LUKE MARTIN, CEO SALMON TASMANIA: Thanks, folks for hanging around, and I just explained with the Prime Minister, in about an hour's time there will be beautiful blue skies and the Tassie summer. Look, my name is Luke Martin, I'm the Chief Executive of Salmon Tasmania which is the industry association that represents the three world class Tasmanian salmon producers in the state, Huon Aquaculture, Petuna, and of course Tassal, where we are here today. Firstly, I just want to, and just on behalf of the whole industry, there are about 5000 people whose jobs and livelihoods are wrapped up in Tasmanian salmon. Nine out of ten of them are in regional Tasmanian communities, particularly here in the south, in the south of the Huon Valley in communities. And those people are extremely proud of what they do, and very proud of the role that they play in an industry that is, in many measure world class. But also in creating a product that is enjoyed by hundreds and thousands of millions of Australians every day, and will be on dinner tables all over the country. And any opportunity to be able to share what this industry does with our political leaders is one we take up. And on that note, I just want to particularly thank Prime Minister and Senator Urquhart, Brian Mitchell for organising the Prime Minister to be here to see the industry in operation, meet some of the workers and get a sense of what I believe is one of his favourite foods at the moment which is seafood. And if we can all get on the salmon diet we’d be looking as good as he is. Prime Minister, thank you for being here. And I certainly know you're a great friend of regional communities and any opportunity we give you, you generally know what Tasmania is about. About this is another part of our state that we're very proud of.
JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS AND SMALL BUSINESS: Thanks, Luke. It's terrific to have the Prime Minister here in my electorate in the channel. Particularly with Senator Anne Urquhart, and my colleague, Brian Mitchell and the member for Lyons. We have been strong supporters of the sector and the industry. We know it needs to be sustainable, and we know it needs to be done in a way that's acceptable to the Tasmanian community, which is what the salmon industry have been doing. Indeed, the Prime Minister when he was then actually the opposition shadow spokesperson for water and I were here at this very site back in 2007, announcing critical support for the salmon industry. $12 billion for the Huon Valley Water Scheme that allowed the salmon industry to expand way back in 2008. Our support for the sector and industry has been ongoing. We absolutely accept it needs to be done in an environmentally and sustainable way. And the salmon industry over the last decade or so have really lifted their game and they've really stepped up. It's terrific to have the Prime Minister here today with the industry and indeed to talk to the workers about this critically important sector for the Tasmanian economy. We know it employs thousands of Tasmanians and is a very valuable contributor to our economy. And it's terrific to have you down here, Prime Minister, and we really appreciate your interest in this really critical issue for Tasmanians.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Look, thanks very much to Julie Collins, to Senator Urquhart and also to Brian Mitchell as the local Members very much impacted where jobs are dependent upon this industry, an industry that plays such a critical role. My Government supports jobs, we support regional economic development and we support sustainability. And this industry has a vital role to play. As Julie said, I've been a supporter of this industry now for decades. And in 2007 here as the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Water, we committed to the Huon water program that made an enormous difference for sustainability and for the growth of what is a vital industry. This is an industry that produces some 5000 jobs, but many more jobs than that indirectly as well, not just here in Tasmania, but right around Australia, including in Lidcombe in New South Wales, but of course in the retail outlets that sell this amazing product for the world. Indeed, this industry is worth a billion dollars. Very vital for Tasmania, vital for Australia and vital for our national interest. In fact, some 90 per cent of Australia's salmon comes from Tasmania and it's a major export industry. Some might argue it's Tasmania's second major export industry only behind the export of Queens as we've seen in the last week. And I know that I do take the opportunity to say that here in Tasmania. I know that you're very proud, as are all Australians are, of the accession to the throne of Queen Mary there in Denmark. Also being important as an opportunity for Tasmania to be put on the tourism map again has been spoken about in all those global reports of what was a wonderful occasion there in Copenhagen during the week. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: On Macquarie Harbor, do you accept it as a choice between saving an endangered species and protecting jobs in the salmon industry?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't at all. We support jobs, but we support it being done in a sustainable way and we're very confident that that can happen. You need to work these issues through. We have confidence in the science and we're very confident that the industry can not only continue, but can prosper into the future. And I'm absolutely confident that that can be the case.
JOURNALIST: Will you take up a Premier's offer of an invitation to go and visit workers on the west coast?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh sure. I visit workers all the time and no Prime Minister has visited Tasmania more than me in the period in time in which I've held office than any Prime Minister in at least my time in Parliament, that's nearing three decades.
