premier Berejiklian make the call if they need the army, if they need... I mean, transport facilities, I mean, we're not talking about them going to fight a fire, but supporting.
PRIME MINISTER: No, they're not trained for that.
HADLEY: No, but supporting the Rural Fire Service.
PRIME MINISTER: That's how it does work and that's already been happening to date. I mean, we've got staging and accommodation happening out of Singleton. People out at Williamtown are ready to go, as they are down on the south coast. And there are choppers that are ready to move, there is transports. There are all of these things. And we've had our Defence Force planners in place in the emergencies... in the incident response management centre there in New South Wales for a little while now. So all of those things can be switched on. But at a local level, all the commanders have their orders to be able to go and do what they need to do at a moment's notice. So there won't be any delay there should they need to act. But, you know, you don't want people tripping over each other in these circumstances either.
HADLEY: No.
PRIME MINISTER: It's got to be well-coordinated, well planned. And that's what they've been working very hard to achieve. I mean, the one mercy in all of this is there's been a few days to prepare and for people to get ready. And I trust that people have been doing that with their own plans and making their own arrangements.
HADLEY: Well, I mean, it's even people from your hometown in Sydney, on the north western outskirts where I reside and advice to go to the shopping centre, go to your local shopping centre, stay there, even if you're not within two ks of heavily forested areas because of, you know, the embers. Make yourself safe until, you know, the green light comes back on some time tonight or tomorrow to go back home.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's right. And I think that's right. I saw that when I was up at Taree on Sunday and I met Owen up there - you probably saw the picture of me and Owen.
HADLEY: Yeah. Lovely man.
PRIME MINISTER: I was pleased to see that Own has gone home and his place is alright so I'm thrilled for him. But there are a few other people there on that day who weren't going to go home to good news. But it's just following those instructions, I think just common sense has to prevail today. There'll be a lot of people who will want to go above and beyond, and that's totally understandable. Those stories of heroism in these incidences is always there. But also, you know, common sense. Think of your own safety as well and just follow the instructions and follow the warnings and we should get through this today.
HADLEY: Ok. I know you're not going down the path of some of your colleagues having debates with the Greens about the whys and wherefores. But do you think - and I know it’s the domain of the state governments - can we have a discussion sometime later this year or early next year about hazard reduction burns in national parks? Because there's a lot of fuel. And it appears to me that we’ve fallen into the trap over the last decade, decade and a half, of just saying, oh, we can't go there, it is sacrosanct. We've got to do something about it, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: There's always going to be lessons after events like today and I think that's obviously one that has to be tested as well. I mean, I've been hearing those same things as I was moving around on the weekend and it's been coming in to me. But you're absolutely right, Ray, the time to have those policy discussions are not in the middle of an operational response. Whether it's that or any other issue. It's not that people don't think those issues aren't important or need to be acknowledged, whatever issue we're talking about. It's just we’ve got to focus all our efforts on the operational response. That's what people in the crisis areas need and let's hope… I mean, in greater Sydney, in the Hunter and down in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven today as yet, we haven't seen any sort of major ignitions there. And that's thankful. But it's a bit of the calm before the storm at the moment. We're not expecting that front to come through til around about early afternoon, about two o'clock or thereabouts, the Commissioner was saying today and it's not going to be accompanied by a lot of moist air behind it like you might often see with a southerly. So it will be a pretty strong wind and that's going to blow its way all the way up the coast, as it always does. And so it means it won't be hitting those areas up in Queensland until much later tonight. So we'll get through the daylight hours, but the risk will remain into the night and it will flow into tomorrow, because tomorrow is a pretty hot day, too. So, you know, it's just not today.
HADLEY: Yeah, well, let's hope we get in the next 24 hours and say, well, we dodged a bullet collectively. I appreciate your time and we'll talk later. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Mate, all the best.
Doorstop Interview - Taree Evacuation Centre
10 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, PREMIER OF NSW: I’m pleased to be here in Taree with the Prime Minister our colleagues, and of course Commissioner Fitzsimmons just to simply thank the amazing volunteers and all the workers from around the state who have got all hands on deck to support communities who are doing it really rough because of the horrific bushfires that we've witnessed. I want to personally thank everybody from within NSW, but also reinforcements from outside the state that have come in to support our communities. This evacuation centre is around 1 of 15 that's been stood up. This evacuation centre alone has had about 700 people come through here. And as you can all appreciate, as we can all appreciate, some people are coming here having lost everything or in a very traumatised state. What really struck me and hit me today is that even though some people know that their homes are okay, they're still extremely traumatised by what they've experienced, by what they've seen, by what their neighbours are going through. So just because someone's property is safe, doesn't mean they're ok. And we’re appealing to everybody to please watch out for your neighbours, please know there's help available. And today it's just struck me the number of services that are here that have set up and also the generosity from the community, both locally and also throughout the state. And it's very humbling as the Premier to be able to come here and say thank you to everybody, but also to hear stories of what people have gone through. And it's a good reminder of what we need to do to ensure that we support the communities, not just today and tomorrow, or this week or the next few weeks but weeks and months and in some instances a year or more until communities recover from what they've been through. We are still concerned about news reports, on Tuesday, and Commissioner Fitzsimmons will provide a greater detail. But certainly the advice we've had today is that weather conditions are looking very dire on Tuesday and we're bracing ourselves for potentially new areas, new fronts that currently don’t exist. But it’s a relief to know that conditions have eased, but it's only now that communities, that members and families are realising the state of their properties. The shock will start sinking in. And we need to make sure we're here to wrap around our services, but also just our moral support as people go through these difficult circumstances. PM?
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Thank you, Gladys. And can I thank you in particular as Premier of New South Wales for the tremendous effort that you've led here in response to these just devastating fires. And to you Commissioner, also and to all of the brave rural firefighters right across, not just here in New South Wales, but also up in Queensland and to all of the volunteers who have been coming in behind those volunteer firefighters, providing the support to the Sallies who are here, keeping people fed, to those who are supporting evacuation centres and not only just providing for people's basic needs, but providing great encouragement to people and putting their arm around them and showing that care and compassion. As the Premier said, as Gladys said, even where people's own properties have been saved. That does not mean that they have not gone through a tremendous trauma in recent times. I know many of them as Gladys and I've spoken to them here today are hopefully looking forward to getting back to their properties soon. But they are also telling me stories of incredible community where people have reached out, got people out of homes, made sure they've got to safety, looked after each other's livestock and animals, talking to each other, putting themselves in harm's way for each other. I've got to tell you, as a Prime Minister, I'm never more proud of Australians than in moments like this. They just show incredible spirit, incredible heart, incredible generosity. And that's what we're seeing on display, whether it's in this evacuation centre or the courage and the professionalism we saw up in Wauchope today with Cam and his amazing team up there coordinating the bushfire response right across the Mid Coast. As the Premier says, though, we're not out of this yet. There's still a long way to go. And Tuesday is looking a lot more difficult. And that's not only just true here in New South Wales. We know of the similar types of conditions we're seeing in Western Australia on Tuesday as well. So while we're seeing a very outstanding state effort here in New South Wales, there is a coordinated effort going across the country in the other places where there is danger. I also want to thank all the other states and territories for the way they've turned up here in New South Wales as I arrived here this morning. I was able to meet a whole crew out of Tasmania. It was only a year ago when I was down in Tassie and there were firefighters from New South Wales going down to help them. And here they are today as the Premier of Tasmania was reminding me this morning, back up here, helping their fellow Australians when they're fighting the same threats that they were in Tassie not that long ago. And I think that's just the great spirit of our fire services and our volunteers, that they do this. Now on an official matter we had commenced midday today the two arms of support. I mentioned them yesterday. And that's the $1000 dollars for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, which is coming through the disaster recovery payment that is already being actioned and the other payment which has been extended and these are in the areas largely from the Queensland border down through here, Glen Innis Savern, Kempsey, Mid Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings and the Walcha local government areas. We also have the disaster recovery allowance and that's the payment made to people for up to 13 weeks of income support where they have a loss of income. I also want to thank the employers for their understanding for those firefighters who are out there and ask them for their continued support of our firefighters. If they can't come to work tomorrow or the day after or the day after that, then I would ask you to continue to support them in that. I thank you for the way you've supported them. They'll have to be there running their businesses and they'll be doing it a little shorthanded. But they're putting their effort in by allowing those volunteers to do the work they're doing here in a centre like this or out on the fires or in the incident response management centre. So let me finish just by passing over to the commissioner to thank all of the ministers, all of the coordinators, all the firefighters, but particularly to you Gladys for the leadership you're showing with the government here to ensure that we've got a professional and targeted and very effective response, which I think is going to give people a lot of hope and confidence in the worst of times. Thank you, Commissioner.
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: Right now, we continue to have more than 70 fires burning across New South Wales. More than half of them remain uncontained. We've got another 11 fires still burning at watch and act alert level. But even as we speak with the winds increasing, we are starting to see the fire behaviour increase and circumstances changing. So there's every likelihood, as we saw yesterday, as the afternoon rolls on, we're likely to see fires increasing to the emergency warning alert level and certainly the issuance of more messages and warnings out to impacted or affected communities. I would also like to echo the appreciation and the thanks that we've received from all the people here in this evacuation centre. An extraordinary time to be here. A range of emotions, of sadness and despair, but absolute appreciation and gratitude. And they wanted me to extend very publicly their sincere appreciation and gratitude to the firefighters on the front line, the emergency management workers, the incident controllers, every one doing their part to try and save them and save their community. Even people that have lost everything are just so grateful for what the effort has been achieving. Even though they've lost everything, they say they're still here and there's so many other neighbours around them that have been able to keep their home. We've got a long way to go yet as the as the Minister, the Premier and the Prime Minister have indicated, we are particularly concerned about the weather that's being forecast right across parts of New South Wales for Tuesday. The indications are the weather conditions will be worse than what we experienced right throughout northern New South Wales only a few days ago. Not only will they be worse, they'll be concentrated much further than just the north eastern area of New South Wales. We are expecting to see widespread, severe and extreme fire danger ratings extending from northern New South Wales, from the Queensland border right down to the central west areas of New South Wales, in and around the Greater Hunter region, down through the Greater Sydney environment, into the Illawarra and the Shoalhaven region. So we're talking a very widespread area of the state that is going to be confronted with some particularly difficult fire danger conditions. Accordingly, we've continued to ramp up our resources here in New South Wales. Not only do we have right now more than 1,300 people dealing with fires right across New South Wales. We've got plenty of crews from across the state and our colleagues from right across Australia and New Zealand helping us with incident management teams and helping us with men and women on the frontline fighting fires. We've had two large air tankers working on these fires. The machine that was purchased early on in the season by the New South Wales Government and a second one that we've been able to lease in the last month or so. We've also had a third one come online and active yesterday. So it will be available this week. We've also been speaking to our colleagues interstate and in particular Victoria, who are benefiting from some more mild conditions at the moment. And we are ramping up for probably another 50 trucks full of crews to be deployed into New South Wales on Monday night, ahead of conditions on Tuesday. And they'll be prepositioned and available to be deployed into either existing firefighting operations or new firefighting events that might occur over the coming days. We really need to identify that the risk is very real for Tuesday. We've seen the gravity of the situation unfold so profoundly up here on the on the north coast in the last week or so. You've seen the devastation, you've seen the damage, you've seen the destruction. What we can expect is those sorts of conditions to prevail across a much broader geographic area as we head into Tuesday. So we cannot reiterate enough, preparing now, having that bushfire survival plan, preparing your home, preparing your property, the conversation with your loved ones, the little things you do now could make all the difference to the survivability of you, your loved ones and your property if you're impacted by fire next week. And most importantly, make sure you stay attuned and alert to what's going on. Stay up to date, stay informed, listen to local radio, monitor the RFS website, have that smart phone application and be ready to act in accordance with that bushfire survival plan or any instructions or directions that you’re given by authorities.
PRIME MINISTER: Can I also thank the media for the way they've been getting a lot of information out, I think that's been very useful. So I want to thank the media for the work they've been doing on that as well.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister have you heard stories here of heartbreak and also resilience?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, both, both. And, you know, people are under a lot of pressure when you're sitting in a centre like this where you're getting such great care and support and, you know, you're going to perhaps drive home later today and not know what you're going to find, then that really does set the anxiety levels running high. You've got young kids here. We've got elderly residents but the level of optimism despite the circumstances, is quite inspiring. And the way people are just getting around each other and it's not uncommon. I mean, the Premier and I have walked into many rooms like this in many different places, in many different circumstances. Floods, fires and all sorts of other circumstances. And we see the same thing every time, Australians supporting Australians.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, [inaudible] paint a very bleak picture of the coming days and you made the cabinet-level decision about potentially deploying army reservists, would it be better to deploy before the event rather than after? What are your thoughts on that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's not how it works. I'm not suggesting any changes. I mean, we were simply preparing for any requests that might come forward. And indeed, if that becomes necessary and there are further things that are required, then, of course, and meetings are taking place to that end. But what is important is that the level and resourcing of the delivery of the response by the New South Wales Government here is outstanding. And if they need anything more, I'm sure they would ask. And our support is simply there as a contingency. And the fact that it hasn't needed to be called upon, I think is a testament to the incredible coordinated support and resource that is coming through and through the effort that has been led by the Commissioner obviously at an operational level. But I've got to say, the support from the other state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers, has been great. It's just like, what can we do? How many people can we send you. The South Australians on the KC 130 out of Adelaide yesterday and today the Tasmanians have arrived and they're here from the West, they're here from Queensland, they’re here from the ACT and the Kiwis are here, too. There's a few of them, but I'm sure if we needed more, they'd come.
JOURNALIST: Are you confident there’s enough resources in place to fight the fires?
PRIME MINISTER: It's probably best to leave the operational questions to the Commissioner or Gladys.
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: The simple answer is yes, I am. As I say, we're bolstering up our numbers in anticipation of Tuesday. We are working very closely with the Federal Government through Emergency Management Australia and the Defence Force. We've got a standing arrangement with the with the Richmond RAAF base where they're critical to supporting our operation with a large air tanker base. We've also been using them over the last couple of weeks, particularly with the transport and movement of firefighters, to make sure we've got the capability and the capacity where we need it, whether that's domestically here in New South Wales or indeed helping us transport teams from interstate. That's been a critical tool in the firefighting effort. And we're also in discussions at the moment with the capacity and the ability of the of the Defence Force to see if we can get some additional technological support potentially over coming days and weeks to bolster what we've already got operating here in New South Wales, particularly given the potential spread of the geography from the Queensland border much further south. So we are very mindful of that, which is why we are talking to our colleagues and we're getting a significant augmentation from Victoria in the next 24 hours. We've already been in contact with our colleagues in Canada and the United States, as you know, for the last decade. We've been regularly sending teams of Australian and New Zealand firefighters over to Canada and the United States to help with firefighting. And the arrangement is that we will reciprocate and help each other when we need to. We're flagging the intent that as we get into the worst of the season, as we get into the summer months, there's every likelihood that we can even draw on that sort of capacity that we've got standing provisions with. So, yes, we are we are working with the resources available. We're increasing those numbers where we think we need to. And I've got I've got absolute unwavering support from the Premier and the Minister and the New South Wales Government to do what we need to do when we need to do it. And we'll sort out the details thereafter.
JOURNALIST: Commissioner, there has been a warning extending from the RFS that you may not be able to help everyone who needs helping in the coming days. Does that warning stand?
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: That warning stands and has been in place as long as I can remember, for decades we have said time and time again, when you get very dangerous and volatile conditions, no one can guarantee that a fire engine or a firefighter will be at your front door. We simply cannot do it. And you can see the extraordinary events that we experienced here in recent days. Never before have we had 17 concurrent emergency warning fires burning at once, all competing desperately for resources, desperately for support, desperately for assistance. The reality is we simply couldn't get to every individual. Don't get me wrong, we tried our damnedest to get wherever we could, providing it was safe and able to do so. But access was cut off. Access was restricted to either the people on the ground or indeed the aircraft in the air. A lot of aircraft have been grounded. The conditions were too volatile. The air was too turbulent. But we will do our very best to save and protect everybody and everything as much as we can. But we have to make sure our overriding priority is not to compromise the safety and welfare of the men and women on the frontline, desperately trying to do whatever they can to save and protect everybody. We need to be reminded, too, that so many of our members are the community. So when their communities are hurting, they are hurting. They're losing their own infrastructure. They're losing their own homes, they're losing their own property. And then sadly, time and time again, despite my very best efforts and the collective efforts of all of us and echoed here today by all these people that have lost homes and had their homes saved, we don't want our members, particularly our volunteers, to feel like they've let their community down, to feel like they've failed when they haven't been able to save everything. Because the reality is, when we when we get through the enormity of the firefighting effort and we start to properly take stock of what's lost, most importantly in that stocktake, we'll be taking stock of what's been saved. And I can be pretty confident that we'll be talking at a much greater ratio of what they've been able to save versus what they've been able to lose. And I mean, no disrespect or to be insensitive to all those that have lost everything and particularly those who have lost loved ones. But the reality is it could have been so much worse, a whole lot worse if it wasn't for everybody's individual and collective effort.
JOURNALIST: How are you [inaudible]?
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: It's always our challenge and we are churning through, You imagined it, 500 to 1,300 people per day, per night shift. We're rotating crews on a constant basis. That's why we are consuming thousands of volunteers, thousands of firefighters, paid firefighters, volunteer firefighters, not from just across New South Wales, but right across Australia. That's why we're calling them in early, because we want to help manage that fatigue. We want to help turn those crews over. And it's not just the firefighters. It's all the emergency workers. It's all the emergency management teams, the welfare support, the infrastructure teams, the communications, transport. They're all working 24 hours a day. And that requires a lots of crews, lots of rotation. And our focus is on fatigue management, because fatigue management links with safety.
JOURNALIST: Ahead of Tuesday [inaudible]?
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: Ahead of Tuesday, we are clearly winding up. We've got a major operations still going on. And we know we've got to build up even more for what we're expecting on Wednesday. And not only are we going to do our part, but we're going to be calling on over and over again for the community to do their part. And that's about being prepared. It's about having a plan and it's about being ready to act in accordance with what you're hearing and what you're observing.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister I’m staying in a motel with a couple who’ve had to flee their house, they’ve asked me to ask you what you’re doing about climate change long term? That’s what the couple in my hotel have asked me to ask you.
PRIME MINISTER: I'll give the same answer I gave yesterday, and that is I'm focussed on the needs of the people in this room today, as is the Premier, the needs of resourcing of our firefighters and to ensure that they have everything they need, to keep those firefighters safe and to protect as many properties as we can. One of the things, one of the stories that I heard today and the Commissioner is just referred to it because it's not uncommon. You've got firefighters out there saving someone else's house while their own house is burning down. And when we're in that sort of a situation, that's where our attention must be.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] getting extra funding to deal with these disasters, are local governments getting extra funding?
PRIME MINISTER: The Premier can answer that…
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, PREMIER OF NSW: Well, obviously, all levels of government are working together and every community that we visit, the local council is intricately involved in what we're doing. And what we really appreciate from councils as well as obviously other agencies is the local knowledge. When you’re actually asking volunteers to come from different parts of the state, in fact, different parts of the nation, they do an amazing job but that local expertise is so critical. And that's what we really want to thank local council, local government as well for the input they’re having into this process and just echoing everyone's comments, it's humbling to know how much assistance has been given through volunteers and also other agencies. But I also want to stress it's not just the people who are going through the property loss and loss of life that are traumatized. But a lot of our workers, when you mix emotion and fatigue, that is a concern. And I'm extremely relieved that we've been able to reinforce, replenish and obviously gear up for Tuesday and Wednesday. And that's really critical. I've made sure we've done a welfare check on every coordinator and every major decision maker we've come into contact with. Some people have been working straight through for two or three days. We're urging people to take a break, provide those reinforcements, because we don't want anyone to suffer unnecessarily because you can't underestimate the trauma that people are going through. And just from being here for a short time, when you hear stories of what people are experiencing, it is difficult. But if you have to do that all day, every day, we need to make sure everybody is supported during this process.
JOURNALIST: On Tuesday will you consider delaying Parliament so the local MP’s can remain in their communities?
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, PREMIER OF NSW: We've already said that any local MP who wants to be in their community should stay in their community. That's a call for them. Parliament will continue. It's important for us to continue as much as possible what we would ordinarily do and it actually heartened me as I drove through parts of this community to see people going about their business on a Sunday as they would on a Sunday. People were attending social activities or sporting activities. That's what we want to see. We want people to get on with business where they can. Obviously, there's a lot of trauma and a lot of people have been impacted. But also, you know, part of the recovery is doing things that we're used to, is getting on with what we're used to. And certainly my message to all of our colleagues is we have to do the same for those colleagues who've got communities who need them back home. Please stay in your communities we’ll provide you leave for the rest of us we need to keep working hard to make sure we're making the decisions, providing that voice and in fact, having a forum to thank everybody for what we're going through.
JOURNALIST: Premier we’ve heard from a lot of evacuees who are saying they’re worried about being forgotten in the longer term. The people you’ve met today, what are they telling you about what their needs will be once the immediate disaster is over, partuclarly in the coming months and years?
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, PREMIER OF NSW: Well, to be honest, people's immediate focus is the next few days some people have left their homes and need somewhere to sleep tonight. So the immediate focus, can I stress today and the next few days will be to find stable accommodation, resources and just the basic necessities of life. But we have already appointed you Euan Ferguson as our disaster recovery officer, our coordinator. Normally you wait till after the fires have subsided and you go into the next phase. We haven't waited for that. We want the planning, the recovery work to start already. We want people to be able to resume their lives as much as possible as soon as possible. But we're under no illusions. When communities go through the trauma that we've seen, it can take a year or so for a complete recovery. For some people, it'll take less time. But for others, it could take longer. And we're here for the long haul. We're not just here today and tomorrow. But as I've said, for weeks and months and possibly years ahead. That's certainly been our experience elsewhere. And it will continue to be our experience, they will not be forgotten. But I have to stress that our immediate concern, our immediate concern is meeting people's immediate needs.
JOURNALIST: Why was your response ‘not today’ when it came to the climate change question?
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN, PREMIER OF NSW: Because today is about protecting life. Today is about protecting, I mean, if you talk to people that are traumatized, you need to address their concerns first and foremost. We have time on our hands to talk about those other issues. Today is about making sure people are okay.
JOURNALIST: Commissioner, can I ask one last question. Commissioner, just in terms of the military, you spoke a bit more about how technology can be used in practical terms on the ground, how [inaudible] recovery process?
SHANE FITZSIMMONS, COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE: Well, at this stage, we don't have tasking for the military other than what we're meaningfully engaging them with. We work very closely with them routinely, they've got liaison in our state centres. So we are working shoulder to shoulder. As I say, they were able to fulfil a need for us in relation to transport. They're a critical partner when it comes to our large air tanker and we'll continue to work with them about other things that are important that we feel are necessary when it comes to the overall firefighting effort.
