Media Releases
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh
9 April 2021
For nearly 80 years, Prince Philip served his Crown, his country and the Commonwealth.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was, in the words of Her Majesty, her ‘strength and stay’.
He embodied a generation that we will never see again.
Beginning as a naval cadet in 1939, he served in war and in peace. When Her Majesty ascended the throne, The Duke ended his military service and became her constant support.
Prince Philip was no stranger to Australia, having visited our country on more than 20 occasions.
Through his service to the Commonwealth he presided as patron or president of nearly 50 organisations in Australia. Given his own service, Prince Philip also had a strong connection with the Australian Defence Force.
For 65 years, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has encouraged over 775,000 young Australians to explore their leadership potential. Forty thousand young Australians are currently participating in the program.
Australians send our love and deepest condolences to Her Majesty and all the Royal family. The Commonwealth family joins together in sorrow and thanksgiving for the loss and life of Prince Philip. God bless from all here in Australia.
Further details about Australia’s remembrance of Prince Philip will be announced over coming days. Flags will be lowered in honour of His Royal Highness.
National Cabinet Statment
9 April 2021
The National Cabinet met today to discuss Australia’s COVID-19 response and the Australian COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy.
National Cabinet continues to work together to address issues and find solutions to the health and economic consequences of COVID-19.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, provided an update on the latest epidemiological data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19. There have been 29,390 confirmed cases in Australia and, sadly, 909 people have died. More than 16 million tests have been undertaken in Australia.
To date Australia’s existing systems built around social distancing, testing, tracing, local health responses and quarantine have effectively mitigated the broader spread of COVID-19 virus and new variants of COVID-19 into the Australian community. COVID-19 vaccines will further strengthen Australia’s ability to control the virus.
Australia has done well on both the health and economic fronts compared to most countries around the world. National Cabinet noted the significant increase in COVID-19 cases in many countries and the comparative strength of Australia’s effort in addressing COVID compared to most other developed economies.
Globally there have been over 133 million cases and sadly over 2.9 million deaths, with around 816,000 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out is expanding. To date 1,077,511 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Australians, including 81,297 in the last 24 hours.
National Cabinet received a detailed update from Professor Brendan Murphy, Chair of the Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly on the Australian Vaccination and Treatment Strategy and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. National Cabinet agreed to continue the Australian Vaccination Strategy for 1A and 1B priority populations. National Cabinet agreed that the new ATAGI advice will require a recalibration of the Australian Vaccination Strategy for future phases, with changes worked through in consultation with states, territories and medical experts over the coming weeks.
The Commonwealth Government has allocated over $7 billion to support the COVID-19 vaccine strategy with contracts for over 170 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, through a diverse vaccine portfolio including the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novavax and through the COVAX facility.
National Cabinet welcomed the announcement of a two-way quarantine free travel arrangements with New Zealand. National Cabinet further reiterated support for the ongoing outbreaks in PNG and Timor Leste.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 7 May 2021.
Respect@Work
National Cabinet considered the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work report, along with the Australian Government’s response, Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces. States and Territories have now agreed to provide a formal response to the Respect@Work report including recommendations specifically relevant to their jurisdiction by the end of June.
National Cabinet also considered the next phase of the $150 million COVID family and domestic violence package. The Commonwealth provided $130 million of this funding to States and Territories for frontline services to 30 June 2021. State and Territory Governments will now urgently provide updated reports on their acquittal of this spending, as well as future spending on these priorities and ongoing spending. This will assist the Commonwealth as it considers funding commitments and also ensure the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments are all working together on this important issue.
National Cabinet noted that Women’s Safety Ministers met this week and discussed the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, including a National Summit scheduled for 29 and 30 July. In July, National Cabinet will discuss women’s economic security and consider all of the Commonwealth, State and Territory initiatives, programs and spending. As part of that discussion, National Cabinet will also consider establishing whether we embark on a National Plan process for women’s economic security.
National Cabinet’s work on women’s safety and economic security recognises that all governments have responsibility for these important issues.
Update on Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) Advice on AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines
National Cabinet noted the advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19.
The ATAGI advice is clear that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe disease caused by COVID-19.
The medical advice to the Government is that the risk of blood clotting side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine is around 5 in one million people, in the first four to 20 days post the vaccine. This is a rare but serious side effect.
The ATAGI advice is that the Pfizer vaccine is preferred for adults under the age of 50. The AstraZeneca vaccine should be given as a first dose to adults under the age of 50 where the benefit clearly outweighs the risk for that individual.
AstraZeneca is recommended for those over the age of 50.
National Cabinet agreed that the new ATAGI advice will require a recalibration of the Australian vaccination strategy, with changes worked through in consultation with states, territories and medical experts over the coming weeks.
The vaccination program for 1A and 1B Priority populations will continue, particularly for the most vulnerable Australians in Phase 1B including those over the age of 70 who are not impacted by this revised advice. Changes will be made to allow Australians under 50 years of age in priority populations 1A and 1B to receive the Pfizer vaccines reflecting the new ATAGI advice.
COVID-19 Data Releases
National Cabinet agreed to release daily and weekly COVID-19 vaccination data. Detailed daily data will be released from today with weekly data released from next week.
Daily data will include a breakdown of doses delivered by the Commonwealth and by states and territories, and also by administration source.
Weekly data will also include:
State, territory and Commonwealth weekly breakdowns of vaccines distributed, available and administered and dose utilisation
State and territory weekly breakdowns of doses administered, as well as to aged care and disability residents and primary health care (GPs)
National Cabinet noted that the Commonwealth had previously provided states and territories with a 12-week forward plan and dose distribution under the revised vaccination program. National Cabinet agreed that the Commonwealth will now provide states and territories with a 10-week forward vaccine dose supply schedule, updated every four weeks.
COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response
National Cabinet received an update from the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response – led by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Phil Gaetjens and comprising his State and Territory counterparts.
Based on this update, National Cabinet agreed to principles for reopening Australia, updated for the current risk environment.
The first principles prioritise the vaccine rollout. The rollout should occur as quickly as possible and take up be encouraged as a priority, with safety as a paramount objective. Progress on an effective vaccine rollout will be key to maintaining the easing of domestic restrictions, easing and opening international borders, and unlocking economic opportunities.
The second principle is to maintain readiness to ensure suppression. Even as the vaccine rollout accelerates, we will continue to minimise community transmission through our key lines of defence: high quality quarantine, contact tracing and testing.
These lines of defence are working well. Australia has received over 430,000 arrivals into quarantine since March 2020. Of these, over 3,000 have tested positive for COVID-19, with only 14 transmission events.
The remaining principles echo the principles adopted in November:
Proportionate measures | Responses to new outbreaks are proportionate to the risk of harm and transmission.
Consistent approaches | Wherever possible, consistent approaches will be used, linked to transparent risk assessment to retain public confidence, while maintaining health protection and supporting economic recovery.
Protect national wellbeing | While protecting the community, decisions should minimise the impact on jobs, businesses, mental health and social isolation.
Effective and coordinated communications | We will continue to strive to provide clear and balanced communication of risks and responses to the pandemic.
Maintain and support confidence | Maintaining community, business and consumer confidence is key.
The National Cabinet also made several specific decisions to take us further down the path of reopening Australia. Each of these decisions were based on AHPPC advice prepared for the Taskforce.
Density restrictions: easing venue restrictions to be no stricter than the 2 square metre rule.
Capacity restrictions: Large, ticketed and seated gatherings can have 100 percent capacity.
Outbreak responses: Jurisdictions will prioritise local containment measures and aim for outbreak responses that keep internal borders open.
National Cabinet tasked First Secretaries to work with AHPPC to provide advice on the implications for quarantine arrangements and reopening Australia following the successful vaccine rollout to the most vulnerable Australians (phase 1A and 1B).
Data Sharing
National Cabinet agreed that jurisdictions will work together to capitalise on the value of public data to achieve better outcomes for Australians. In order to achieve this, First Ministers committed to develop an intergovernmental agreement which will be considered at a future National Cabinet meeting.
International Passenger Arrival Caps
National Cabinet welcomed the recommencement of international passenger flights into Melbourne. Victoria is initially receiving 800 international arrivals per week, increasing to 1000 arrivals per week as soon as possible.
National Cabinet agreed that the existing arrangements on International Passenger Arrival Caps in other jurisdictions would remain in place until 17 June with the exception of Queensland.
Until 11:59pm on 13 April the cap in Queensland is set to a maximum of 650 international arrivals with a return to 1,000 arrivals combined with a surge capacity of 300 arrivals, as soon as possible.
Australian Government’s Response to Respect@Work Report
8 April 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women, Attorney General, Minister for Industrial Relations
Today the Morrison Government announces its response to the Respect@Work Report.
The Report provides a comprehensive set of recommendations for preventing and addressing sexual harassment. It also highlights that the Australian Government, states and territories, employers, and industry groups all have an important role to play in supporting cultural change and creating safe workplaces.
In ‘A Roadmap for Respect: Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces’ (the Roadmap for Respect), the Government provides its response and sets out its long-term commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment.
The Australian Government has agreed to (in full, in-principle, or in-part) or noted all 55 recommendations in the Report.
Our response to the Respect@Work report is about creating a new culture of respectful behaviour in Australian workplaces.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said we all have a role to play in stopping sexual harassment and creating safe workplaces.
“It is not only immoral and despicable and even criminal, it denies Australians, especially women, their personal security and their economic security by not being safe at work,” the Prime Minister said.
“Our response is based the Government’s values of respect, dignity, choice, equality of opportunity and justice.”
“This is a culture that we all have to change for the better across our society, by changing our behaviour.”
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said sexual harassment is unacceptable in any context – whether in the workplace or elsewhere.
“Building a culture of respectful relationships in the workplace is a key focus in responding to the Report. Everyone has the right to feel safe at work,” Attorney-General Cash said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said respect had to be a national commitment, with governments, workplaces, communities and individuals owning the problem of sexual harassment and the solutions.
“Ending sexual harassment is everyone’s business,” Minister Payne said.
“We can all find ways to show leadership to ensure women can contribute fully in our national life without being held back by sexual harassment.”
The Respect@Work Report was the product of the landmark National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces commissioned by the Coalition in June 2018 and conducted by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins. The Government thanks Commissioner Jenkins for her leadership and work in this role.
To lead this national effort, the Government has outlined a number of measures and reforms set out in the Roadmap, including:
The creation of the Respect@Work Implementation taskforce to deliver legislative and regulatory reform;
Simplifying and strengthening the legal framework, existing rights and obligations for employees and employers;
Supporting greater coordination between agencies and services to ensure workers and employers have access to consistent information.
The Government’s response also places an emphasis on preventative measures, acknowledging more can be done to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the first place. To support preventative action at the national level, the Australian Government is also committed to:
delivering education and training programs across a range of sectors;
supporting targeted research and evidence development on prevention strategies;
enhancing data collection and evidence gathering mechanisms.
Leadership from all levels of government and industry is crucial for ensuring that recommendations are successfully implemented.
To support national action, the Australian Government is committed to leading and facilitating discussions with state and territory governments, as well as the private sector.
The Roadmap for Respect is designed to complement existing work under the current National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (2010‑22) and ensure alignment with the development of the next National Plan. The National Plan is the cornerstone of national collaboration to prevent and address violence against women and their children.
Work is already underway to implement the Report’s recommendations. In 2020, the Australian Government committed $2.1 million, to fund the implementation of nine key recommendations from the Report.
This included the establishment of the Respect@Work Council, which will provide the foundation for implementing other recommendations in the Report.
Action has already commenced on:
developing the Respect@Work website as an online platform to provide free, practical information and education resources for employers and workers
developing a package of training and education resources on the nature, drivers and impacts of sexual harassment as well as the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers
preparing for the fifth National Survey on Sexual Harassment in Australian workplaces.
The Roadmap for Respect provides a clear path for action to achieve meaningful cultural change across the nation and to create safer workplaces for all Australians.
More information about the Roadmap for Respect can be found at: https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/roadmap-for-respect.
If you need immediate assistance or support you can contact 1800Respect: 1800 737 732.
AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine
8 April 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Health and Aged Care
Earlier this evening the Australian Government received advice from the vaccine expert taskforce, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).
The detail of that advice is attached.
The Government accepts the advice from Australia’s medical experts and will move swiftly to ensure Australia’s vaccination program and advice to patients is adjusted accordingly.
The Australian Government places safety above all else, as it has done throughout the pandemic, and will continue to follow the medical advice in protecting Australians.
The ATAGI advice is clear that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe disease caused by COVID-19.
The medical advice to the Government is that the risk of blood clotting side effects from the Astra Zeneca vaccine is four to six in one million people, in the first four to 20 days post the vaccine. This is a rare but serious side effect.
On that basis, the recommendation is that it is preferred that the Pfizer vaccine be provided to adults under the age of 50. The AstraZeneca vaccine should only be given as a first dose to adults under the age of 50 where the benefit clearly outweighs the risk for that individual.
AstraZeneca is recommended for those over the age of 50.
The vaccination program will continue, particularly for the most vulnerable Australians in Phase 1B including those over the age of 70 who are not impacted by this revised advice.
The longer term timeframe for the program is being reviewed following this medical advice.
The Department of Health will provide preliminary, updated advice to general practitioners and health professionals.
The ATAGI advice follows further international evidence including from the vaccinations in Europe and the United Kingdom. ATAGI had already provided updated guidance on 2 April.
The ATAGI advice has today been considered by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), which is the Medical Expert Panel led by the Chief Medical Officer, and also comprising all State and Territory Chief Health Officers.
The advice will be provided to National Cabinet tomorrow.
Attachment: The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in response to new vaccine safety concerns PDF 732 KB | HTML
Australians Invited to Help Shape a Future for Women Free from Violence
7 April 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women, Minister for Families and Social Services, Minister for Women's Safety, Manager of Government Business in the Senate
The Morrison Government has opened public consultation on the next National Plan to reduce family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia.
From tonight, all Australians can add their views and voices to the consultation via an online questionnaire, available on the Engage website.
Women who have experienced violence, family safety advocates, service providers and other stakeholders will also be invited to take part in a two-day National Women’s Safety Summit to be held on 29 and 30 July.
The Summit was agreed as part of the establishment of the Taskforce on Women’s Safety in December last year.
The summit will include keynote addresses, panel discussions and workshops focused on issues affecting women’s safety as well as a series of roundtables that will contribute insights and help determine priorities for the next National Plan.
These roundtables will focus on issues including prevention of violence and sexual violence, online abuse, coercive control, policing and justice systems, respectful relationships, frontline service responses and violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the National Women’s Safety Summit is vital to build on the existing National Plan in a way that addresses evolving issues and protects women and children from the scourge of family, domestic and sexual violence.
“Respect, dignity, choice, equality of opportunity and justice are fundamental to the safety of women in our country,” the Prime Minister said.
“This Summit will further elevate the important national discussion we are having about women’s safety and ensure that we bring all people along with us as we develop the next National Plan,” the Prime Minister said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Senator Marise Payne said consultation was vital to develop the successor to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 (the National Plan)
“A new National Plan will start in 2022, providing an updated and forward-looking blueprint for preventing violence against women in Australia,” Minister Payne said.
“We want to hear from all parts of the community to make sure the next National Plan draws on the best and most wide-ranging ideas. We intend to build a shared framework as we work together to reduce and prevent violence against women and children.
“Consultation will involve listening to the diverse experiences of people affected by violence, including from regional, rural and remote areas, Indigenous communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with disability.”
Minister for Families and Social Services and Minister for Women’s Safety Anne Ruston said people would be able to share their personal experiences in seeking and accessing support services, and will have the opportunity to make suggestions for targeted prevention and response measures.
“Importantly, we want to hear your views on what has been done well to date, what could be improved, and any new and emerging issues that should be prioritised in the next National Plan,” Minister Ruston said.
“We will also be consulting through virtual workshops and a National Plan Advisory Group, with key stakeholders from each state and territory. This will help us consult widely across a range of disciplines, including health, community services, legal services, housing, and children and family services.”
For more information and details about how to participate in the consultation, visit engage.dss.gov.au. Public consultation through this forum is open until 31 July 2021.
Australia Welcomes Two-Way Trans-Tasman Travel
6 April 2021
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Women, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment
Australia’s flight-path to recovery is well underway with the Australian Government welcoming the New Zealand Government's announcement that it will join the Safe Travel Zone between Australia and New Zealand.
This announcement will enable quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand on both sides of the Tasman helping to reunite families and friends and giving tourism operators a significant boost.
It follows Australia’s opening of a one-way Safe Travel Zone from New Zealand to Australia six months ago, with more than 34,000 arrivals into Australia from New Zealand during that period.
This latest major step in the resumption of international travel has only been possible due to the internationally recognised, world-leading responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by Australia and New Zealand.
The Federal Government’s decisions to close Australia’s international border early last year, declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic before the World Health Organisation did and working with the States and Territories through the National Cabinet to suppress the virus has ensured we are the envy of the world today.