JOURNALIST: Does that mean you support their jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: I support their jobs. I support all jobs. I am a pro-jobs Prime Minister and we need to support jobs. And there's no conflict between jobs and sustainability. Sustainability has to be something that is built into every industry. And I know that the salmon industry is determined to do that, to do it in a sustainable way, because that helps to prosper the industry. And I know that the examination that's occurring, we are working with the Tasmanian Government to ensure that sustainability is front and centre. I've had discussions with Premier Rockliff about this and that's why we're funding some of the science measures that are taking place.
JOURNALIST: The review in Macquarie Harbour, Luke Martin behind you has called for you to not have that review take place on a number of occasions. Is there any chance of the Government intervening in that process and having the review not take place?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have environmental laws that have to be dealt with. Environmental laws have to be examined. They're not optional, they're the law. And we comply with the law and we do so in a sustainable way and working with the industry to work through these issues and I'm confident that we'll continue to do so.
JOURNALIST: But there remains no plans to pause the industry while that process takes place?
PRIME MINISTER: The process, industry is continuing to operate while that process is occurring.
JOURNALIST: And there's been two Maugean skate’s die in captivity. Is that part of the reason why you're here today, because that's put the industry under a spotlight?
PRIME MINISTER: No. I planned this visit last year, so this is planned for some time. I've been discussing with Julie and Brian in particular, as the local Members coming here in Tasmania. I've been determined to make sure that I visit states and territories before Parliament goes back. I've continued to work over the period, it was my original intention to be here a little bit earlier. The floods mean that I've been twice to Far North Queensland as well as to South East Queensland as well as to Victoria, examining those issues. But I am a regular visitor here in Tasmania and I visit every part of Tasmania, including of course, the west coast. And I'm very proud that when I visit Tasmania, no matter where I go, I can point to where we have made a difference to the economy and to jobs, whether it's here, the water program, when I visit the west coast, I'll be reminded of the work that we did to save the railway there as well when we were last in Government. That made an enormous difference to jobs.
JOURNALIST: Recent data showed that Tasmania had the lowest rate of bulk billing in the nation. What action can you take to make it easier and cheaper to see a doctor?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're taking action. I'll make two points there. The first is what we're doing with the Tasmanian Government, the Single Employer Model that we announced, I think, in Devonport with Anne just a year ago. What that's about is a quite unique model for Australia. A four year program that we have that essentially has a single employer that encourages people to get the training, to get their medical qualifications, but then as part of the deal, if you like, they then operate in rural Tasmania and in the regions. And that's something that I know Brian Mitchell has been very focused on as well, making sure that his community that represents a fair portion of the size of Tasmania, can have GPs present. In addition to that, we've got four Urgent Care Clinics open here in Tasmania. There have been already some 11,000 visits for Tasmanians through those Urgent Care Clinics. When I was last in the one in Hobart, it was full and we talked to all of the people there who'd got care for themselves or for their children and they were not only satisfied with the care that they got, they were delighted at how efficient the process was and the fact that all they needed was their Medicare card, not a credit card. And that is critical. It's one of the measures that we've done to take pressure off the cost of living is through Urgent Care Clinics, all 58 up and running. In addition to that, of course, we have the tripling of the Bulk Billing Incentive. Now we believe that that will provide and is providing an incentive for doctors to bulk bill. That's the most significant injection of funding to strengthen Medicare that we have seen in decades. Labor created Medicare, we're strengthening Medicare and indeed, in the last National Cabinet meeting that was held in December, we came up with a National Health Agreement, not just for the next five years from the next agreement, but the one after as well, moving to increased funding so that we now have settled funding for the health systems run by states and territories right up to 2035. That's an example of the certainty that we're putting in place, because we're a government that has a clarity of our policy objectives and is determined to put them in place, whether it be an agreement on health and hospitals right up to 2035 or something I was talking about earlier today at a TAFE in Adelaide is a ten year Skills Agreement that we have in place worth more than $12 billion, that's providing Fee Free TAFE. And one of the times that I was recently here in Tasmania at the end of last year, was meeting the students had got those fee free courses in nursing, in carpentry, in other skills and it's making an enormous difference as well.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, China's Ambassador denies its navy launched sonar pulsars at Australian divers and says it could have been Japan. Does Australia dispute this?
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: China's Ambassador denies its navy launched sonar pulsars at Australian divers and says it could have been Japan. Does Australia dispute this?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't seen the Ambassador's comments, but I stand by the comments that we've made at the time. We made strong representations to China about this incident and we stand by the representations that we made.
