We are pleased to announce that the Governor-General, His Excellency the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has accepted the advice of the Government to appoint the Honourable Justice Debra Mortimer as Australia’s new Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia (Federal Court).

Justice Mortimer is only the fifth Chief Justice of the Federal Court and the first female Chief Justice appointed since the Court was established in 1976.

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 am proud to lead a government that will give all Australians the opportunity to vote for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at a referendum later this year.

I know Qantas has a deep and longstanding commitment to the cause of reconciliation – and recognition.

And Australia has been talking about this for a long time.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: The Uluru Statement from the Heart invites all Australians to walk together to a better future. Today, we take a very important step forward on that journey. After many months of careful consideration on the draft form of words that I presented at Garma last July, the Referendum Working Group and the Government have agreed on the provisions that all Australians will vote on in this year’s Referendum. I want to thank, sincerely, all the members of the Working Group and all who have engaged with them.

The Albanese Government is taking the next steps on the path to constitutional recognition through a Voice by introducing the Constitution Alteration Bill into the Parliament.

Cabinet has listened to the Referendum Working Group. The question the Parliament will now consider to be put to the Australian people at the 2023 referendum will be:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

MARY DOYLE, LABOR CANDIDATE FOR ASTON: Hello, everyone. I’m Mary Doyle, I’m the Labor Candidate for the Aston by-election. It’s really exciting to be here at Swinburne TAFE with the Prime Minister and Ministers O’Connor and Aly. And thanks to everyone including the wonderful students for showing us around this morning. TAFE is something I'm hugely passionate about, having been a TAFE student myself many years ago.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: After a wasted decade under the Coalition, today is a very good day indeed. A great day for our environment, for jobs, and for the economy. A good day for manufacturing, but a good day as well for all those who voted for a government to take action on climate change last May. The fact is that we, in Australia, have seen the devastating impact of climate change.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Last night, the Senate passed the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund legislation. I went to the election with a clear commitment that I wanted a future made in Australia. And that's what this legislation is about. Recognising that during the pandemic, our vulnerabilities at the end of supply chains were exposed for all to see. We've been very good at exporting our resources and should continue to do so.

Today, the Prime Minister and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs launched a commemorative medallion to honour those who served in the Vietnam War.

The medallion is a small but meaningful way to honour the service of Vietnam veterans and to recognise the sacrifice of those who never returned home and that of their families.

WILLIAM BROWNLESS, HOST: Welcome to Triple M Melbourne.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here. I'm a little bit nervous after that intro, I've got to say, Billy.

BROWNLESS: I did run for politics on the other side. Jeff Kennett tried to get me up.

PRIME MINISTER: There was your first mistake.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, the Hon Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, to Australia from 20 - 25 March as a guest of the Australian Government.

Australia and Samoa are close partners with a longstanding relationship that is underpinned by mutual respect and trust.

The Prime Ministers will discuss ways to strengthen our partnership and regional cooperation in support of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient Blue Pacific.