ELLIE WHITEAKER, SENATOR-ELECT FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us here at Kaarta Gar-Up Kings Park. We're of course on the land of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. And it's great to have such a beautiful view of the Derbarl Yerrigan. My name's Ellie Whiteaker, and I am a Labor Senator-elect for Western Australia. It's so great to have the Prime Minister back here today off the back of the swearing in of the new Labor Cabinet yesterday in Canberra. And I think it's just another example of his deep commitment to Western Australia. We're also joined by the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, and it's brilliant to have you back here, Penny too, and some of my fellow Class of 2025 Western Australian Caucus members. The first ever Member for Bullwinkel, Trish Cook. The new Member for Moore, Tom French, and who I hope will be my colleague in the Senate, Deep Singh. So, I'll now pass over to the Prime Minister. Thank you very much for joining us.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Ellie, and it's fantastic to be here with you and with Tom and Trish and Deep – members of an expanded team from WA. I came to Western Australia some 33 times as Prime Minister in my first term and I'm starting to click over to 34 now as we go forward. WA is so important. It's an engine room of our national economy. It's a growing state. And I've just met with the Premier, Roger Cook, where we discussed our joint vision when it comes to a future made in WA from his perspective, but a Future Made in Australia – with WA front and centre – from my perspective as well. When you look at the transformation of the clean energy economy here in WA as a driver of it, the critical minerals that are here, the capacity that they have for resources, for value adding is going to continue to drive the national economy. It also is a vibrant state and here with the fantastic representatives that I have behind me, I said when I came here I think in the front page of the West Australian that I wasn't just about holding the seats that we won in 2022. I was about building on them. And build on them we have, with Moore and Bullwinkel being added to the Labor contingent in the House of Representatives. In addition to that, I want to pay tribute to the candidates who won last time. The fact that Hasluck appears to have been won on primary votes is an extraordinary achievement. You know, someone like Sam Lim, who has turned Tangney into a 57 per cent seat, is extraordinary as well. In addition, of course, our members right across the board campaigned so strongly and I thank them for it. I do want to give a shout out to Ellie as well. Not just as the Senator-elect, but the WA campaign here. We have, for the last two elections, run very specific WA campaigns as separate from the national campaign, recognising that there are particular interests here. If you look at the work that we've done on METRONET, the commitments that we've made to the Midland Hospital, the commitments that we've made to increasing ferry services on this magnificent river that is behind us as well. Partnership on roads and highways, partnerships with the schools funding agreement that was the first state to sign up. We have a lot to do here in WA.
I'll make one final point, which is I'm on my way to Indonesia, and when we look at the growth areas that will help to drive the national economy, I look up to our north and you hit Indonesia. That will grow to be the fifth largest economy in the world by 2040. That is why that relationship is so important. And the Premier and I had a discussion about that important relationship. They have sister-state relations with Indonesia and it is so critical going forward. If you move just a little bit further west, you hit India, which will grow to be the third largest economy in the world. It's about jobs, it's about our economic interaction, but it's also about who we are in the world and the way that we can play a role in this uncertain world of promoting stability and certainty going forward. And WA is critical to that. I'm very keen to make sure that whilst the Pacific is important, the Indian Ocean is important as well for Australia, and we'll continue to work cooperatively. Roger and I have been mates for 40 years, as I said during the campaign, and I expose both of our ages in that, but it is really important that that occur. Happy to take some questions, a couple of questions.
JOURNALIST: On Indonesia, Jakarta's forged some strong ties with Russia over the years. Both on defence and in strategic ways. How important is it that Australia competes for influence in the region?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's important in our own interest, but also in the interests of the region, that we have a strong relationship with Indonesia. That's why when elected Prime Minister, the first country I had a bilateral with was Indonesia. And this time in my second term, once again I'm returning to Indonesia as the first port of call because there's no more important relationship than we have with Indonesia.
JOURNALIST: PM, the election campaign's over now. We've gone past what Peter Dutton said about Mr Prabowo and Russia. So, I'm just wondering if you can tell us now what was the Australian Government's understanding of Russia's request and what was your message to Indonesia about that?
PRIME MINISTER: We have a good relationship with Indonesia. Indonesia made the position very clear. That was understood by just about everyone. I know that for some there was a great deal of interest that pretended that history didn't occur there. Indonesia is a sovereign nation. But they made it very clear that the position that was reported and that Mr Dutton spoke about just wasn't the case. And the verbling of the Indonesian President is not a good idea by anyone in a senior position in Australia.
JOURNALIST: So, there wasn't a request of any sort?
PRIME MINISTER: No I've maintained my previous comments and you know, they've all been there. And The Australian can continue to report on something that isn't happening if you wish, but the truth is it's not happening. And everyone senior in the Indonesian Government at the time said it wasn't happening. And I find it just a bit passing strange that I can continue to be asked about something that is not happening.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you read Roger Cook's post election letter that he sent to you and did you today offer him any time frame for the 10 priorities that he listed in that letter, topped by his wish to make the GST top-up arrangements permanent?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we had a preliminary discussion about all of those issues today. I certainly did receive the letter from Roger Cook – as I did from other Premiers as well. And there's nothing unusual about Premiers putting forward the interests of their states. I expect Roger to continue to do that as I expect other Premiers and Chief Ministers.
JOURNALIST: Did you agree to a timeframe?
JOURNALIST: Real wages are up – does that put the chance of a rate cut next week in jeopardy?
PRIME MINISTER: Real wages going up is a good thing. Five quarters in a row, and it stands in stark contrast with what was happening before we came to government where real wages fell as a conscious decision of the economic architecture of the Liberal Party when they were in government. We think that cost of living pressures are real. One way that you do that is by increasing people's wages. Another way you do it is by decreasing people's taxes. We're doing both of those. And at the election campaign, this was one of the big issues and the big distinctions between us.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the North West Shelf decision, when can we expect a ruling?
PRIME MINISTER: You can expect a ruling in accordance with the law and that is what occurs. Murray Watt has only been appointed yesterday, so I'm sure he'll receive briefings and the EPBC Act applies and that will be considered.
JOURNALIST: The State Government has called for that to be done as soon as possible and it's gone past that and issued a deadlock. Would you like to see it done as his first act as Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: I'd like to see it done in accordance with the law is what I would like to see occur. And the State Government considered it over a long period of time. This is an issue that's relevant for the 2030s, which is when it's due to commence. But Murray Watt will, I'm sure, be briefed on it and as is appropriate and the law will apply.
JOURNALIST: Sorry, just while getting his feet under the desk I'm sure another issue he'll have to do or look at is the reworking of the EPA, the Environment Protection Authority. When do you anticipate to have a new model of what that would look like?
PRIME MINISTER: Well look, the bloke was sworn in yesterday give him a break. You know, he'll deal with it appropriately. And, you know, we've already had – of course, it's not like it's just at the beginning. I've had discussions with the WA Chamber and we'll continue to engage with them, with people like Rio Tinto when I was here in WA, as well as with environmental groups. I've said very clearly, as I said before the election, we want something that provides certainty for industry but supports sustainable outcomes as well.
JOURNALIST: To you and also to the Foreign Minister, there are reports that an Australian man is presumed dead in Ukraine (inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Look, these reports are deeply troubling and my heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the gentleman concerned. DFAT are working in the way that they do to make sure that proper notification is occurring. I repeat the statements that's there, as I said just tragically a couple of days ago again. There is a travel warning in place for a reason. Australians should not be travelling to Ukraine. It is dangerous and people should follow that advice.
JOURNALIST: Critical mineral money in Indonesia, backed by Chinese money, has decimated the industry in WA. Will you be raising that on your trip?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I'll raise the full range of issues with the President. I look forward to having a constructive engagement with him. We'll have a bilateral meeting and we'll engage diplomatically, not through media conferences about what we will discuss. That's how you get things done. That's how you build respect and that's how you get outcomes. Stephen, last one.
JOURNALIST: Just quickly on defence cooperation, obviously a significant agreement was signed with Indonesia last year. What progress has been made in the six months since then to operationalise it, and what sort of activity would you like to see Australia and Indonesian military undertake together under the DCA post-ratification?
PRIME MINISTER: There's substantial progress has been made already, particularly in the area of maritime. And one of the things that we'll be discussing as well is that progress going forward.
Can I just – before we conclude, say that I've spoken with Sussan Ley, the Liberal Party leader, and congratulated her on her election. It is a great honour to lead a major political party in Australia and I congratulate her and wished her well. I invited her at any time to engage with me, as Peter Dutton was always welcome to do, on any issue to advance the national interest. Thanks very much.