ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for joining me. Today, the National Cabinet has met virtually to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and received an update from Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly. First Ministers agreed to extend the pandemic leave disaster payment at current rates beyond the 30th of September. The payment will remain available for as long as mandatory isolation periods are applied by all states and territories.
JAMES VALENTINE. HOST: Mr Albanese, good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, James. Good to be with you.
HOST: Thanks so much for coming on. Are you feeling the historic weight of this moment? It's Churchill to Truss, it's Eisenhower to Biden, it's Menzies to Albanese. That's the Queen's reign. Are you feeling that way?
KYLE SANDILANDS, HOST: Good Morning Prime Minister, how are you?
JACKIE O, HOST: Good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINSITER: Good morning to you both. Good to be on the program. Sorry I'm not in the studio this time, next time
DAVE HUGHES, HOST: The Prime Minister of our nation joins us. Welcome to the show, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.
ERIN MOLAN, HOST: Good morning. Great to hear your voice. You've got a busy couple of days coming up or a busy few days.
REBECCA LEVINGSTON: Prime Minister, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: Good morning, Rebecca.
LEVINGSTON: You've got a full weekend ahead of the funeral service for the queen on Monday. What will you be doing once you arrive in London?
PETE STEFANOVIC, HOST: The Prime Minister joins us live now. Prime Minister, good morning to you, appreciate your time. We just heard from Lynette Wood a short time ago. She had quite the honour today, I would suspect, of being Australia's first representative to see the King in person. What message did you give her and what was the response that she got from the now King?
LISA MILLAR, HOST: Good morning to you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Lisa.
MILLAR: The last couple of days have been pretty amazing, the scenes we have seen. You have announced the public holiday. I've got to tell you, PM, we're getting a bit of feedback into the program from people concerned about that public holiday, concerned about small business, hospitals, doctors, what is your message to them this morning?
PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: Australians continue to express their grief and gratitude for the life of service from Queen Elizabeth II. This morning, I wanted to update you on some of the arrangements that have been put in place for the return of Parliament that I foreshadowed yesterday. As people are aware, on the 22nd September, the day after I and the Governor-General return to Australia from Her Majesty's funeral, we will host the National Memorial in the Great Hall which will be held at 11am on that day.
BEN FORDHAM, HOST: The Prime Minister is live on the line this morning. PM, good morning to you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Ben. Good to be with you again.
FORDHAM: I think everyone acknowledges your heart is in the right place in announcing the public holiday, but would you acknowledge that there are a lot of unintended consequences of this?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has invited 10 everyday Australians to travel with him to the United Kingdom for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral.
In addition to invitations extended to Australia’s Heads of State, the Palace has invited 10 Australians who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities, and who represent Australian culture and values.
Among invitees are 2022 Australian of the Year recipients and community representatives who embody inclusion and the spirit of helping others.