The Albanese Government is taking action to stop businesses ripping off Australians by banning unfair trading practices under the Australian Consumer Law.

This is about easing the cost of living and getting a fair go for consumers and suppliers.

From concert tickets to hotel rooms and gym memberships, Australians are fed up with businesses using tricky tactics that make it difficult to end subscriptions or add hidden fees to purchases.

These practices can distort purchasing decisions, or result in additional costs, putting more pressure on the cost of living.

JIM CHALMERS, TREASURER: Welcome to the most important electorate in Australia, the People's Republic of Rankin. Welcome to PM, Clare, Meaghan, this is our home patch. Cameron Dick and I and Shannon Fentiman, we're really proudly represent this part of South East Queensland. We've got really two fantastic announcements to be making today. The first one, which Clare will elaborate on, is that we are announcing more money for this part of the world for more housing.

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering significant housing projects that will build more than 1,000 homes – right across southeast Queensland.

We are helping to make sure every Queenslander has safe and secure housing. The housing supply shortage in Australia is a problem decades in the making.

We are boosting supply to make housing more affordable. The Albanese Government is spearheading the largest investment in social and affordable housing for a decade.

The Albanese Government is cracking down on unfair and excessive card surcharges to get a better deal for Australians and small businesses at the physical and online checkout.

Today the Government is announcing $2.1 million of new funding for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to tackle excessive surcharges, with further work underway to reduce payment fees.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's great to be here today. We've been with the local candidate for Bonney, Kyle Kelly-Collins, and importantly as well my friend Steven Miles, the Premier of Queensland, and we've just been on a light rail trip. A light rail trip that wouldn't have been possible if it had been left up to the LNP. Because when we put $365 million in the 2009 Budget to begin Gold Coast Light Rail – which is now up to stage three – it was opposed by the LNP federally. It was opposed by the LNP here in Queensland.

The Albanese Labor Government is pleased to announce the appointment of Gavan Reynolds AO as the next Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner.

The new Commissioner will be sworn in on Sunday 10 November 2024.

Mr Reynolds brings a wealth of experience from his over 40 years of service to the nation, most recently as the Australian Defence Force’s inaugural Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Good afternoon, everyone.

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

It also gives me great pleasure to acknowledge:

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, met regional leaders yesterday at the Annual ASEAN-Australia Summit and today at the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos.

Both forums are critical for promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and for building Australia’s trade links in the region and creating jobs and economic growth at home.

The Prime Minister met leaders from China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Canada and New Zealand in the sidelines of the summits.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It's been an extremely productive and effective two days here. Whether it was the bilateral meetings that I had with the leaders of China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Canada, New Zealand or Timor-Leste or the participation in the East Asia Summit, or the participation in the Australia-ASEAN Summit as well. It was a time where we could advance Australia's interests. And we have an interest in this region. We're a part of this region. There's some half a million jobs are dependent upon trade right here with ASEAN nations.

Good morning.

It’s great to be here in Vientiane to mark just over 12 months since I launched Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

To reflect on the progress we have made – and to renew our ambition for the future.

I’m pleased to welcome the Australian investment mission which is here in conjunction with the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit.