ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Thank you very much Prime Minister, and thank you for the very warm welcome that you have given us here in Vietnam. Thank you, as well, to your entire people for the warm welcome that we had yesterday on our arrival.
PHAM MINH CHINH, PRIME MINISTER OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM: The Honourable Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, distinguished delegates, once again, I'd like to extend my warmest welcome to you, Mr Prime Minister, on your first official visit to Vietnam. This visit bears great importance, for it coincides with the year of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries, 1973-2023. And the fifth anniversary of our strategic partnership, 2018-2023.
FIFI BOX, HOST: Right now, this is very exciting. There has been one man that believed in us when we first came up with the idea to do this marathon. It is our very own Prime Minister and he's joining us now, Anthony Albanese.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Fifi. I backed you in you in, and what good judgement that was. That was beautiful singing, I love Barbara Streisand.
BOX: Oh, you heard me? How embarrassing.
PRIME MINISTER: It was awesome.
I am pleased to invite visitors to the Kirribilli House Open Day on Saturday 3 June.
While Kirribilli House is the Prime Minister’s official residence in Sydney, the Australian people are its true custodians.
Along with Admiralty House, Kirribilli House grounds and gardens will be open to the public from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Since 1957, Kirribilli House has been a Commonwealth property for special occasions and official purposes, including as an official residence. Countless international dignitaries have visited for bilateral talks and official events.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met today with Acting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai in Singapore for the 8th Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting.
Australia and Singapore are close friends and long-term strategic and economic partners, with an enduring relationship that has evolved to meet the shared opportunities and challenges facing our region.
LAWRENCE WONG, ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE: I want to start by welcoming Prime Minister Albanese and his delegation to Singapore. This is the Prime Minister's first official visit to Singapore so we are delighted that you are here. I want to convey greetings from Prime Minister Lee who unfortunately couldn’t be here because of a COVID rebound. He had been looking forward to meeting all of you again since the last meeting in Canberra in October.
THE HON LAWRENCE WONG, ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Albanese, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Let me once again welcome Prime Minister Albanese on his first official visit to Singapore. Prime Minister Lee is unable to be here today, because he has had a case of COVID rebound. But I'm happy to receive Prime Minister Albanese as my first official visitor in my capacity as Acting Prime Minister. We met before, in 2017, when he was here as a Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellow.
LAWRENCE WONG, ACTING PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE: I'm delighted to welcome Prime Minister Albanese and his delegation to Singapore once again. This is the Prime Minister's first official visit to Singapore as Prime Minister. But, of course, Singapore is no stranger to him. He has visited Singapore many times in various capacities, in 2014, for example, for the World Cities Summit, in 2017 as a Lee Kuan Yew Exchange fellow, and there was also the occasion when I first met him, when I was then in the Ministry of National Development.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Premier McGowan rang me this morning and told me of his intention to announce his resignation as Premier. I want to pay tribute to Mark McGowan, my friend, a confidant, but also an extraordinarily successful premier of Western Australia. During the pandemic Mark McGowan stood strong. He stood strong against the claims that WA people should just open up. He did the right thing in order to keep Western Australians safe.