Address to Caucus

Transcript
Parliament House, Canberra
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
The Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Prime Minister of Australia

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, welcome back. And it's good to be at this end of the corridor. Tomorrow and today, there'll be some signing in of new caucus members. But tomorrow, whether you are getting signed in here in the House of Representatives, whether you're one of the twenty-four new Labor members of the House of Representatives, or one of the seven new Labor senators, take a moment to really think about the significance of it. A lot more people try to get here than do get here. And more often than not, Labor has been at the other end of the corridor. Which is why we should never, ever, ever take it for granted.

The fact that not a single member of the Labor Caucus in the last Parliament has not been returned here is due to the hard effort of you individually. The people who knocked on doors, made phone calls, made sacrifices. It also is a product of the collective will of this group. The discipline, the sense of purpose that was there in the Government in our first term, one which we must maintain. And if we maintain that sense of discipline, sense of purpose, clear idea about why we are here, to represent people in our electorate, but also represent the national interest, in promoting the Labor values of fairness, of aspiration and opportunity for all. There is no reason why every single one of you can't just be returned to the next Parliament but can't be added to as well. But we know that each and every day we must work hard to repay the faith that has been shown in us. And I know from campaigning with every one of you that that is the determination which is there.

Our task is twofold. One is to deal with immediate issues. In the last Parliament, we confronted global inflation and we have turned the corner there with inflation down to within the Reserve Bank band. We have had two interest rate decreases, we are seeing real wages increase, we are seeing income taxes decrease so that people can earn more and keep more of what they earn. And we have already started on our second term agenda, as we promised, of delivering commitments that make a real practical difference to people's lives. And that's the first thing which we must always maintain so that we are doing our best. People don't expect perfection. They understand that the world will throw things at us, but they expect that we will put them first rather than be focused internally on what goes on in this building.

And on 1 July, we delivered a down payment on what we will achieve this term. The increase in the minimum wage and award wages for over 3 million workers, making a difference, giving them a real wage increase. The two weeks increase in Paid Parental Leave and, importantly, paying superannuation on Paid Parental Leave for the first time ever. The $10,000 for apprenticeships, for construction, adding to what we had already done in the new energy area. Paid prac for teachers, for nurses, for social workers, making a difference to those areas as well. Superannuation lifted to 12 per cent for all workers. Energy bill relief, the next tranche coming in. And importantly, our energy, the batteries for renewables, for storage that have already been undertaken by, Chris will yell out the figure.

CHRIS BOWEN, MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY: 9,200.

PRIME MINISTER: 9,200. He's counting. It was 9,150 when we met earlier this morning, he's out there counting each and every one –

BOWEN: Visiting mostly.

PRIME MINISTER: – And it is making an enormous difference, of course, permanently lowering people's power bills as well as helping the entire system because it takes pressure off the energy grid.

That is our down payment on what will be our year of delivery. That is our focus. We've just been through an election, we had clear commitments and we want to deliver them. This week and this fortnight, we start on the next tranche. On Wednesday, we will introduce the first couple of pieces of legislation. Firstly, to reduce student debt by 20 per cent, as we committed to in Adelaide in the electorate of Sturt all those months ago at the end of last year, making a difference of an average of $5,500 for 3 million Australians. A benefit that those who sit in the other corridor call 'waste' when we announce it and when we continue to support it. The second area is child care reform. No parent should be concerned when their little one is left with a worker in a child care centre. We clearly need to do better as a society and as governments across the board. So, important legislation that we're working on on a bipartisan basis to make sure that we can restore confidence in a system in which we should be confident caring for our vulnerable little ones. And then we will have our penalty rates legislation. Really important, to protect the wages of people who go out there and work hard and need those penalty rates in order to get the payments that they deserve for giving up that family time with their loved ones as well.

Last week, of course, I visited China at the invitation of the Government to once again promote measures that make a difference here. We have restored, in our first term, over $20 billion of trade. And for those Opposite who have said last week, 'what was the objective there?' The objective was pretty simple. Jobs right here that make a difference. In a place like Geraldton, protecting the crayfish industry. In the Barossa, and the McLaren Vale, and the Hunter Valley, and the Yarra Valley, and Margaret River, and Tasmania, protecting the wine industry and those jobs throughout South Australia, Victoria, NSW. The barley industry. And Queensland, the meat industry. That has bounded back at record levels. As we go forward, the work that we're doing together on decarbonisation of steel, that could produce greater benefits, both economically in terms of jobs, but also greater benefits in reducing global emissions than any measure we could take domestically as a nation state, given how significant that will be going forward as well. And so, I think that we'll continue to advance our national interest on every stage that is possible.

And those Opposite will have to decide whether they'll continue the course that they set last term, which essentially was a cul de sac. It didn't lead anywhere at all, just saying no and not being constructive. Our job will be constructive to sell our agenda going forward, our agenda based upon those fundamental principles of no one left behind and no one held back. Looking out for the vulnerable, as Labor governments always will. But importantly as well, creating new opportunities in the Future Made in Australia with new industries, in the positive benefits and opportunities that will come from the transition to Net Zero. In promoting gender equality, that boosts the entire economy in making sure that people who work hard deserve to get the reward from their hard work and not be penalised. Making sure that we can compete on the international stage based upon how smart we are, how innovative we are, how we engage with new industries, not trying to drive down wages and conditions.

This is our task. The short term, making a positive difference to people's lives, but always with our eye on the horizon. Where are the big opportunities going forward? Where are the rewards that come from gender equality? From the Net Zero transition, from making sure that we grow new industries and that we make things here in Australia, including the potential for green steel and other products together.

This is a task which we have. We should go about it with determination, with humility, making sure if people have got a good idea, we're up for engagement positively and constructively. But I am absolutely committed to making sure that we seize the opportunity that we've being given to be able to create that fairer economy, that stronger economy. Stronger because it is fairer. Stronger because it is fairer is a core belief that we in this room have as Labor Party members. And we must also, and I'll conclude with this, we must also remember those people who won't get to sit in this room, but who are proud that we're sitting in this room. The people who gave up their time, their commitment, their dollars, who sold the raffle tickets, who brought us here as well, to a position which we should cherish and honour by delivering for them.

Thanks.