Press Conference - Kirribilli House
9 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: The devastating and horrific fires that we’ve seen particularly in New South Wales but also in Queensland, have been absolutely chilling and I want to thank all of those who have fought so bravely overnight and are out there still today. I also want to thank all of those who are backing them in and supporting them. Those who are providing the logistic support, those back at base, those providing the catering and the accommodation to support people in evacuation centres and coordinating supplies and assistance and just being that friend and someone people can turn to in these very difficult times. I also want to commend Gladys Berejiklian and the New South Wales Government on the swift response that they put in place to these fires, as well as Premier Palaszczuk and the work that is being done in Queensland. But I also want to thank those Premiers like Premier Marshall in South Australia for the very swift response they've engaged in in sending their own firefighters on their way to New South Wales and who are in the air even as we speak. These fires have already claimed two lives, that have been confirmed. And as the Premier said, we're expecting worst news as the day unfolds. There have been hundreds of properties that have been destroyed, homes that have been destroyed. And as we get access to further areas that have been cut off, we're expecting worse news again, but the resilience and the coordination and the bravery and the professionalism of our the disaster agencies are on full display, the airlift of those who need to get to those fires, the support mechanisms, the aircraft and assets that have been put in place. There were 76 air assets in place over the last 24 hours and more today, are fighting these fires. And while there has been these devastating effects in New South Wales and Queensland, there are other states where the risk is also high. Earlier today, Emergency Management Australia convened a meeting of the chiefs of the fire services and emergency service agencies from around the country. And we're expecting very similar conditions in Western Australia over the next few days. We currently have 31 out of 37 districts in Western Australia that is in the high fire rating. And three of those will go to catastrophic in the days ahead. And they will be at both ends of that great big state down in the south and also in the north. And so the resources will be made available and they are being made available across the country as we speak and the coordination effort has been incredibly strong. The sad truth is that we've had far too much practice, far too much deployment in these areas. But the lessons that have been learned from these deployments over many years now has ensured that the coordination and the response is very swift. And the professionalism and the way these things stand up is going extremely well. In terms of the ADF, the ADF is already providing assistance with airlift support. And that has not only been the C 130, as we've seen coming out of Adelaide, but also the RAAF’s own VIP fleet has been used through the BBJ to provide support also today, that will continue. In addition to that, I convened this morning with those ministers who have direct operational responsibility in these areas, a meeting of my cabinet ministers and the ADF is presenting options on call outs of reservists as may be necessary that call out will relate to activities such as working on firebreaks back from the front, as well as providing accommodation and logistics and other support to provide assistance to the states and their agencies as they continue to provide the frontline response to these fires. I should stress that our defence forces are not trained firefighters our trained firefighters are the ones who are fighting the fires. The ADF can provide a lot of support in logistics and other activities and will, as required. But we just need to understand that the ADF are not trained firefighters and that is not a response option that is available or has been deemed needed because of the very strong professional and volunteer firefighting resources that we have and coordinated across states and territories. Category A and B assistance, which is the disaster recovery assistance that is provided together with state governments in New South Wales, and we anticipate that commencing shortly. For the Commonwealth Government that means that as a follow on, disaster recovery payments we expect to operationalise over the weekend and that's $1000 dollars for individuals and $400 dollars per child. The Government Services Minister, Stuart Robert, was as part of that call this morning and they've had standby facilities, mobile service teams available and to be deployed in the fire affected areas and the call centre has also been stood up to take those calls when seeking support and so in making these statements, I want to assure Australians that whether you're in the communities that have been ravaged by fire as we speak or has been over the last 24 hours or you’re over in Western Australia or other parts of the country that are facing a fire threat in the future. I want to assure you about the high level of coordination of response that exists across all state and territory governments and the Commonwealth to ensure we deploy where we need to, when we need to. And for as long as we need to. The rain conditions, particularly in the areas where fires are burning, is going to present a real challenge in the weeks ahead. That means these fires will burn for some time. They will hopefully be able to be brought back to a more manageable level. But that said, the fires themselves will continue to present a risk for some weeks to come. And that means with changing weather conditions, they could flare up in the future. So they will be under close watch from all of our agencies and all our authorities. But our main thoughts and our prayers are with those who have been so directly and horribly impacted by these fires. Those who have lost loved ones and those who will learn they have lost loved ones in the not too distant future. Those who have lost homes, those who are sitting in the smouldering ruins of properties that once stood. They are the ones that Australians will be thinking of today. And I want them to be assured of the kindness, love and support of their fellow Australians and that their governments will be doing everything they can, not just to relieve them from this immediate situation, but to be there in the recovery in the weeks and the months and years ahead.
JOURNALIST: So how many ADF personnel are likely to be deployed?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they are options that are being considered at the moment. They're coming forward from the ADF. There hasn't been a request for the call out of those to this point. Now, these are contingency options that are being prepared for consideration by the Defence Minister. As I said, there have been no requests for that other than the airlift support, which is already being provided.
JOURNALIST: Along with the aircraft that you say, is there any other hardware that will be brought in?
PRIME MINISTER: Well when you're doing things like fire breaks and things of that nature that obviously brings in the equipment that they can have to support those sorts of initiatives or moving things around and things of that nature. But largely it's people that can be deployed in this area. Accommodation is another area, catering support. When I was at Canungra for the recent fires that were up there, they were using the local base as it was providing accommodation support as well as the Central Command for that for the fire operations.
JOURNALIST: Medical?
PRIME MINISTER: All of these things can be can be made available. And so we are open to all of the options. But what I'm referring to is actually the possible call out of reservists if necessary. We're not at that stage yet, but the Defence Minister and I have asked for those options to be brought forward. If they're called upon, then we will be ready.
JOURNALIST: We’re not even in summer yet, how bad do you expect this fire season to be across the country?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're always prepared for bad fire seasons, and we're more prepared today than I think we have been in times previous. And the reason for that is, is it was what I outlined earlier, is that we're facing and have faced so many of these events around the country. I mean, around about this time last year, we were fighting fires down the Huon Valley in Tasmania in some of the most remote parts of the country in Tasmania. Now, we've had them up in north Queensland. We've had them in New South Wales. We were just at Rappville a few weeks ago where there was that devastating fire that cut off the community. Parts of Kempsey were cut off and have been this morning. I've spoken to also my colleagues, our local members and in all of those areas. And they're all on the ground today working with their communities, reporting back to us what is necessary. But I want to stress that the first response and the oversight and delivery of response is done by the state governments and Premier Berejiklian and her team are doing an outstanding job. They're the ones who declare states of emergency. And that's where the legislation sits that triggers actions in response to those declarations. And then the Commonwealth then works hand in glove with them.
JOURNALIST: When will you tour affected areas?
PRIME MINISTER: We're taking advice on that, of course. I would like to go and provide direct personal support to people as they're suffering. And I'll look for an early opportunity to do that. But at the same time, we don't want to hamper or in any way frustrate the firefighting effort and the support efforts that are in place. So I've been in touch with those agencies today and we'll take advice from them. But at a very early opportunity, I would just like to go and just be there with people and just sit with them.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, any international offers for assistance- are you aware of?
PRIME MINISTER: No, there hasn't been a need for that yet. Australia is very well placed and positioned to deal with these types of disasters. The work that's been done over several years, including in fortifying the way our communications stand up in these arrangements and making availability of air assets that are held by different states and how they can be deployed into hot zones, the coordination and the relationships that have been built up between our state agencies is simply outstanding. And I've seen it on display, on brilliant display this morning as I've taken briefs from around the country.
JOURNALIST: Do you accept that what we’re experiencing now and what's [inaudible] is at some way linked to climate change?
PRIME MINISTER: My only thoughts today are with those who have lost their lives and their families. The firefighters who are fighting the fires, the response effort that has to be delivered and how the Commonwealth has to responded in supporting those efforts.
JOURNALIST: What do you make though Prime Minister of these extraordinary descriptions coming from so many people about the nature of this event?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, from the images I've seen from friends that are sending them to me and the stories I’ve directly heard, fires are ferocious. Australia has been battling ferocious fires for as long as Australia has been a nation and well before. And we will continue to. But we are very experienced. The people who know how to deploy in these circumstances save lives. And I would only urge them to be careful out there, to follow your training and support each other, to take the breaks. When you need to take the breaks, you've got to sometimes drag people off the line when they're fighting these fires. And this is going to go on for some time. And we'll need them always at their best. And that's why I think the support we've seen, particularly from South Australia this morning and I know it will come from the other states and Victoria and the ACT, and in other places, of course it will come. And if there is a need from other countries like New Zealand, where we've provided support in New Zealand, I have no doubt that they will turn up as it did last year when we're dealing with the Huon Valley fires and we had specialist New Zealand firefighters who came to support us in those instances. So I think Australians know the risk and dangers of fire. And at the same time, though, we really do lead the world in terms of how we respond to it when it comes.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister [inaudible] does the country have to brace itself [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: We always have to, I think, brace ourselves, we always have to listen carefully to the warnings and undertake the preparations that are advised in every single season. I think Australians increasingly understand that and I'd be encouraging them to revisit their fire preparation plans. The fire might not be on your doorstep today, but as we go into every fire season, every summer season, then the risk is ever present. And it's important that families understand what their evacuation procedures are. What numbers to call. What things to ready themselves with. And how they can best prepare their properties in the event of a fire storm. And I think there's a much greater awareness today of these things than there has been in the past. That does save lives. I'm sure that it has saved lives on this occasion. Sadly, we've lost two Australians and I fear we will lose more before this is done. And before the day's out. Anyway, thanks very much for your time.
Step up in drought budget support
7 November 2019
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Water Resources Drought Rural Finance Natural Disaster and Emergency Management
Drought-hit farmers, small businesses and rural towns are set for an immediate cash injection to keep stock fed and watered, keep businesses open, keep locals in work and pump funds into local economies.
The Prime Minister said the Coalition Government’s next step of measures to combat the drought’s impact was ready to flow.
“We are stepping up our drought response once again to meet the increasing needs as the drought’s effects also step up,” the Prime Minister said.
“Since the budget we have already committed an additional $355 million to step up our drought response. Today’s announcement triples this to more than $1 billion since the election, as well as more than $1 billion in new interest free loans, to see people through.
“This is money into the pockets of all those farmers and graziers who know they have a future, but are currently struggling to keep their operations running as the crippling effects of this drought continue to bite that we’ve heard from out on the ground. They are backing themselves and we are backing them to make it through to the better days that will be ahead.
“It’s not only farmers doing it tough in drought. Our next step in drought support also has an eye squarely on those communities feeling the strain as work dries up and spending in local stores slows down.
“There is no silver bullet to this drought. Each time we introduce further help we listen, we learn and we adjust our response because we know each community has different needs and priorities that need the resources and cooperation of every level of government.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government’s latest initiatives would deliver an extra $709 million worth of direct support.
“Communities across Australia are suffering the effects of the prolonged dry spell and today’s announcement is the next step in the measures to help ease the burden of the drought,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
“This suite of measures go to the heart of what matters to these communities. From small businesses to primary producers, we are working with communities to take the pressure off one of the worst droughts in history.
“Not only is the Government continuing to respond as the drought progresses, but we are working on measures to assist in the recovery when the rains come, which includes the Government’s billion dollar investment in water infrastructure.
“By redirecting $200 million from the Building Better Regions Fund into drought communities and an extra $138.9 million into our Roads to Recovery initiative, we’re getting local projects and infrastructure work underway to keep finance flowing, trades in work and money rolling through local stores.”
Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie said a new loans program for small businesses and making existing drought loans interest free for two years would deliver immediate support for everything from buying fodder to transporting stock and agisting cattle through to paying staff and purchasing new equipment. The Regional Investment Corporation’s mandate sets its interest rate just to cover administration and borrowing costs.
“These loans mean farmers and small business owners can do what they need to, right now at zero cost,” Minister McKenzie said.
“Farmers will not have to pay a cent for the next two years and we’ll keep assessing the program if the drought runs longer than that to ensure repayments are affordable.
“With $200 million worth of loans committed already, we estimate the new small business program and the changes to the Drought Loans for farms will see around $1.2 billion issued over the next three years that they can put to their priorities.”
Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said as the drought escalates, so does the government’s response.
“The package will boost local jobs and respond to individual community needs,” Minister Littleproud said.
“We’ve had strong demand on the Drought Communities Extension Programme and we’re extending it to six new areas.
“On top of the $1 million we’ve delivered to 122 councils we’ll make another $1 million available for those still in need.
“We’ve also set up a $50 million fund for council projects in drought-hit communities for things like community hall renovations and playground upgrades.
“This will boost rural economies with more jobs and more business for regional suppliers like the local hardware store.”
Minister Littleproud said the Federal and South Australian Governments had also struck a deal to secure up to 100 gigalitres of water for farmers to grow fodder, silage and pasture at a discounted rate.
“100 gigalitres will produce up to 120,000 tonnes of feed for animals on farms in drought,” Minister Littleproud said.