The importance of this announcement is demonstrated by the fact that the Trans-Tasman route is Australia’s busiest international aviation market with more than seven million passengers in the one year ending January 2020 before the effects of COVID-19 hit international aviation.
Throughout this pandemic, the Federal Government has supported more than 40,000 flights through various programs and initiatives. As of last month, flights on common routes in Australia were at 57 per cent of the pre-COVID average, up from a low of 3 per cent at the height of the pandemic and today’s announcement by the New Zealand Government will be a further boost to Australia’s aviation industry.
The announcement also represents a major boost to our tourism industry with around 18 per cent of all international air arrivals from New Zealand annually and with visitors to Australia now having the opportunity to travel without having to quarantine at either end of their journey. In 2019, New Zealand travellers spent $1.6 billion on travel and tourism in Australia.
Should temporary restrictions need to be applied due to a COVID-19 outbreak, both countries will provide as much notice as possible to Government agencies, passengers, airlines and airport operators affected by any such measures.
Given that Australian and New Zealand airlines had already been operating under a one-way Safe Travel Zone to Australia for the past six months operating “green” flights to Australia, we are optimistic that airlines will commence additional services to meet the demand generated by the two-way Safe Travel Zone.
Australian and New Zealand government health and border officials will also continue to work together to facilitate the safe and effective introduction of the two-way Safe Travel Zone.
Carla Zampatti
3 April 2021
Jen and I are terribly saddened by the passing of Carla Zampatti. We have lost a truly great and inspirational Australian.
Carla was an icon to the fashion industry, a pioneer as an entrepreneur and a champion of multicultural Australia. It was our great honour to have known her.
She was a very kind, strong, elegant and sincere woman. She will be sadly missed by family, friends and all who she inspired alike.
Her contribution to our nation will be timeless, just like her designs.
We extend our deepest sympathies to her family.
Raytheon Australia’s Centre for Joint Integration – Mawson Lakes, SA
31 March 2021
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you very much. Thank you very much, Gerry. Thank you for the incredibly warm welcome that you’ve provided to me and my team here today.
Can I also begin by acknowledging our traditional owners on the land on which we meet today here, the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, and acknowledge their Elders past and present and emerging for the future.
On this day particularly it is exciting to acknowledge our veterans and members of the Australian Defence Forces. So many of them gathered here today, serving our country so magnificently, but particularly on this day, the centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force. What a proud day for Australia - that we have the finest air force in the world of any country. We stand proudly amongst all the free nations of the world, and our air force men and women, over centuries, have done so much to achieve that, and I’ll mention a bit more about that in a second. But to all of those veterans, to all of those serving members, thank you for your service.
To our host Michael Ward, Managing Director of Raytheon, thank you so much for this wonderful venue where we can speak of the things we are speaking today. To all the defence industry leaders that Gerry mentioned who are here with us today. Can I also welcome Major General Andrew Bottrell, Head of the Land Systems Division. Can I welcome Premier Steven Marshall - premier of the turnaround state. Premier who was making things happen. I mean, it’s so exciting to see what’s happening here in South Australia. It’s tremendously exciting and I congratulate you once again on the way you’re leading the state.
To Ministers Birmingham and Price, and particularly I know that Birmo would join with me in welcoming Melissa Price back into the Cabinet, particularly in the portfolio of Defence Industry, which I know the Premier is very excited about. But she joins a wonderful team in Cabinet, and particularly a very strong female team, with people of the experience of Marise Payne and Sussan Ley. I mean, many of these names have been mentioned over these last couple of days, but it’s great to see Melissa back there in this critical portfolio for Australia’s future. But someone who wasn’t mentioned as much was Sussan Ley. Sussan Ley has been an outstanding member of our Cabinet over many years, and serving in the Environment portfolio and doing an absolute tremendous job. So I’m very proud of my team, and it’s wonderful to have Melissa there joining Anne Ruston, of course, a proud South Australian, joining our leadership team as well. So a very strong voice for South Australia in our Cabinet, Premier, and that’s wonderful. To Senators McLachlan, who was here as well, great to see you Andrew, and of course Senator Fawcett who, a serving veteran himself and knows more about what goes into most of this technology and I think that many of us, and he’s a constant source of advice to me and, and wisdom.
Can I also acknowledge Brendan Nelson, a fine Defence Minister, of course, but a good friend and his work in honouring particularly the service of men and women at the War Memorial was the finest since its founder, and has gone on to new things now at Boeing. And we’re excited about the partnership we have with Boeing as well, so good to see you Brendan.
Today we take another big step, big as this flag behind me, big as this truck that I’m standing on. Another big step in reaching two of our most important priorities in my Government - keeping Australians safe in an uncertain world. Uncertainty is no stranger to Australians, but I think particularly in the course of the past two and a half years while I’ve been Prime Minister, we have known an uncertainty that has moved to a whole new level. It is a very difficult world in which we live at the moment.
The second is to cement our economic recovery, as we lead the world out of the global pandemic recession. To create jobs, and more jobs and more jobs and more jobs, and we take this step, as I said, on a day when we mark the 100th anniversary, the centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force, and acknowledge them and their dedication. I acknowledge their sacrifice in defending our nation's interests in the midst of these most challenging times. We call to mind the history, and Brendan can I’m sure do it far better than I could. He’s available for at least an hour dissertation at, off the cuff. But he will tell you about defending Darwin and the fight that saved Port Moresby, strafing over Milne Bay, providing air cover at Normandy and launching the raids on the Reich, striking at [inaudible] targets in Korea and Malaya and Vietnam and Iraq and Syria in defence of our freedom, serving our nation with distinction in conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world. The humanitarian objective of our defence forces should never be underappreciated because I know it’s not underappreciated by those to whom the hand of humanitarian support is reached out to, to supply the Prime Minister of Fiji, most recently. He was sending me all the pics of him with our defence forces there on the ground after the recent cyclone. Couldn’t be more thankful to his Australian family. Indeed, as we look on them as our family also in the Pacific. But here serving us here as well at home, particularly in the last few years - pandemic, droughts, bushfires and now once again, floods. So I thank them all. I thank those who served. Backing in our defence force personnel in an industry that contributes so much to keeping Australians safe is a very high priority of my Government. People like the men and women who work here at Raytheon, Australia’s Centre for Joint Integration. Raytheon Australia has a history of supporting the air, land and sea capabilities of the ADF and highly-skilled Australian jobs. The Centre is a tremendous vote of confidence in the Australian defence industry and in the future capability that we continue to develop. Here you are doing vital work in our national interest, integrating the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System as part of Australian Army’s new Short Range Ground Based Air Defence system, to provide ADF personnel with protection from a range of things, from a range of threats. Threats that include manned aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and so much more. In other words, they’re massively boosting our defence capability. And that’s why I’m here with my colleagues today.
Today I’m very proud to release the defence manufacturing roadmap. It’s part of a bigger strategy I announced last year, together with the then Minister for Industry Karen Andrews, who’s done a fantastic job in pulling all this together, particularly working with the Defence Industry Melissa Price in this particular area. It sets out to build scale. I want to underline this. We do a lot of things well in this country, but we need to do some of them even more so at scale, because that’s what is the game changer for Australia’s economy. To do it at scale and to capture income in high-value areas of manufacturing, to earn for Australia, because when Australia earns then that means incomes increase, that means there’s more jobs, that means our economy is stronger, and that means we can provide the world-class services that Australians rely on - our hospitals, our schools, our aged care facilities, our social security system. You thought you were just making defence industry equipment, but in building that economy, that’s the ultimate outcome that we’re able to achieve in lifting the living standards of Australians. Defence was one of six key priorities as part of this manufacturing strategy. What we’re releasing today is the mode that, roadmap that drills down into defence industry, a vision for our defence manufacturing that delivers world-leading capabilities, both for our defence force, and responsible exports in our nation’s interests.
A stronger manufacturing base, enabled by a large number of defence businesses which together can contribute to and sustain defence capability. Building deep, comprehensive supply lines and chains, capability, skills that have been taken from the ground up like the young students we met today at the Discovery Centre, which we were opening this morning, who see the same things I’m sure many of you saw when you were that age and deciding I want to be in that industry, whether it’s space or defence industry or things like this. So this is what this, this roadmap, this roadmap is for them, because it’s creating a future for the industry that they’re going to be a part of. It looks like, at things like ability for businesses to form global partnerships. So critical to our future, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It was only last month I was in Williamtown with Melissa to mark the introduction, induction of a F-35A Lightning fighter, which is to be maintained and modified at BAE Systems Australia.
We live in an increasingly contested strategic environment and the roadmap recognises how vital our manufacturing is to delivering our defence capability. During COVID we have seen in the production of vaccines how vital it is to have domestic capability. It was, I would argue, probably the most important decision we made in combating COVID. We said we’re not going to rely on the rest of the world to get ourselves out of this. We’re going to build the capability to produce that vaccine here in Australia. We’re one of only a half a dozen or so countries that are producing the AstraZeneca vaccine anywhere in the world. One of only about 20 countries in the world that has a domestic manufacturing capability to produce any of these vaccines anywhere in the world. It didn’t happen by accident. In the midst of the second wave raging through Victoria, Health Minister Greg Hunt and I and the National Security Committee, we took the decision to build that capability. And today we have a sovereign vaccination programme in Australia. We’re doing the same thing here in our defence industry. We’ve taken the decision as a Government not just to get to two per cent of GDP, as we should to protect our nation and ensure our defence forces have the capability we need, but to ensure that we can build it here. Not just assemble it here, but build it here, to design it here, to innovate here, to actually lead the world in the areas that we are able to demonstrate that proficiency. It’s what this is about, because growing these capabilities is good for our economy to create that sovereign capability, to ensure that Australian small and medium businesses are playing a fundamental role in our major programme. It’s so important to the Premier’s plan here in South Australia to engage and lock in, interconnect all of these small and medium-sized Australian businesses, many of them family business, into these supply chains. And that they get that opportunity to demonstrate just what they can do, and participate in these exciting projects. Because while it’s very important that we are getting what we need for our defence forces, what has been demonstrated the world over is if you’ve got a defence contract, you’re having to nut out some of the knottiest problems there are. It’s hard stuff. It’s complicated stuff. And the application, the ingenuity, the innovation, the skills that are needed to solve those problems that are needed at the advanced level that is demanded - you can do that, you can apply that anywhere. And so the onward application of the skills lift that comes from choosing to make defence industry a priority sector, and to back it in with the capability building we’re doing along the supply chain, and I know this is something Minister Price is very passionate about - that we build that capability all the way through the chain, both now and into the future. This is about greater self-reliance, that is true, as well as building greater supply chain resilience and creating more Australian jobs. But we are not going to do this alone.
We do it alongside the great liberal democracies of the world. There has never been a more important time, I think, since the Second World War, where Australia has to stand and lead the way amongst liberal democracies, as we have before, in standing up for liberal democracy. This is the great polarisation that our world is at risk of moving towards. Liberal democracies, authoritarian autocracies, this is what the four Quad Leaders’ gathered together to speak about. And I commend President Biden in leading that discussion. It’s been something I’ve been saying for some time. In this country we cannot take liberal democracy for granted. In the world and indeed in our own country, we have to appreciate it, we have to value it, we have to defend it, and we have to be prepared to do that. A key plank of my Government’s platform is standing up for Australia - in our region, in our economy, in our society - and to protect it from the things that would come to do it harm. Whether that’s taking on big global tech giants or those who might seek to coerce us, and we will stand with those who share our values. And there are none greater than that than our friends in the United States and the United Kingdom, and Japan, and India now, as we work together, our great friends in Indonesia. Great liberal democracies. This is what we’re doing here. This is what we’re doing here. So much bigger than the things that I stand on here today, or I see around this place. It’s what they enable that is so exciting.
This is the latest chapter, of course, in the Government’s long commitment to strengthening our defence capability. We don’t leave this to the United States or other partners. We do our share of the heavy lifting. We don’t leave it to others when it comes to our defence. We do what we need to do, as we always have. We ended that era of neglect, which was corroding our sovereignty, and over the past eight years we have restored the very things that when Brendan was Defence Minister he was also establishing and creating under the Howard Government. In 2016 we released the Defence Industry Policy Statement, and followed that in 2018 when we launched the Defence Industry Capability Plan. Then we released the Defence Policy for Industry Participation last year, and then our Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan for 2020, where I made that observation that we live in a time not dissimilar to the 1930s. I don’t believe it will finish the same way. I really don’t. I’m far more hopeful and positive about that, but I’m not naive to the threat environment in which we exist and the importance of doing what we’re doing right here and the work we’re doing, banding together in strength with those who also share the values of liberal democracy. All of these steps have been taken to ensure that we have a robust, resilient and innovative defence industrial base, one that maximises participation of Australians and supports the highly-skilled jobs that flow. And of course, at the end of the day, this is all about securing and protecting Australia’s interests - what we value so much here, the very simple things that we can appreciate each day. And that is possible because of what is done here and by our defence forces. So it is a great day. It’s a proud day. It’s a very exciting day. And I want to thank you all for the role that you’re playing as part of this vision, whether on the factory floor, whether you’re assembling parts for a surface-to-air missile system, whether you’re lecturing at a university, whether you’re training skilled in our technical colleges around this state as we build that workforce here, particularly in South Australia, for the great feats of manufacturing that are ahead of us here in this state, whether you’re a small business looking to take part and demonstrate what you can do in this great industry. You’re all part of it. Standing alongside, of course, the proud Australian women and men in uniform who serve, as I think you used to say Brendan, under our flag to defend our values. And for them we say, thank you for your service, and thank you for yours.
Sovereign Guided Weapons Manufacturing
31 March 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for Industry, Minister for Industry Science and Technology
The Morrison Government will accelerate the creation of a $1 billion Sovereign Guided Weapons Enterprise, boosting skilled jobs and helping secure Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities.
The Department of Defence will now select a strategic industry partner to operate a sovereign guided weapons manufacturing capability on behalf of the Government as a key part of the new Enterprise.
The new Enterprise will support missile and guided weapons manufacturing for use across the Australian Defence Force.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said creating a sovereign defence industrial capability was a key priority for the Government while also creating new opportunities for jobs and small business growth.
“Creating our own sovereign capability on Australian soil is essential to keep Australians safe, while also providing thousands of local jobs in businesses right across the defence supply chain,” the Prime Minister said.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, having the ability for self-reliance, be it vaccine development or the defence of Australia, is vital to meeting our own requirements in a changing global environment.
“It’s an imperative we now proceed with the creation of a sovereign guided weapons capability as a priority, accelerating this process following the idea first being explored in the Force Structure Plan.”
The Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said that the Government will use a Smart Buyer process to select an experienced strategic industry partner to build a sovereign capability to manufacture a suite of precision weapons that will meet Australia’s growing needs and provide export opportunities as a second source of supply.
“The manufacturing and supply of weapons in Australia will not only benefit and enhance our ADF operational capacity but will ensure we have adequate supply of weapon stock holdings to sustain combat operations if global supply chains are disrupted,” Minister Dutton said.
“To advance this initiative I will be designating the Chief of Joint Capabilities as the capability manager for the national guided weapons enterprise to ensure that we leverage this strategic capability across the ADF and beyond.
“This announcement builds on the agreement the Morrison Government achieved at AUSMIN last year to pursue options to encourage bilateral defence trade and to advance initiatives that diversify and harness our industry cooperation.
“We will work closely with the United States on this important initiative to ensure that we understand how our enterprise can best support both Australia’s needs and the growing needs of our most important military partner.”
Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said this initiative was an important part of the Government’s $270 billion, 10-year investment in Defence and Australia’s defence industry.
“According to defence industry estimates this new national enterprise could be worth $40 billion in local production and export over the next 20 years,” Minister Price said.
“Utilising sophisticated manufacturing processes, industry also says this could create well over 2,000 jobs in different locations across the nation.
“Australia’s defence industry already has tremendous capability in the area of weapons technology, including the Nulka decoy missile and the Government Owned Contractor Operated explosive factories at Benalla and Mulawa.
“The Government is confident that this represents the necessary industrial capability that will be transferrable to areas like guided weapons.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said that this initiative would directly support the Morrison Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy, where defence is one of the key areas of focus.
“Manufacturing is critical to a modern Australia economy and creating a sovereign capacity to manufacture sovereign guided weapons will drive innovation, skills and resilient supply chains.”
“This initiative will help us leverage Defence investment to grow a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem in Australia,” Minister Porter said.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has estimated that Australia will spend $100 billion in the next 20 years on missile and guided weapons purchases.
Minister Porter released the National Manufacturing Defence Roadmap today, showing a ten year plan for investment and industry growth.
“The road map identifies opportunities for defence manufacturers to build on existing areas of strength such as military vehicle and aircraft manufacturing, naval shipbuilding and marine hardware production, cutting-edge digital technologies such as 3D printing, and explosives and propellants,” Minister Porter said.
“The road map also identifies opportunities for Australian manufacturers to build scale and capability in three key areas: investment in the defence sector, defence exports and adapting advanced technologies to the defence sector or for civilian application.”
