DAVID DOWSETT, HOST: And Anthony Albanese will soon be in Beijing, the first visit by an Australian leader in seven years. But today, a ginger beer in Bundaberg. Prime Minister, good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. It's wonderful to be back in this beautiful part of the world.
DOWSETT: Yes. So, you're here to crack open our most famous soft drink’s new factory?
PRIME MINISTER: I am indeed. It's fantastic. This has seen an extraordinary investment, a total investment of more than $150 million. Two years construction underway, a big new lab, as well as manufacturing and new processing equipment. And Bundaberg brew drinks. Wherever you go around the world, it identifies with this region and with Queensland. It's an amazing product. The Australian Government provided some $19 million to assist with the manufacturing growth here, to make sure that it stayed on shore. It's such an iconic Australian brand. And there were 850 jobs in construction, but more than 600 ongoing jobs created here in the region. So, it certainly is a fantastic product and it will be a proud day today in support of Australian manufacturing.
DOWSETT: It is not all about the fizz, though, is it? What's the Medicare news?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, on Medicare, we have announced today that we've finalised the tendering process for our Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. What this is is somewhere in between the local doctor and the local emergency department. If little Susie or little Johnny comes off their skateboard or their bike, or someone gets their finger chopped while sorting out the barbecue, or someone rolls their ankle and has a potential break or fracture, they can go to an Urgent Care Clinic, get the support they need when they need it, without clogging up the emergency department. And all they need, of course, is their Medicare card, not their credit card. So, this will be a real bonus. More than 40 per cent of presentations to the hospital of Bundaberg are for non urgent or semi urgent care.
DOWSETT: So, you think they'll really take off the pressure for emergency departments?
PRIME MINISTER: They really are. Like, it's making an enormous difference right around the country where these have been opened. And this will be open in Walkervale and will make an enormous difference. It's one of 58 centres that we're opening around the country. There will be 11 of those across Queensland, overwhelmingly in regional Queensland, and it will make a big difference. There'll be one up the road in Rocky and even further up in Cairns, one on Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Townsville. And they have been, I've seen firsthand, I've been in the ones that have been open, spoken to patients who've come in, got their break or their cut fixed in record time. And it's made an enormous difference. Taking pressure off emergency departments, it's a part of our strengthening Medicare that we want to work with the Queensland Government on doing, and part of that is improving that primary healthcare. But part of it as well is this, together with the tripling of bulk billing incentives, begins just tomorrow on the first of November. And that is going to make an enormous difference, the largest ever increase since Medicare was brought in.
DOWSETT: So, Prime Minister, America one day, Bundaberg today, soon you're off to China. What do you really hope to come out of that trip to Beijing?
PRIME MINISTER: I think the visit in itself is a positive. We've already seen some real breakthroughs in removing the impediments to trade that particularly were having an impact in our regions, whether that be in coal, in timber, in other products. Importantly, the benefit in barley was worth some $900 million. Wine will be worth $1.2 billion per year every year. So, getting that trade going again between Australia and China. We saw the return of the journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained for three years, now back with her kids in Melbourne. And we want to see a stabilisation of the relationship, where we cooperate wherever we can, we disagree where we have differences and we're open and honest about them and can talk those issues through. We have different political systems, of course, and different values, but it always makes sense to have dialogue and to be talking.
DOWSETT: Do you plan to ask some of the tough questions about, for example, what's going on in the South China Sea?
PRIME MINISTER: We certainly will. We think that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is very important. It's an important passageway for Australia's trade up to Japan and Korea. And it's important that international laws be respected. And so, we have engaged on those issues. And we'll continue to raise them with China, but we'll raise them directly to them. They know where we stand on these issues. But when one in four of our export dollars heads to just one destination, China, more than the combination of the next three, the United States, South Korea and Japan, then this is a relationship that has a direct impact on jobs here in Australia and on our economy. And that's why the relationship is important. And that's why my visit on the 50th anniversary of the first visit by Gough Whitlam way back in 1973 will commemorate that event.
DOWSETT: It's a delicate balance for you, though, isn't it? Do you feel you're sort of walking quite the diplomatic tightrope here?
PRIME MINISTER: What I have found is that Australians are pretty direct. And the Australian people want me to be direct about our interests. To put things in a respectful and direct way is a way to achieve outcomes and breakthroughs and advances in the relationship. And that's the approach that I've had. China will have differences with us as well, and I expect that they will put those directly to me while I'm there. I'll visit a trade fair is going on in Shanghai and I'll be hosted there by Premier Li and then we'll have a meeting with President Xi in Beijing on Monday. So, it will be an important visit. And China knows that we're in an alliance with the United States. They know that we're a nation that stands up for human rights and for the rule of law. And they expect us to do that. I've been direct about that. And I think you've seen the improvement in the relationship in part because of just the way that we have conducted it.
DOWSETT: This is ABC Wide Bay. It's almost six minutes to 8. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is with me. Prime Minister, the failed referendum had some of its strongest opposition in our region. What damage has this done for you politically in this neck of the woods, do you think?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was never about me. It was about whether we'd recognise the First Australians in our Constitution. It was something that I believe it was time that we did that and that we do it in the form that was asked for after a process that was established by the former Government that came together in 2017 with the First Nations Constitutional Convention and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. I think that process needed to be brought to a conclusion. Previous governments had said that they would hold a referendum and never got around to it. Peter Dutton has said it was Liberal Party policy, and still is, to hold a referendum, and it was over countless elections. You can't continue to just drag that out. It was important the Australian people be given a say. They did that. We've respected the outcome of that. We need to find a different path to achieve reconciliation.
DOWSETT: It cost $400 million. How do you respond to those who say it was a huge waste of money?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it didn't cost that. Well, Peter Dutton has said that he wants to have another one, although I'm not sure that that's held for more than a week. I'm a Prime Minister who, when I make a commitment and when I say I will do something, I do it. And I think the Australian people understand that. I was elected with a platform of having a referendum, as was Scott Morrison in 2019, as was Malcolm Turnbull in 2016. And Tony Abbott established the process that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. So, I think people understand and respect the fact that we said we would hold a referendum. We did. And I think for Indigenous Australians, many of them are very disappointed by the outcome. And that's understandable. If you look at the vote in places like Palm Island and Mornington and Yarrabah and the Northern Territory remote communities, overwhelmingly they voted Yes in the order of up to 93 per cent in one of those booths, but with a large majority. This is something that is, John Howard spoke about our Constitution being incomplete. That was 20 years ago. So, we said we would do something. We did it. We respect the outcome. And we'll work with Indigenous communities and with all Australians to see how we can close the gap, how we can make a difference. Because I think Australians do want to see those gaps closed in health and housing and education and life expectancy.
DOWSETT: Prime Minister, devastating fires right across Queensland right now and also our region being impacted. Any plans for Federal help through the crisis?
PRIME MINISTER: There is Federal help available for individuals in the areas that have been declared disaster-affected. For individuals, $180 in emergency assistance, up to $900 available for a family of five or more. Support also available for up to $5,000 per household for uninsured residents to reconnect with essential services. And the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. So, we make sure that that support kicks in in partnership with the State Government. Murray Watt, the Emergency Services Minister, is in the Darling Downs today. I've had discussions as well, I spoke with David Littleproud, the local Federal Member, in their area worst-affected just yesterday.
DOWSETT: Okay, Prime Minister, just quickly, because it's just a minute and a half to the news, but leaders in a number of Pacific nations have expressed concern that the Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme isn't working for them. What discussions have you had in the Pacific about the PALM scheme?
PRIME MINISTER: We've had important discussions. We've got, I hosted Prime Minister Rabuka of Fiji at the Lodge just a couple of weeks ago. We'll look at any modification that's necessary. We want this to be a win-win program. It's a win for Australia, particularly in the agriculture sector that needs labour to pick fruit and to assist with that agricultural production. But we want to make sure that there are benefits for our Pacific neighbours and friends. And certainly, the scheme has been a great success over a long period of time.
DOWSETT: Is its future secure?
PRIME MINISTER: Its future is certainly secure. We think it's a vital part of the link between us and our Pacific neighbours. And the Pacific leaders that I speak to are very supportive of the scheme. From time to time, there are issues raised. And we certainly will deal with them.
DOWSETT: Prime Minister, appreciate your time this morning. Here's to a very fruitful trip in China. Thanks very much.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much. Have a lovely day.