“This will help farmers maintain their breeding stock during the drought so when it breaks farmers can recover faster.”
Minister Littleproud said the Government had also released the Drought Response, Resilience and Preparedness Plan. The plan draws on the Drought Co-ordinator Major General Stephen Day’s report and the Government’s response, which was also released today. The Plan, Report and the Government’s response are available at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/drought-policy.
The Government will continue to listen to drought-affected Australia, respond and step up.
Further information on the support available for drought-affected farms and communities and how to access it is available at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/drought/
Summary of Federal Government support
Existing supportNew supportLooking after our farming families here and now
Simplified and expanded access to the Farm Household Allowance and extended it to a 4 in 10 year payment. Households are eligible for around $105,000 as well as an additional payment of $13,000 for couples
$3,000 cash payments for families under the Drought Communities Support Initiative
Built the National Drought Map so all data and support services are in one place
Invested $25 million to help our farmers combat pests and weeds; $2.7 million to improve regional weather and climate guides; and $77.2 million for Bureau of Meteorology radars
$2 billion available in concessional loans through the Regional Investment Corporation to help farmers and small businesses prepare for, manage through and recover from drought
$5 million for the Rural Financial Counselling Service
Making new and existing drought loans for farmers interest free for two years so they purchase fodder, pay for freight and pay their farm hands. Years three to five will be interest only payment and years six to 10 will be interest and principal. Current scheme is the first five years are interest only payments, and interest and principal payments for the balance of the loan term
A new program for small businesses dependent on agriculture with loans worth up to $500,000 that can be used to pay staff, buy equipment and refinance. It follows the same new payment scheme as the Drought Loans for farmers
$10 million to support schools facing financial hardship as a result of ongoing drought conditions, including fee concessions for boarding students
$5 million from the Community Child Care Fund will help assist centres that are experiencing decreased demand and financial pressure due to families from drought-affected areas being unable to pay for child care
Supporting jobs and investment in local communities
$1 million for 122 councils and shires in drought-affected areas to invest in projects that support jobs and business income
$30 million for targeted mental health support
$50 million funding for major charities to assist rural Australians in desperate need with up to $3,000 in individual support payments
An additional $1 million for each of the 122 drought-affected councils and shires if they need it
$1 million each for new drought-affected councils and shires including Greater Hume, Hilltops, Lockhart and Upper Lachlan in NSW, and Kangaroo Island and Tatiara in SA
$50 million discretionary fund to support projects in Local Government Areas impacted by the drought
Redirecting $200 million into a Building Better Regions Fund drought round to support new projects that deliver social and economic benefits to drought-affected communities
$138.9 million additional Roads to Recovery funding in calendar year 2020 for the 128 Local Government Areas eligible for the Drought Communities Programme Extension
Long term resilience
Future Drought Fund worth $5 billion to be a sustainable source of funding to improve drought resilience and preparedness
$1.5 billion for 21 dams, irrigation projects and pipelines across Australia
100 gigalitres of water that will be used to grow up to 120,000 tonnes of fodder as well as silage and pasture to secure supplies for the months ahead.
Appointment of two department secretaries
8 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
I am pleased to announce that on 6 November 2019 the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), appointed two new secretaries to departments of the Australian Public Service: Mr David Fredericks has been appointed to lead the Department of the Environment and Energy, and Mr Simon Atkinson has been appointed to lead the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development. Both appointments are for five years, commencing on Monday 11 November 2019.
Mr Fredericks is currently a Deputy Secretary at the Department of Finance, previously having served as a Deputy Secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department from 2011 to 2015. He was a ministerial adviser from 2008 to 2010, and prior to that served in the Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
Mr Atkinson is currently a Deputy Secretary in the Treasury. He has held extensive senior roles in the Infrastructure and Regional portfolios – including leading the establishment of Infrastructure Australia – as well as in the Departments of Defence and Finance. He served as Cabinet Secretary from 2017 to 2018 and as a ministerial adviser from 2013 to 2016.
I congratulate them both and look forward to working with them in their new roles.
Interview with Paul Murray - Paul Murray Live, Sky News Australia
7 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PAUL MURRAY: Prime Minister, thank you so much for the chance to chat.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Paul.
MURRAY: All right. Before we get to the drought, there are some big announcements today, I want to go through some of the stuff that is around in the news. Before we get to the fun of the Labor Party review, how was your meeting with those mothers yesterday and their want for a Royal Commission? What was the experience like to look those mums in the eye?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was a very, very moving experience. We were there for about an hour and a quarter, actually. And I just listened and it gave me a real, a much better understanding about what they were seeking through a Royal Commission. And the Royal Commission can do many things. And think it was a good opportunity for them to talk that process through for them what it would mean for them, how it would help them and others who are going through that terrible, terrible set of circumstances. And so, I mean, they were aware that I hadn't ruled it out. And it's something that I am actively considering, along with our response to the Productivity Commission and a range of other issues. So, you know, as you know, I'm not one to move into those things lightly, and there are a range of other things we're doing. So, I'm actively considering that. And I'd like that to be considered along with these other things that we're doing because there is a lot happening. And one of the key points they did make and I agree with them and actually so does Defence and others. And that is we have to prepare our servicemen and women for their life after service almost from the very day they join the service. And for their sons, that never happened. And that is happening now. There are changes that have been more recently introduced in that and a range of other issues for transitioning and other support. That wasn't there for their sons. And so we need to make those changes. And I don't want us to slow down on the things that we are doing. We need to do all of that. But it was good to get from them what they would take out of a Royal Commission, and that helps.
MURRAY: There's been a big decision in Melbourne today. The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has essentially made the choice of environment over massive parts of the logging industry. Is that the right call?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't know what they have against regional Australia. There’s 1,600 jobs. I mean, the Labor Party, whether it's in agriculture or it’s mining or it’s forestry... we made this point at the election - you can’t trust them because they are a progressive left wing party, which wants to tell you what sort of job you can have and how you can earn your living and where you can live and where you can have an income in regional Australia. And this is just another example of that. I mean, it's their decision. We were working with them in good faith on the regional forestry agreements, as we've done with other states, and they’re clearly going down a different path. And this assumption that you can’t… that you can do it all with plantation forests. Well, no, you can't actually. It's the dominant but it's not all of it. And there are products that come from what they're shutting down that can't be replaced in other sectors. And there's a whole other flow-on set of industries and jobs that sit around that. I just don't think the Labor Party gets regional Australia.
MURRAY: The election review has come out into the Labor Party, 94 pages, couple of dozen recommendations. They've even done a 500-word precis for anyone who wants to dig through it. Two-part question about this. Did they lose the election? Because that seems to be the assumption where all of this starts, rather than you winning the election?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as I said on election night, the Australians who just go on about their lives every day, they're the ones who won the election because they decided what they wanted. I continue to see in Labor's whole attitude that they still don't get that. It's all about them, apparently. No, it's not about the Labor Party. It's not about the Liberal Party. It's about where Australians are at and what they want for their future. I mean, a huge part of the election was that we, I believe, spoke very clearly to the aspirations of Australians. They know things are hard and we will talk about the drought in a second. But the Australians have got irrepressible optimism and I don't think they understand that. And that's what I thought they spoke down to and whether it was in regional Australia or metropolitan, the suburbs and all these other places. But it seems like the report is 60 excuses as to why it wasn't their policies. It was their policies. Their policies were not where Australia wanted to go. And they seem to be in denial about that. But that's their problem. We'll stay focused on what Australians want us to focus on and remain true to what we took to the election and was supported at that election. Today is a classic example - they’re spending the day talking about themselves, and we're focused on actually delivering serious support for drought-affected communities.
MURRAY: But it must be frustrating that at the very same time as you were making the announcements about drought today, this report was also being released and for much of the afternoon the media seemed way more focused on the report than the money for the drought. What does that tell you about the political climate?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it tells you a bit about the bubble, I think. But for me, I mean, that's their problem. I mean, for me, what I was focused on and pleased to be getting some really good feedback from rural and regional communities today from the package we announced today and it's in response to listening to them very carefully about what they believe needed to be the next step in what we are doing. So, you know, I had a footy coach once and he always used to say that you can never complain about the field, right? If it's raining, if it’s windy, if it’s muddy, you know, that's where you’ve got play the game that day. And I have a very similar view about how you deal with the media. It is what it is. And you deal with it.
MURRAY: Very good point. All right. Well, yes, let’s talk about drought. But before we get into some of the specificity, I want to sort of deal with an elephant in the room here, which is there seems to be two different ways of interpreting the Government's drought response. The people in the regions and the people who love the regions but don't live in them. And they seem to be the pockets of people who write some pretty ferocious emails about the Government's response. What can you say to get these people to look twice at the efforts of the Government? Because it feels like, as we've seen in previous governments, previous prime ministers, once a certain attitude starts to metastasize, it becomes a real problem.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the policies we have to put in place, the support we have to put in place actually has to make a difference and work in the communities they're designed to. That's how you should frame policy. That's where your focus should be. And that's where our focus has been, in those places. And in those places, they understand the challenges of the drought and they also understand what the needs are and they've been telling us about that and we've been constantly responding to it. In metropolitan areas and in city areas where it isn't a day to day issue, there's lots of opinions. And that's fair enough. We’re a country where everybody can have one, and that's fine. But what my point is, is our job is to demonstrate how these policies are actually making the difference in the places it needs to make the difference. So that's what we've done today. I mean, our plan, as I said to you when we got together last time, has three components. The direct assistance to the farmers and graziers, families and themselves and what they do there. And we look after the sort of income support side of that. The states look after what's going on on the farm. Then there are the communities themselves, which are also deeply affected because of the loss of income from the agricultural sector. And we’ve put big stimulus into those towns and communities. And thirdly, there's the longer-term issues of the irrigation infrastructure or the water infrastructure and the silage facilities, all those sorts of things. So that's what we've been doing. And today, what we knew was there are so many farmers who know they will get to the other side of this drought. They know that on the other side of this drought there is a profitable, successful, viable business, as there has been for generations before. And as the drought has gone on, initially there will be some farmers who are marginal before the drought. And you see that in droughts, but as it's gone on even longer, well, those who have had good farming practices, those who have made preparations, they're the ones who have got into greater difficulty as time has gone on. So the loan scheme that we announced today, which is the feedback we've had from the sector, zero interest loans means for two years they are able to get the capital they need and whether it's to transfer their stock for agistment or pay for fodder or cart water or do up their dam infrastructure on their property or clean them out or whatever it is they're doing for their farming practices. They can do all that, keep the farmhands employed and all that sort of thing because they know in two years time they will be in a position to actually have the business service that loan.
MURRAY: But what happens if it doesn't rain in the next two years?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, in two years time, if we're still in that situation, then we would look at those loan arrangements again. But our expectation in framing this is that within that two year period, we would hope and certainly they would too that they’d be harvesting two years from now. That they would have been restocking by that period of time. And as a result of our trade agreements and other things, they'll be doing a lot better. The thing about this drought which is a bit different is that farm prices have held up very well. In fact, they’ve increased every year for the last five years. And the equity level that the funds have had in their places has been growing as well. So those who made the difficult decision to leave the land, they been able to do it with a much better price. And that is factored into their decision about, well, was this a good time to go and how can they redeploy that capital and what they might want to do next in their lives. So the thing is that farming is a business. It's not a charity. And they don't like to be seen as a charity, either. They are running viable businesses that employ people and have done so over generations. So you give loans to businesses.
MURRAY: And is that why you're charging them interest and not just giving it as a grant?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're not charging interest for two years. And then it's a concessional rate of interest. And so the current concessional rate of interest on those that happened prior to now is 3.11 per cent. There'd be a lot of businesses in metropolitan areas that, you know, when they go through difficulties, would love zero interest loans for two years and concessional rates at 3.11 for a small business. But, you know, we've had that conversation before about the strategic significance of the agricultural sector. But there's $700 million in direct grants that we announced today. And that's the grants for the Roads to Recovery program. That's the grants of a million dollars each that all these councils will be getting. It’s the grants for the Building Better Regions programme. It's the direct cost of actually providing that zero interest for two years and that of itself is in the vicinity of over $70 million. And then, of course, there's the water that we're going to buy from South Australia to flow along the Murray, which is going to re-energise that whole district as they grow fodder, both to support themselves and the activity there and provide more fodder up into the drought-affected areas.