Minister Porter also opened the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative for projects in the defence sector, underpinned by an industry-led road map.
Initial applications will be limited to the Translation and Integration streams of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, with expressions of interest for the larger Collaboration stream to open in coming months.
For more information on the road maps and available grant funding visit industry.gov.au/manufacturing
Discover Space and Future Jobs in Adelaide
31 March 2021
Prime Minister, Premier of South Australia, Minister for Industry Science and Technology, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
Young Australians will be inspired to dream big and consider a space career, with the launch of the Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide.
Located in the innovation precinct of Lot Fourteen, the Australian Space Discovery Centre will showcase hands-on interactive space exhibits and provide practical advice for those wanting to pursue a career in the growing space sector.
There is also a state-of-the-art Mission Control Centre on site, which will simultaneously inspire people who visit, while also making it easier for local start-ups to control satellites and space missions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Australian Space Discovery Centre will be the number one place to visit for those interested in Australia’s space industry.
“The Australian Space Discovery Centre will be the go-to destination for curious minds to learn about the wonders of space and to see themselves as part of Australia’s space story,” the Prime Minister said.
“But the Discovery Centre isn’t just for the young and the young at heart – the cutting-edge Mission Control Centre will enable our local space businesses to track and control their very own missions and satellites, providing critical new capability here on home soil.”
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said the Australian Space Discovery Centre and Mission Control cemented South Australia as the space capital of Australia.
The Federal Government has an ambition to grow the size of the Australian space economy to $12 billion by 2030 and create an additional 20,000 jobs,” said the Premier.
“South Australia will lead this charge - and that’s a coup for our state. Young South Australians should have stars in their eyes.”
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said the exciting national facilities are an investment in Australia’s future – including future jobs in space and other industries.
“Careers in space aren’t all about being an astronaut. From manufacturing, to engineering, space medicine, geology, AI and computing, there are thousands of opportunities being created in this rapidly-growing sector - and we want to inspire the next generation to consider one of these exciting jobs,” Minister Porter said.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said that space was at the heart of a 10-year agreement to grow Adelaide as an innovative and vibrant city.
“The Adelaide City Deal sets out a plan to boost the economic and social vibrancy of Adelaide. The Discovery Centre and Mission Control Centre at Lot Fourteen will be an important part of this plan,” Minister Fletcher said.
Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo said the Mission Control Centre was part of the Agency’s Space Infrastructure Fund, targeting investment in common-user platforms to allow Australian businesses and researchers to focus on space-related solutions.
“We are establishing infrastructure for critical space flight and engineering capability. Companies and researchers at university will be able to utilise the Mission Control Centre for pre-flight testing, launch support, as well as communications during flight,” Mr Palermo said.
The Australian Space Discovery Centre will open to the general public in May following rigorous testing with community groups and other organisations throughout April. The Centre is being delivered in partnership between the Australian Space Agency and Questacon.
Since 1 July 2018, the Morrison Government has invested over $700 million into the Australian civil space sector as part of our goal to triple the sector’s size to $12 billion and create up to an extra 20,000 jobs by 2030.
Doorstop - Claremont Meadows, NSW
27 March 2021
Melissa McIntosh MP: Welcome everyone to our SES headquarters here in Claremont Meadows, it looks after the Penrith area. We've had a tough week and our SES have been on the front line, and I'm so proud that I'm the Federal Member for Lindsay representing this area. From the sandbags going out into the community, to river rescues, to now helping people out in Londonderry with their clean up. Our SES has been there all the way. I would like to thank them as a local member and now I'd like to invite the Prime Minister of Australia to say a few words. Thank you.
Prime Minister: Thanks, Melissa. And thank you to you for the great work you've been doing here over the past week. I know you were unable to come to Parliament last week and for good cause, because you were here standing with your community. And that's the first duty of every member of Parliament and others have been doing the same in these communities out here in western Sydney and right across the state. I want to thank all the SES workers here, I've had the privilege with Jenny to meet this morning and say thank you. It has been an absolute torrential week out here in western Sydney, not just here, but further along the river where I had the opportunity earlier this week to get that aerial view and speak to some of those on the ground up there at the Richmond RAAF base, where the water was lapping at the gates. And this has been quite a period of traumatic weather events and what we've seen, though, as you've just seen from those we've met here, whether it's Mike or whoever, taking us through the drills, this is what our agencies train for so that in moments of great crisis, they can act. And as I was saying all through the weekend, the Premier's been saying the same thing, we have the most professional, well-trained volunteers and professional people working in these organisations, and their skills have just shone through over the course of this past week. Their leadership, their management, their organisation just getting the job done here when people needed it the most. And it might be blue skies here today in Western Sydney, but the job is still going on the ground as we move into the clean-up phase. Assessors are out there even as we speak, and people are starting to work again with how businesses, particularly the producers in this region, need to be able to get back up on their feet.
Yesterday, I announced with the Premier that we'll be introducing those $75,000 category D assistance grants, joint funded 50/50 with the State Government shouldering this burden together. Up to $50,000 in grants, that I stressed, these are grants, for small businesses directly impacted by these flood events. After speaking to one of the owners of a small business up near Port Macquarie yesterday, what also became clear to me was that there are businesses looking to rebuild quickly. And I know, they've told me, they are going to be looking for support from their banks and for finance to do that to get back up on their feet. And so I spoke to the Treasurer yesterday and we're able to get it done overnight that we'll be extending those new loan products that we have already announced. These are these five billion dollar loans for businesses, up to 250 million dollars in turnover, which has two years, nothing to pay, 10-year loan terms. They will be extended into the flood-affected areas as well. Now, that's been done through the banks. We cover, underwrite, 80 per cent of those loans. And this is about backing the businesses and producers that are backing themselves to get back on their feet. Yes, the grants will be there. But in addition to that, the other things they'll be needing to attract capital for, working with the banks, working with the Government, working with our flood assistance and recovery teams, whether it's Shane Stone's agency who did such a magnificent job on supporting communities through the drought and the floods up in North Queensland, they're coming on deck now to support these communities, whether it's here in the Hawkesbury, or all the way up through the Mid North Coast where I was yesterday. For a lot of these producers and a lot of these businesses it's about sitting around the same table and working out their individual plan to get their business back on its feet. And that's how we did it in North Queensland, station by station, business by business. And that's how the recovery is going to occur here.
So we're in the clean-up phase now, sharing that with the insured or uninsured, that clean-up process being run by the State Government, responsibility shared by the Federal Government. Those grants to support small businesses and producers, many of which in this district here and beyond, affected by the Hawkesbury flooding. And then on top of that, providing that further financial assistance through the banks. Now, it's much, we learnt this in previous floods, it's much better for them to be working through the banks, they've already got facilities with. These loans can be used for any number of purposes, they can be unsecured or otherwise. And that's just another tool in the kit that we want to make sure that is there for our recovery operators coming in and working with the communities to get these things done. But right here now, we learned that the insurance assessors are starting to get in. That's really important. This time last week, Melissa was sending me texts and photos, updating me constantly on what was happening. The sandbags were being filled and the community was coming together. And the community here in Western Sydney, as always has come together. I know Melissa is incredibly proud of what they've done. I know Marise Payne, the Foreign Minister, Minister for Women, but also a local resident out here, and Stuart her husband, her partner I should say, both on the ground here working and supporting communities. So I want to thank them very, very much for all their work. But there'll be more support and more assistance. But now we plan the recovery and we back the plans of people on the ground about how they're going to rebuild.
Journalist: Prime Minister, we're still in the middle of a pandemic. Are you concerned about what we're seeing in Brisbane and the tendency for other Premiers to close borders?
Prime Minister: Well, we have that one case, and I think we're in a very different environment to what we were in last year. And so I would recommend a balanced approach here, understanding that the risk calculation has now changed, the vaccination program is well underway. We will pass that first half a million mark today in terms of vaccinations around the country. And so this is really gearing up. Yesterday, I was there to see the send out another 800,000, sorry 500,000 doses just yesterday. There was the pack of those and those 800,000 in total going out over the week. So that's getting out there. It was a great thrill to know that the last shipment, the last delivery that was unable to be made because of the floods up in Taree, that was made yesterday, that got through yesterday. And so whether it's floods or anything else, the vaccination program continues to roll out. I particularly want to thank our logistics partners who are getting those vaccinations out. But up there in Queensland and in other parts of the country, I think we need to be measured in our response. I think we need to be proportionate in our response. The economic recovery we're seeing in Australia now, is leading the world and we want to keep that happening and we don't want to prevent that from happening by any possible disproportional or overreaction response. The Queensland Government's got this. They've got a strong tracing system. They've got a very strong public health system there in Queensland. I have a lot of faith in that. I've seen it in action before. And I think we've got to back our people to keep this under control. And I have no doubt the Queensland Government will do that. I spoke to the Chief Medical officer yesterday about this, he shares my confidence.
Journalist: Prime Minister, you've just said that the first duty of an MP is to stand with their constituents. You forced one of your MPs to apologise to two women for his behaviour. Within hours he's basically blown up that apology and said he didn't even know what he was apologising for. Has he failed in his first duty to his community? And will you accept this behaviour in your party room?
Prime Minister: No, I won't. And I spoke to him again this morning, and I'm arranging for Mr Laming, for Andrew Laming, to now go and get appropriate assistance through an appropriate course to build his understanding and awareness about his actions. And I think this is one of the important things that we need to do. The way you fix this is we've got to educate, inform and increase awareness to change behaviour. I want to see behaviour change. And that's, you know, we've all got a job to do with that, and he certainly has a job to do on this. And we've discussed this very directly this morning. And he's agreed to participate in that and submit himself to that, as he should. And I would hope that would see a very significant change in his behaviour.
Journalist: Isn't the best way to change behaviour, though, Prime Minister, to show that there's going to be significant consequences in your government for this kind of behaviour?
Prime Minister: I think we've already been demonstrating that. But in this case, I mean, he is a Member of Parliament. I have no direct control over that. But what I think in this case is important is that we correct this behaviour. I want to see behaviour change. And I think this is just another indication of how much we have to do to change that behaviour. I don't think this behaviour is limited to any one individual, but certainly in this case, it has certainly been done and I want to see that change and he knows that.
Journalist: Do you think he's fit to be a Member of Parliament?
Prime Minister: That is a judgement that electors make every term and they’ve been making it in his case now for many, many years. What I want to see him do is change his behaviour. Let's not forget the goal here. We need to change behaviour and we can change behaviour by increasing the awareness, the knowledge and the understanding of how our own actions impact on others. I said this the other day. There are conscious, malevolent acts that are undertaken that discriminate against women and make women feel unsafe. There are also many unconscious acts borne out of a lack of understanding and appreciation and awareness. We have to address both of these things. I don't want to see gender become a dividing thing in this nation. I don't want this to be a women versus men, men versus women issue. This is a time when we have to come together to address this issue, to build that understanding. We just saw the other day a young boy in Victoria having to apologise for things he didn't understand and apologise effectively for every other male in the country. The school has apologised for that. They said they acted in good faith. I accept that, totally accept that. That's why I just caution, we've got to be careful about how we manage this. We've got to focus on building, understanding, awareness, sensitivity, but we have to do it together. We cannot allow this issue to divide Australians. So let's try it, all of us, to bring it together and just focus on the things we need to change.
Journalist: Is Laming fit to run as a Liberal? And would you consider dumping him if he doesn't change his behaviour?
Prime Minister: I'm not a member of the LNP Queensland division. Our state divisions make decisions about preselection. Every single Member of Parliament, me included, has to renominate for the endorsement of our party. And that's a process which is underway currently with the LNP and I'm sure selectors will be thinking about all of these things.
Journalist: Concerning to see China redoubling its efforts on tariffs on Australian wines for the next five years. What's the way forward there?
Prime Minister: Well, continue to be patient and working the issues that are in front of us, whether it's all of these, what I'd call non-tariff restrictions, which we completely reject that has been placed on Australian product and by their own admission, publically, as some form of retaliation for Australians standing up for our values, that's not okay. I mean, I stand with Prime Minister Johnson. UK has come under criticism and sanction as a result of standing up for Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Australia also has stood up in that way. We released a statement just this week conjointly with a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. And we don't do that lightly. And it's important that liberal democracies stand up for these values and for these truths. And we will say, Boris, well done, mate. We stand with you and thank you for standing with Australia as well. Thanks everyone.
Government Extends Relief for Flood-Affected Businesses
27 March 2021
Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Agriculture Drought and Emergency Management
The Morrison Government will extend the SME Recovery Loan Scheme in order to provide further support to flood-affected businesses.
The SME Recovery Loan Scheme was designed to help businesses that were on JobKeeper during the March quarter by providing them with easier and more cost-effective access to finance, greater repayment flexibility, the ability to refinance existing loans into the Scheme and to better manage their cash-flows through an extended loan term and lower combined repayments.
From 1 April, businesses impacted by COVID-19 and the floods will also be eligible to access the SME Recovery Loan Scheme. These flood-affected businesses will not be required to have been on JobKeeper during the March quarter to be eligible.
Expansion of the Scheme will allow eligible flood-affected businesses with a turnover of less than $250 million to be able to access loans of up to $5 million over a term of up to 10 years and to also be offered up to 24 month repayment holidays.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said businesses will be able to rebuild quickly.
“We want businesses and producers affected by floods to get back on their feet. Know that the Federal Government is backing you,” the Prime Minister said.
“This loan extension will allow businesses to have the security of capital to develop a tailored recovery plan that works for them.”
“The Federal Government is committed to ensuring small businesses get the support they need in the face of these devastating floods,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.
“The extension of this scheme will help businesses in the flood-affected areas get back on their feet.”
The Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management said the extension of the recovery loan scheme will be good news for businesses in rural and regional Australia.
“Businesses in the bush were already hit by COVID and the associated restrictions,” Minister Littleproud said.
“The floods might slow their recovery but not their determination.
“We will stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”
The SME Recovery Loan Scheme is part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to supporting Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and these devastating floods.
NSW Storm and Flood Clean-Up Grants Program Extends
27 March 2021
Prime Minister, Minister for Agriculture Drought and Emergency Management
The Australian and New South Wales (NSW) Governments will expand assistance to communities as they begin to rebuild and recover following the recent catastrophic storm and flood event, with a new clean-up program and activation of recovery grants.
Visiting the Mid North Coast, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud, and NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro announced the activation of Category C and D assistance through the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The clean-up program will assist households, businesses, primary producers and local councils affected by the floods and will include both insured and uninsured properties. The costs will be shared 50:50 between the Australian and NSW Governments.
The Australian and NSW Governments have also agreed to provide recovery grants to small businesses of up to $50,000 and grants to primary producers of up to $75,000 where direct damage has occurred, on a cost shared basis.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Australian and NSW Governments were committed to helping communities across the State that have been devastated in the record-breaking floods.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the damage to so many communities, especially to those who have barely recovered from the bushfires,” Prime Minister Morrison said.
“As the floodwaters start to recede, the difficulties will continue as people begin cleaning out their homes, business owners count the cost of lost equipment and farmers who have lost their livestock.”
“Just as we have stood with people through COVID-19, the bushfires and drought we will stand with those who have been devastated by these floods.”
Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said the resilience of the NSW people have been tested over the past 18-months and measures are in place to support communities every step of the way.
“The recent disaster has caused significant damage and we are designing support packages to help people get back on their feet.”
“The Australian Defence Force personnel, alongside NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW, have already been deployed,” Minister Littleproud said.
“Teams are going from house to house, hosing out properties and removing damaged items, as well as sandbagging and clearing debris.”
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the clean-up strike force was just the first step.
“We want the community to know that we will be with them every step of the way as they clean-up and recover from the floods,” Premier Berejiklian said.
“We appreciate it will be a very challenging time for people as they go back to their homes and their properties and we know the clean-up and recovery process may take weeks and even months.
“I want to thank everyone involved in helping with the clean-up and recovery efforts.”
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, the state Minister responsible for disaster recovery, said the impact to communities has been evident over the last days, however the extent of the impact on the farming and business sectors has not been fully quantified.
“These communities that have already been torn apart by drought and bushfires will have the full support of the Government as they get back on their feet,” Minister Barilaro said.
“These recovery grants will help with clean up and recovery costs, including repairing and replacing damaged assets. This will be a massive boost to our farmers and small business owners which are the backbone of our nation’s economy.”
The NSW Storm and Flood Clean-up Program includes:
Residential clean-up – to assist residents in flood affected areas whose homes have been damaged by floodwaters
Clean-up of essential public assets – to assist with the clean-up and debris removal activities from flood damaged public assets (e.g. roads)
Clean-up of community, recreation and cultural assets including sporting fields
Primary producers and small business clean-up – to assist primary producers and small businesses to clean-up and dispose of flood related debris from their properties.
Clean-up and restoration of environmental assets – to assist with the clean-up and restoration of flood damaged, priority environmental assets including beaches
Associated clean-up and waste disposal costs – to cover additional costs incurred by affected councils and relevant state agencies.
Small business recovery grants up to $50,000 (direct damage)
The grants are designed to provide short-term targeted assistance for recovery and reinstatement activities, including safety inspections, repairs to premises and internal fittings, and replacement of stock.