JOURNALIST: Do you believe sharing a post by the Human Rights Watch is a sackable offence? And how concerned are you about the ABC's conduct in light of leaked text messages regarding the sacking of journalist Antoinette Lattouf?
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry. There's a range of issues there, I suspect moulded into one. Do you want to unpack them?
JOURNALIST: Yeah. Let's start with the first half. Do you believe sharing a post of Human Rights Watch is a sackable offence?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm not aware of what post and who it's shared to and what the circumstances are.
JOURNALIST: And how concerned are you about the ABC's conduct in light of leaked text messages regarding the sacking of Antoinette Lattouf?
PRIME MINISTER: Those are matters for the ABC and the ABC is an independent body from government. It of course, is publicly owned. But I think, I don't want to create another issue which is for sitting parliamentarians to try to direct, or even be seen to be trying to direct the ABC.
JOURNALIST: Clean Energy Tasmania has said that green and red tape at the federal and state level is the biggest barrier to renewable investment in Tasmania. Do you agree with that and what can the Federal Government do?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're seeing renewable investment here in Tasmania, of course. Marinus Link is another project that was spoken about for a long time. It's taken a Federal Labor Government to actually get it moving and we are getting it moving. And Tasmania, one of Tasmania's great assets is the capacity that it has to produce renewable energy, to produce renewable energy and export it, if you like, to the north island is what is envisaged there and that will produce benefit for Tasmania.
JOURNALIST: China's Ambassador also wants to close the military relationship with Australia, including joint military exercised. Would you consider this request?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't seen the Chinese Ambassador's comments. I've been in Adelaide today and so I am very cautious about making comments about commentary I haven't seen. I'll just say this about the relationship with China though. My Government's position is that we'll cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must and we will engage in our national interests and we won't allow differences which are there to define our relationship. I want a constructive relationship. I note that there is significant benefit, for example, for the Tasmanian wine industry, for the tariffs that we hope to be removed from wine into China in March, after the review that's taking place. We're already seeing a range of products being exported to China. The value of the impediments that were there in tradeable goods was in the order of $20 billion annually. We're seeing Chinese tourists return to Australia. We're seeing the education sector benefit. We want to see the wonderful products that we have, including seafood and wine, exported from Tasmania. That's in Australia's interests, but it's also in China's interests because the products that we have here are damn good. This is the best salmon in the world. We produce some of the best products in the world and we want the world to enjoy them. And we want the jobs to be expanded by the world enjoying them.
JOURNALIST: As you hear from the chanting, there’s a fair bit of a battle on between the salmon industry and the environmentalists at the moment. Is today showing that you've already picked a side?
PRIME MINISTER: We stand on the side of jobs, but we also stand on the side of sustainability. We think the two things aren't contradictory, they go together. And we need to look after the beautiful, pristine environment that is here in Tasmania, it's a great asset. But we also need to make sure that jobs are created, that the economy continues to function. And from my experience, from time to time, it's a good thing that people are able to express their views.
JOURNALIST: Those environmentalists don't see it that way. They say the only solution is to shut down the west coast salmon industry.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there are some people who want to shut down every job that's created everywhere. What I do is to work through sensible environmental positions, sustainable positions, make sure that we work together and use science to find solutions to challenges which are there. That's the way that you build support. I remember in Tasmania, this is something that Luke Martin will relate to here, as someone who's a former Tourism Shadow Minister, I remember when we were in government last time being told that Three Capes Track was opposed by everyone here and that it would result in environmental degradation and was something that should be opposed that we were funding, myself as the Regional Development Minister, what we did was fund that project a couple of years ago. I had the great privilege just at the time of COVID outbreaks, at this time of the year, I think it was was December, maybe December or January, of going on Three Cape Street, the walk. It is magnificent. What it does is give people the opportunity to see the natural environment that has to be protected. There are duck walks there to protect the environment, to make sure that people are protecting flora and fauna locally. And people being able to see it means they value it and are more likely to protect it. It's a great project, creating jobs here in Tasmania while enhancing and showing the world what is an extraordinary part of our natural environment. And that's something that is a principle that I think can be applied. That's just one example. I well remember the very strong representations I received then from Bob Brown, who was then in the Senate I think he was still there, and the Tasmanian Greens saying this would be a disaster. The truth is it's not. It's an asset. It's an asset here for Tasmania, but it's also something that enhances the view that people will have of the environment. That's what we have to do. We have to look for win-wins and we can certainly do that. And the Tasmanian salmon industry, I know, is determined to ensure that that's the case as well. Thanks very much.