MURRAY: So that deal that you've been able to do with South Australia, you pay market rate, base rates? How does this work?
PRIME MINISTER: We pay the marginal cost of running the desal plant. And we anticipate that will be around about $80-odd million for 100 gigs. And through the swapping arrangements, that means we can release water over the next six months down through the system out of the Murray. And that will provide and that will be allocated through a tender process at deeply discounted. They’re not going to pay market rates. I mean, the market rate for water is about $1,000 a megalitre. This will be significantly discounted around about the cost of our production on those things and probably a lot less than that. So that will mean that they'll get access to the water. They can get their planning going, get their crops all ready. They’ll do that over two ways, I understand. Now that activity along that area, which has seen water flow past their properties. I mean, I've seen those terrible images, too. And this is why we thought this was an innovative way of addressing what is a particular problem along the Murray, which we all understand. That area itself is not in... there's water there but they can't access it because they can’t afford it. So this is going to be a way of, I think, providing some direct, immediate support to those places. But at the same time, we're helping farmers so they can help other farmers. It’s got quite a virtuous cycle to it.
MURRAY: Last question, hopefully again, we can get a chance in the next couple of weeks to present more questions from people, because they want to hear from you and hear from you in great detail. Prime Minister, thanks so much for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot Paul, cheers.
Press Conference - Canberra, ACT
7 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm very pleased to be joined by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for Drought and the Minister for Education. Since June of 2018, our Government has been rolling out our response to the drought that has been sweeping across our country. As every month has passed, the difficulties have increased. And as every month has passed, we have listened, we've learned and we've continued to step up what we've been doing in our response to the drought that is affecting somewhere in the vicinity of around 40,000 farms across the country. And that number is growing.
Our response has had three components. Firstly, to ensure we are providing that direct help to farming and grazing families and communities. We have delivered that through direct cash assistance through the Farm Household Allowance. This puts food on the table, helps keeps kids in school. We've ensured that through the support we've been providing, and I'd say states have assisted with this as well, that we're keeping wherever possible stock watered and fed, caring for the mental health of these families and these communities and also sitting around the kitchen table with them through our rural financial counsellors and helping them with the decisions and the difficult decisions they're making through drought. Supporting those communities by providing stimulus, important stimulus into these communities. Because when the income from the farms and the grazing properties go, then the towns are adversely affected. And so we've been seeking to mitigate that through programmes like the Drought Communities Programme, putting a million dollars into each of these shires, direct cash injection into these communities to keep businesses open, to keep businesses and their employees in jobs, and to ensure that we're also keeping the communities together through these programmes. Their best support in these circumstances is each other. And the Drought Communities Programmes have played an important role in bringing communities together at numerous events, from camp drafts to whatever they've decided is the best way to get people together.
There's been support directly through charitable organisations, more than $50 million through the Salvos and Vinnies and the CWA and others. That's providing $3,000 emergency cash payments to those in these communities, to those most in need. And we want to thank our partners in the charitable sector for doing that. And we have focused on the resilience for the next drought and the one after that, with major investments in water infrastructure, both on-farm and off-farm investments to support the construction and maintenance of silage, to keep farmhands in jobs, on properties, everything from fixing fences to getting rid of weeds and pests and sinking bores.
And then there are the big projects like where Michael and I recently at Dungowan and Wyangala. There are 21 projects currently all around the country and many of those already underway from Tasmania up to north Queensland. And those projects are continuing and being pursued through the National Water Grid. Since the election, we've put in place some $350 million of additional measures direct from the Budget. Things like Farm Household Allowance, drought communities programmes, extensions and so on, over $350 million alone.
Today we're announcing measures which triple that support up to after the election to just over a billion dollars. On top of that, we are providing loan support, which you have seen reports of this morning and my colleagues have spoken about this morning, of over a billion dollars in new interest free loans that will be made available to farmers and grazing families, as well as small businesses within local communities that are dependent and service the agricultural sector.
Now, I'm going to ask my colleagues to run through all of this in all the measures that we have. But just to give you a quick overview. First of all, the funds we're putting into those zero interest loans. What this is doing is supporting farmers and graziers who know they have a future in the sector and are committed to getting to the other side of this drought and knowing that better days are on the other side. And this gives them the massive breathing space to be able to make the investments, pay the employees on the farm, do the work that they need to do, purchase fodder, agist their stock, make the decisions that they know they are going to need to take over the next few years to ensure that they get to the other side. But it's not just that, because we've heard that this support needs to go to those agricultural supporting small businesses in these towns. It can be the local mechanic who's supporting solely what's going on in the agricultural sector. And the ag sector needs them and they need the ag sector. And these same loans of up to $200,000... sorry, $500,000 are providing them with that same opportunity to keep their doors open. They will have debtors on their books that they know won't be able to pay in the short term. And they're going to have to carry that. And this helps them carry that. This is helping them help their communities with what they're doing.
On top of that, we're extending the Drought Communities Programme. And I'll ask David to talk more about that and Michael will talk to you about the drought-affected communities, specifically Building Better Regions programme for the next round. There will also be a supplementary programme on Roads to Recovery. All of this providing direct further and significant stimulus, putting cash into these communities, which will keep them viable and keep their economy ticking over the years ahead as they work their way together through drought. We're also providing a special assistance, as was successful up in response to the North Queensland floods. And I'll ask Dan to detail that, which is helping farming and grazing families keep their kids in school. This is, of all the places that I remember going up to Quilpie with Michael and Bridget and David soon after becoming PM. One of the toughest families I've seen are the Tullys. But when Mrs Tully... the only time she broke down, after all of the things she's been through, which includes breast cancer, by the way, the thing that really got her upset was worrying about whether she could keep her kids in school. And this is as much for the mental health and wellbeing of these families as it is, of course, for the education of the kids themselves.
The other programme we will be announcing today and I’ll ask David to take you through this, is a water programme. We will be releasing 100 gigalitres along the Murray. That will be made available at discounted rates to farmers along the Murray to grow fodder, to increase the amount of fodder that will be available to support farming communities right across the country. This is something that we can do with the support of the South Australian government by us supporting them in cranking up the desal plant and enter into some borrowing arrangements on water, which will enable us to release water down the Murray, where so many of those farmers have seen water going by their properties. This will put them to work to help those farmers, help other farmers, when it comes to growing the fodder that our drought-affected farmers are going to need. This is a practical measure which both deals with the hardship along the Murray. But importantly, deals with making available more fodder, putting more into the system so there's more available to those breeding stock which desperately need it. Michael.
THE HON. MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Thank you, Prime Minister, and it is a privilege to be here with my colleagues. We sat around the Cabinet table yesterday and we talked about what we needed to do because we've listened to our regional communities. We've been out there. We've talked to our farmers across kitchen tables. We've talked to our regional small businesses across their counters. We've heard their stories and we are acting. This is the right help, right now, it's not contingent on the states providing any money. We're doing it as a Federal Government because we know we know that is a stepped process, as the Prime Minister has just said, that this is the right help, the right package, right now. We're going to make sure that our rural and regional communities that are suffering from this terrible drought have the right assistance right now. And it goes to the Building Better Regions Fund. Now, this is the fourth round of that dedicated fund to the regions. We have made it a priority of this Government to make sure that that money always went to the right places. And indeed, this round is going to be a drought dedicated round. So for those drought-stricken communities, they will be able to apply for that $200 million of funding and the communities elsewhere in regional Australia, which are going Ok. They will understand, as I've already spoken to a number of mayors, a number of my colleagues, my parliamentary colleagues, and they understand. They understand that when they're doing it tough, that other parts of Australia come to help them. And they understand that right now they need to be in there supporting those drought-stricken communities. So the $200 million will be going to those drought-stricken local government areas. Those drought-stricken areas which need it the most right now. And we are also providing $138.9 million of roads recovery top-up for those 128 councils, which need to be able to maintain their roads, which need to be able to keep money in the towns. And, of course, whether they use their own road gangs or whether other road gangs come in from elsewhere outside their local government areas, that is going to keep cash flowing in their communities. Because when you get road gangs from outside those council areas, they need to be accommodated. They need to eat. And whilst they're maintaining roads, whilst they're building new ones, they'll be able to make sure that they're spending money in those communities which so desperately need it. We will never walk away from the regions. We will never walk away from our farmers. Never. We are making sure that we are providing the support that they need right now. We don't walk away from our farmers. Not now. Not ever. Bridget.
SENATOR THE HON. BRIDGET MCKENZIE, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE: Right. Well, despite the drought and the current hardship, we fundamentally believe that Australian agriculture has an incredibly bright future. But as each of us and our colleagues have travelled around drought-affected communities, whether it's in Yeoval, in Dalby last month or in East Gippsland in Victoria, it is tough out there. Our farmers are resilient. They're putting on a brave face. But when you're behind the dairy shed and you ask that very private quiet question, ‘How are you?’ they're not Ok, they are doing it really tough. And so I am incredibly proud to be part of a Government that has made the prosperity and sustainability of agriculture and our regional communities its number one priority. And to be able to stand here and since the election to have delivered a billion dollars into these communities, to sustain our farming families, to stimulate local economies, I think is very precious. So last month we were in Dalby announcing radical simplification and extension of the Farm Household Allowance. Whilst the package today represents a lot of new initiatives, which I know David as Drought Minister will go into. The Farm Household Allowance, as the Prime Minister said, is the way our Government has been supporting the frontline of this drought, our drought-affected farmers putting cash on the table. We've got before the Senate this coming week the legislation that will make sure lump sum payments for every single one of the 1,760 farmers whose four years will end this financial year will be able to access, apply for an access, an additional lump sum payment. The legislation also includes a rule so that myself, as Minister, at any point in time into the future, can assess the conditions, can assess the drought and its impact, and make subsequent lump sum payments as required. We have stood with our farmers and our communities from day one. We won't stop doing that. And Farm Household Allowance is a way we can do that. We're extending it obviously to four years out of 10 on the back of our farmer-led reviews and on the advice of the NFF who wanted to see a time limit of payment. So we are looking forward to delivering that next week and heading to the NT this afternoon and through drought-affected communities over the weekend to meet with them and help flesh out and describe how what we're announcing today can benefit them and their communities.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Bridget. Dan.
THE HON. DAN TEHAN MP, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks PM. Earlier this year we provided assistance to schools that have been impacted by the floods in Queensland. We did that because those schools were saying to us that they were having parents who were coming to them saying that they needed help and they needed assistance, but they also had other parents who were too proud to do so. The programme enabled schools to be able to provide fee relief, to be able to provide textbooks, to be able to provide school clothing. And so what we're announcing today is using the similar approach that we had for the Queensland floods. $10 million for schools that are impacted by drought so that they can provide relief to families. And one of the other important things that was done in Queensland was when parents came in and sought assistance, what schools were able to do also was able to point them towards counselling to make sure that they were getting the assistance that they needed. And in many cases that the students needed, because, as the PM mentioned, the impact on parents of drought and worrying whether they'll send their children... to be able to continue to afford to send their children to school is a big one. But also the impact on students watching what their parents go through, seeing the toil, seeing the hardship that they have to deal with. We have to be able to provide the assistance as well. So there'll be $10 million for drought-impacted schools. And on top of that, we're also announcing $5 million to help childcare centres who are also being impacted because we want to make sure that those childcare centres can remain open and provide also relief for parents to be able to drop their kids off, get a break, be able to focus on other things, but also for those small children as well to get some time with other children playing and taking their mind off what they would be seeing all around them. So all up, $15 million dollars - $10 million to help schools, $5 million to help childcare centres.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Dan, and David.