Primary producer recovery grants up to $75,000 (direct damage)
The grants are designed to provide short-term targeted assistance for recovery and reinstatement activities, including salvaging crops and repairs to damaged farm infrastructure (e.g. fencing) and equipment.
To connect with a Customer Care specialist, call Service NSW between 7am and 7pm on 13 77 88. The Contact Centre hours have been extended to include weekends while communities recover. Information about the Customer Care service is also available in Service NSW Centres.
Doorstop - Wauchope, NSW
26 March 2021
DR DAVID GILLESPIE MP: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Well, welcome to Wauchope SES. I would formally, and most importantly, like with Melinda Pavey, my coinciding state member formally welcome the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and my colleague, Dave Littleproud, along with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and John Barilaro, Deputy Premier. So Melinda and I are really honoured that all of you have come to see firsthand what's going on. Now first of all, I would just like to say I'm looking forward to the time when both of you are here and it's not an emergency, but it has been a year to remember, and a year a lot of people would like to forget. It's uncanny that we had a drought, then a bushfire, and then we got a new Water Minister, and you've done too well, we've got too much of it now Melinda, but really, it is a real shock to people's systems to be going through so many crises, and that is what people are feeling. A lot of people are still running on adrenaline. Australians, their home and their farm or their business is often the centre of their life with their family and to have it washed away is really, a really scary event. We've got plenty of people who have been displaced out of their homes. But why the Prime Minister and the Premier and all these other important Ministers are here is because we want them to see what it's been like for people and we realise we are stoic country people, but we do need help and I'm so glad ADF are here as well. I'd like to formally also on my behalf, thank SES, the RFS, Marine Rescue, Surf Lifesaving, Police, Vehicle Rescue, Fire & Rescue and all the other services, counsellors, council staff, engineers. And I'd like to thank all the volunteers that turned up with boats themselves, rescuing people, and for electricians who are fixing up people's electricity for nothing. All these people are all helping and I'll hand to Melinda.
THE HON. MELINDA PAVEY, MINISTER FOR WATER, PROPERTY AND HOUSING: Thanks very much, David. It's just wonderful to have the support from our state leadership and our national leadership. We're on the ground today seeing the damage firsthand. I know the Premier, and the Deputy Premier are just about to leave with me we're going to go and visit some farmers, some dairy farmers, you know, milk going down the driveways because we can't get the trucks in. There's a lot of work we've got to get done. And I'm just so grateful for our communities pulling together and doing what we're doing. And now over to our leadership of our nation and our state. Thank you very much.
DR DAVID GILLESPIE MP: Prime Minister, thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Melinda and thank you David, and to Gladys and Bara and to David who joins me, and of course, the Commissioner, who is here with us as well, and Joe Buffone, Director and General of Emergency Management, is also doing a terrific job. Can I just start by echoing my thanks to the amazing people we've been meeting here today, and in other parts of the Mid North Coast. It is quite humbling when you just sit and talk and listen to people who have been through an incredible last seven days and more than 20 rescues here alone, saving lives, putting themselves at risk, holding hands of children and others who are scared and going through something like this. It is just an enormously humbling and proud moment to see the wonderful resilience and character of Australians in times like this. And we have seen it so many times over the last two and a half years in particular. The Premier and I have stood here in this very spot not that long ago, back in 2019, as fires ripped through this area. Dave and I have been through here on drought and now we're here with floods. And over the last year, you've been dealing with COVID too. Earlier today when I was down in Port places like Telegraph Point and others, and just seeing the devastation of people's businesses, and it's not just that the businesses have lost their equipment and generators and all of these things. These are businesses that families have built up over a lifetime, and it's not just the loss of the income. It is the loss of a way of life that they have worked so hard to build. And that is just heartbreaking for them. And just as we have stood with people, whether through COVID, whether through bushfires, whether through drought, floods, tornadoes, cyclones, we're of course going to stand here with the people on the Mid North Coast, the Hawkesbury, others who have been devastated by these floods. Already, of course, we're rolling out the disaster recovery payments on that 180 2266 number, we have over two thousand people there taking calls. They've done a magnificent job getting emergency support to people, but we got to do a lot more than that. The clean-up now begins. The sun's out, the waters are receding, and there's going to be more difficulty ahead as we see what happens, particularly for primary producers, whether they're oyster farmers or they're dairy farmers or other producers across the district. They've got some difficult days ahead. I remember seeing this also firsthand up in North Queensland and the devastating floods that wiped out over half a million head of cattle in 24 hours. And there's going to be a lot of that devastating loss as we have to get into carcass disposal and cleaning out these sheds that have been in water up to their roofs. And so I want to thank the New South Wales Government of Gladys and Bara, the partnership between the New South Wales Government and the Federal Government has been extraordinary. We've been working closely together and I want to thank the Emergency Management Minister as well, Dave. They've done a great job working with my Minister to get the support where it's needed. Defence Force have now arrived, they're here, they're part of the recovery team, the clean-up team. 70 are already here being drawn from the 44th Battalion who are already on the ground. They're going to be joined by more than 400 more as we work with all the other teams. It's been so good to see SES working with RFS, with the Fire and Rescue, the whole team working as one unit with our Defence Forces to ensure that we can get the job done, just seamlessly working together as a team. It's tremendous, but we've got to back this up with a number of new measures to support. The Premier wrote to me yesterday and outlined their plan. I will let the Premier and John Barilaro speak to that more specifically, but a key part of that is what's called category C and D funding support, which is what comes in place when you get a big disaster like this. That means that New South Wales and the Commonwealth Government will share the cost of the recovery 50/50. We will carry this load together as we have already carried so many other loads together over these last few years. What that means is, we will be able to support small business grants for those directly impacted and John can speak more to that, of up to $50,000 and importantly primary producer grants of up to $75,000. Now, those $75,000 grants are critical for those producers to get back up on their feet, but know we are backing them in and that we will be there to help them restock and rebuild and get their machinery up and running again and be able to get their operations up and running again. These grants have been so critical in previous disasters, in particular flood disasters. It's just not cash, it’s a message of hope to each of those producers and those small businesses, who are going to need that help, who have been directly impacted through these arrangements. The broader clean-up arrangements they will continue. The ADF support that is all over and above what we're talking about here. And so, this is not just a helping hand, this is an enormous embrace that is coming from the Commonwealth Government along with the State Government to ensure that we stand with the people of the Mid North Coast and across the state to ensure as the waters recede their hopes rise and we see this part of the country once again realise all of their expectations. Gladys.
PREMIER BEREJIKLIAN: Thank you. Thank you, Prime Minister. Also having travelled through the Mid North Coast today, it's unimaginable the kind of trauma and devastation people have experienced in the last few days. Yet what really struck me today is the way everybody's come together to support one another. But what I do suspect is that a lot of people who have lost their homes or have experienced the devastation are still in a state of shock. We just say to everybody, please know that the Federal and State Governments are working together to get you what you need in the next few days, weeks and months ahead. We know for some people the clean-up and recovery will be a shorter period than others. But we also know, regrettably from all the experience we've had, that sometimes the clean-up and recovery is more difficult than the crisis itself. I just want do extend my deepest gratitude to all of our emergency services workers and volunteers who have worked so well together from all the different agencies to really support our communities and Commissioner, you're from the SES - you have lead the charge and I want to thank her publically for all her efforts. To all the agencies the Prime Minister mentioned, everyone stepped up and worked together. Who would have thought Fire & Rescue and RFS would be supporting SES in a fire, in a flood rather, but that’s exactly what’s happening. It’s been all resources on deck and we’ve got through the last few days and as the sun’s come out we know this is when the clean-up and recovery starts. I am grateful that the Prime Minister has made available those categories of funding. It means that we can really kick in that support for many who are doing it tough. We have unfortunately seen many businesses today up close and personal and seen what they have lost, but also of course also individuals and their homes. That is why a few days ago I moved quickly to appoint the Deputy Premier as responsible for the clean-up and recovery of New South Wales. Regrettably, he's had too much experience in this category, having previously supported the community in the bushfire category. I also want to acknowledge Minister Melinda Pavey, who has not only done an outstanding job here locally supporting her community, but also supporting the New South Wales Government more broadly and getting assistance where it is required during this difficult time. It has been a team effort. We know that New South Wales and Australia always does better when we work together and I again want to thank the Prime Minister and his team for all the support we've received, and I also want to more than anything thank the community for restoring our faith, restoring our faith in good citizenship and restoring our faith in helping one another. No matter where I have gone today, I have just been struck by people saying thank you to each other. Even though they are going through the most horrible time. I met volunteers today in Port Macquarie who had lost their own homes but were there helping other people and that is the kind of spirit that brings us together and makes us feel proud of who we are and I just urge everybody to please get help when you need it. We know how difficult it's going to be, whether it is financial, physical or mental health. Please know that we're here to support you in the coming weeks and months. I think Mr Littleproud and also the Deputy Premier John Barilaro will outline recovery efforts that have already commenced. Thank you.
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: Thank you,Premier, and Prime Minister, and to both David and Melinda, at a local level, yeah the Premier's right. We're still in the midst of recovering from bushfires. That architecture of government is still in place. For us to roll from recovering to fires to recovering from floods is going to be easier when we first started post-fires. I want to acknowledge David Littleproud, the Federal Minister, who worked along with me during that perioda nd what the Prime Minister has announced today with the Category D funding allows us to get on the ground quickly. There are three stages to the recovery. The first stage of course was managing the crisis itself and I want to say thank you the emergency service personnel for the effort, but also to the citizens for keeping your neighbours safe. That’s the first part and now it is safe to enter, we begin the clean-up and as of last night, the multiagency strike forces has hit the ground. That is all the agencies, emergency service agencies of the State Government, along with the generosity of the ADF and the Federal Government were on the ground. You’ll start seeing bins in streets, you’ll start seeing machinery in streets, and assist the citizens to clean up after the floods. Then of course the rebuild. The rebuild is going to be that long journey. We are still rebuilding from fires and unfortunately for me, when I come to this region and across the state, I'm visiting the same places that I visited as the Minister responsible for bushfire recovery. In one way it is sad, but the other way, because the architecture is ready to go, those $75,000 grants for primary producers, like our oyster leases or farmers, or dairy farmers, that mechanism is already in place. We can start rolling that out as of next week and we will have more to say about that. All the other assistance will be there and we will quickly roll that out because we know how important it was to respond in a timely manner. My commitment to the Prime Minister and the Premier in this role, along with David Littleproud, we will get on the ground, we will be back and we will be supporting the community as we go forward.
THE HON DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, DROUGHT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Thanks Bara. Look, to everybody, help is here but more help is on the way. We have worked collaboratively with New South Wales, Resilience New South Wales and making sure we have boots on the ground. That’ll be 500 ADF personnel deployed into the Mid North Coast in the next day or so, some are already here. We want to make sure that we take away that emotional strain of the clean-up with a practical measure, having boots on the ground, people cleaning out all that damage that's there. We're also, as part of this program, this $75,000 that are going to primary producers and $50,000 grants to small businesses, let me tell you from the experience of the North West Queensland floods, that saved lives. There are primary producers in North West Queensland, I have sat with after, that said had they not had that comfort of knowing that we were there with $75,000, the emotional toll was too much. So it is important to understand that this will just take away that, not only the financial burden, but the emotional burden as well. Understand that we will also be surging in further mental health support. We will be working with the state, as well as our Primary Health Networks to make sure whatever it takes, they'll be there. I also advise that we have now added another 26 New South Wales Local Government areas to the Disaster Recovery Payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child, that takes it to 60 local government areas across New South Wales, which just shows the sheet gravity of this event. So, obviously we will continue to now work collaboratively through Shane Stone, who will be leading our support with Joe in EMA to make sure we are working with New South Wales in simply getting out of everyone's life and just getting money in their pockets and getting them back into the swing of life as quickly as we can. We're here to help and we are going to keep going until the job is done.
PRIME MINISTER: I have another piece of good news for you. For people in the Mid North Cost, despite these terrible floods, we got that last shipment of the vaccines this morning through the Taree. That was the last one that had to get through to the GPs all around the country. And so even the floods can't stop it. When you got people who are just working to do everything they can for the local community. So, well done to the team for making sure they got through. Happy to take some questions. Let's please focus the questions at first on the matters that obviously have been the subject of the announcements today. Happy to deal with other things, I suppose but we are also on a schedule the Premier and I. We’ve got a lot of people to see also this afternoon.
JOURNALIST: Farmers we’ve spoken to have said that with some of the help that came after the drought, came after the bushfires, came a lot of red tape and paperwork for them. It was very difficult when they were mentally struggling. Are you going to have these boots on the ground for a long time? Or is it a stop in, step out situation and they are on their own to access the help?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I will let Bara comment on this as well. The $75,000 grants we’re keen to get that in people's hands as quickly as possible, and with as little fuss as possible. The good example is how we now do the $1,000 payments, no-one has to fill out any forms, they get on the phone, it’s processed on the phone and they’ll have money within an hour when it comes to those disaster recovery payments, the $1,000, the $400. We’ve learnt a lot working with states on how we can delivery those things as quickly as possible. The agency, headed up by Shane Stone, the federal agency, which is effectively our resilient agency, equivalent to what’s in New South Wales. The agency stays on the ground. They are still on the ground up in North Queensland from the floods of 2.5 years ago, working with local communities, because you’ve got to hang in there for the rebuild and recovery. What I like about the plan that Gladys has Premier presented to me is those phases. Of course, the immediate response phase, but then there’s three phases of clean-up, then the recovery, and then building the resilience further. And that's not a couple of months' job, that's years. That is years. In the same way with the bushfire grants, it was a two-year program of funding and more than $2 billion and but Bara, you might want to talk about how the process rolls out, because it’ll be administered by New South Wales.
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: There was learnings in the early part of the bushfire recovery, and we simplified the primary producer grants with the Rural Assistance Authority and then through Service New South Wales, which is the one-stop-shop, we have a customer centre approach. We allocate an individual to look after each applicant that comes through customer service, so that consumer gets looked after and we will be able to assist them. We have a tell us once sort of policy in us, if you have ever dealt with Service New South Wales before, all your data is collected, it is on file. I'm confident we will be rolling out these assistance packages quite quickly, compared to what we learnt post fires. As I said, we have learnt a lot. Those learnings, the architecture of the post-fire recovery is in place, and as the Prime Minister touched on, even as late as last week, I was issuing another $50,000 grant in relation to bushfires down at Cobargo. So, we are not shutting this off. There is no timeline. We have said with people from the start of the bushfire recovery, we will do the same here, we‘ll stick with you until we know we have left nobody behind.
JOURNALIST: It is estimated between 200 and 250 dairy farms have been impacted by the floods. They are throwing out milk, they’ve got cows with mastitis. What will be available to that industry in particular to help them get back on their feet?
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: Well, the primary producer grants, as we’ve just touched on would be $75,000 grants. So, that's the first part. Local Land Services are also working with getting fodder and feed in place. Of course, the unfortunate and tough job of removing dead carcasses, we're taking responsibility of that and we're working with those farmers. But, you know, we will be going to see a couple of dairy farmers, a dozen dairy farmers shortly. The more that I hear on the ground, that’s what we are here for, not just to talk. It’s to listen, and if we’ve got to be flexible in what we need to do, we’ll do that. We showed that in, with bushfires, with David Littleproud and I made changes to the program whenever were required, so we’ll do that.
JOURNALIST: Will you be making sure the supermarkets support them through it, too? We saw some real problems after the drought with supermarkets controlling the prices.
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: We'll have a look at that. I don't recall that being a big issue, as in price gouging I'm assume you're talking about?
JOURNALIST: Just ensuring their own brands were supported through, and not necessarily looking after the locals.
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: We will look at all that.
JOURNALIST: Can we expect, as well, to see programs like fencing disaster recovery?
THE HON. JOHN BARILARO, DEPUTY PREMIER, AND MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES, INDUSTRY AND TRADE: Yes, so we touched on that. And again, that, that fencing program that we set aside, I think it was something like $85 million in part of responding to bushfires, and again, you know what the sad thing is? Some of these fences that have gone under water are the same fences we've built during the fires. That program still is alive. There's funding in that program, and so we'll just move that program along to assist those with fencing needs and we may even engage with BlazeAid again to see where they can set up camp.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just on obviously the Brittany Higgins issue, do you think you’ve misjudged the mood of nation lately?
PRIME MINISTER: I have made a number comments in my earlier press conference today, so it’s a very serious important issue. I am doing everything I can to ensure we do the things we need to do get this right.
JOURNALIST: You said you'd be willing to meet with her. Will you extend that invite to her?
PRIME MINISTER: I already addressed that this morning.
JOURNALIST: You said you were willing to meet with her, not that you’d asked her to meet with you.
PRIME MINISTER: We are working through those processes.
JOURNALIST: You said you misunderstood the issue. What would it take to make you understand? Who can explain it to you?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't think that's a very fair way to put it. And I think, what I was simply saying is this is a very deep and difficult issue which has so many different dimensions. We all have an understanding to, at one level. But I think this is a very important conversation the country is having, and I'm having it.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Australia's Ambassador to China has labelled Beijing's trade punishment as vindictive. Do you agree with that assessment?
PRIME MINISTER: We want to have a positive trading relationship with China. We are obviously facing some difficult issues in that relationship and really appreciate the great support we've had from liberal democracies around the world. None less so than the United States. Keen to work through the issues. We’ve always been keen to work through the issues. But while we're big on trade in Australia, we don't trade away who we are. We don't trade away our values, ever.
JOURNALIST: Just quickly, back to the floods.
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, let's talk about the floods.
JOURNALIST: One of the things we're hearing, over and over again on the ground at the moment in this region, is that the flood insurance was too expensive. A lot of homeowners and businesses weren't covered. Is that something we need to look at?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I might hand over to my state colleague, if they’d like to address that. I mean, it's different in different parts of the country. And obviously as the Federal Government we’ve been very heavily involved in trying to address some of those issues up if in Far North Queensland. That’s a very complicated issue, as in how it impacted premiums, and reinsurance policies and things like that. But you know, that’s what resilience policy is about now. I think, particularly as we have gone through so many of these disasters in recent times, a lot of those issues are becoming part of the policy challenge. We want the regional parts of our country, whether it is here in the Mid North Coast or in south western Western Australia or up there in Far North Queensland, we want Australians to be able to live their lives safely and prosperously and ensure that we can provide the right settings that enable them to do that. That's what we want to achieve here. I’ll tell you one of the great things today was, and David will remind me of the exact date - I think 11 April, is that right? 14 April the Blue Whale down there on the Mid North Coast. He said, "We will open up on the 14th." I thought he meant May or June, perhaps. He meant April. That small business is keen to get back on their feet and that was incredibly inspiring. Inspiration is what you find in the middle of all these dreadful events and we’re finding a lot of it here. So, with that thank you all very much.
Doorstop - Parkville, Vic
26 March 2021
STEVEN MARLOW: Welcome the Prime Minister to CSL. Such a big week, it's a massive week, it's a massive week for CSL, and it's a massive week for Australians. I would like to thank the Prime Minister. It's a busy time and today we've seen the time taken to meet with some of the individuals, some of the team members who have worked mornings, who have worked nights, who have worked weekend. I know they've cancelled holidays to make sure we've launched this on soil COVID vaccination campaign as well as could be done. So we are enormously proud here at CSL and Seqirus to make it happen. So, very pleased, very pleased to welcome the Prime Minister again. I'd just like to say more than 800,000 doses are being released this week. This is an enormous effort and I would thank every single person who's been involved in this at CSL, it is huge. Got nearly three million doses already filled in vials, they're all going through various levels of quality controls and they will never be compromised. This dedication to quality and safety is the number one priority for CSL and every single vaccine that leaves this facility has gone through numerous checks and we continue to do so. We're in really good shape. Over three million doses ready, going through final stages of productions, we're in really good shape. And we know it doesn't end there, we know there's a magic number of 50 million doses and we are committed, and we're dedicated to meeting that number so all Australians have got access to this vaccine. So, we're in good shape, we're very pleased where we are and we're very proud that we're making such an important contribution to this effort. And I'll leave it there, I'll ask the Prime Minister to say a few words and take questions. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you Steven and thank you Brian, and most all thank you to all the wonderful employees here at CSL and Seqirus. It's a great honour and privilege for me again to come here today at this very old site that is doing something quite amazing. You know, there have been great moments in our national history, and this is now one of them. What has been achieved here, and will continue to be achieved here, with the rollout of the Australian-made AstraZeneca vaccine is something that I think all Australians can feel extremely proud of. And the people who are doing it here, you can feel are extremely proud. They are national heroes, we've seen so many of those in responses to great disasters and Australia's great achievements. And those who are working here join those ranks because what they're doing here is getting Australia back on the path to where we want to be. In August of last year, we made a decision as a government. We took the view that Australia could not be left isolated from the vaccine production. It was a very serious decision and we had to turn to our scientific and commercial community that is involved in vaccine production in this country. And we had to ask them to get this job done. Back in August, as the pandemic was raging here in Victoria and it was locked down as we were going through that second wave, that's when that call was made. And I can't tell you the sense of pride that I have, Brian and Stephen and your team, both here and out at Broadmeadows, as I look down at those half a million doses today in that storage room where, I've got to say, the most important warehouse in the country is operating right now, with a wonderful team running it. And that was the realisation of that significant decision that we took together. Then it was a clear commitment that today it has turned into something very, very real, which is changing the life of this nation and is putting us back where we want to be.
There is still a long way to go on this road, as the vaccination program rolls out. 800,000 out the door and that will continue for us. Today, we should get to around 450,000 people who are vaccinated. By the time we start next week, we will have had a half a million, we anticipate, will have received the vaccines across the country. This just keeps building, every week, every single week. And now the supply is on, out of our Australian-made vaccine here. This has been a big game changer that we've been working so long and so hard to secure for our country. There's just over a half a dozen countries in the world that make this vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine. That is the small club we're in and we're leading that club. Of that small group of countries who do it, we're doing it the best. We're doing it the best because we've got the best people and we've got the best collaboration. It's been very pleasing to hear today about the wonderful collaboration that has produced this outcome for Australia. Not just the amazing people here, but the people at the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the people at the CSIRO. This has been a team effort of public sector and private sector coming together to achieve something that Australia had to achieve. There was no option other than to do this. There was no second best here that was available to this country. If we didn't achieve this, there would not be a vaccination program in Australia. That's how serious this task has been. It has been a gargantuan task and to just look at those, those packs today of doses ready to go. That is an extraordinary moment in Australia's history and I am so incredibly proud.
So we go from this point, we continue to ramp up what's being achieved. As Steven was saying, over three million of these doses, already in various stages of the process. But what's really important here, as you would have see what they're doing upstairs, is that quality control and that testing, and those protections. We're not just good at making them - we're great at making them - but we're the best in the world making sure it is safe. And that's why I can say to Australians that they can confidently go and take these vaccines and by doing so, working together, as a team, we will continue on the road where we are leading the world out of the COVID-19 pandemic and out of COVID-19 recession. One of the biggest team members in achieving that is CSL and Seqirus. Happy to take some questions firstly on the vaccination issue and then we can move quickly to other matters.
Just quickly on another matter I want to congratulate our AFP joint counter-terrorism task force and the great work they have been doing to disrupt these arrangements and tracking down these individuals who are working with overseas terrorists. This has been an extraordinary piece of work and I think that is a reminder that's while we've been dealing with pandemics while we've been dealing with now floods and I'll be on the mid-north coast today, with Premier Berejiklian, so we won't have too much time for a lot of questions. I'll be standing up again later today, because I need to get to the mid-north coast today and be there with those plans and the recovery response that is being put in place for those floods, so I hope you will understand. But all the big jobs that we have to do as a government, whether it's protecting Australia from terrorist groups. Whether it's responding to the floods, whether it's getting this vaccination rollout. Whether it's getting Australians back into jobs, more Australians in jobs now than before the pandemic started. The health and welfare and wellbeing and economic security of Australians. This is something that never, never departs for my gaze. This is a big job Australia has at the moment and let me tell you we are on it. Questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, some of the GPs are a bit concerned about not having enough vaccine and so forth. Will this roll out from CSL help that, with the roll out, the 1B Phase?
PRIME MINISTER: I met with GPs here in Melbourne last week, as you know. And I'm thrilled that we're doing this through the GPs. The GPs are the best people to do this through. And particularly as we go into this next group, we're into the next groups now some 16 million Australians, elderly Australians. The person you can rely on most when it comes to your health and that you turn to most is your GP. And that's the right place for us to ensure this is done. With all the appropriate care and attention on focusing on the individual health needs of those who are receiving this vaccine. And we've already got over a thousand GPs involved. The doses are already with all those GPs those 1000 and they'll be working through that as they have been over the course of this week. And that's why you're seeing the significant ramp up. We said we'd hit in those early phases around 80,000 a week. And we did. We said we'd stop the vaccination program in mid to late February, and we did. We said that the Australian-made vaccine would be ready to go and rolling out of this plant in March. And it has. We said that the GPs would be enlisted in this program and over thousand at first would be administering doses this month. And they are. And so we're going to keep working closely with the GPs. We're getting tremendous support from them. And wherever there are issues here or there, then we're attending to them and we're getting on with it. I would thanks the GPs of Australia. You're part of this amazing effort now when they leave the cold storage room here. One team from team Australia passes it on the next team in team Australia. And that's those GPs who are administering those doses and in the states and territories their work is being done through the great health workers there.
JOURNALIST: You must be pleased to see international travel resuming in Victoria. Are you confident that the hotel quarantine system will be right this time?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, only the Premier, or should I say the Acting-Premier, is in the best position to give that assurance. But I know they've been very careful about coming to this decision. And I'm looking forward to that occurring, because I'm trying to get Australians home. We've got a lot of Australians home and we still need to get more Australians home. And Victoria hasn't been be able to play their part in that pretty much since last July. And other states have been doing that heavy lifting, particularly New South Wales, bringing Victorians home through New South Wales or through Queensland or indeed through Western Australia and South Australia. I'm pleased that the Victorian government now is going to be able to once again take part in helping Australians get home, and in particular Victorians get home, and I'm sure they're very grateful to the other states and territories who have been carrying that load.
JOURNALIST: You said last night, that we would be happy to sit down with...
PRIME MINISTER: Okay, we've got to move to other issues. Are there any other questions on vaccines?
JOURNALIST: I do have one question on vaccines. Clive Palmer is being investigated by the AEC over flyers printed in his former party's colours questioning the vaccine rollout. Should he face consequences?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm going to ask Brian if he want to talk these issues more broadly about the importance of ensuring that we have the appropriate information out there. Our government is doing everything we possibly can to counter misinformation out there. This misinformation pure and simple. Don't listen to it, it's rubbish, it's complete rubbish. And there should be no politics in our vaccination program. This has got nothing to do with politics this has got to do with the health and well-being of Australians, because that is the continued ticket also to our economic recovery. And I don't have any part, or I will have no part in anyone who want to politicise and have a go at this program for political purposes. That's just not on.
BRIAN MCNAMEE: I would just like to reassure all Australians, only the highest level of quality, efficacy, potency standards. I mean, this is what CSL does: we make vaccines and make them make products for other diseases only the highest quality. This is this is part of our DNA. So Australians should be reassured. We should listen to the scientists. We should listen to the medical experts. And we have a world class regulator in the TGA. From my point of view, it's a very good vaccine, it's a safe vaccine and we should be confident in the vaccination program, and people should be confident to receive the vaccine and the back of the recommendations from the TGA.
PRIME MINISTER: So no other questions on vaccines? Well thank you very much Brian and Steven. Thanks to all the wonderful team here. It's a great team and I'm really proud of what they've done. Thank you for your tremendous leadership. Now we've got time for a couple, because I've got to get to the mid-north coast for the floods.
JOURNALIST: Just briefly, you said last night you'd be happy to sit down and have a chat with Brittany Higgins, will either you or your office make that approach today?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that is effectively made. So we're happy to meet. I can understand Brittany's wish to meet, but she hasn't expressed that to this point, and I understand why and that's fine. I've always sort respect her privacy and her wishes on this. And I can appreciate why she may not want to meet at Parliament House, that would be totally understandable. We can arrange to meet under other circumstances.
JOURNALIST: So when do you expect that conversation to occur?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I can't tell you because really isn't how it works.
JOURNALIST: There has been a lot of talk about what's happened. What are you going to do to move forward now?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, let me tell you what we've already done. Initially it was about getting the counselling support for those who needed it in relation to any incident that occurred. And we've already put that service in place for staff, that's already happened, that was the first thing we did. The second we did is we got all the parties together and we've set up the multi-party inquiry to look at how the systems and process can better support people in these situations. As well as also how do we deal with complaints that may not extend to things that are criminal in nature? Which in Brittany's case that certainly not what's involved and those matters are ultimately best dealt with by the police, as they should be. And after two years I'm very pleased that that matter is now before the police. The other thing though is how do we deal with harassment claims or allegations or complaints and how they are better handled within the Australian parliament. For members and senators of all parties, because I don't think anyone is suggesting that this is an issue that is confined to any one side of politics. That's certainly not my experience. And I know that's not the experience of the people who work at Parliament House. And so it's important that we get that process right.
The deputy secretary of my department is coming back to me very soon. With a report on how we can get such a complaints process in place even sooner than that. So we don't have to wait until the sex discrimination commissioner's enquiry is finished, which is much later this year. We need such a process much sooner than that, and that was one of the first things I initiated soon after Brittany took her story public. There's a lot more, as I said in the parliament this week we will be responding to respect at work enquiry before the budget. I have become directly engaged in that process with the acting attorney-general, Michaelia Cash, as well as the assistant minister to the attorney general, Senator Stoker, and we're working swiftly on those issues, but I do know of the 20 recommendations that were directly put to the Australian Government, because there were 55 recommendations in the Respect at Work report. Many dealt with not just the federal government, the states and territories, agencies, business and industry. As you'd expected, it's an issue that's not confined just to government. And of those 20 that directly went to the Australian Government, nine were responded to in the budget in October and we will be responding to them all.
But as I said last night, and not all of the interview I gave last night was with broadcast. It was a much longer interview. It was twice the time that Tracy I sat down. We were having a real discussion about this and I know Australians are having a real discussion about that. And we got to have that discussion. We spoke a lot about the need to have respect in our community and our society. And I'm deeply troubled by the way that social media is corroding respect and dignity in how we all deal with each other. I think this has a lot to do with the sort of attitudes and the way we engage with each other, and particularly that can feed the sort of disrespect towards women that can result in the most awful of violent acts.
And, you know, it used to be people would just say hateful things. And write it down on a post. People are saying these things to each other. Australia, we've got to fix this, and governments alone can't fix this. We've go to work harder on how we respect each other, because out of that well of respect will come respect for so much more. Respect for women, respect for the elderly, respect for Australians living with a disability. Respect for Australians coming from many different backgrounds from all around the world, we're the most successful immigration nation multicultural nation on the planet, but we can do better. Respect for Indigenous Australians. As Australians we've just got to work that bit harder on how we create a culture of respect in this country. Because from disrespect comes both the conscious and unconscious discrimination and humiliations that are placed on Australians every day, particularly women. So that is a task asking all Australians to join me on. That's what we're going to fix ultimately is a lot we've got to do and the legal system and further supports and one Australian women dies every nine days because of partner related violence. We know that figure, you've know that figure for a long time. A billion dollars has been put in under the National Action Plan to protect against violence against women, by our government alone. And that is the work that state governments do as well. We've all got responsibilities here, but we can't forget our own individual responsibility. What are we going to change? What am I going to change in my own life? What are we each going to change to create this better culture of respect in this country. Australians are amazing. We do amazing things, we've tackled amazing challenges, particularly in the last year. This is another one.
JOURNALIST: What do you make of Andrew Laming's reported comments to two women in his electorate?
PRIME MINISTER: I found them disgraceful. I called him into my office yesterday and told him to apologise and deal with it and he has.
JOURNALIST: And do you expect that this now means there's zero tolerance policy towards him from now on?
PRIME MINISTER: He's very clear about my expectations.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, a whistleblower, says he handed over evidence to your office about alleged use of male sex workers at Parliament House. Have you conducted enquiries into whether any of your current MPs hired or used male sex workers?
PRIME MINISTER: This is a very serious issue, and I want to thank the individual who we reached out to and asked them through an intermediary to come forward and be able to give us some information. And with anything as sensitive as this it's important that it follows its proper process. So I'm going to let the people do their job, it isn't appropriate that I provide a running commentary on each step on of that process. But Australians should know that we're taking this very seriously and following up on all the information that has been provided to us. But it's important that that is done in a proper way. It shouldn't be done on Twitter it shouldn't be done in the media. It should be done through a proper process and investigation, which is now underway.
JOURNALIST: Will you be making a reshuffle to your cabinet this weekend?
PRIME MINISTER: When I'm ready to make announcements on those things I will.
JOURNALIST: Just in terms of JobKeeper, treasury estimates as many as 150,000 people will lose their jobs as a result of JobKeeper ending. What is your message to those people?
PRIME MINISTER: Today there are more people in jobs than there were before the pandemic hit. There are a million jobs that went or went to zero hours as a result of the pandemic. And within a year we've been able to get all those jobs back into the Australian economy. And each time we've changed JobKeeper and brought it down we've seen more jobs return to the Australian economy. The Treasury secretary made it very clear, he wasn’t saying unemployment would necessarily rise. Each month there's a lot of churn that occurs in the labour force and we see a lot of extra jobs created. The numbers you see are net jobs where some jobs are lost and other jobs have been created. That's what we've seen been occurring now for many months. This is the next big step. But, you know, when we put JobKeeper in place, we knew it would be temporary. We knew there would come a day when we would have to step back from it. That should be seen as a statement of confidence in the Australian economy and in Australian businesses because you can't run the Australian economy on tax payers' money forever. It was a brave decision, a very brave decision of our government to step up when Australians needed us with JobKeeper. And I don't think they could for a second doubt the level of support that was provided. JobKeeper saved livelihoods and it saved lives. It's also a brave decision and the right decision to know when it's time, when you need to allow the economy now that its recovering to be able to take on that load of getting people in jobs, keeping people in jobs. And our government is a fiscally responsible government. And we know that there comes a time when you have to then back Australians and back the Australian business community to lead our economy into the future. And that's what we're doing. See we know when we need to spend and we know what we need to stop spending. And I think that's why Australians trust our government so much when it comes to managing the nation's finances and managing the national economy. There will be others who will say that they'll want to spend forever, but that means that they want a tax forever too but that puts a burden on Australia and that slows our growth. So we know we know when to act and we did. We also know when it's the responsible thing to move to the next stage and that's what we're doing. So I'll ask you excuse me, because I think you get to the mid north coast. Thanks very much for your time. Thank you.
Interview with Tracy Grimshaw, A Current Affair
26 March 2021
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Prime Minister, thanks for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Tracy.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Brittany Higgins has released a statement today formally complaining about your office briefing against her partner, presumably to discredit her and undermine her. Do you now acknowledge that that happened?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we started a process today, as I said, in the parliament. I received a direct and confidential source who's reported these matters to me. So we're now dealing with that through the way you deal with complaints against staff members in this place. So it's important I follow that process. The letter also talked about her keenness to participate in that other review that was taking place and the guidelines...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: The Gaetjens review?
PRIME MINISTER: That's right. And so we've taken action to ensure that can happen.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: When you say you've had anonymous information, does it suggest that staffers or a staffer were briefing against Brittany Higgins' partner?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was both a direct source, so spoke directly to my chief-of-staff and it was a primary source. So someone who allegedly had witnessed this. So we have a process for dealing with that. And I think it's important that with things like this that I allow how you deal with these matters to be done properly.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: If it happened, what is your view of that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as I said in the parliament when this was suggested, this is not something I would ever condone. And Brittany herself has indicated that. She's worked in this building, and I didn't know her personally, as there are many staff that are in this place. She worked very hard for my government, and I'm very appreciative of that. She did a great job working for our government, so much so that we actually didn't want her to go.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Why haven't you talked to her by now? It's been a month since she went public. Why wouldn't you talk to her?
PRIME MINISTER: I'd be very pleased to. She hasn't expressed an interest in doing that with me, but she's very welcome. Just... I understand there's a letter together with a group of other women who'd like to talk to me about a range of things. And she'd be very welcome.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: I guess, when she came out a month ago and said such dreadful things, such shocking things.
PRIME MINISTER: Shocking.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Wouldn’t you want to reach out to her and say, can I talk to you about what happened to you? I didn't know. Can I talk to you about this, Brittany?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, again, at that time, and particularly how I started to learn of these things, you are right: it was just shocking. It was daunting.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: So are you going to call her tomorrow? I mean, how is this going to proceed?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, she hasn't asked to speak with me directly.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You have to speak with her, though, have you?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, whether she would like to have a discussion about something as deeply private and as personal as this then I am open...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: It's not private anymore.
PRIME MINISTER: That is not something that I've been a party to, but I'm happy to have the conversation. And if she would like to, then we will arrange that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Prime Minister has one person in this place paid a price for what happened to Brittany Higgins and how it was handled, except for Brittany Higgins?
PRIME MINISTER: I think many people are paying the price. Um, and what I mean by that is this: this is what I mean by this.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: All right.
PRIME MINISTER: Brittany has, whether wittingly or otherwise, in drawing attention to this case, has shone a very important light on things far broader and this has caused great trauma. It has triggered many things, one of the most hard and deeply personal, confronting conversations that I've seen take place here. And it's not just happening here. It's happening all around the country.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Yes.
PRIME MINISTER: So when I say a price, I don't mean in terms of a justice price. What I'm saying is that's the price I think we all have to pay to be part of this conversation because it's really hard, it's really confronting, it's really difficult. But I'm pleased we're having it. Now in terms of the specific individuals. Well, first of all, I mean, the alleged perpetrator in this case, well there's a police investigation now going on, which I welcome, in relation to the others who were seeking to provide support, well they were.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: They failed.
PRIME MINISTER: Well they did. And I think that's...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Pretty abysmally.
PRIME MINISTER: But they were relying on the very processes that were not up to the job as well. But what kept happening, I think, and didn't happen was the follow up services. So as she became more traumatised by these events, the services faded away and she was very much on her own.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You don't need to tell me that. Why was she very much on her own? She told Minister Reynolds', chief-of-staff, within days of it happening. And then Minister Reynolds was told about it. People knew about it. She told people about it. Why was she on her own? People failed her. And you talk about processes. You don't need processes to know how to act humanely and with humanity to someone who has a human problem, surely. You don't need processes to make them a cup of tea, drive them home, make an appointment for a counsellor with them. Don't just give him a counsellor's number and say, here, call this number, do your best. She was abandoned, wasn't she?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think what these events, people will have their interpretation of them. I think it would be not true to say that those who were there and knew were not trying to give every support they could. Now I agree with you that clearly that didn't pass the test and failed Brittany. No one is disputing that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: So why do they still have their jobs? Why do they still have their jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: They were trying like anyone else would have been trying in those circumstances. And you know what? We have to fix this. And you don't have to tear things down to build things up. What we need in this place and around the country is much better systems and support and resources that help people in these situations.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Are you going to move Christian Porter or Linda Reynolds or both of them from their portfolios?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm working through those issues now. I mean, both of them, as you know, one is on mental health leave and the other one is on physical health leave. Linda, in particular, had a very serious coronary condition, and she's been seeking help for that for the past month. She was, as you could see in the chamber, the distress that she was under. And that has had a further effect on her physical health. And so we're still talking to her doctors and her with her permission. And we're working through that with Linda now in terms of what duties she can perform. Has she said she doesn't want to come back?
PRIME MINISTER: No, she hasn't said that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: All right, onto Christian Porter.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Christian Porter case is a very different one. I mean, there are historical allegations that have been made. That's not the first time that's happened in this country. I mean, you're aware of historical allegations having been made against another member of parliament here. And on that occasion, what happened is that when the police said there was nothing further to be investigated here, or in fact, in that case, that was the prosecutor who decided not to carry forward the brief of evidence, as I understand. When that matter concluded, that matter concluded. Now we have the same situation when it comes to Mr. Porter. I mean, again, I make the point there are many things that will make our country stronger to deal with these sorts of issues. One of them is the need for greater respect in our society and particularly respect towards women. We might talk about that more in a few minutes. But equally, our courts, our police, our justice systems, they are also important. And we can't, we can't dismiss that and think we're fixing the problem.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Christian Porter vehemently denies the allegations against him.
PRIME MINISTER: He does.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You have immediately believed him.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the police have decided that there's no further investigation.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Well, there really wasn't any investigation because his accuser died. She took her life. So there really hasn't been an investigation. There's been no investigation, Prime Minister. You have just believed him.
PRIME MINISTER: No, what I've done is I've respect the rule of law in this country and how people need to be treated under that rule of law. An allegation could be made against you, against me, against anyone else. And the only system we have when it comes to understanding and treating these issues fairly is to allow that process to do its job. Now, in this case, as if it had done for Mr Shorten. So the same process has been applied to Mr. Porter. And I don't think there should be double standards about these things.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Except that there was an investigation into Mr Shorten. There hasn't been an investigation into Mr Porter. And a criminal investigation is not the only way of probing something like this. These are serious allegations you've just accepted... Christian Porter has vehemently denied it. We watched him that day in his press conference saying, imagine if this isn't true. We all heard him.
PRIME MINISTER: Yes.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: But it seems like no one in the government has thought: imagine if it is.
PRIME MINISTER: No. Well, that's not the case because, and the right way to answer that question to anyone's satisfaction is not for me to play judge and jury or with respect anyone else other than those who actually have given those powers.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: So are you saying Christian Porter and Linda Reynolds still retain your full confidence?
PRIME MINISTER: They will continue to play a very important role in my cabinet.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Not necessarily their current roles though?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, when I make judgements about those things I'll announce them.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: It sounds like they're not necessarily going to play those current roles.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, when I make those announcements...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: When are you going to make those announcements?
PRIME MINISTER: When I'm in a position to do that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You have believed Christian Porter automatically over his accuser. He said he didn't do it and you didn't even read the accuser's statement.
PRIME MINISTER: Can I pull up on that. Again, it's not about what I believe. It is about me trusting the police who investigate these things and form views about whether that can be taken forward. And in the same way...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: They haven't investigated it though.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't think that's fair because the police apply the same rules to how they might investigate any matter whether it's you, me or anyone else in the same way that Mr Shorten or anyone else.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: OK, you're backing Christian Porter. You have believed Eric Abetz...
PRIME MINISTER: Well he's an innocent man.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: He's certainly an innocent man. Yes, he is, you're absolutely right he is a man who...
PRIME MINISTER: So I should treat him as an innocent man.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: All right, and without investigating the accusations against him?
PRIME MINISTER: Because that's a job for the police. If they believe it should be.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: It could be argued, not always a job for the police. You could actually look into it. You could at least read the accusations against him, but you didn't.
PRIME MINISTER: No, that's well, that is unfair because what happened is on the night we became aware of these, I had no copy of those. That information had not come to me on that Wednesday night. It hadn't, it hadn't. It had come to someone else. It had gone to the federal police. I spoke to the federal police commissioner who gave me his understanding of those allegations. I raised those with the Attorney General. He absolutely rejected them. When they eventually came to me, I followed the commissioner's advice. I wasn't in Canberra, I was in Sydney. They weren't sent to me electronically. They were sent to me in hard copy and they were immediately forwarded to the federal police as the commissioner had advised me to do.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Have you read them since?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't have them, they're with the federal police, as I was asked to do by the federal police.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Understood there are copies floating around, but that's fine.
PRIME MINISTER: I don't have one.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: OK, I understand. You have believed Eric Abetz immediately over Sue Hickey's allegations that he said dreadful things about Brittany Higgins: that he shamed her, that he blamed her for what happened to her and that he then said Christian Porter would be OK because his accuser was dead. You just believed him.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Eric has completely denied that. I'm not a party to this conversation. Neither are you. Neither is anyone else. I mean, in what possible way could that be resolved?
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Brittany Higgins was called a lying power by Minister Reynolds.
PRIME MINISTER: It was disgraceful.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Yes it was disgraceful. It's terrible that she even thought it was OK to say that in any circumstances, given the allegations that had been made and what had happened. What she knew had happened, allegedly, to Brittany Higgins. But she was called a lying cow when she went public because she...
PRIME MINISTER: And that was very out of character for Linda.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: But you see here, the pattern is that the women are always the liars. Brittany Higgins was a liar. Sue Hickey is the liar. Christian Porter's accuser has not told the truth either.
PRIME MINISTER: No, that is not the assumption. And I don't agree with your assessment of that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: OK.
PRIME MINISTER: I'm simply saying that in this country people will make allegations and we have ways of dealing with it. I'm not seeking, I mean, I am not making that judgement about the truth of either statement.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Do you understand why this issue has dogged the government for this past month? Why it has not blown over or gone away? Do you understand why?
PRIME MINISTER: You're right to suggest how this issue began with something truly and terribly shocking and I won't forget when I first learnt of this, it was truly shocking that this could take place here to a young woman who worked so hard in this place and with such talent. That wouldn’t matter whether a woman had talent or not, it could have happened to any woman. And in this place, over many years, people from all sides of politics have worked hard to address issues of violence against women, men and women in this place of good faith. Many actions when we think of what happened to Hannah Clarke not that long ago, just over a year ago, we look at these things and go how can such acts of violence take place? It's unthinkable. It's beyond our imagination. And here again with Brittany. So, you know, the fact that one woman is killed by an intimate partner every nine days, I don't know how many times I've heard that in this place. We all know that to be a fact, and these are people's lives. But what has become, I think, more crystallised in this last five weeks, as Brittany standing up has caused a very deep and confronting conversation in Australia, is we've gone way deeper. We've gone beyond the just the sheer shock of violent acts. And we're starting to deal with some real home truths.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: So are you saying really that the enormity of this issue that women deal with every single day has only become apparent to you in the last month?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm not. I recounted to you already the story of my own experience with my mum. And I could tell you what, my grandmother could probably tell worse stories as perhaps yours could too. What I'm saying, though, Tracy, is that we are now starting to get beyond this issue where we see it most, in the most, in the most violent and the most obvious forms. And I'm doing everything I can to try and understand this as best as I can. Now, may or may not have always got it as well as people would like me to, but I assure you, I'm doing everything I can to understand it as best as I can.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: If you are saying that you have been aware of the enormity of this issue preceding Brittany Higgins coming out a month ago, if you'd been aware of it...
PRIME MINISTER: At a different level, this has taken me deeper into this issue than I have appreciated before.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Where have you been?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that's a bit unfair, Tracy, because I think there are many people across this country who... you live with it every day. You've lived with it, I'm sure your whole life, you have and I'm sure almost every woman. And this...
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You're not on an island or maybe you're in a bubble in Canberra, I don't know. But, you know, you're not on an island, you must know you've got a wife you love, you've got daughters. You've referenced them several times, how did you not know the depth of it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is the difficult part of this. You understand it in a way that only you could. You know, I have a very different experience to yours. But I can tell you that for many Australians, this has been, it's been like a big wake up call. And it's been like a red light to say stop, look, listen. And that's what we're doing.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: It hasn't been a wakeup call to 52 per cent of Australians.
PRIME MINISTER: I agree with that, Tracy.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Let me say something to you. Here's, I think a critical point and it was critical and a lightning rod for me when tens of thousands of women took to the streets around Australia, including here to protest, to say enough is enough to protest against rape and sexual assault and discrimination and marginalisation and the patriarchy and underpayment and all of those things, you said to them I'll meet a couple of you on my turf, on my time, on my terms or nothing. And then you said and my Minister for Women, she thinks what I think.
--- break ---
PRIME MINISTER: Well, my Minister for Women makes up her own mind in this place.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Well, she thinks what you think apparently because she didn't meet with them either. She didn't go out there either. Can you see how that would have landed with them?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't go out to protests whether... Whoever's doing the protest, Tracy.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Can't you make exceptions?
PRIME MINISTER: That's been my that's been my... Whether I was a backbencher or whether I was being a minister, or whether I've been a Prime Minister. And I wanted to hear them and I wanted to hear them where we could sit down and have a proper conversation. And that opportunity was there. It was extended by my office to those, and that offer wasn't accepted. Now, I respect that.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Because do you see where you went wrong on that day? Brittany Higgins said that two years ago when she was allegedly raped in this building, she was treated like a political problem. You treated that march politically. You've treated it like a political, it's been treated like a political problem right up until probably Tuesday. You know, it's not a political problem. It's a human problem. It's a lived problem and never been a political problem.
PRIME MINISTER: Well Tracy, I've never looked at it that way. And you assert that. But I don't share your view about that. I treated that protest the same way as I've treated other protests and provide respectful opportunities for people to meet and talk seriously about these issues in the office of the Prime Minister. I agree with you, this is a human problem. That's the point I'm trying to make. You know, our society's corroding respect. And if we want to see greater respect in our community, particularly respect for women, but also respect for the elderly, respect the people with disabilities, respect for people, indigenous Australians, then we need to cultivate a greater culture of respect in how we deal with each other. It's okay to disagree, but I wish we could disagree a lot better than we seem to be on these types of issues.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Will quotas solve the Liberal Party's woman problem?
PRIME MINISTER: I just want to see more women in the parliament. Now, I've just said I'm not opposed to quotas. I just want something that's going to work better than working now.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: I don't know too many self-respecting, confident women who would want a quota to be the reason why they got a promotion or why they got a job. They would want to get there on merit. So I'm not sure if quotas are a solution. And I'm wondering whether maybe instead of quotas and actively discriminating in favour of women, perhaps you'd be better off starting to actively discriminate against neanderthal men like the so-called Big Swinging Dicks Club that Julie Bishop says stood in her way, or tried to stand in her way.
PRIME MINISTER: That was disgraceful. I mean, I saw what Julie said about that and that was appalling. At the end of the day, if we're not getting more women in this parliament, then we've got to be doing something different than we're doing now. And that's the point I'm making.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: If you clear out the dinosaurs, maybe more women would want to be here. I mean, Brittany Higgins’ alleged rapist did what he did because either he thought it was OK or he thought he would get away with it.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, he's now subject, obviously, to a police investigation. And I'll let that justice process follow through. But someone made a very good suggestion just in our party room discussion this week: I would love to see a woman follow me as the member for Cook when I choose to retire from politics.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: You've probably got a bit of work to do around here first.
PRIME MINISTER: I've got a bit of work to do here, and it includes dealing with this very, very important issue, amongst many other things.
TRACY GRIMSHAW: Thanks for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Tracy. It was good to talk.
