ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon. Last Saturday the Australian people voted for Labor and for Labor to keep building Australia's future. And that is certainly what we intend to do in this, our second term. We'll continue working hard, day and night, for all Australians. We have the largest ALP Caucus in history since Federation. A Caucus brimming with capacity, talent and energy in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. I think we're up to claiming 92 seats in the House of Representatives. But in addition to that, we have the electorate of Bean, Calwell, potentially Longman as well. So, we are ahead in two of those seats and counting will continue. Calwell will be some time because of the nature of the candidates being close, there will have to be a full distribution there. And in the Senate we expect to have at least 28 Senators with additional counting taking place in Western Australia and Victoria. But we are hopeful of securing additional seats in those states as counting continues forward. As a result of that it is an extraordinary opportunity for Ministers, but for the entire Caucus going forward, to put in place the agenda that we put forward positively to the Australian people. An ambitious agenda to change this country for the better. I'm deeply humbled by the trust that was put into my Government with the election and we certainly won't take it for granted. I intend to recommend to the Governor-General, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn, the following makeup of the Ministry to be sworn in tomorrow at 9am. It will be followed by a full ministry meeting here in Parliament House.
The Cabinet will be made up of Richard Marles as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. Penny Wong as Foreign Affairs Minister. Jim Chalmers, Treasurer. Katy Gallagher, Minister for Finance, Public Service, Women and Government Services. Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State.
During the election campaign, I confirmed that all of those people would come continue to fulfil their responsibilities.
Tony Burke will be Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Cyber Security as well as the Arts. Mark Butler as Minister for Health and Ageing, Disability, and the NDIS. Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Amanda Rishworth will be the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Jason Clare, Minister for Education. Michelle Rowland will be the new Attorney-General. Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Social Services. Julie Collins, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Clare O’Neil, Minister for Housing, Homelessness as well as Minister for Cities. Madeleine King, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia. Murray Watt, Minister for Environment and Water. Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians. Anika Wells, Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport. Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs. Anne Aly comes into the Cabinet as Minister for Small Business, also she will be the Minister for International Development and Multicultural Affairs. Tim Ayres also enters the Cabinet as Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science.
In the Outer Ministry. Matt Keogh will continue as Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel. Kristy McBain, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. And in addition, she will be the Minister for Emergency Management. Andrew Giles, Minister for Skills and Training. Jenny McAllister will be the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Dan Mulino enters the Ministry as the Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services. Jess Walsh, Minister for Early Childhood Education and Youth. Sam Rae, Minister for Aged Care and Seniors.
In Assistant Ministers. Patrick Gorman will continue as my Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, also Assistant Minister for the Public Service, Employment and Workplace Relations. Matt Thistlethwaite will be the Assistant Minister for Immigration, Foreign Affairs and Trade. And can I pass on my condolences publicly to Matt. He had the funeral of his father last Friday, who died during the election campaign. It was a really difficult time when you're going through a public election campaign to lose your father. And on behalf of the Labor Party, I express my condolences to Matt and his family. Andrew Leigh, the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury. Ged Kearney, the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Assistant Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. Emma McBride, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health. Senator Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Resources, Assistant Minister for Regional Development, and also for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Josh Wilson, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Assistant Minister for Emergency Management. Julian Hill, the Assistant Minister for Customs and Multicultural Affairs and Assistant Minister for International Education. Rebecca White, a new Member of Parliament, comes in as the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health and Assistant Minister for Women. Andrew Charlton will be the Cabinet Secretary, will also serve as the Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy. Senator Nita Green enters the Executive as the Assistant Minister for Northern Australia, Assistant Minister for Tourism and Assistant Minister for Pacific Island Affairs. Peter Khalil enters the Executive as the Assistant Minister for Defence.