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, thanks, PM. And as the PM announced earlier, we are proud to say that only in the last hour we have reached agreement with the South Australian government to supply 100 gigalitres of water to the lower southern basin to produce fodder and pasture, to put a real line in the sand in making sure that we can support these farmers with fodder not only now but in the future. There'll be 100 gigalitres delivered by the 31st of April, and we will repay that to the use of the desalination plant. Can I thank the South Australian government for their leadership, taking our hand in understanding the severity of this drought and if it doesn't rain, that we need to secure our fodder supplies into the future. This is one step towards that, making sure that we think outside the square, bringing new water into the basin to make sure that we use it wisely to ensure that all our breeding herd is protected. We will make sure that there are mechanisms in place that the allocations that are provided to where we believe are somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 farmers will be subscribing to. It cannot be transferred. It must be used for fodder production. And so that we can continue to put downward pressure on fodder to make sure that it is affordable for farmers out there. This is a unique step, one that I think we as a Government took boldly and we sought the hand of the state government to come with us. And it just goes to show that sometimes Federation works.
Can I say that we are also complementing this with our new loan regime through the Regional Investment Corporation. Before the election we made a commitment of restocking and replanting loans of $200,000. Well, we're doing better than that. We're now saying let's go to $2 million and not only looking at the here and now being able to produce fodder for those farmers and being able to for them to use that money to buy fodder and water, but also to think to the future because it will rain and they'll need the capacity, they'll need the capacity to restock or to replant. And it takes time for their cash flow to replenish. And so what this does by having two years with no interest and no principal repayments means it gives them time for their cash flow to recover and then it goes to interest only. This is an important step in understanding the agricultural cycle and being in step with it as a Government. But we are going one step further because we understand that the drought extends past the farm gate. It goes into these communities. So for the first time, a new small business loan will be created for up to $500,000 to those businesses that support to provide services and products to agricultural production systems that give them the same regime. Two years with no principal, no interest to give them the opportunity to get back up on their feet, but also to be ready for the recovery. This is an understanding of the important role that they play and how our communities are intertwined between the small businesses and also the farming sector. So this is an enormous step in moving forward. And can I say that those that already had drought loans, it's important to acknowledge that those that already have drought loans will have the ability to switch on to this new regime. So if they've already signed up with the Regional Investment Corporation, they need only contact the Regional Investment Corporation, and they will be able to change to interest-free repayment free for two years. This is a real step forward.
The other regime that we're putting forward is the Drought Community Programme, a programme that has put a million dollars into community’s pockets to make sure we stimulate them in the here and now. And what we are saying is that there is 128 councils that have been identified already and 122 of those are already on it. And today my office is contacting each and every one of those shires to make sure that their circumstances have not changed. And the million dollars will only go to those shires that can demonstrate that they have still the same circumstances. That money will flow early next year. It will open up at the end of this month with their programmes to be back to us by January so that money flows. We're also appreciating the fact that this drought has spread right across this country and the severity in WA is increasing by the day. There is now an acknowledgement that we have to go and support those communities in the same way that we have those in the eastern seaboard. And so there is remit within the program to include WA shires into this as well to make sure that that stimulation continues. This is a whole of government approach, as you've seen from a multifaceted number of departments, and we'll continue to move as this drought moves. We've proven that as we worked through this drought and we will continue in the coming couple of weeks to work with the states. We made a commitment at ministerial council that the states and the Commonwealth would continue to work together. And I will bring together the state agricultural ministers in a drought-affected area, and we'll make sure that we stand shoulder to shoulder.
Today is an opportunity for the states to take our hand. This is not about politics. This is an opportunity to look after those one and a half million Australians affected by this drought, to work together. We've laid foundation stones for them to come with us with rate relief and payroll tax relief, to support us. That would be a stimulus that turns this drought around and gives hope. Today is about hope. It's about the future and making sure every Australian, every one of those 1.5 million Australians as well know that your Federal Government, and your state government is there for you.
Sorry PM, obviously, the Day report that we've released today, there are 18 recommendations, 14 of those have either been completed or are already in progress. There are four that we've accepted and we'll continue to work through that need a considerable amount of work. Our national drought strategy is one that's been in place for some time, all that Major General Day’s report has done is add to that strategy that you are seeing in action. As somebody whose electorate has been in drought for eight years, I can tell you our drought policy, our drought strategy has been in action, making sure those people, those people in Maranoa have had support all the way through and will continue to get the support. We will not take a backward step in this. We have proved that. And anyone that says otherwise is being disingenuous. It's time for the politics to be over. It's time for delivery.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, We'll take some questions on the package.
JOURNALIST: On the concessional loan scheme, Prime Minister, what will the interest rate be after the interest free period? Will there be additional loan officers available to negotiate with farmers? They tell us that they're having trouble now working with the loans offices and secondly, what’s the total amount of interest the government expects to take over the life of these loans?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, let me make a couple of points. First, the cost to Budget of the interest free loans is actually $77.1 million dollars over the four years. So that's the cost to budget. The concessional loans, so after the interest free period, they will revert to a concessional rate and the Minister can take you through those arrangements. The next set of issues that we're working on, which we’ll make announcements on in coming weeks is increasing, beefing up the delivery capability of our agencies to support this program. That is the next matter that cabinet will be considering and I mean in the next couple of weeks, in terms of ensuring there is the support and resource within the public sector to be able to fully implement these measures, not just now, but into the future. We've seen how effectively this works with the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency. That has been an enormously successful agency, not just in administering the programs, but getting out and about and talking to people on the ground and understanding the very points you've just raised, Mark. And that enables them to set their resource to be able to meet that need.
LITTLEPROUD: Thanks, PM. The current rate is 3.11 per cent, but obviously no one will be repaying a brass wazoo. And for two years, I don't know where the rates will be in two years time, but the rate is reviewed every six months, in May and November. It's predicated off the government bond rate plus the costs of administration. The board of the RIC makes those recommendations predicated on the rules that were outlined when the Regional Investment Corporation was passed through legislation February last year, which sadly was held up. We are some 6 to 12 months behind because we could not get bipartisan support for the Regional Investment Corporation. And so we are working as quickly as we can. You've got to understand that the staff that we put into these places have to have a certain skill set and that's not widely available and we're continuing to ramp up that. But we're working with a service provider through Rural Bank to make sure that that's complemented and ensuring that our turnaround times continue and improve we've got 18 staff on the ground in Orange as we speak now, that will ramp up to 32 as we find the right people. But we will continue to make sure that we expedite this and we get the support by our service providers as quickly as we can. So the delivery of this can be done in a timely fashion.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] 100 gigalitres, the deal with South Australia. What amount of money is the Commonwealth putting into that? How's the deal arranged?
PRIME MINISTER: The total cost we anticipate will be $98.4 million in gross terms. But this will ultimately be a function of what the marginal cost of production of the water is in South Australia. There are two elements to this. There is an immediate 40 gigs which has been committed to by South Australia. And I want to echo what David said. I want to particularly thank Premier Marshall for the generous way that he is engaged with this issue. There will be a review in April which will review back to what the situation is in South Australia. And we have a contingency arrangement in that event that they are unable to continue with that which would deal with using water from Snowy. But that is a contingency arrangement. It's our expectation that we'd be able to, after the review, continue with the program with South Australia. So we'll be meeting the costs of, the marginal cost of producing the water and any administration around that. There will also be a 10 million dollar payment made to South Australia for their drought resilience and their drought support, which will be done with the South Australian government. So, I mean, that is in recognition both of South Australia's own drought situation, but it's also in recognition of the step up that Premier Marshall and the South Australian government have done in partnering with us on this. This enables us to put new water into the system without complicating any of the arrangements around the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
JOURNALIST: Will people with existing loans from other financiers to be able to refinance through the RIC and how is that going to actually happen?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, yes is the short answer.
LITTLEPROUD: Yes. And obviously they make representation, the Regional Investment Corporation. We have. I have to say that the commercial banks have been very proactive and supportive of the agricultural sector since this drought has taken place. We have constant meetings, both the Treasurer and I, with the banks and the Regional Investment Corporation there. So they work collaboratively. But in essence, anyone can refinance up to two million dollars of their facilities from a commercial bank to the Regional Investment Corporation. And I reiterate, those that have loans with the Regional Investment Corporation now under a drought regime can now change their structures to mirror this as well. It's important that people who are on current RIC loans make contact with the RIC and they get on this new regime.
PRIME MINISTER: So we've got just over $1.2 billion that has been provisioned for these actual loans. So that's $1.2 billion we're announcing on the loan side and there's just over $700 million, which is the direct budget initiative. So that's just shy of $2 billion in new measures we're announcing today.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] Water scheme I think you mentioned, 4000 to 6000 farmers might be able to access the water. Just how broadly will the water go? And you have an estimate as to how much water each farmer, for example, may be able to get?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Look, we've estimated that off ABS data around the number of farmers there and their production systems. Obviously, we're trying to work through for what would be a minimum amount at this stage we got to a point of around 25 megalitres we think that that would be a feasible amount for someone to be able to use productively and produce enough fodder. So those types of arrangements are being finalised now to ensure that there is equity and obviously those that have accessed larger allocations during the year and the number of around more than 500 megalitres may be precluded from this. So to make sure that smaller farmers can get access to this and particularly dairy farmers who need pasture, we expect that there'll be some take up before Christmas and they'll want to deliver some pasture for the summer. But there'll be a considerable amount they'll want to have preplanning for March, April and then obviously moving in. And that's why we've acted as swiftly as we can. And that's why it did take leadership from South Australia to get this done now, because we understand the timeliness of this for agricultural production systems.
JOURNALIST: When will that water be available and how will the allocation be regulated to ensure it's used to grow fodder?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, it's non-transferable. So if you're provided one of these allocations after we get an expressions of interest and expressions of interest will determine the scaling up or down of how much per megalitres. But we think the baseline is around 25 megalitres effectively what will happen then is that if you provided one of these allocations, you will not be able to transfer it. You cannot trade it. You must go and produce something with it. That is the reality, we want to produce fodder and we want to produce pasture for those producers because this is a measure. While there is some good fodder coming into the southern part of the country at the moment, what we’ve got to understand is if it stays dry, we need to be thinking about six months in advance. And this is that this is the thinking of the government. We're not just thinking about the here and now. We're thinking 6, 12 [months] and even 5, 10 years ahead with our Future Fund. So this is a measure to make sure that we're protecting if we get into winter and it stays dry, that we're ahead of the game and we're putting pressure on fodder prices so they don't get out of hand.
PRIME MINISTER: So it's at a deep discount to market too, it's not being made available at market prices, it will be at a deep discount to market and that'll be worked through as part of the process. But we've got some basic estimates of that.
JOURNALIST: The cotton and rice planting window still open, could you use that water for cotton and rice?
PRIME MINISTER: it’s for fodder. And pasture.
JOURNALIST: Will it be [inaudible] and regulated?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: There are mechanisms being devised as we speak around making sure that there is protection of that to make sure that the integrity of what this is, the intent of this is to provide is there. And we're working through with those water providers to ensure that. But there is cooperation from everybody, state, state bodies as well as those are the delivery mechanisms.
JOURNALIST: You’re saying 100 gig all up at a cost of $98 million, you get 40 gigs from South Australian government,
PRIME MINISTER: Well it’s 100 gigs that we'll get from South Australia.
JOURNALIST: And that's at a cost of $98 million?
PRIME MINISTER: That's actually at $88 [million], There's $10 million on top of that we're putting into the South Australian government for their drought fund.
JOURNALIST: And so will you allocate any water that you already have from anywhere else. So from the environment or,
PRIME MINISTER: No, none of that is being touched.
JOURNALIST: Can you provide any guarantee that South Australian taxpayers won't pay higher costs for their water bills?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a net zero impact in South Australia because this is new water. They have all the existing allocations that they have now. And so that doesn't impact on any of the supply in South Australia, any of the cost of producing the additional water out of the desal plant is being met by the Commonwealth. And there is a review that will take place in April. And if it is of the view of the South Australian state government, that conditions have deteriorated there then the balance of the 60 gigs will be addressed by the Commonwealth.
JOURNALIST: Are you aware of the feasibility report around the desalination plant, will be made public?
PRIME MINISTER: Well that’s a matter for the state government.
