HENRY PUNA, SECRETARY-GENERAL TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM: Prime Minister, good morning.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Welcome to Canberra.

SECRETARY-GENERAL: Thank you. Brought the sunshine.

PRIME MINISTER: You have. It was very miserable yesterday.

SECRETARY-GENERAL: It was more miserable last weekend when our Blues team didn't do too well.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much for joining us. Today the Government will introduce legislation to terminate the Russian Federation's lease for a proposed diplomatic presence just next to Parliament House. We anticipate this legislation will pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate this morning. This action follows the conclusion of long-running litigation regarding the site. The Federal Court found that an eviction order made by the National Capital Authority was invalid, and this matter was concluded a couple of weeks ago on 31 May.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. And I thank Marni for beginning us off so constructively and well this morning.

I am proud to lead a Government that will give every Australian the opportunity to vote for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the last quarter of this year.

ANDREW CLENNELL, HOST: Well, thanks for joining us.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here.

CLENNELL: So, you've had eleven interest rate hikes since you’ve become PM.

PRIME MINISTER: Good start, Andrew.

CLENNELL: How's that narrow path to avoid recession going?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm very positive and optimistic about the future. You forgot that there was one beforehand.

CLENNELL: I thought you'd mention it.

The political world is filled with people with sharp elbows, but Bruce Childs wasn’t one of them.

Guided in perfect tandem by the passion of his convictions and his unwavering kindness, Bruce was a gentle giant of the labour movement.

He was a trade union secretary. ALP official. Senator. National ALP Left convenor. Evatt Foundation president and life member.

A peace activist. A man of principle, commitment and loyalty.

A man who spoke up for those who couldn’t.

SCOTT LEVI, HOST: The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins us on the line. Good morning, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Scott, on what is a truly tragic morning for the people of the Hunter, for the people involved in this tragedy. To wake up to hear of 10 fatalities and 25 people taken to hospital, John Hunter there and Sydney, is just a terrible, terrible tragedy.

LEVI: What assistance can the Government give?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: I wish to make a statement about the tragedy that has unfolded overnight in Greta. All of us know the joy of going to a wedding, a chance to celebrate dear friends and family. They are some of the happiest times that you can have. For a joyous day like that in a beautiful place to end with such terrible loss of life and injury is so cruel and so sad and so unfair. People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe and that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy.

JAMES VALENTINE, HOST: Anthony Albanese will be speaking at the Committee for Economic Development for Australia in just a few minutes’ time, giving a sort of, you know, State of the Nation address to CEDA. Parliament starts today as well, and there's quite a few issues that he's going to face this afternoon there when he, when he returns, when Parliament starts. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, good morning.

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

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

And I am proud to lead a Government which will give every Australian the opportunity to vote for Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at a referendum later this year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded his first official visit to Vietnam, a strategic and economic partner and enduring friend to Australia. Stepping-up Australia’s relations with Vietnam is an important part of the Government’s determination to rebuild Australia’s links with the countries of Southeast Asia.

This year marks 50 years since diplomatic relations were established with Vietnam. Since then, our partnership has expanded significantly, with work now underway to elevate the Australia-Vietnam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.