Interview with Sabra Lane, ABC AM
25 March 2021
SABRA LANE: Prime Minister, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Sabra.
LANE: How would you characterise these past few weeks?
PRIME MINISTER: I think it has been a very traumatic period of time. But, frankly, how politicians feel about this time is not the point. The point here is, I think, what has emerged over this past month here in Canberra which goes to a much bigger issue that women have been putting up with all their lives. And no just them, but their mothers and their grandmothers. What I think has been brought to light here is a much more broader issue that we as a country, we as a society, have to be dealing with, and that's really where my focus has gone, not the politics of Canberra. And these matters, they have alerted, I think, a much deeper, much more difficult challenge and that's where my attention is focusing.
LANE: OK, we'll get to that in a tick. It's been five weeks since former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins revealed she was allegedly raped. Have you attempted actually to call her and say sorry and offer her job back, given this was her dream job?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that offer has been there. I made that statement a month ago and the apology was there. And in fact, after these terrible incidents that took place, which weren't known to certainly me at the time, and she was re-employed after the election. And then some time later, you know, the events have been as they've been reported and that is the case. I mean, she did a great job when she was working for the Coalition and I thank her for all the great work she did. I can understand, Sabra, that why she wanted to leave and particularly because of the physical building that she was working in. And one of the more traumatic, as there were many, experiences that she relayed was just the sheer physical act of coming into this building was just too much. I totally understand that.
LANE: But have you called, have you actually tried to call her yourself?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I haven't been in direct contact with her. No, I haven't. I didn't know Brittany when she worked here. I know she was in the building, just like there are large numbers of people who work here. The apology I offered in the Parliament, nationally, publicly, was when I sincerely meant.
LANE: Can you categorically say that your office hasn't been backgrounding against one of her loved ones?
PRIME MINISTER: No one, there has been no one in the gallery, nothing has been raised with my office from anyone in the gallery making any of those accusations or any discomfort about anything that my office has done. People make allegations all the time second, third-hand. But there's no one who has raised that with my Chief of Staff out of the gallery, no.
LANE: Have you actually got to the bottom of why your staff didn’t actually didn't tell you this happened back in 2019?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they didn't know back in 2019. They didn't know until, they didn't know until this year, like me, about the sexual assault allegation. That was not known until this year, as I've told the Parliament. Now, I was pretty, pretty angry that I wasn't told over that weekend when they knew on the Friday and I was told on the Monday. But that's when my office became, as I've said very clearly, that they became aware of the sexual assault allegation. Then I found out about it on the following Monday, and it was quite a disturbing and confronting piece of news. And it's been the same ever since then.
LANE: But she's claimed that she talked to an adviser who works in your office, that he called her around the time of the 4 Corners show last year, and also that one of the people who now works in your office worked at Linda Reynolds office at the time and she knew. So you're saying that you haven't actually talked to them to find out why they didn't tell you about this?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, in relation to the staff member who now works in my office, they weren't working in my office at that time. They were working the Defence Minister’s, sorry, the Defence Industry Minister's office when that occurred. And these were confidential matters that were raised by Brittany Higgins within that office and as has been reported and as has been said, it was the express wish that those matters were not further shared. So those confidences were respected in terms of others in the building in relation to the allegation of sexual assault. And even the Minister, Minister Cash, that Brittany went on to work for, did not become aware of this until this year. And when she became aware of that, offered to actually bring that information here to me and as has been reported, Brittany did not want that to occur. So this suggestion that this was common knowledge in this building for years is simply not true.
LANE: The Tasmanian Premier has written to you asking you to consider an allegation that Liberal Senator Eric Abetz made offensive comments about Ms Higgins, effectively blaming her. It's something that the Senator strenuously denies. Do you believe him?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's not how I would characterise the letters from the Premier. The Premier has not added any further information. Senator Abetz has absolutely denied this completely. And, you know, he's made that statement. These other statements, I understand, were made under privilege in the Tasmanian Parliament. And so, I mean, I would find those sorts of comments, as I'm sure anyone would be, completely appalling. But Senator Abetz, who is a longstanding member of the Senate, he's a longstanding figure in public life and has a strong record when it comes to addressing these issues very seriously, has absolutely denied that.
LANE: The Premier has he asked you to look at it further at all? What has he asked and does it merit further investigation?
PRIME MINISTER: He's just raised the matter and saying it was raised with him. But he has no additional information and he doesn't corroborate or confirm any of these any. He's just simply mentioned this matter to me. But Senator Abetz’s clear denial of that, I think, is a very strong one.
LANE: Why do you believe him and not the female Tasmanian politician?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I was not a party to the conversation. And so, you know, in this country, if people make allegations, they can make them. This has been strenuously denied. And so I think it would be very unfair to draw a conclusion here when, you know, the facts are in such dispute.
LANE: To a looming Cabinet reshuffle, you were apparently considering moving Christian Porter as Attorney-General. Why do you do that when you're backing his defamation case against the ABC?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm not speculating on any of these decisions. All I've said in the Parliament this week is that in relation to Mr Porter's return to the Cabinet, I've been considering the advice of the Solicitor-General about conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to that defamation action against the ABC and the way that they've handled these matters and I'll consider that in also in terms of the ministerial code of conduct, which also deals with perceived conflicts of interest. So I'm working through those issues with the Attorney at the moment. He's not returning to work for some another week or so yet and that will be done in time for his return.
LANE: And how do you drop Linda Reynolds from Defence without it being considered a reprimand for the handling of the Brittany Higgins matter?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, again, you're making assumptions based on speculation which are being reported in the media.
LANE: Yeah, they’re pretty widely reported and it seems from outside the bubble, Prime Minister, that everyone has the same information.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I can't speak to what media report. All I can say is that when I make decisions on these matters, I'll communicate them and my reasons for it.
LANE: Is your leadership safe?
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. What suggestions are you picking up there? No, I've been very grateful for the tremendous support I've had from all of my colleagues, from my Cabinet, my Ministers, all the way through to my party room. They have just, I've just been overwhelmed by the amount of support that I've received from my colleagues this week. Our Party has never been more united.
LANE: When you talked about earlier that the problem of the treatment of women goes right around Australia, you've had the Respect@Work report from the Sex Discrimination Commissioner for more than a year now. The executive summary of that says that there is a sense of urgency here. When will you implement all of those 55 recommendations?
PRIME MINISTER: I said yesterday that the Government will be giving its response to this and I've personally taken this on. This was a matter that was being handled by the Minister previously. I am personally taking this on. I've been meeting with the acting Attorney-General and the new Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General Amanda Stoker, and we've been working through that and we will be giving a fulsome response, a complete response before the Budget. But I would note that of the 55 recommendations and, you know, these recommendations are across a broad range of areas, 20 of those specifically deal only with Australian Government action. Nine of those we've actually already responded to. There are 12 that deal with the states and territory governments and the acting Attorney-General is writing to the ministers in the states to seek their responses to those matters. I'm not aware of any official responses that have come from any state or territory government on these matters. There's 13 that address independent government agencies and regulators such as the AHRC and SafeWork Australia, the three that deal with education providers and another three that deal with business and industry. So they deal with quite a cross-section of, and I think that reflects, Sabra, the point that there's no one government, one agency here that deals even with the matters that are associated legally with respect at work. But there's an even broader agenda here that even goes beyond respect at work. It goes to women's safety and the National Action Plan. I mean, already a national summit was part of the development of the National Action Plan. I look forward that going ahead. I mean, over a billion dollars has been spent on those action plans now, over the course of our Government. I mean, Julia Gillard started that process. It was a great process. We supported it then. We support it now. And in particular, last year or during COVID, our focus was very much on getting additional supports and protections for women during the lockdowns. We were very concerned, I've got to tell you, Sabra, about rising incidences of domestic violence and abuse and online abuse and things of that nature that would occur through COVID. And that's why we put in significant resources last year. That's where we were focusing our attention to protect women, in particular, and many vulnerable people during the course. The other thing we did, Sabra, is we've been acting on these issues in social media. This is, I think, a huge issue where women are subject to vile abuse, stalking, harassment, and the work we've been doing about making it a safer, a safer place. The e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman-Grant, is doing a phenomenal job working with the Government to put tougher laws in place to ensure that that is a space where women are also safe.
LANE: You've said that you want more women in the Liberal Party. You're happy to consider quotas. What political capital are you prepared to expend to get the Liberal Party state divisions like WA, Tasmania and Queensland on board?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I always start with my own house, Sabra. I'm a member of the New South Wales division and what I want to see is more women in parliament. And I want to see more women in my ministry. Now, no Prime Minister, Liberal or Labor, have put more women in their Cabinet than I have. And in fact, the Cabinet that I have has more women in it and that's more than the last Labor Cabinet, which was voted on by the entire Labor caucus.
LANE: But your New South Wales division, the Liberal politician Catherine Cusack, who's a Liberal, says the party division in your state is run by boys club, drunk on power and alcohol.
PRIME MINISTER: The New South Wales premier is Gladys Berejiklian, a female Premier of New South Wales and the Premier Gladys Berejiklian and I have been discussing these matters and we share many views on this topic. I mean, I remember when I was state director of the Liberal Party in New South Wales, Gladys was running for Willoughby. And, you know, there were many women that we were bringing to the Parliament back then, people like Judy Hopwood, many others. And, you know, I've always been very committed to this. But what matters is the outcome. What I've simply said is I don't think, and I've said this to the party organisation at every level, federal and state, that we must achieve more here and different divisions, I suspect, will come up with better ways of achieving it. It's not about this measure or that measure. I just want what works. Just give me what works, party organisation. The Liberal Party, and the same is true for the Nationals, we want to see more here. And so the party organisation has to seriously address that. Now, if there's any suggestion that they're not addressing quotas because they think the Prime Minister is against it, well, that's not right. I'm not against it. What I'm more for, though, is getting more women here because the women I have in my Cabinet do an extraordinary job. And the women I’ve brought in to the Assistant Ministry, I just mentioned you Amanda Stoker, she's one of the most bright and intelligent people to come into this Parliament and I was thrilled to be able to bring her into the Executive so early in her Parliamentary career.
LANE: It looks like the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine exports from Europe to Australia are unlikely to resume. That's almost four million doses we won't get. 50 million will be made locally. Do you need to consider buying another vaccine like the Moderna one from the US as a backup?
PRIME MINISTER: No. Well, we've got the Pfizer vaccines and they're coming through and we've also got the contracts on Novavax as well. But the key thing here, Sabra, there have been many decisions that are made during COVID, but closing the borders early on in the piece, the declaration of the pandemic, I won't go over all those again. I think Australians know that we've acted swiftly and promptly and effectively on those. But the decision in August of last year, in the middle of the chaos and crisis of the second Victorian wave, we took the decision to say we must be able to manufacture them ourselves here in Australia. So we sat down with CSL. We struck the deal to be able to do that, we built the capability to actually manufacture it. They are now rolling off the line, filled and finished out of Parkhill down there in Melbourne, you know, over more than 900,000 of them coming out a week. And that will be then holding back second doses, going out into the community, over 1,000 GPs building up to 5,000 or thereabouts in the weeks ahead. And so the decision to have a domestic manufacturing capability here has been the big change, a game changer. We would not have a vaccination programme were it not for the wisdom of that decision that my Government took.
LANE: The New South Wales floods have devastated a huge amount of the state. The Federal Government's already sending hundreds of Defence personnel to help. Are you prepared to spend whatever it takes to clean it up?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's our form. That's exactly what we did on the bushfires, sharing the costs of clean up at over $2 billion immediately committed and that's rolled out and that is our form. I mean, the Premier and I have been talking about this over the weekend, even as the flood levels continued to rise. And whether that's, you know, the work that is being done right now with the ADF personnel, you know, we've already got 290 out there now, 170 on 24 hours notice to move and a further 120 being readied. The clean up plan is one that we will be a total partner on. As you know, I was up there and I saw the devastation out on the Hawkesbury and it was just terrible to know that at that very time, pretty much last night, sorry, the night before and the early hours of the morning a man was man was perishing. And also, I stress, it's not just in New South Wales.
LANE: It’s Queensland.
PRIME MINISTER: We’ve seen in Queensland already where they've also seen a sad fatality there as well. And there's the inland flooding that is occurring as well. It's thankfully not what we're seeing on the scale of what was happening in north Queensland several years ago where, again, there was no effort spared there, Sabra. So I think my form on here is very strong.
LANE: Many hundreds of families and farmers have lost everything. Some won't have insurance. Will you consider a special levy to help fund and rebuild and help those families recover too?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've been dealing with these issues now for a long period of time and we've had a series of different grants and other support mechanisms as people emerge from floods. I mean, I was very involved personally in the design of those with Shane Stone up there in North Queensland. We learn a lot from that experience. That also helped us to deal with the other issues then that flowed from COVID. So we'll work with our flood relief agency, which is headed up by Shane Stone. That'll be working with Joe Buffone, the head of the Emergency Management, Resilience New South Wales with Shane Fitzsimmons. No shortage of good people who know what they're doing here, and we'll work closely with them as to how best to ensure the recovery from this most recent terrible event.
LANE: Prime Minister, thanks for your time this morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, Sabra. Good to speak with you.
Interview with Ray Hadley, 2GB
24 March 2021
Prime Minister: G'day, Ray.
Ray Hadley: Well, you don’t know how happy I am to hear you, you've had some technical problems here this morning.
Prime Minister: All right,
Hadley: but it's all good. Now, if anyone's listening this morning and expects me to carve you up, they're going to be sadly disappointed. You and I've had plenty of battles over the years in all sorts of forms. But I just want to say something on a personal note. You became very emotional yesterday referring to your mum, to your wife and to your daughters. And I understand that emotion. But this doesn't just mean you, it means you and Greg Hunt and Josh Frydenberg and Annastacia Palaszczuk and Gladys Berejiklian, and the health officers federally and state. You've been at this now for 14 months, COVID. Now, I don't know how you all get the energy to get up in the morning and have another crack at it. But you do. And as a result of that, I think the electorate needs to be a bit forgiving and I perhaps as a broadcaster need to be a bit forgiving about where things are at sometimes, including what was said yesterday for which you've apologised and you apologise quite succinctly and very quickly after you made the comments. Did you just feel yesterday that things were coming in around you, did you feel like, you know, you're not that you weren't coping, but, you know, things were becoming even bigger than you thought they would be?
Prime Minister: Oh no, I wouldn't put it that way, Ray. I appreciate what you said, though. It's a very emotional issue, this but for women around the country, it's a very real issue and it's a very practical issue and it's not something that has just been happening in the last month. As I said yesterday, you know, these things happen to our mothers, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. You know, it's been going on a long time. And you know, that doesn't rest of the thought of any one government or one individual or anything like this. But as Prime Minister, I've got to take responsibility for doing things in this House here and I will. But we've also got to take actions, all of us, to make sure women both are safe and feel safe and they shouldn't have to feel unsafe. And so that's what that's the frustration mate. And, you know, we've all got to do our bit and Stop It At The Start: that's a campaign we're running at the moment and this is the language we use unconsciously or consciously. And you know, blokes don't get it right all the time, we all know that. But what matters is that we're desperately trying to and that's what I'm trying to do. And we will get this right. And we need to focus on that, because right now there are so many other challenges occurring. These things we've just been talking about are terribly important. This morning, I was as you know, I was up there seeing over the floods up there, particularly around the Hawkesbury. But, you know, this all goes back to as you said floods up in North Queensland two years ago, [inaudible] victims of the volcano eruption in New Zealand, drought, fires, COVID-19, and now these floods again. Yeah, it's been quite a two and a half years in this job but I do it because I love my country, just like you do and like everyone else listening does.
Hadley: I guess what you'd like to do is rewind what happened yesterday and deal with it differently when you clashed with Andrew. Andrews is by the way been with Ben this morning, accepted your apology because he knows it's a sincere apology. But I just wonder a couple of things. There's a couple of things that go over in my mind. The story on Four Corners was not about women, it was about blokes in Parliament having homosexual sex and getting red boys in. That's what it was about. It wasn't about women it was about blokes having consensual sex with other blokes and that's disgusting. And what happened in the Minister's office is equally disgusting. And blokes performing sexual acts on either women or men consensually or is disgusting when happens in the workplace. But I just thought the narrative was lost yesterday, that it became again about, you know, alleged attacks on women. And the other thing is there's a young woman, a Senator from the Greens, who's described, you know some bludger in the Senate, groping at her or asking her for a date and monstering her. I mean, shouldn’t we identify these sort of people? I mean, whether they're working in this building or your building, don't we?
Prime Minister: Sure.
Hadley: I mean, it's not I don't care whether it's 1954 or 1968 or 2021. Don't we call these blokes out? I mean, I made the comment, I've got young women working with me. If they came to me and said this bloke is putting the hard word on me and you know trying to grab my bum well, he’d get shortened up very quickly by me and then by management I'd imagine.
Prime Minister: Yes. And that's exactly what should happen. And you know, there have been problems here for a very long time. And it's not as you know, as people know it's not confined to one side of politics and I don't see how this thing should be sort of put in a partisan context. It shouldn't be because, there's things for the Liberal Party to deal with, there’s things in the National Party to deal with, things for the Labor Party and the Greens as well, I mean aware of the things in the Greens in New South Wales Parliament. So I'm not pointing any fingers here. I'm just saying we just got to get on and fix it. There was an act of great disrespect towards a woman in the thing that was released the other night, and that was what happened in the Chief Whip's office, who is a female and a good friend of mine and that was a great act of disgusting disrespect. But this is one of you know, many. And these things happened you know, quite a few years ago. To my knowledge, it didn't happen even when I was Prime Minister, well before. So these are terrible things. And they have been called out. As for the other things we've talked about, I don't know if that's true or not. I've got no basis to know one way or the other. But regardless, I mean it's all got to start though I think, Ray, we've just got to respect each other a lot more. I mean we talk about the culture of respect. Well, and I don't want to make this a men versus women, women versus men thing. I don't think Australians want that either. We're all Australians and you know, there are great women and there are great men and who want to do the right thing. And they don't want to make this a whole identity issue. They just want to live in a respectful community where people can live safely and well together. That's what I want. That's all I want. It's a humble objective I hope, but it's one that surely we can all share.
Hadley: What do you think that in relation to behaviour in Canberra, more particularly in the House, that this is a defining moment in our history where all of a sudden, and you know the media play a role here as well. I've been knocking around for 40 years. I know a lot of things that have happened. I'll give you an example. When you went on a Kangaroo tour in 1986 or 1990, what went on tour stayed on tour in many respects.
Prime Minister: You there? Got you again?
Hadley: So what happened there stayed on tour. To a certain extent, I think that's also been in Canberra in relation to different things that have happened over the decades in Canberra. Well, it's a bubble, people living away from home, they can do things they wouldn't normally do in their normal environment. Is that the sort of culture we're talking about that has to change?
Prime Minister: Absolutely it is. And whether it's you know, on a tour or in Parliament or at a conference or in a workplace, wherever it happens to be. And one of the points I made yesterday, Ray is and this was a lot of the feedback I've had over this last month is you know, women will sit in a room in a meeting and they won't feel like they can speak up or they'll be talked over or that they don't feel that what they've got to contribute would be valued. Now, what I've learnt, particularly in the feedback over this last month, is that even those some who are in those meetings would not want that to be happening and may not feel they're doing anything to create that environment, that's still how the woman feels in the room. And so that means we've just got to make a bigger effort to engage, to incorporate, to listen, to value. And it's just, it's going to take time to get this right across society. This is a societal challenge. One of the things you learn pretty quickly in Government is that, you know, Government can't solve all these problems. We can certainly do our bit, but we've all got a role to play here. And if everyone sort of sits back and says oh, the Government's got to fix this. Well it won’t get fixed because it requires a change in the culture, the respect shown by each and every individual and that means let's come together, put all the politics aside and all the sniping and all the game playing and the point scoring and all that sort of stuff. That's not going to solve anything. What's going to solve things is people just genuinely trying to operate with better respect for each other you know, love one another. That was a pretty good rule, it was laid down a long time ago, and it's one that I try and live my life by.
Hadley: But see, the funny thing about this discussion is, I don't know, I'm older than you, but the most respected people in my life...
Prime Minister: Lately I feel like I'm catching up, Ray.
Hadley: I'll tell you, you're starting to look a bit like it too. But anyway, that's for another day. You've been under more pressure than me. But in my family, and I'm going back to my grandmothers. One who died in 1966 and one who died in 1975, the matriarchs were the most respected members of my family. So if Nan said something, I tell you, you better listen. And you know that flowed on down and I don't know, somewhere, you know, they talk about the good old days and all the rest of it. The matriarchs aren't there anymore and not respected and perhaps the patriarch aren't either, the older people, the older members, the community aren't respected like they used to be and maybe that's where one of the problems starts and ends.
Prime Minister: Well, respect for elders, you know, when I initiated the royal commission into aged care, I said we had to develop a culture of respect for our older Australians, you know, respect your mother and father, respect your elders. Again, these are pretty good rules. They've been around a long time, and honouring these simple things. But let's not kid ourselves as well. You know, I remember what our grandmothers had to put up with mate, and their mothers and fathers. I mean, we've come a long way in a lot of these issues. I remember the day my mum, when she got her first job and she was so thrilled because they told her that she was going to get a bloke's wage. I mean, could you imagine that being said today? I mean, still men are getting paid more than women because women will often take the salary that's offered and that sort of goes to the point. But, you know, we're making progress. So I want to encourage Australians. Look yeah, of course, there are issues. But think about where things were 20 years ago, 50 years ago. And I can tell you, go and ask your nan and she'll tell you. She'll tell you the real story about the good old days. And these days, there are a lot of improvements. The other part of it I think, Ray, and I've said this before, you know, we live in a society where social media is corroding respect, I think in our community and the way people talk to each other, you know, if they think they can post it like this, they can also talk to each other like this. They can ring up offices and abuse people on the other end of the phone. This is not how you build a culture of respect. And if we, we got to work harder to respect each other. So before you go and put that post on Facebook and troll someone or sledge someone or say something terribly unkind or, think about if they were sitting right in front of you, another human being sitting there, is that how you'd behave towards them? Is that how you'd like someone to behave towards you? And I apply this rule to myself and I'm not perfect in this regard. None of us are but getting back to some of these basic moral principles about respect, caring for one another, loving one another, and treating others as you'd like to be treated yourself. I think that's a pretty good way to go.
Hadley: I'm just looking, you see we've opened a text line here, because with the floods, you want people to tell you what's happening. Unfortunately, the trolls get there in large numbers. Now, I'm impervious to criticism by this stage in my career.
Prime Minister: Me too.
Hadley: But some of the things that I've written here, I mean, I just couldn't share. I'm getting married on Saturday and some of the horrible things being said to me about the fact I'm getting married...
Prime Minister: I know. All the best, by the way, I hope you guys have a great day.
Hadley: Well, that counteracts some of the messages I'm getting. And there are messages, you know as you've just joined in, welcome, congratulating myself and Sophie all the rest of it but what you go to is a social media thing. And I've got a couple of mates in the media who are heavily involved in social media and I see them age by the day because they get involved in it because either the boss says, you've got to get involved in Twitter, you've got to. I said, no, I don't want anything to do with it. I want to stay as far away from as I can and I see other people close their accounts and open their account and all the rest of it. I don't think the social media and Twitter and these other type facilities have brought any great credit to this place or the world generally. I don't, I don't think it's helped us. Yes, it disseminates information, but in terms of the things that can be said and done to people, there'll be a lot of kids thinking about self-harm and a range of other things because of what's said about them on Twitter at the moment.
Prime Minister: That is all true. I mean, it's a powerful tool. It can be enormously useful, like right now as we're using those mechanisms to get messages to people out there about the floods and where the support is and the urgent information they need. We know that also when it comes to supporting the vaccination rollout. And we had another very significant announcement today because the TGA has approved the domestic AstraZeneca vaccine. And so that's now rolling off the line and getting out there, as we said it would. During the bushfires, during the drought. It's a powerful communications tool but, you know, in the hands of human beings, it can also be a very corrosive tool. So, you know, I say this always about social media and all this, people should behave online as they behave in real life. Now, that might not always be the best thing sometimes, I suppose, but I think the physical reality of dealing with another human being and seeing each other in that context rather than just some sort of picture on a social media account or something like that, or just a name that you don't know any about, anything about that person so you just rip in. Well, you know, we got to do better than this because out of a culture of disrespect, you know, that feeds a culture of disrespect and whether it's to our elders, people with disabilities, towards women to, you know, that is one of the contributing factors but none of it is an excuse. So I've got to take responsibility for stuff that's on my ticket, just like we all do. And look, I will, and not perfect, but I'll give it the best I can for all the reasons I set out yesterday. But I've got to say that, I mean, I was up sort of up your way today, you know, was going out of Pitt Town and those places. And, you know, it is just so incredibly staggering to see it from the air. I also appreciated the opportunity to meet with some of those on the ground this morning. I didn't have a lot of time. I'll be going back there, of course. I'm looking forward to doing that because of Parliament sitting I didn't have a lot of time, but I did get to speak to people on the ground there at the RAAF base involved in a whole range of operations there, and they're doing a great job out of there. But honestly, the expanse of that water and the homes that are under you know, are totally subsumed in all of this. But I'll tell you one thing that really impressed me, Ray, was just I saw a lot of farm machinery, trucks, tractors, you know, other things that people, gosh they must have moved quickly to get them on higher ground to protect those assets. That's all going to help on the other side of the clean up. That's the next big task was the sun was shining out there today. But there's a massive clean up task. The Premier and I are working together on that. And we'll do that together and we'll try and do that as quickly as we can. And I'll get up the Mid North Coast also very soon. I've been going over all those inundation maps this morning and just seeing what's occurring there. And can I tell you, thank to everyone who has been calling in to get that support. We've already put 13 and a half million dollars out the door. Over 10,000 disaster recovery payments have already been made. I'm glad people are making use of that important help that's there right now. And that number, 180 22 66. And the Defence is going to be deploying emergency support force of around 290 personnel to support and assist state and recovery services from tomorrow and an additional 170 personnel have been placed on a 24-hour notice to move. There are other support tasks such as debris clearance, clean up. And a further 120 are being readied for further recovery. So we're getting all those plans in place. We're even sort of sorting out those food supply issues out there in North Richmond. The barges have been identified and they'll be going across and we're ready to put our heavy lift aircraft into support that. We haven't been asked to do that. I know that issue has been raised by the local member up there. Appreciate her raising it, Marise Payne, who lives out in Western Sydney, she's been raising this issue also. So we've been moving on that. But we've got to remember, you know, the New South Wales Government is running the response and the assistance. They're very professional. They're very good at what they do and where they need additional help from us. We are there.
Hadley: Just one final thing about AstraZeneca. The Australian made, I see that four batches, 832,000 doses have been cleared for supply and this goes into Phase 1B. Will that make up the great percentage of doses we get? The Australian made AstraZeneca? Or will we still need to supplement it with overseas AstraZeneca?
Prime Minister: This is why we did the domestic manufacturing Ray. There have been a couple of big decisions we've made in the last 12 months, more than that, declaring the pandemic, closing the border, all of these things JobKeeper, JobSeeker assistance, cash flow, all that very important. But I got to tell you one of the biggest ones we made was, we said we can't rely on the supply lines coming out of Europe or the US. You know, vaccine protectionism will surely take effect. And so we said we've got to do it here. So we had to basically create the capability to manufacture this vaccine and to now seeing those first 832,200 doses heading out the door from that plant. I was down there a little while ago down Melbourne at Parkhill seeing the fill and finish process. This is a great Australian achievement to have done this in such a short period of time and this means we can look after ourselves here and we can also help those out who are close by, particularly up in Papua New Guinea. We've got a team up there right now. We expect those vaccinations to commence this weekend. We'll get further advice from them because we've had an AUSMAT planning team up there about further clinical teams that need support. We're right up working with the Queensland Government in the treaty villages in the Torres Strait. So that's on the Papua New Guinean side of the line and seeking to extend the vaccinations that we're doing in the Torres Strait into those areas. So we're making a lot of progress Ray. It's been a pretty intense year and from time to time, that means, you know, that shows, that's just human. I think people understand and I appreciate Australians understanding.
Hadley: And of course on the back of that, Germany's gone into its third lockdown. So anyone who thinks the battle of COVID-19 is over is far mistaken it's still on.
Prime Minister: And I'm backing Chad Townsend to have a great game this weekend. He's a great guy. Wade had he's 250th, he was celebrating with his kids and I'm just glad the footy is back on too, that helps everybody I think.
Hadley: It's a bit away from what we've been dealing with for the last 14 months. Anyway, thanks very much for your time. And the only thing you have to do at the moment is keep going.
Prime Minister: I will Ray.
Hadley: We need you.
Prime Minister: Good on you, mate. Cheers, all the best to your listeners, bye.
Hadley: Scott Morrison there, the Prime Minister.
Dr Michele Bruniges AM
23 March 2021
I am pleased to announce that the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has reappointed Dr Michele Bruniges AM as Secretary of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment for a period of two years, commencing on 4 April 2021.
Dr Bruniges was first appointed as Secretary of the former Department of Education and training for a period of five years commencing on 4 April 2016. This two year extension, a period specified by Dr Bruniges, will allow the Secretary to finalise her term as Chair of the Programme for International Student Assessment Governing Board, an OECD appointment that she has held since April 2017.
The re-appointment will also allow Dr Bruniges to see through the implementation of the New Employment Services Model – a significant procurement and reform piece for employment services, due to be rolled out from mid-2022 – to which the Secretary remains committed.
I congratulate Dr Bruniges and look forward to continuing to work with her.
Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB
22 March 2021
Ben Fordham: Prime Minister, good morning to you.
Prime Minister: Good morning, Ben.
Fordham: It can happen out of nowhere. I think back to one year ago today when you sent us into lockdown and here we are a year later, we're now dealing with a major flood event. It's cut off entire towns, submerged bridges and forced thousands from their homes. And we need to send a message to people this morning, if they're asked to leave, they need to leave.
Prime Minister: That's exactly right. I mean, to be listening to those local authorities and agencies, they're doing a fantastic job, those in New South Wales and Queensland, I should stress. There's also flooding and storm events up in Queensland as well. And it's important that people listen very carefully to those local authorities, that volunteers are doing an extraordinary job. The state governments have this well in hand. We stand ready to assist and we'll wait for those requests, but be on the ready for that. But the payments are already in place for the affected areas on 180 22 66. That's the $1000 payment for adults and $400 for each child. And so those lines are open, they were open until 8pm last night so people can get that support. People were already doing that yesterday. But you're right, Ben, it's another testing time for our country and there have been a lot of them, and particularly in these areas that are affected by floods at the moment, particularly outside of Sydney. But in Sydney itself, what's happening at Warragamba and out there in Penrith and across the Hawkesbury. And our Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, she is there on the ground working with State Emergency Services. And it's a matter of pulling through together once again.
Fordham: Have you got any news for us about the Defence Force helping out?
Prime Minister: Well, we have had no requests at this point and we expect later today we will start getting requests for the recovery operations on the other side and so we're readying ourselves for that. We've had on standby helicopters and others to support the search and rescue, and that's been happening for the last few days. I've been taking briefings on this for several days now, working closely together with the New South Wales Government. The New South Wales Government has very, very good and significant resources and capable agencies to deal with the floods and they've got that in hand and should they need anything further then I have no doubt they will request and we'll move very quickly.
Fordham: I'll just repeat that number for people who want to access some of those emergency payments, 180 22 66, or go to servicesaustralia.gov. au. When you think about what we've been through, drought, fires, coronavirus, and now floods, at least we’re the type of people who stand up when there's a battle on.
Prime Minister: That's the case and it's important to stand together and focus on what needs to be done. And particularly right now, we're in the middle of a response to a very significant crisis. I mean, we’ve got one in 50 year floods, the worst since 1961, 1961 levels, I should say, for what we're seeing out there on the Nepean and the Hawkesbury. But elsewhere across the mid-north coast, we're one in 100 years. So these are very, very serious and very severe storms and floods and it's a very complex weather system too, Ben. We're seeing also a tropical moisture rain system from the Kimberley, that's now also impacting on northern South Australia, western New South Wales and the southern Northern Territory, causing inland flooding. So this is a very testing time but as always, we’ll come together. States and territories outside of New South Wales are also supporting New South Wales. Our Head of Emergency Management brings together all those Chiefs and did so on several occasions over the weekend and that means the resources from other states can be brought to bear where New South Wales needs them as well.
Fordham: Prime Minister, I'll keep our chat short this morning because I've got to keep up with the rolling coverage.
Prime Minister: Sure.
Fordham: But I'll just ask you about one thing, and that is the House of Representatives today which will vote on whether to pursue a Royal Commission into the issue of veterans suicides. How will you be voting?
Prime Minister: We won't be opposing that motion at all. I mean, we've always thought you need something better and more than a Royal Commission. I mean, what we need is a permanent arrangement and that's what we've put into the Parliament. We've put in legislation to provide for a permanent set of arrangements that have the powers of a Royal Commission to address veterans suicide and I'm sure that these two things can come together and we can come to some agreement over the course of this week. I want to do what's right for veterans, Ben. We put considerable resources, rightly into supporting veterans, whether it be on mental health. Just last year, $230 million a year, another $100 million put in last year's Budget. So we're addressing these issues. But Royal Commissions are fine, but they're only temporary. They're not a silver bullet. You need the permanent arrangements and support to address the root causes of these issues and that's what we're committed to doing. But we’ll work with the Parliament, but we're particularly keen to ensure that we can get support for this permanent commission, independent Commissioner that deals with these issues on an ongoing basis, not just on a once off.
Fordham: And just specifically on the vote on the Royal Commission, you will be supporting it?
Prime Minister: Yeah, we won't be opposing that bill at all- that motion at all.
Fordham: We appreciate your time. Thanks for your time.
Prime Minister: Thanks, Ben.