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: That’s a matter for the South Australian government, we‘ve given them some money as part of the,
PRIME MINISTER: We’ll just help fund it. We didn't build it.
JOURNALIST: On exit packages, the NFF had called for that for Farmers that want to leave the land. Why isn't that something you considered? And is that something that you're open to in the future?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: We are here to keep farmers on their properties. The data doesn’t, if you'd like me to finish, the data doesn't support it. In fact, there has been an increase in farmer’s equity considerably over the last five years because of an increase in farm valuations. In fact, last year, farm valuations on a medium price per hectare has gone up 10.7 per cent. So that gives farmers the ability to work with their finances and the Regional Investment Corporation to get through this drought. Those who want to have a go to go, we're going be there with them. So there is no need for us to enter into exit arrangements. We intend to hold the course and support those that want to be there and have a go.
PRIME MINISTER: And just to add to that, I mean, the farm prices at the moment. There's one thing in this drought that is helpful. It is that land prices have stayed up. I mean, if we're in a situation where they had plummeted and you're dealing with people who make a decision to leave the land, then obviously that would compound that problem even further. But the level of equity that's currently in these properties is at a very relatively high level. And as David has said, it has built the value every year for the last five years. So that actually provides an opportunity in these arrangements for the leverage that can be available to farmers to take on what we're talking about today. But also in the event if they make their own decisions about what they want to do with their properties, their properties are valued at strong levels at present and that actually assist them if that's the decision they want to take. But where those sorts of things have been applied in the past, that has been when you've been going through industry restructuring arrangements and where there has been a decision to facilitate people off the land. We're not seeking to facilitate people off the land. We're trying to assist them to stay on. And those who know that they have a future in the sector, then these measures will greatly assist them.
JOURNALIST: What would you like to see the states do to support this? Is there any indication they might waive payroll tax and rates?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm glad you asked, because when we've gone round and spoken to people and my colleagues have and Michael as well, the two things that have come up most commonly for the states to do has been payroll tax holidays, and rate relief. Now we're putting a million dollars into every council. That's not to provide rate relief. That's actually to build things and keep people in jobs. It's a stimulus. And so that is a matter that has been raised quite consistently in Victoria and New South Wales and Queensland and South Australia as well. So that is a matter entirely for the states. After the drought summit last year, we concluded a new drought agreement which made it very clear that fodder and freight subsidies were also the responsibility of state governments, not the Commonwealth government. Now as you can see, we've, I think, put forward a very innovative way of addressing the fodder issue by increasing the supply of fodder, using the powers and the relationship we have with South Australia. New South Wales has the gold standard presently when it comes to fodder and freight subsidies. Queensland is a long way behind. Victoria is even further behind. Now, whether they want to support fodder and freight subsidies is a matter for them. Ultimately, the National Farmers Federation haven't recommended it I should note. But New South Wales, I think, has really set the mark, not just on that, but particularly, with Michael and I, when we were able to conclude with them those water projects and Dungowan and Wyangala, I mean, they're also clearing the way for dam projects as well.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] New South Wales and Victoria, did you ask them to contribute as well?
PRIME MINISTER: There wasn't the need, with the arrangement we had with South Australia. The arrangement with South Australia is quite unique because of the desal plant and that provides an option which doesn't require us to go to those states. But with all of these measures, they're not set and forget, you know, if it's, we're here in April next year, June next year, September next year, drought continues. You can expect us to stand at this podium and be announcing further measures, two years from now when those interest-free periods run run up. Our hope is they'll be in pastures and they'll be harvesting. And the purpose of those loans would have put them in the position where they'll be then be getting back up on their feet. But if we find ourselves in a different situation than as a government we will continue to do what we're doing. You don't just release a drought strategy a year ago and then don't do anything else. You keep doing it every day.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] the $3,000 assistance for households out, you announced.
PRIME MINISTER: That's already happening.
JOURNALIST: You announced it in September, but the paperwork is only just gone to the community organisations this week. When would you anticipate it actually being able to be disbursed?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: It'll be delivered on the 22nd of November. The reason for the delay is that after the first tranche, the providers, the charities indicated that there was some concern around gaming of the system. Sadly, during drought, the best of Australians come out. But so too, sometimes is the worst of Australians. They indicated that there were some anomalies in how the administration of these moneys were being delivered. And so there were some recommendations by the department that we should tighten that to make sure those that deserve that $3,000 dollars get it. Now I get that it's taken some time, but it's important that we are using Australian taxpayers money and we need to get this right and we're going to get it right. And that's why it’s being done as quickly as we possibly can to make sure that there is integrity in the system and those that deserve it, get it.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] Days’ asked for an annual report on the drought to parliament, is that going to happen?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll be constantly reporting on what's happening on the drought. I can assure you of that. And that's what we're doing here.
JOURNALIST: But an official annual report to Parliament?
PRIME MINISTER: I’ll take that under consideration. But what matters is what we do. And I mean our Cabinet discusses the matters of drought on a very regular basis. I meant what I said over a year ago when I became Prime Minister. This has been our constant and priority focus and the job is a long way from done.
JOURNALIST: If you can get Federation to work and agree to the water deal, why can't you get the states to come together with the Commonwealth to sort out a drought policy so you can avoid all of these ad hoc announcements, which is what industry's been calling for?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Minister will be pulling together the state ministers again and all the states and territories I thought played a very constructive role in last year's drought summit. And we were able to agree a new drought agreement just shortly after that, that drought summit. The NFF has sought to get some consistency in the various triggers and measures that are applied in different states and territories. In my discussions with the states and territories, they are very keen to retain their own bespoke way of managing those issues. And it is true that each state and territory will have different needs and different other support systems that work through their own government arrangements. So they're keen to maintain complete autonomy over their own arrangements, which is their entitlement. That's what the Constitution says. But, you know, we will continue to pull them together and seek to facilitate their coordination wherever we can.
JOURNALIST: A second council is considering forgoing the $1 million in drought assistance. Do you need to tighten the formula at all as to how you deem who is eligible? And are you satisfied the projects that are being conducted, including toilet blocks in cemeteries, are suitable for the $1 million dollars?
THE HON. DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES, DROUGHT, RURAL FINANCE, NATURAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Well, that's why, as I articulated earlier, we are contacting each and every one of those eligible councils that have been paid previously to make sure their circumstances has not changed. The reality is, the current criteria is that you must have over 17 per cent of your employment in agriculture, and there's a rainfall deficiency over 24 months with 12 months of that being below average. We're making sure that none of those circumstances change because that data is cut every quarter. Now we have had councils who have come forward and say they no longer need it. So we'll make sure the steps are there. Then I will make sure that I will look at this, the criteria closely to ensure that it is fit for purpose and that no one is left behind. And those that don't need to be there aren't. Let me say with respect to the programs of a toilet in a cemetery block. Yes. And you know why? Because you know who built that? A local tradie, you know where he got his goods from? A local hardware store. That's new money into that economy. I'm sorry. With all due respect, you may want to belittle something like a toilet block, but to those people, to those economies, that is new money that keeps that tradie going, keeps his apprentice going. And to not understand the intricacies and the fine balance of these local economies shows some level of ignorance.
PRIME MINISTER: Chris, the very patient Mr Uhlmann,
JOURNALIST: Yeah, while you’ve been talking about drought relief, the Labor Party has been releasing a review on itself. Do you have any idea why it lost the election?
PRIME MINISTER: The Australian people know the answer to that question and they're still not listening to them the Labor Party. I mean, it's 6 months after the election. Labor's still talking about themselves. We are focussed on what the Australians elected us to do, and that is whether it's acting on drought, whether it's dealing with the big challenges we've got in aged care, delivering the tax relief we said we do. I mean, today's trade figures are very encouraging. And I've just returned from the latest East Asia Summit where the RCEP agreement and we were able to make great progress on that, those trade agreements, incredibly important to farming communities as well, one of the reasons we are seeing that support for farm prices is that the expanded opportunities there is now for our agricultural sector because of those arrangements. The infrastructure program, which the Deputy Prime Minister leads is rolling out. That's what we're focussed on. Labour is focussed on themselves. They just simply cannot get past themselves. Thanks very much. Can I thank my colleagues also for the great work they've done in pulling this package together. And again, I very much want to thank Premier Marshall for the spirit in which he's engaged with us on this. He showed tremendous leadership, but he's also ensured, I can guarantee you that he's looked after the people of South Australia in the process as well. Thank you very much.
Doorstop - Bangkok, Thailand
4 November 2019
Prime Minister of Australia
PRIME MINISTER: I’m pleased to be here in Bangkok in Thailand with Minister Birmingham as part of the ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit. Australia has had a relationship with ASEAN for some 45 years and so this is an important place for Australia to be. It’s important for us to be here because one in five jobs depends on trade. And our trade with the ASEAN nations has been strong and it has been growing and we want to see it continue to grow and through the RCEP Agreement which has been a major issue which we have been working through as partners for some time now and we continue both here over these days and into next year. This is an opportunity to take trade forward for a set of countries which encompasses half of the world 's population, around about a third of the world 's economy and so the opportunity to be part of that, centred here on the Indo-Pacific which Australia's strategic focus is incredibly important. It is about jobs and also about the security of the region, keeping it open and ensuring that all of the independent and sovereign nations in our part of the world will continue to engage with each other, supply chains are built up which are good for Australia. We are here because of the jobs of Australians and ensuring the future jobs of Australians.
Before I go to other matters, I was also pleased, as I'm sure all Australians were, to get the news and particularly for those on the ground of the rainfall in the western parts of New South Wales and up in Queensland as well, reports of anywhere between 15mm and even over 100mm in Queensland. Now, I know this is not breaking the drought but I tell you, it is a respite rain. It is respite rain which will give some real encouragement and some peace of mind to people right across our drought-affected areas in the country and we are hoping and praying for more and the Government is obviously going through the final stages of its next set of announcements when it comes to providing drought support and when Simon and I return to Australia, we will obviously be pursuing that as measures are coming up, working with our partners both in the agricultural sector and within the Government to deliver the next round of responses. We do not set and forget on drought, we continue to step up as things continue to progress in drought-affected areas in the country and we continue to make our response.
But here, back in Thailand, back here at the ASEAN and the East Asia Summit, the focus is on continuing on working with our partners and yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with the Premier Li Keqiang with Simon and the rest of the team. It was a very positive meeting, it was a very honest meeting, a meeting that was very honest about what we are already achieving in our partnership and China's economic growth has brought great benefits to Australia and we welcome that and it is not just here I have done it, I have done in all places where I have been in various summits and other gatherings around the world. That growth in China will remain important for Australia in the future and so we acknowledge that and some $200 billion in trade occurs between Australia and China on a yearly basis. This is massively important to us. We have 200,000 Chinese students in Australia, we have almost $70 billion of investment. China is our fifth largest investor, of course the United States is our biggest investing partner. But this relationship is already achieving things and continues to achieve things. But we want to ensure it achieves more in the future and it was a very candid meeting about the ways we can ensure that that is achieved for both countries in the future and so I think the Premier Li Keqiang for the honest engagement we had yesterday. We recognise we have a great relationship but we know it can be even better and when we address important issues about how we continue to engage and I look forward to doing that in the future. So with that, I am happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what are examples of those important issues that you continue to engage? Can you give us an example?
PRIME MINISTER: The regularity of our engagement on the strategic economic dialogue, for example. That is an important part of the comprehensive partnership that we have where you can deal with issues whether it is the anti-dumping measures we have currently in relation to barley or there are issues around the licensing of abattoirs in Australia. These are just very practical commercial issues that are part of our partnership and these are matters that we are seeking to progress and appreciate the hearing we had on those matters yesterday.
JOURNALIST: Can I just ask strictly on RCEP, you’ve got the meeting tonight so it’s a little bit pre-emptive but how important is it, not just to Australia but to other RCEP countries, that India is part of the final deal and is there a prospect of the other 15 nations proceeding with finalising it and waiting for India to jump on board?
PRIME MINISTER: The door will always be open to India and it has always been our view and of many that sit around the table that this is a bigger and better deal with India in it. I think patience is the virtue in this and continuing to enable that to be achieved and there has been enormous progress made and Simon might want to speak specifically about this. The text of RCEP is done. The market access arrangements substantively between all the participants is also done, but we want to keep the opportunity for this arrangement to be bigger. Overall, I think it is about 32 is it is, Simon, of the world’s economy that is covered with India in. It’s just under 30 per cent with India out. But I think it is important to have India in and that is certainly our preference and to leave open the door, the mechanism. Let's not forget, this RCEP arrangement is twice as big as TPP. That’s how big it is. This would be one for the first time that will bring together India and China into that arrangement. And so these are important things worth being patient for.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, in your meeting with the Chinese Premier, did you discuss a potential visit to China at all or did he invite you to visit China?
PRIME MINISTER: We discussed many things. I am not going to go into the details of all of it because that is the nature of these meetings but we talked about the need to keep up the continuity of our dialogue. The meetings that you hold as part of our comprehensive strategic partnerships are really important. We have had many, many meetings and Simon has met with his counterpart on two occasions in the last year, Marise Payne has done the same thing. And so there is a lot of that happening in the relationship and so we want to see that continue and I look forward to those meetings with my counterparts again in the future.
JOURNALIST: By the way you’ve been speaking it sounds unlikely India will be part of the agreement later today. Is that your expectation?
PRIME MINISTER: I might let Simon comment on that.
SENATOR THE HON. SIMON BIRMINGHAM, MINISTER FOR TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT: Thanks, PM. I think it is important with RCEP absolutely to appreciate firstly the scale of RCEP, the degree of difficulty in landing a trade agreement of this scale is (inaudible) with its size and the fact we are talking about 32 per cent of global GDP, 29 per cent if you don't have India still shows that it is an enormous agreement. Now, my understanding is, and I welcome the fact from all of our dialogue with India, that India is going to continue discussions and negotiations. Our door, as the PM said, is always open to India. We have been through this sort of process with big trade agreements before in relation to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Of course, we had hoped and expected the United States to be part of that. The door in the TPP remains firmly open to the US. We want India to be a partner here as well but we have to make sure that progress is realised amongst the 15 nations who are there without India to make sure that we do capture the benefits that can come from greater openness within our region, a greater integration in terms of value chains, more common rules of origin. These are the things that make it easier for Australian businesses to do business through the region and that is what allows us to keep growing our exports. In all of this, we have to remember that over the last year, Australia has achieved record levels of exports, record trade surpluses and all of that fuels jobs in Australian businesses, and that is why we keep pushing ahead to create more job opportunities for those businesses.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, China has made it sound as if the Premier had a couple of quite stern messages for you. Did you have some stern messages for him?
PRIME MINISTER: I wouldn't characterise it in those terms at all. I am not quite sure why you have. Because I have seen the statement that the Chinese have issued and I didn't read any of that into that statement at all and that was certainly not the nature of that discussion yesterday at all. I thought it was a very positive discussion, a very good-natured one, one that understood the value of the relationship and wanting to put more value into the relationship. That was very much the nature of the discussion. So no, I wouldn't characterise it in the terms you have at all.
JOURNALIST: How can you characterise it as a good relationship when obviously, and you said that it was a candid meeting, you were upfront with each other about certain things. But just last week in Beijing issued a pretty stern rebuke to your own Foreign Minister after she raised in a speech concerns about China’s human rights record. Is there a disconnect between saying the relationship is strong yet every time we raise an issue there does seem to be this public outcry?
PRIME MINISTER: There is an honest acknowledgement, as we did yesterday, that we are two very different countries. We are a liberal democracy. They are a Communist Party state. We are not seeking to adopt their system and they are not seeking to adopt ours and so there is an honesty about understanding the differences between those two outlooks. And that was honestly discussed yesterday and understood. And so those types of disagreements from time to time, both the Premier and I are very committed to ensure don't overtake or overwhelm the rest of the relationship. I know in the commentary it can, but in the substance of the relationship, when the dialogue is taking place between leaders, it does not and it did not yesterday. There was, I think, a maturity in the discussion yesterday that understood the nature of our two countries and where the benefits are by working closely together on the things we agree on, understanding the areas where we have a difference of view. There is nothing, I think, extraordinary about that. There is nothing extraordinary about that at all.
SENATOR THE HON. SIMON BIRMINGHAM, MINISTER FOR TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT: Matt, can I just add there, tonight I will leave to go to Shanghai, joined with 200 Australian businesses attending the China International export expo and we are there at the invitation of the Chinese government. I am there, 200 Australian businesses are there as a demonstration of the strength of the relationship. Our presence will be one of the largest of any nations who are there and we are doing so, cementing those positive aspects of the relationship and it is a demonstration that, yes, there are as they always are points of difference but the points of difference don't prevent you from proceeding in the areas of cooperation.
PRIME MINISTER: There was also a very good recognition and acknowledgement that Australia's position on these relationships is done independently and as a sovereign nation in pursuit of our own interests, that we engage directly, that our relationship with China is one about China and Australia and nothing else. We are pursuing our interests, they are pursuing theirs and there is quite an overlap. And we talked about overlapped in everything from the environment to plastics pollution, through to the very good work we do on health, particularly up in Papua New Guinea on malaria, we were talking about issues of infrastructure development. There was quite a range of issues we discussed where the interests completely aligned. And where that happens, great, and where they don’t, well then they’re not matters that we take forward together.
JOURNALIST: Are you disappointed that President Trump isn't here?
PRIME MINISTER: It is not for me to be disappointed or not disappointed one way or the other. That is entirely a matter for the United States and entirely a matter for the hosts. We are a guest and we have been very happy to accept the invitation, as we have done always, and I thank ASEAN in particular and I thank the Thai Prime Minister for his very warm welcome to Australia and for the way that ASEAN leaders have engaged Australia in these events for many years. So I will leave those matters to the Americans and to the hosts.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, PM, just back on China, APEC has been cancelled obviously. Would you like to… it’s now been three years since a Prime Minister has met with President Xi, would you like to...?
PRIME MINISTER: I have seen President Xi on a number of occasions.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, an official bilateral capacity. Would you like to get some of that early in the next 12 months or the next meeting such as this? How important is that in terms of symbolism?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as you know, I am not one who is big on symbolism. I am big on actions and the practical value of the relationship and I just ran through the key statistics, certainly the economic side of that relationship. We will continue to progress the relationship through the partnership structure that we have and what I received yesterday was a strong commitment of China wanting to do the same. So we know what the next steps are in taking the relationship forward. We discussed those yesterday and we look forward to pursuing those in the months ahead.
JOURNALIST: Did you raise with China the detention of Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun and if not, why not?
PRIME MINISTER: We deal with lots of sensitive issues in these discussions, as we did again, and that is the nature of the candid relationship that we have, but we deal with those in those private discussions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you have said that the US presence here is a matter for them and the host nation. But yourself and senior ministers as recently as last Friday with Linda Reynolds have called for the US to really ramp up its efforts in the Indo-Pacific. So how does it sit with you to see pictures coming in overnight of Donald Trump sitting at a UFC fight at Madison Square Garden instead of being here engaged in these dialogues?
PRIME MINISTER: It is not about how it sits with me. This job isn't about how I feel. This job is about what we do and what we do in Australia's interests. See, I am here with Simon to pursue Australia's interests and jobs for Australians and the safety of Australians in the wonderful work we do with our ASEAN partners. I am sure many of you know the tremendous relationships we have on counterterrorism across our ASEAN partners. I will be meeting with President Widodo later today and we will talk about that. I have just been meeting with Prime Minister Mahathir with whom we have got an outstanding relationship when it comes to dealing with security matters within our region. So that is why I am here. I am not here to run a commentary on people in other places. I am here to pursue the interests of Australians and their jobs.
JOURNALIST: Can I just ask, how would you respond to concerns about a toxic culture within the Department of Treasury and what would you say to any federal department who is creating an environment where staff are uncomfortable?
PRIME MINISTER: Could you be more specific?
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] that the Deputy Secretary of the Department is under investigation and we were told that there are concerns about a toxic culture in the Treasury.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if you are referring to allegations regarding a public servant working for the Department of Treasury, you would also be aware that they would be matters that would be dealt with by the Department and the Department's Secretary and there is a proper process that would follow in those circumstances and my job would be to ensure that I allowed those proper processes to be followed and reach their conclusions. That is what my job would be.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, so India [inaudible] but we have bilateral relationships with... trade relationships with all those other members plus others, so what benefit is RCEP to us without India?
PRIME MINISTER: There is a bigger benefit to Australia in the broader integration of the Indo-Pacific. Simon made the point about value chains, I make the point about supply chains. The integration of the economies of the Indo-Pacific is incredibly important for the prosperity of the region, but also its security, of which Australia is also a beneficiary. This RCEP Agreement encapsulates, if you like, the economic dimension of this Indo-Pacific concept that we have been pursuing now for many years, and not just Australia. It is articulation from ASEAN was led by Indonesia and we strongly supported that. So this... I hesitate to use the word because it is jargon, but this architecture, which our foreign affairs professionals refer to these things, this is actually very important for the region because it does provide, I think, a stability both to the commercial nature of relationships between businesses that are working in the region and giving that more certainty and actually showing a clear way forward that we see businesses in this region all dealing with each other in a much more free and open commercial environment. Now, that is good for Australia because so much of what we do commercially in the world is in this part of the world, and the more successful this part of the world is, the more integrated it is, the more free and open trade is, the freedom of movement, the freedom of navigation, the freedom of overflight. All of these issues are so important to people in Australia having jobs, getting jobs and realising their own ambitions for themselves. So it is one of those big agreements, Simon, and that is why we need to be patient about it and so I wouldn't describe it at all in terms of carveouts. I would talk about it in the inverse of that with a very wide, open door. I will be meeting with Prime Minister Modi later today and of course, I will be meeting with him in January and there will be further opportunities there.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] there is also quite a strategic element to this relationship...
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, massively.
JOURNALIST: … just as a trade relationship, just in stabilising strategic relationships. What factors would be involved in that, how do you see that playing out in terms of the strategic...
PRIME MINISTER: Well, RCEP is the economic dimension of this. And, you know, where there is greater trade and prosperity being shared amongst all of the countries in this region, well, that promotes stability itself by definition and that is why it is important. I mean, ASEAN has been a great success over the last 45 years. They didn’t actually come together to be a trading bloc or anything like that, as Prime Minister Mahathir just reminded me, and he’d know better than anyone because he’s been around pretty much the whole time. He saw it as they did, as a way for these countries to preserve and pursue their own independence and sovereignty in this part of the world. That has led to them engaging in the way that they have and Australia has been a massive beneficiary of that by engaging with ASEAN.
SENATOR THE HON. SIMON BIRMINGHAM, MINISTER FOR TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT: Simon, stability isn't just achieved through government-to-government cooperation and the fact that RCEP will provide a stronger framework for businesses to cooperate, for the flow of people and all those aspects creates a greater sense of regional stability as well. In terms of your first question about, yes, Australia has agreements in place with all of the other RCEP partners are present except India. Some of those agreements, though, are old and some of those agreements largely focus on opening up the goods services’ market. There are real gains that Australia can get in terms of our services economy, financial services, areas of education, health sectors, in terms of the opportunity for Australian businesses to be better integrated in the work they do and to have more open access to work in some of the other RCEP partners. So we are very focused on how we can value-add to those existing agreements. There is a regional piece there that provides the type of strategic benefits the PM has spoken of but there are also clearly still direct tangible gains that we can make by improving on the FTAs that already exist.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, who is your tip for the Melbourne Cup?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think it is Vow and Declare, they are about 12-1. Now, I think I was on even worse odds than that at the last election. So at 12-1, that probably looks pretty good in terms of... I don't know if Newspoll is running something on the Melbourne Cup this year but I wouldn't be listening to that if they were. It would be great to see an Australian trained and ridden horse actually get home in the Melbourne Cup. There is a lot of international competitors this year so at 12-1, compared to some recent bets in the political sphere, that probably seems like a pretty good day. Thanks very much.