Australia is a step closer to manufacturing more reliable renewables at home, with the Albanese Government’s $1 billion Solar Sunshot program now open.

Australia has always been a solar powerhouse – the ideas invented here have lit the way for the global energy transformation underway.

But while one in three Australian households have solar – the highest take-up in the world – only one per cent of those solar panels have been made in Australia.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It's fantastic to be back in Rocky again today, this time to announce our candidate for the electorate of Capricornia. And I'm very proud that Emily Mawson will be Labor's candidate for the electorate of Capricornia. Emily is someone who grew up in the coalfields near here, finished high school at Moranbah, now lives at Yeppoon. She's someone who knows all parts of this electorate of Capricornia. She now works as a lawyer on issues including asbestos and dust diseases, the impact that it has on working people.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, what a beautiful day here in sunny Brisbane. It certainly is the Sunshine State today, and I'm very excited to be here. I'm excited to pay tribute to my friend Graham Perrett firstly. Graham Perrett was elected in 2007 as part of our coming into government, and over 17 years now, Graham has been an enormous fighter for the people of Moreton.

RAF EPSTEIN, HOST: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, joins you on the program. Good morning.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Raf. Good to be with you.

EPSTEIN: Can I start with the Pacific Islands Forum? Did you lead to the distraction? They overheard you saying something to the US. Is that your fault or the journalist's fault?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: This has been an extremely successful Pacific Island Forum meeting up to this point. Obviously, today we have the Leaders’ Retreat, and I'm really looking forward to engaging. We had a wonderful informal evening last night, listening particularly to the wonderful singing. And we had a jazz band, they had the full bit of entertainment, and it was an opportunity to mix informally with Pacific leaders, following up from the number of bilateral meetings that I held yesterday.

FELETI TEO, PRIME MINISTER OF TUVALU: Good afternoon to you all. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, invited guests, I acknowledge the presence of my fellow Tuvaluans who have made Tonga their home. Welcome to this momentous occasion. Today marks the entry into force of the ground-breaking Falepili Union Treaty between Tuvalu and Australia. The Treaty signifies a new, elevated, advanced, integrated and a more comprehensive relationship between Tuvalu and Australia.

HU'AKAVAMEILIKU, PRIME MINISTER OF TONGA: Honourable Prime Minister's, Excellencies, media, it is my pleasure to speak of this initiative. Tonga has been fully supportive of the Pacific Policing Initiative. Tonga has, through its Police Commissioner, been involved since its inception, through the Pacific Islands Chief of Police. The Pacific Island Chief of Police is now leading on the design of the Pacific Policing Initiative as a new integrated regional policing capability to support foreign members. It is designed around three pillars.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Hon Feleti Teo OBE, today announced the entry into force of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty.

The Falepili Union Treaty was signed at last year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in the Cook Islands, responding to Tuvalu’s request of Australia to help safeguard the future of Tuvalu. The Treaty covers three main areas of collaboration: climate cooperation, mobility with dignity, and shared security.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with his Tongan counterpart, Prime Minister the Hon Hu’akavameiliku, during the Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Nuku’alofa today. Australia is pleased to be working closely with Tonga, as the new Forum Chair, on the most important issues facing our region.

Australia’s relationship with Tonga is built on our long-standing development, economic and security partnerships. It is underpinned by the rich ties between our people, including a valued 40,000-strong community of Tongan Australians.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has today joined other Pacific leaders to endorse the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), a major regional initiative to strengthen collective peace and security throughout the Pacific.

The PPI will boost the capability of Pacific nations to meet law and order and internal security requirements, and to support each other in times of need. The PPI has three pillars: