ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Kumanjayi Little Baby was just five years old and should have had her whole life ahead of her. This wonderful young soul, who I got to speak to her mum, her grandfather, and her grandmother today. She was cherished and loved and they're going through the worst of devastation, and at this time they've asked that they be allowed to go through the Sorry Business with the privacy and dignity and solemnity that it deserves. But they are given a great deal of heart by the fact that the community here in Alice Springs has come together and come together to wrap their arms around this family to hold them. And so it was an opportunity as well to, we laid flowers at the memorial at the camp that has sprung up spontaneously. People leaving messages, people knitting toys in tribute to this wonderful, much loved little girl. And it was also an opportunity to thank the workers and others, volunteers, who just came together in their hundreds to search for Kumanjayi Little Baby during that tragic period. And to whether they were police or emergency service workers, St John's Ambulance, the local Land Council, people from community organisations, the local council, all an opportunity to say thank you to them. And it was mainly an opportunity just to say to the family, though, that the nation stands with them. They are not alone. Kumanjayi Little Baby is known throughout our nation and indeed throughout the world. This is a young person lost far too early under circumstances that are unbearable. They are trying to bear their way through this with dignity, with respect, and it will remain something that is with them forever.
JOURNALIST: Thank you, Prime Minister. You met with the family today. Can you tell me how they're feeling? What they told you?
PRIME MINISTER: They're proud of their much loved daughter and granddaughter. Of who she was, but also that sense of regret that she won't get to be the young woman and woman that she should have to become. They're going through a grieving process and they've asked to be able to do that with respect, but they also have been given heart by the people that have surrounded them in this community, and indeed the messages of support that they've received from all Australians at what's an incredibly tragic and just terrible time that they're going through.
JOURNALIST: Why was it important to you to come to Alice Springs and meet with that family?
PRIME MINISTER: It's important to be able to say to the family that the nation stands with them in their grief. In this time of tragedy the nation wraps our arms around them and will give them every support that they need.
JOURNALIST: Do you think the Northern Territory Government's response with legislation change and an inquiry into the handling of this case, do you think it's been the right response at this time?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll work constructively with the Northern Territory Government, but they also need to work respectfully with the local community, with the family, and need to make sure they involve First Nations people as well in this local community to work through these issues in the most constructive way possible.
JOURNALIST: Aboriginal groups in the NT are now extremely concerned about those child protection changes, and they say the Government's rushing them through Parliament and haven't been consulted. Does that concern you?
PRIME MINISTER: Indigenous people need to be treated with respect at this time, particularly the family and local people. Every child has the right to be safe and to enjoy a quality of life free from danger, and that is what we want to see right across the board. So I would say to all involved that they need to make sure that they work together. This is a time where what I want to see is the different levels of government coming together with the community in the same way that the community has come together itself.
JOURNALIST: I suppose we're all wondering, we're seeing a lot of discussion around town camps and the livelihoods that people have in Central Australia. What practical things will you do to improve housing, to improve the systems that exist here?
PRIME MINISTER: All governments need to do much better, and my Government has acknowledged that that's the case. When it comes to housing, we are building more remote housing. When it comes to the issues that were raised with me about Yuendumu and about other communities and as well the town camps. Clearly the Northern Territory Government have had responsibility since 2012 for the town camps. Clearly, there's a need to do better, to make sure that the living conditions are improved. One of the groups that I spoke with is an example of what we can do, is the group that are providing dialysis on country. Making sure that there's water, so that can be done in a clean way. And what that does is when the people can stay on country rather than coming into town. That's a really practical example of support the Government could do to make a difference.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, that's the end of my questions on this particular topic, and I wondered, we've got some more on diphtheria, but I wondered, did the other ministers, would you like to speak at all about what it was like to see the Prime Minister meet with this family today?
MARION SCRYMGOUR, MEMBER FOR LINGIARI: Thanks Elsie. I think it was fantastic. It's always great to have the Prime Minister here, and I think, you know, he has always taken an interest in terms of Indigenous affairs in the Northern Territory, which is really, really important. But it's always great to be with, you know, with Malarndirri McCarthy as the Minister for Indigenous Australians. I think, her and I work very closely together to look at, you know, a lot of the issues across the north. Not just, I look after the Northern Territory, she looks after the rest of Australia. So she does have her job cut out for her. But it's always great to have them both here in Alice Springs, got to take them to other parts of the Territory too. But no, it's good to have the PM here.
JOURNALIST: Thank you. Are you about to move on to diphtheria? Is that okay? How is the federal government supporting the territory and states on the diphtheria outbreak?
PRIME MINISTER: The Health Minister has given a response today, and clearly we're going to have to respond to this outbreak. The first thing that should be said is that people need to be vaccinated if they haven't been. That is the most important thing that people can do. This is a serious outbreak. The Government has taken it seriously, and people do need to get vaccinated.
JOURNALIST: Should that support have been more preventative than reactive, so we don't see people dying from an entirely preventable disease?
PRIME MINISTER: People should be vaccinated. The Government runs significant campaigns about vaccination, and there's some misinformation out there as well that undermines people's health conditions. it's a reminder of how important vaccination from these preventable diseases is.
JOURNALIST: Absolutely. The question, what Dr. John Boffa from Congress told us yesterday, was that it's actually a workforce shortage. Will there be any sort of bolstering of that workforce here do you think?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll work with Congress. I met with them just a short while ago as well. They do really important work here on the ground, and of course, we've upgraded substantially the facilities that they have here in Alice Springs. This is my fourth visit here as Prime Minister to Alice Springs, and I think every time I've had engagement with Congress, and we'll continue to work with them on these issues.
JOURNALIST: Thanks Prime Minister. I do just have one more question on the child protection changes. Can I just ask that?
PRIME MINISTER: Sure.
JOURNALIST: Thank you. You say the NT Government has to work with Aboriginal groups, but they're not on these changes. So now what?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I want to see that happen. I would say to the Northern Territory Government that you'll get better outcomes if you have an inclusive approach and you have by in to these issues. And that's why that consultation and engagement is so important.
JOURNALIST: And are you comfortable with these changes that they're about to make?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll work with them. We want to see the outcomes which are appropriate. We do think that everything possible should be done, of course, to keep children safe. That's the number one priority, because tragedies such as Kumanjayi Little Baby should never occur. Every child has a right to live in safety and to be treated with respect. Thanks very much.