I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

To the magnificent duo of Michele O’Neil and Sally McManus, thank you for your leadership, your friendship and all you do for working people.

It is a great honour to address this Congress for the first time as Prime Minister of Australia. 

I have to say, over the years, some of us from New South Wales and Queensland always had a suspicion that the Victorians and South Australians were running this show.

Good evening, friends.

Buona festa della repubblica!

It’s such a pleasure to be with you to celebrate Italy’s national day.

The story of Italian Australians is deeply and proudly woven into the fabric of our nation.

Over so many generations, Italian families have made their lives here and enriched this country beyond measure.

You have played such a cherished role in the shaping of our modern nation that Australia without Italians is quite simply beyond imagining.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, two weeks ago we delivered a Budget for every Australian. A tax cut for every single taxpayer, all 13.6 million of them, not just some. Support through energy relief of $300 for every household, not just some. Medicare strengthened in every single community and more homes for every part of Australia. Our $32 billion housing investment, homes for Australians is making a significant difference. And part of that $32 billion was the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator that we put in place last June.

SARAH MACDONALD, HOST: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, joins me now. He's just landed in Sydney on his way to an announcement about social housing. I think you're in a tunnel, but can you hear me, Prime Minister?

More than 700 people will have a safe and affordable home to live in with the restoration of 290 previously uninhabitable, vacant homes by the New South Wales Government, delivered with $25 million of Albanese Labor Government funding from the Social Housing Accelerator.

To date, the New South Wales Government has restored 277 homes, including 165 cottages, 30 townhouses, 7 villas and 75 units, with this Commonwealth funding. The 13 remaining homes will be restored by the end of June.

Dr Iain Ross AO has been appointed as the acting Chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency, replacing outgoing Chair Mr Greg Combet.

Dr Ross will take up the position on 1 June 2024, with the Government to appoint Dr Ross as the inaugural Chair of the Net Zero Economy Authority once legislation to establish the Authority passes the Parliament.

The Government extends its gratitude to Mr Combet for his leadership and commitment in setting up the Net Zero Economy Agency.

The Albanese Labor Government is working to end violence against women and children in one generation and has appointed an Expert Panel to conduct a rapid review into best-practice prevention approaches.

The Panel will meet for the first time today and deliver a report to Government later this year.

The Panel will:

MARK KENNY, HOST: Welcome to a very special Democracy Sausage episode. I'm Mark Kenny, Director of the Australian Studies Institute at ANU. Do you know that the Albanese Government is now two years old? So joining me to reflect on that milestone is the man himself, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Welcome to the podcast, PM.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Very good to be with you, Mark.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

I thank our hosts, the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue.

And I acknowledge all my colleagues here today, every one of them a champion for this great part of our nation. 

Western Sydney reflects the aspiration that drives Australia.

The courage, compassion and community spirit that our Government works every day to reward and to nourish.

The enterprise and initiative of small businesses.

GARY CLARE, HOST: Remember before the news, I said, you know, we've got the Green in the Hands, First Time Friday and we've also got the Prime Minister coming up. And then we said, you know what? He could actually ring up for the quiz.

MARK HINE, HOST: Yeah.

GARY: Because he's never been on before. And there's nothing in the rules that says a Prime Minister can't play. First Time Friday, Grand in the Hand, win a $1,000. Good morning, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.