CHRIS O’KEEFE, HOST: England is waking up this morning to one of its biggest days in the nation's recent history the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Now, there are dozens of Australians representing us on this important day, but leading our contingent is the 31st Prime Minister of our great country, Anthony Albanese. And the Prime Minister joins us live from London. Anthony Albanese. Good morning, your time.
I’m pleased to say Australia will join other nations in endorsing the Leaders Pledge for Nature.
This highlights Australia's reinvigorated approach to protecting our environment and climate leadership and signals our solidarity with other world leaders in our commitment to taking strong action on the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Australia understands the urgency of the environmental challenges facing our planet and we're committed to being a leader in the global fight to solve them.
Australians will honour the life and service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a National Memorial Service to be held in Canberra on Thursday 22 September.
The service will be broadcast live across the nation, beginning with one minute’s silence at 11am AEST.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) will be joined at the Service by official representatives from around the country.
Your Excellency, distinguished guests, parliamentary colleagues, fellow Australians.
We gather today - around our nation - to offer Australia’s thanks for an extraordinary life dedicated to service, faith, country and Commonwealth.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch in the history of a centuries-old institution.
Her reign spanned more than half the life of our modern Federation.
LEON BYNER, HOST: Let's welcome the Prime Minister of Australia with a very busy schedule, Anthony Albanese. Prime Minister, thanks for coming on this morning.
PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: Good morning, Leon.
BYNER: Now, there's going to be a National Cabinet meeting today, but it's going to be a video conference. We don't expect that there will be a press conference. What sort of matters are going to be ticked off today?
DAN RIVERS, HOST: Prime Minister, thanks very much for joining us. You're about to fly to London. Just give us your thoughts ahead of this occasion.
OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, good afternoon.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon Olly, good to be with you.
PETERSON: You're about to take off and head to the UK, has it registered and sunk in with you yet the significance of this event, the Queen's funeral, and in all the textbooks going forward, you will be there as the Australian Prime Minister?
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you’ve laid your tributes there today, your thoughts?
JOURNALIST: Acting Prime Minister, can I start by asking you what do you make of the meeting between President Xi and President Putin? And were you in any way surprised to hear that China has raised questions and concerns over the invasion of Ukraine?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: