BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: Good morning to you, Prime Minister. I think I can nearly wave at you from the Torres Strait. How's the mood there in PNG?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Well, you can. If you’re on Saibai, you could swim, because you can see PNG from that island.
BRENNAN: Yeah, it really reminds us just how close in relationship and economic ties and all sorts of ties that we have with PNG. Tell us about the significance of this anniversary, 50 years of independence for Papua New Guineans. What's the mood like there, Prime Minister, and how are people feeling as they go to celebrate this significant anniversary?
PRIME MINISTER: The mood is one of celebration right throughout the entire nation. Importantly, 50 years ago, the Australian flag was lowered. It wasn't torn down. This was a peaceful transition. And they're celebrating and praising Mr Somare and others who were the leaders of the independence movement. There's been praise for the way that the Australian Government conducted itself under Gough Whitlam at that time as well. We have His Royal Highness Prince Edward here, representing the Royal Family. This is a big event. There are leaders from all over the world, in particular all of the Pacific nations. The Vice President of Indonesia is here. And it's celebratory. People are wearing flags and waving flags everywhere here. It's a great occasion. This is an amazing country. You have more than 1,000 tribes, 800 languages. There is nowhere on Earth that has as many languages as PNG. And it has, of course, overcome great difficulties given the diversity that's here, the fact that democracy has not only survived, it's thrived and it continues to operate effectively here in PNG. Of course, we have great economic relationship, a security partnership. We have people to people relations as well. And it's been a great privilege to be here. I was here last year walking the Kokoda Track in the lead up to Anzac Day with Prime Minister Marape, and it's wonderful to be back here.
BRENNAN: Prime Minister, are we about to imminently sign a defence pact that would see us legally obliged to come to PNG's aid and, vice versa, have Papua New Guineans come to our defence in the event of a conflict?
PRIME MINISTER: This is about the sovereignty of both Australia and PNG. This agreement that's going through the processes here in PNG will just take that partnership to the next level. It will be a treaty similar to the relationship that we have with the United States. And it will be a very significant partnership, just elevating issues such as interoperability of our armed forces. We, of course, cooperate greatly on a day-to-day basis. This formalises this. It strengthens Papua New Guinea. It also strengthens Australia, because a strong region is certainly in our interests. And of course, in 2028, everyone here is very excited about the entry of a PNG team into the National Rugby League competition. It is certainly the national sport here, I can assure you. And as you go around Port Moresby, you see people wearing State of Origin jumpers. Of course, there's always a random Souths guy, a lot of Cowboys supporters and Broncos supporters here, and a lot of excitement.
BRENNAN: Well, perhaps we need to get AFL their Prime Minister as well. As a Victorian, I might advocate for that. But look, just back to the defence pact. Has this had sign off or final approval from both our Cabinet and from the Cabinet there in PNG?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we’ve signed up. But we have processes as well we have to go through, of course. For treaties, it goes to our treaties committee in the Parliament. That will happen. Quite clearly, there will be overwhelming support for it. I'm sure there'll be overwhelming support for it here as well. It was due to go to the PNG Cabinet yesterday. Because everyone's off celebrating right around the country, Richard Marles is up at Lae at the moment with – I think he's with the Deputy Prime Minister or his counterpart here, in the northern part of PNG. There's celebrations going on everywhere, so they weren't able to have a quorum that they have. But they're going through that process and it has overwhelming support and it'll be a very good thing.
BRENNAN: All right. So, still waiting for final approval here on the Torres Strait, Prime Minister. As you know, I mean, the effects of climate change are on the doorstep. It's heartbreaking to hear from some of the elders about what they're saying on their islands. I think it's fair to say Torres Strait Islanders are expecting a very ambitious emissions reduction target from the Government. Will they see one?
PRIME MINISTER: It'll be ambitious, but achievable. That's what we need to do. We'll wait and see what the Climate Change Authority advice is. We'll consider it, we'll release it. And we'll release what the Government's target is for 2035. We of course have an ambitious target of 43 per cent by 2030. At the moment, we're tracking pretty much there. We're tracking towards 42 and we reckon we can get there. It's an important part of Net Zero by 2050. And of course, in the Torres Strait and so many low-lying areas of Australia where a country that is very vast, but we tend to live around the coastlines and we also are very vulnerable to extreme weather events. The science told us that Australia always had some extreme weather events, but they'd be more often and more intense. And that is what we are seeing playing out.
BRENNAN: Well, Prime Minister, thanks for your time this morning from PNG and we'll let you get on with those wonderful celebrations there in Port Moresby.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks so much, Bridget. And enjoy the beautiful Torres Strait. It's a wonderful part of our nation.