TANIA LAWRENCE, MEMBER FOR HASLUCK: Good afternoon, and welcome to Ellenbrook, which is the further corner of the electorate of Hasluck, which I'm very, very proud to represent. And today to be able to have the Prime Minister visit the Ellenbrook Urgent Care Clinic, which has been yet another commitment that we have delivered for our community in Ellenbrook is really, really special. This is on the back of bringing a train line to Ellenbrook. This is on the back of a community centre that we've just recently opened. We've got apartments being built, we've got upgrades to our sports facilities, but all of this still needs that extra bit of infrastructure, which is today about the Urgent Care Clinic. Presentations here have been absolutely well and truly, demonstrated at this clinic is now one of the busiest in the state, 2,000 presentations already since our opening in Christmas time. And so it's super exciting that on the back of that data and the fact that this clinic is proving its absolute benefit to taking the pressure off St John of God Hospital in Midland. From March, the hours will be changing to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, so 8am to 10pm the community will be able to access the Ellenbrook Urgent Care Clinic for those minor injuries that are not threatening. And to this end, it's my great pleasure to be able to introduce the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for delivering on this commitment.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Tanya. And I'm delighted to be back in your electorate of Hasluck but also delighted to be back here in Perth as well. I was in Western Australia 15 times last year, and I've been back here a couple of times already this year. Western Australia is an important engine room for the nation, and one of the commitments that I've made to WA is that we will make sure that social infrastructure and social services received the same attention that the rest of the country does. For a while there, Western Australia was left behind when it came to Canberra, but I want to be Prime Minister for the entire nation, and with my fantastic team here in Western Australia, we're making sure that the voice of the West is heard each and every day in our national forums.
Urgent Care Clinics are absolutely vital. We promised 50 in the lead up to the 2022 election, we delivered 87. And we promised another 50, we've already opened now a range of clinics right around the country, including this one here. So, 122 Urgent Care Clinics are open of the 137 that we've committed to. So, delivering in advance of time, making sure that it's making a difference. This clinic here was opened just on December the 22nd, and already 2,000 people, one in three of whom have been under the age of 15, have received the care that they need, when they've needed it, with just their Medicare card, not their credit card. Taking pressure off emergency departments, making sure that that people get that assistance, because right here they can get access to pathology, to radiology, a pharmacy just next door. This model is working and it's making an incredible difference. Two and a half million Australians have been to Urgent Care Clinics since we started opening them at the end of 2022. It has exceeded all of the expectations. So, when you combine this with the $25 cost for PBS medicines that came in on January 1, the 1800MEDICARE system, where tens of thousands of people have already received the assistance and advice that they need through telehealth by just picking up their phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Already tens of thousands have received that support. And of course, just a week ago, we landed the hospitals and health deal with states and territories, which will provide an additional $25 billion of Commonwealth support for public hospitals right around Australia over the next five years, at the same time as advancing reform of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Nothing is more important than healthcare and my government has strengthened Medicare front and centre. Each and every day we work on this. And it's fantastic when you go to these centres as well, to meet the health professionals, the doctors I've met here today, Nurse Amy here, providing satisfaction for people in Tania's local electorate, local community here, and expanding new community which has received that support not just in healthcare, but of course, our public schools went back over the last week. They're receiving full and fair funding for the first time. That started to roll out today, this week. And of course, Western Australia, through Roger Cook's Government, was the first State Government to sign up to fully funded public schools. And that is making a difference. And as well, the new rail line here at Ellenbrook. So, this is an area where my government is partnering with the Cook Government to really deliver for this local community. Happy to take a few questions.
JOURNALIST: While you're here in Perth, are you meeting with Noongar leaders or elders to discuss the alleged terrorist attack and what, to listen to them, and what actions they would like you to take?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as you know, because you're on the plane with me, we are going back direct to Canberra. We're in between sitting weeks, but we have engaged - Malarndirri McCarthy, our Minister for Indigenous Affairs, travelled here and has been here for the announcement and has met with elders. I've also met with Indigenous leaders in Canberra during the week and previously as well. This has been a devastating incident and I called it out very early on, as soon as it occurred. But it, of course, this week has been declared as a terrorist act. Our thoughts are with the Indigenous Australians. There is no place in Australia for racism and for hate. And the fact that the police did, I think, an extraordinary job. But also, the organisers of the event that was held here as well responded very quickly to what was a very difficult situation.
JOURNALIST: They're also calling for a Truth and Justice Commission in response to the attack. Are you open to looking at that again?