I have agreed also to appoint a number of people as Special Envoys. Susan Templeman will continue her work as the Special Envoy for the Arts, and Luke Gosling for Defence, Veterans Affairs and Northern Australia. In addition to that, Dan Repacholi will take up the new position as Special Envoy for Men's Health, something that he is very passionate about and something that I think he will make an extraordinary contribution in. Josh Burns becomes a Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness. Marion Scrymgour becomes the Special Envoy for Remote Communities. When I spoke to Marion, she was in a remote community in the Northern Territory. Kate Thwaites is the Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, and that will have particular tasks if we are successful in our bid to host the COP meeting in a couple of years’ time or next years’ time. Tim Watts as the Special Envoy for the Indian Ocean. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: If I could just ask about Social Services. Obviously a big portfolio, foundational supports is going to be a big part of that. Do you see Tanya Plibersek having that role until we next go to the election?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm just announcing it today and you're asking me are people moving on? This is the Ministry that I'm announcing today. I hope it continues for three years across the board.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, how did Tanya Plibersek take being given the Social Services portfolio and did you give any consideration to shifting Chris Bowen?
PRIME MINISTER: She was very positive about the portfolio and no.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, with Bill Shorten stepping away from Parliament, you lose someone who was not only a firm advocate for the NDIS, but someone who was also very hard-line when it came to some of the misuse and abuse of the NDIS. What expectation do you have of Mark Butler on that front and with regard also to his Assistant Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah well, he has a Ministerial responsibility. Jenny McAllister, we've moved, and this is something that we were discussing even when Bill was still here, is the NDIS we're moving into health. There are a number of MoG changes which you will see tomorrow confirmed - that's one of them. We're trying to get everything in the right spot with the experience that we've had during our first term of government. And Mark Butler, of course, has a great interest in this area, has had an interest for a long period of time. But Jenny McAllister as well I think has shown in the work that she's done in Emergency Management in a short period of time that she's been in the Ministry. She is someone who has a capacity to have a great attention to detail, and that is precisely what's required when it comes to the reform of the NDIS. We want to make sure that the NDIS fulfils what its intention was - that everyone has the best opportunity to contribute to Australian society and that people with a disability don't get left behind. But we also want to make sure that there isn't some of the activity that we've seen that Bill Shorten began, making sure that some of that waste and inefficiencies weren't there because that's not serving the people with disabilities. So, I'm very confident that Mark and Jenny are ideally suited to perform that task.
JOURNALIST: PM, Murray Watt’s been one of your better Ministers over the last term. Is the decision to give him Environment an indication of your desire to get the Nature Positive stuff done and done quickly? And you've also noticed in the Envoys, the ones for Social Cohesion and so forth have gone. Is that also a sign you no longer regard those as priorities?
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: The Special Envoys for Social Cohesion that you had in the last term are no longer there. Could you explain?
PRIME MINISTER: No. On the latter first, we will continue to work as a whole government on social cohesion. Peter Khalil had that role and performed it well. We have, of course, a Special Envoy outside the Parliament for both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and they're doing their job. Murray is an outstanding performer as a Minister. I regard the Environment as a really central portfolio. It's the only one I've ever asked for in this building, and I regard it as very much a senior role in a Labor government. Murray will do it very well.
JOURNALIST: You've changed some of the personnel in the national security team. Will the division of responsibilities change as well?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to there, just to be clear -
JOURNALIST: The Attorney-General’s Department and Home Affairs, will they still keep the same things?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah look, we'll have some cross swearing in so that people can work seamlessly on it. But we're very confident that we've got it right, that we want to make sure that people can have access to all of the information at the appropriate time. So, there were issues that arose out of information sharing during the, let's call it the caravan incident for shorthand, and we wanted to make sure that we got it right and learned from that experience.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, did you fight for either Mark Dreyfus or Ed Husic to stay in the Ministry? And if not, why not?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we have a process in the Labor Party Caucus. You've been watching it for some time.
JOURNALIST: Thanks, Prime Minister. One for the economists. Why has Daniel Mulino been named Assistant Treasurer?
