ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks everyone for joining us. Yesterday I received the Solicitor-General's opinion on the matter and validity of the appointment of former Prime Minister Morrison to multiple portfolios over 2020 and 2021. Today, given the highly extraordinary and unprecedented nature of this issue, I am releasing that opinion as a one-off. It should not be considered to be a precedent.
Yesterday, I received the Solicitor-General’s opinion in the matter of the validity of the appointment of Mr Morrison to administer the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (SG No.12 of 2022).
BEN FORDHAM, HOST: The Prime Minister is on the line this morning, Anthony Albanese, good morning to you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Terrific to talk with you, Ben. It's a beautiful day today.
FORDHAM: Congratulations. It is the biggest job in the country. I know it seems like you've been in the job for a while now, but we haven't had you on air yet. How are you settling in?
The Governor-General His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) has issued Letters Patent establishing a Royal Commission into the former debt assessment and recovery scheme commonly known as Robodebt.
The inquiry will examine, among other things:
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Today I am outlining the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Robodebt that we committed to while in Opposition. Robodebt was the Coalition's brainchild - a computer program to find out if someone owed the Government money rather than involving a real person. One of the commitments that I made was to put the humans back into human services, to make sure that this can never happen again. We know that almost 400,000 Australians fell victim to this cruel system, a human tragedy with very real consequences for its victims.
ADAM STEPHEN, HOST: A Queensland Rugby League club could end up being kicked out of all statewide competitions after a decision not to play in Papua New Guinea this Saturday. The PNG club has been part of the Queensland Cup since 2014. But the club hasn't played a home game in Port Moresby in about three years due to security concerns amid ongoing civil unrest and high rates of COVID-19 and now Foot and Mouth Disease.
NATALIE BARR, HOST: Good morning to you, Prime Minister. This news will be very distressing for so many friends and families impacted by that 2002 Bali attack. Was our Government told that Umar Patek would be released from prison early?
SARAH HARRIS, HOST: There are reports this morning the bomb maker behind the Bali blasts, Umar Patek, will walk free from prison just weeks shy of the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in the Torres Strait Islands and joins us now. Prime Minister, thank you for your time.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.
MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: Prime Minister, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: Good morning, Michael.
ROWLAND: I want to get to your predecessor in just a moment, and talk about the Voice, you're consulting on that with Torres Strait Islanders, but there are reports this morning that the Indonesian bomb-maker that assembled the explosives that were used in the Bali Bombing in 2002 that left 88 Australians dead is set to be released early by the Indonesian government, have you got any confirmation of that?
MURRAY JONES, HOST: Well, as we know, the Federal Election for 2022 was a tough campaign and having spent a bit of time with Albo, I know some of the time that he had to spend in Opposition. It was a tough, tough gig, it really was. And of course, he got across the line, straight to Quad and you know, I think it's certainly been a solid solid game. I mean, he probably needed a bit of time off. And I know he copped a bit of stick just a few weeks ago for taking some time off.