The Albanese Government has agreed to a major defence export deal with Germany, signing an in-principle agreement for Australia to supply more than 100 Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles, built in Brisbane.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed the signing of the agreement by Ambassador to Germany Philip Green and Mr Benedikt Zimmer, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence, during his visit to Berlin.
OLAF SCHOLZ, CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY: I am delighted to be able to welcome you to the German Capital on your first official visit. Especially in times like these, we can see how important it is to closely exchange with partners, also with partners that are half a world away, if you will, like our friends from Down Under. Just ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius that will begin tomorrow, we see this opportunity to discuss Russian aggression in Ukraine and its impact. We also spoke about the challenges ahead for both of our countries.
KIA HANDLEY, HOST: Prime Minister, good afternoon.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, good to be with you.
HANDLEY: How much dirt did you move today to make the job a little easier for the tradies?
PRIME MINISTER: I've got to say, between the three of us with three shovels -
HANDLEY: The job’s done.
JAMES VALENTINE, HOST: They'll be previewing what the Robodebt Royal Commission might find, what will be in it. Let's put some of those questions to the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese as well, who joins us this morning. Prime Minister. Very good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Good to be with you.
VALENTINE: Thanks for coming on. What is it you don't know? If you look at the report, what's the question you want answered?
Today, Commissioner Catherine Holmes AC SC has delivered the Final Report of the Robodebt Royal Commission.
The Royal Commission has found that “Robodebt was a crude and cruel mechanism, neither fair nor legal, and it made many people feel like criminals. In essence, people were traumatised on the off-chance they might owe money. It was a costly failure of public administration, in both human and economic terms” (page xxix, Overview of Robodebt).
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: This morning the government received the final report of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The government has publicly released this report as soon as it was tabled this morning and will now carefully consider the recommendations that are presented in the final report. First, I do want to thank the Royal Commissioner, Catherine Holmes AC SC, and those who assisted her in undertaking this absolutely critical inquiry.
MIKKI SILVERMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FORHEALTH: Welcome, my name is Mikki Silverman, and I'm an Executive Director of ForHealth. I'm joined today by our Operations Manager for WA, Cat Rippon, and our Regional Clinical Director, Dr. Carmichael Patu. We have really great pleasure in welcoming the Honourable Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Roger Cook, Premier for Western Australia, and the Honourable Madeleine King, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia and member for Brand.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Europe to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on July 10 before attending the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania from 11 – 12 July.
Australia and Germany are firmly united as strategic partners and close friends. The Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz will discuss deepening cooperation between Australia and Germany in a range of areas including trade and investment, the clean energy transition, and defence.
NARELDA JACOBS, HOST: Millions of Australians might be breathing a sigh of relief following the Reserve Bank's decision to hold official interest rates at 4.1%, but experts say the real cost of living pain hasn't even hit yet. We're joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Prime Minister, thanks for joining us on Midday. Now we know the full flow on effects of all twelve interest rate hikes hasn’t even hit yet. Is it a bit alarming when we have to wait for unemployment to rise before inflation can go down?
RICHARD KING, HOST: Good morning, Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Richard. Good to speak with you again.
KING: Likewise. You will be in Newcastle today, literally turning the first sod on the new terminal at Newcastle Airport. Good to see you in God's own country again today in the heart and soul of Australia, Prime Minister.