Prior to Question Time today, David Littleproud did me the courtesy of informing me that he would be stepping down as Leader of the Nationals.
As has always been the case, we were able to have that genuine and personal conversation with total confidence. I have always valued that and I thank him for it.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, thanks for joining us. Can I just begin by giving a shout out to the communities, particularly in the Northern Territory, but as well in Queensland? A large monsoon trough remains over the top end of the Northern Territory and it's impacting communities across the Big Rivers region. Heavy rain as well is there in South East Queensland as the tropical low continues to track south. South East Queensland is expected to experience large rainfall totals today.
Iran’s reprisal attacks continue to escalate, already at a scale and depth we have not seen before; 12 countries in the region are continuing to be targeted.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone has been forced to shoot down over 1,500 rockets and drones. This growing wave of dangerous and destabilising attacks from Iran puts civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives.
In responding to requests, Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail to the Gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians.
KIERAN GILBERT, HOST: Prime Minister Albanese, thanks for your time, I know you've been meeting with the National Security Committee again. It's a week into this conflict. Reports that some Australian submariners were on board a US sub that sank an Iranian ship. Can you confirm that for us?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much for joining us. And it is wonderful to have welcomed my friend, Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada to Australia. And to be able to reciprocate the generous hospitality that I received at last year's G7 Summit. Canada is one of Australia's closest and long standing partners.
Prime Minister Carney, Madame Fox-Carney, it is my great honour and absolute pleasure to welcome you and all the members of your delegation to our Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia.
And I know I speak for every member of this place, when I say we are very much looking forward to your address.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister and your delegation, you are very welcome in Australia. Our two nations share values. We share common interests as well. One of the things that we've been discussing over a period of time is as middle powers, how we can cooperate across the whole sphere of economic, defence, social, environmental relationships as well. We're both impacted by climate change, and one of the practical ways that we assist each other is your firefighters helping us and our firefighters helping you.
The Australian Government acknowledges the outstanding leadership of Pat Turner AM as she concludes her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NAACHO) and Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks.
A proud Gudanji-Arrernte woman, Pat Turner is a true giant of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health.
Pat is a fierce and formidable advocate and has dedicated her life to the wellbeing and self-determination of First Nations people and communities.
The time has come for high-speed rail in Australia — for the good of Australians and, as the business case now shows, for the good of the economy.
In our first term, we legislated the High Speed Rail Authority to develop that business case. Now that it is complete, we can continue turning that vision into reality. We’re doing that by moving the Sydney to Newcastle stage into the development phase.
This is a big project worthy of a big nation. While the costs are necessarily high, the returns will be even greater.