PRIME MINISTER: We will deal with policy in an orderly way. That is what we do.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, there are a series of protests planned over the next few days when President Herzog visits Australia, including in Sydney, where there are protections in place and people are planning to defy those orders. What do you say to people who will turn out over the next few days who do not welcome President Herzog's visit?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I say is that in Australia, in a democracy, like in Israel, which is a democracy, people have a right to express their views. But I do want to make this point - that President Herzog is coming in the context of the devastating antisemitic terrorist attack that occurred at Bondi on 14 December. I, along with President Herzog, will meet with families of those victims, those innocent lives that were stolen from people in that local community. They were husbands, fathers, daughters, sisters, friends, loved ones. And the visit of President Herzog is to support the Jewish community at what has been a very difficult time. President Herzog is the equivalent of the Governor-General of Australia. So, people will have their views about the Middle East. As I've said, people want, in Australia, I think people want innocent lives to be protected, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian, but they want something else as well - they don't want conflict brought here. And I hope that people are respectful of the fact that this is a difficult time for families, particularly in the Bondi community, from the Chabad community there.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, it took about two weeks for police to probably designate the alleged bombing in Perth as a terrorist attack. Are you comfortable with that time frame? Because some people say it took too long.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. This isn't - this is a serious thing. You've got to prove intent as well. Police have to be allowed to go about their job. And I met personally, the Head of the WA Police came to Canberra, I met with him, the AFP Commissioner of course, then travelled here for the announcement. It's important that these things be got right and the motivation, the investigations that have occurred have been comprehensive. I've been briefed on them and that is important, I think that we give our police and our authorities the space to do their job. I understand that people would like, in the media can just declare things. There are no legal status behind that as well. There is a legal status behind a declaration of a terrorism event that has to be gone through in accordance with the law.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, there's been a bit of talk about interest rates and so forth obviously in the last few days and we've sort of seen Michelle Bullock has dispelled Jim Chalmers' claims that government spending was not a factor in the Central Bank's decision to lift interest rates. Do you disagree with that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the RBA have made it very clear that private demand recovered faster than was expected last year and the public demand growth decreased. That is what they have said. Jim Chalmers' position has been completely consistent with that as well.
JOURNALIST: Will your budget in May be prepared to make some tough decisions about how much the government is spending?
PRIME MINISTER: Every one of our budgets make tough decisions. We've made $114 billion of savings including $20 billion in the Mid-Year Economic Forecast last December. Now the last budget of the Morrison and Frydenberg Budgets had zero savings, not a dollar, not a zac. We have banked most of the revenue upgrades that have occurred since we came to office, under the former government over that long period of neglect of WA and, and long period of deficits each and every year, what we had was a majority of the revenue upgrades being spent. So, there's a big difference between the two approaches. My government has been defined by responsible economic management, orderly decision making, rolling out a commitment to our promises that we've made, such as the delivery of Urgent Care Clinics, but also making sure that when it comes to our expenditure, the expenditure on things such as health, whether it be cheaper medicines, Urgent Care Clinics, the hospitals deal, the 1800MEDICARE plan are all important, Medicare Mental Health Clinics that are being rolled out as well are critical. So, we have made sure, line by line is what we do and we'll be doing it again in the lead up to the Budget in May.
JOURNALIST: Any changes to the Capital Gains Tax, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we have a tax policy and it's out there for all to see. It's an income tax cut in July, and another one next year.
JOURNALIST: [inaudible] Capital Gains Tax, or grandfather it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have a tax policy, and it's to give tax cuts to every Australians. Our opponents had a policy of having tax increases for every Australian that they took to the election. Last one.
JOURNALIST: I just wanted to - you don't seem to be dispelling changes to capital gains -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I'm doing is saying what we're doing, which is we're giving a tax cut for every single Australian.
JOURNALIST: Did you, so, just to be clear, sorry, Prime Minister, I just want to be clear on this. Do you acknowledge that government spending contributed to inflation, hence was it a contributor to interest rates going up?
PRIME MINISTER: What I acknowledge is that we have been a responsible government. We've been a government that's made $114 billion of savings, unlike the former government that didn't do that. And like the Reserve Bank made clear in their decision and the statement that they released, overwhelmingly, the issue has been the faster recovery than expected in private demand.
JOURNALIST: Do you have any more federal policy plans in response to that alleged terrorist attack? Is there more you can do as the Prime Minister to address racism against First Nations Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we keep - I'm absolutely committed to outlawing and to taking action on racism wherever I see it. I'm someone who supports reconciliation with First Nations people and I've done what I can, and some might regard some of what we have done as taking political risks up front to recognise the position that First Nations people are in. I understand, you know, some of the comments that were made, including by people who know better, who know better, made comments during the Voice Referendum that they knew -
JOURNALIST: But particularly responding to this incident?
PRIME MINISTER: - that they knew were not true. This is an action by an individual who has been radicalised online. Radicalised online. I can't go into all of the detail because those matters will be gone through the court. But white supremacy and actions - we have made very clear that the threats which are out there, as has the Director-General of ASIO, made it clear that issues of far right extremism, the issue of sovereign citizens, issues of a rise in antisemitism, there's a range of issues that are causing concern. And of course, this incident that occurred here in Perth is incredibly distressing. The item that was thrown didn't detonate. That is very fortunate. There would have been catastrophic consequences had that occurred. There is no place for hate. But that is a job that isn't just for government. That's a job for you, the media. That's a job for us as a society to have that open and frank discussion. I have said we need to dial the debate down. Not everything has to be at 11. Not everything in clickbait has to appeal to people's worst elements. Not everything has to be pushed, as algorithms do, further and further and further. And that's not just social media. That's also, if you look at any of the websites and look at the title on them and then click on what you often find is a very dramatic title, but a benign story, that isn't about much at all. There will, I guarantee there will probably be one about this press conference, about some issue or other that has a dramatic, dramatic impact. We need to dial it down. We really do, because what is happening is that more and more, we are seeing, we are seeing, you know, people who - it's very difficult to detect someone who is, who is radicalised in whatever form, online, in isolation, not as part of a group or a political movement, but in isolation. That is something that we should all be conscious of. And I've been to funerals of police officers in Queensland, of police officers in Melbourne. I've sat in the homes of people in Bondi who've lost their loved ones. We need to dial down the debate. It's not an ideological statement. There are people who, across the political spectrum, need to take that on board and we need to be able to have discourse in this country that is more respectful, that is more respectful, and the right to disagree civilly and to have that discussion. Less shouting, less capitals and more dialogue would be a really good idea. Thanks very much.