ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Can we begin by speaking briefly about the floods. This morning we've had the opportunity to visit the communities of Deloraine and Latrobe, following Monday, my visits to Forbes and Parkes in western New South Wales, and then on Sunday I visited Bendigo and also Rochester with the Victorian Premier. What I have seen throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania is the devastating impacts of these floods. My heart goes out to the communities who have been impacted.

1. The Prime Minister of Australia, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP and the Prime Minister of Singapore, His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong met for the 7th Australia-Singapore Annual Leaders’ Meeting in Canberra on 18 October 2022. The Prime Ministers welcomed the strength and depth of bilateral relations between the two countries, anchored in shared strategic and economic interests.

Australia and Singapore have signed a first-of-its-kind Green Economy Agreement (GEA).

The landmark bilateral agreement between Australia and Singapore—our largest two-way trading partner in Southeast Asia—will support Australian businesses to seize economic opportunities presented by the global clean energy transformation.

The GEA builds on existing cooperation between Australia and Singapore to take action on climate change and strengthen trade and investment in clean energy across our region.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Well thank you very much for joining us. Singapore’s founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, said this: “We are one interacting, interdependent world. The problems besetting the world are transnational and the solutions must be transnational.” Today, we open a new chapter in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and Singapore. The Green Economy Agreement signals collective resolve to confront challenges as we transition our economies to net zero.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of Japan, His Excellency Mr Kishida Fumio, to Australia on 22 October as a Guest of Government.

Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Kishida will meet in Perth for the Annual Australia–Japan Leaders’ Meeting. This will be the first visit to Australia by a Japanese Prime Minister since 2018.

The Albanese Government’s first investments from the Rewiring the Nation plan, will fast- track critical Tasmanian projects to unlock cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy and put downward pressure on energy prices.

The Albanese Government’s Rewiring the Nation plan will fast-track Victorian Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) and offshore wind development to create new energy jobs across Victoria, unlock cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy and put downward pressure on prices.

The Commonwealth and Victoria have today signed an agreement to jointly fund Victorian offshore wind projects, REZs, and the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI West) KerangLink. The Commonwealth, Victoria and Tasmania have also signed agreements on the Marinus Link interconnector.

MEL BUSH, HOST: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has just touched down in Tasmania. He's visiting flood-affected areas in the North and coming to the South to announce a funding deal for the Marinus Interconnector across Bass Strait. Prime Minister, good morning.

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

BUSH: Prime Minister, the $3.5 billion Marinus Project is being 80 per cent funded through a concessional loan. Who's going to be repaying that loan?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee Hsien Loong to Australia from 16 to 18 October.

Australia and Singapore share one of the closest relationships in the region, underpinned by our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and focused on common strategic and economic interests.

Singapore is Australia’s largest trade and investment partner in Southeast Asia, and our fifth largest trading partner overall. We have strong education, defence and tourism ties.

WARWICK LONG, HOST: On the line now is Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, who will be touring flood-affected areas today. Prime Minister, welcome to the program.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Warwick and a big, heartfelt shout-out to those people who are really doing it tough today, many people are having to evacuate their home. I do encourage people to follow the advice of the authorities. If asked to leave, please do so and stay safe. The emergency services personnel certainly just have one consideration, which is people's safety.