PRIME MINISTER: Because he's terrific and he'll do a very good job. He is very well qualified for the job. He's someone who was very pleased to get that job, I assure you. He's someone who, in terms of his qualifications, and I've got it here somewhere. He's got a PhD in economics from Yale. That's kind of handy. I know that there have been articles written about people's economics degrees in recent times and I thank them for the character references. I'm not sure the University of Sydney does, but it's a handy uni. Probably not regarded quite the same as a PhD from Yale. And he's played a role in the Parliament here in economics. I think the economics team remains very strong, led, of course, by Jim and Katy.
JOURNALIST: PM, Anika Wells has got Communications and Sport. Is that a bid as a circuit breaker to get through some further restrictions or further reforms on gambling advertising? And she'll also have to implement the under 16 social media ban later in the year. Are you confident that that age assurance trial is running as it should be?
PRIME MINISTER: I am. Anika, we're putting sport with infrastructure. It's one of the changes that we'll make to put Sport across from Health. The Commonwealth's major responsibility for sport is essentially infrastructure. So it will go in the department that includes Infrastructure, includes Communications and will include Sport. And it was a natural fit as well to have Anika Wells - there's this thing happening in 2032 in Brisbane and that will be a big focus of sporting activity leading up to then. And Anika has played a really important role as well as a Queenslander in getting that together. And so that will be an important part of her remit. And we wanted some continuity there. There's been the change of government in Queensland, of course. There's changes of personnel, I've brought in Greg Norman as one of the appointees on the Olympics board. And I thought it was important that there be a period of continuity there.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you expect the new minister to proceed with recommendations of Peta Murphy's review on gambling?
PRIME MINISTER: I expect us to continue to do work as we have.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister -
PRIME MINISTER: I'm going along. You're next.
JOURNALIST: Will Andrew Charlton have a voice in Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary? Or is he just a more passive role there?
PRIME MINISTER: No, no, Cabinet Secretary is an administrative role, but they obviously have an important role to play in determining the Cabinet agenda, in liaising with the Prime Minister's Office making sure working across government. Andrew Charlton is very experienced as a Sherpa at various international conferences. I saw firsthand the work that he's done at the G20 meeting that was held in London, I think it was in 2009 at the height of the Global Financial Crisis. He is, I think, exceptionally qualified to do that and I think he'll play a really important role there. His policy role will be not that, to not go across all of the portfolios. His policy role will be to particularly work with Tim Ayres in the industry area on new technology, AI, all of that impact that it's going to have on the nature of work and the changing nature of our economy. And I think Andrew will be a contributor there.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you spoke about the importance of the Environment portfolio. Can you just explain why you've decided to shift Tanya Plibersek out and Murray Watt into that role?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've changed a range of portfolios around. I've got people who are, I think, in the best positions, and that's across the board. There's been, I think, of the Cabinet there's been multiple changes made. That's what happens. And just as there are new members entering the Cabinet, there were new members last year as well. You know, Anika Wells, for example, came in but kept the same portfolios. Ageing and Aged Care is really part of Health. And as you know, the structure would normally be a Cabinet Minister and then a Minister. We've put that in place and I think we've got the right people in the right places.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you met with Ed Husic this morning. What did you make of his outburst on my colleague's program next door in relation to calling the Deputy Prime Minister a factional assassin? And what's your message to him in terms of some of the complaints that he's raised about the process here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the process occurred in the normal way of the Caucus, the way that we select the Ministry. And I had a constructive discussion with Ed this morning. I always have constructive discussions with Caucus members and indeed with other members of the Parliament. What I've done is to allocate portfolios. That's a system that's there. It's one that Ed and others have supported for a long period of time. A long period of time.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: Obviously not. So, I though, you know, we had this system that was put in place when I was Deputy PM. It changed after 2013, resumed to that, and put in place the Caucus selecting the frontbench in the way that that it has.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, it has obviously been very busy with this reshuffle. But there has been news over from DFAT that there has been an Australian death in Ukraine. A young Australian man, 28 years old, working for a humanitarian organisation. What can you tell us about this case and the danger for Australians going into that war zone?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Australian man who, the family and DFAT, the advice I have at this point in time is to not name him because of the information that is going forward. It's important to express the deepest condolences and sympathies with his family and his loved ones at this very difficult time. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing support to his family. Out of respect for the family's privacy and consistent with our obligations, there's a limit to what we can say publicly at this time. I can confirm, though, he wasn't a participant in the conflict, he was volunteering with a humanitarian organisation. And so I do want to remind Australians that Ukraine is a do not travel zone. The situation is extremely dangerous and we continue to strongly advise all Australians not to travel to Ukraine under any circumstances.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the Labor party room is 57 per cent women. I'm curious why, at the Assistant Ministry level, it's only one third, or about a quarter, sorry, of the people that are being put forward.
PRIME MINISTER: I think this is, in terms of the Ministry and the Cabinet is the most significant representation of women ever. Ever. And I think, you know, that's just a fact that it stands out and I'm very proud to have so many women in very senior roles.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you created a new assistant portfolio I think, international education for Julian Hill. What's your thinking behind that? Is that going to be around the caps or attempt to put caps on foreign students?
PRIME MINISTER: International education is such an important export for Australia. We know there's been examples as well of inappropriate activity. Overwhelmingly, the sector is important and provides not just assets for Australia and income for Australia, but it also provides us to have connections with the world. People who come and study here and then go back and become advocates for our relationship. I've seen that firsthand. I launched the Australia-India Alumni Association probably about 10 years ago when I was in Opposition in New Delhi. There are literally hundreds of thousands of students who have a relationship with Australia. So, this is an important industry. It's important that students who come here get a quality education. It's important we get it right. This sector is complex and Julian Hill is someone who's been involved as a local Member as well, and I think he'll be a very good appointment. I discussed it with him and with Jason Clare as someone having particular responsibility for that area.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we’re talking about the domestic angle here, but there's also the international one. You're going to Indonesia tomorrow – Wednesday, sorry. And you're also booked in for the G7 in Canada. There's another international event coming up, which is the Pope's Confirmation Mass in Rome. Are you thinking of going to that? And is there any update on whether you might go to Washington DC?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah. Thanks very much, David. You're heading off soon as well, somewhere, more permanently. I will travel. We're just finalising arrangements. I've been invited to the formal Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. It's taking place on Sunday. It's my intention – we're sorting out logistics at the moment, to travel from Jakarta to Rome and to the Vatican City to be able to attend and represent Australia at that event, which will be so important for Catholics around the world and those of faith here in Australia as well. This comes at an important time for the Catholic Church and for the world, and my Government looks forward to continuing Australia's strong relationship with the Holy See under Pope Leo's Pontificate. We'll finalise that, though, obviously the invitation only came in recently and we are also – it will be an opportunity to have bilateral discussions with a range of world leaders who will be there. People I haven't met before face to face, including Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada has confirmed that he will be there, but leaders are reaching out and organising meetings on the side, if you like, given people will be in Rome. People would have seen –
JOURNALIST: Is Donald Trump going?
PRIME MINISTER: It's not clear at this stage and I'm not in charge of President Trump's itinerary and he probably wouldn't appreciate it if I did announce he was going. So, I know some people who are going, but we'll leave that to them to announce, frankly, is the way that we deal diplomatically. But there will be, obviously, a range of senior world leaders, including, I know Prime Minister Carney will be there, President Macron and a range of others as well. Ursula von der Leyen I will meet. We've had contact with her, the head of the European Union. Obviously, there's discussions to be held as well about trade and tariff issues with Europe as well. We tried to have a free trade agreement with Europe and it will be good to have a discussion further about whether that can be advanced. We chose not to conclude that because it wasn't in Australia's national interest. But quite clearly, in today's uncertain world, with tariffs and trade issues being so central, no doubt there will be discussions and I'll take the opportunity as well as having what will be an incredible honour for me, I've got to say. I mean, you know, it was Mother's Day yesterday. And can I say this – my mum would be pretty, pretty chuffed at the idea that her son will be going as Prime Minister to see the inauguration of a Pope in the Vatican City. Thanks very much.