ADAM SHIRLEY, HOST: You can probably hear in the background at the Australian of the Year Awards and the immediate after party, a lot of people milling around, enjoying their evening, milling and expressing and sharing the stories of what they've achieved across this nation. It really is a sight to behold as people enjoy and relax after what has been a momentous and emotional night. And one person who was overseeing it all was the Prime Minister of the country, Anthony Albanese. He obviously announced each winner of the four categories of the Australian of the Year Awards, and he's with us now on ABC Radio across Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, it's quite a night.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It was a fantastic night and what an extraordinary celebration. And just all of the nominees were incredible. The speeches of the Australians of the Year, I mean, just blew me away. But what a great celebration of who we are, all of our diversity, and a great start to the Australia Day commemorations.
SHIRLEY: I mean, in your job, obviously, a lot of what is involved is leading the country, but also, I guess, discussing and sometimes debating and arguing differences in political approach. So, on a night like tonight, what do you take from a unity of purpose, a united celebration and concept of what Australians can do together?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was very much a theme, whether it was Professor Long and Professor Scolyer who spoke about what we can achieve in working together for better health. Spoke about, of course, melanoma, a really strong message. They used the platform immediately upon their appointment as Australians of the Year to send a message which will help their fellow Australians. And that's a good thing. They're quite remarkable. And then the messages that we heard from Ms. Yalmay Yunupingu, a Yolngu woman from Arnhem Land, about education, but also about bilingual education, about us learning from indigenous culture, the traditions which are there, indigenous food to help cure issues as well. It was a great celebration of the Senior Australian of the Year. And of course, Emma McKeon, just a champion who is probably better known of all the recipients. But her message about doing your best, always striving forward, was a fantastic message as well.
SHIRLEY: Accepting that failure at times is life. In fact, it's a reality and it's how you respond to that, I suppose.
PRIME MINISTER: That's exactly right. And the great thing about Australians is they are resilient. And our thoughts tonight are with people in Far North Queensland. The cyclone is increasing in intensity, is what I have been advised, and I just would encourage people there who are listening to please follow the advice which is given. But I'm sure once again we will see that resilience that is part of the Australian character.
SHIRLEY: A very tough time for people in Townsville and surrounds as Cyclone Kirrily, you mentioned, is upgraded to a category three system. I anticipate that unity and that support from yourself as part of the Government might be very important in the coming days, depending on how much damage this cyclone brings.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, and we've already got the Australian Defence Force essentially on standby as well as Commonwealth agencies on standby to provide assistance. We have Senator Murray Watt, who's our Minister, has spoken with the Mayor of Townsville. And we will, once again, work with cooperatively with Steven Miles and the Queensland Government, but with the local community as well. One of the things that is characterised by these events is it's not just governments acting, it's people taking in strangers, it's people helping people they don't know in their time of need.
SHIRLEY: Anthony Albanese is the Prime Minister of Australia. He's our guest on ABC Radio across Australia. Adam Shirley with you and it's great to be with you at the Australian of the Year Awards for 2024. I want to return to the Senior Australian of the Year, Yalmay Yunupingu. A powerful speech, a powerful presence, the bilingual education she is providing for so many people in the Top End. And I think about the aftermath of the referendum to the Voice of which you were a very strong advocate. For her, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Australians who were in support of it, after that defeat, how significant is her position and others like her who continue to press for equality of rights, quality of education and access in Aboriginal Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Indigenous Australians will and they should continue to push. Because equality of rights and access and closing the gap in education, in health, in housing, in life expectancy, in all of these issues lifts up the whole nation. And Yunupingu is, of course, a very famous name of the Yolngu people. She has been a teacher for 40 years there at Yukala. She has been a linguist, so she has translated, essentially taken as well verbal history, which is how a lot of the communication is, putting it down in writing, making sure that, as she spoke about tonight, that people can walk in two worlds. That they are able to celebrate and continue to engage with First Nations culture, with language, with food, with celebration that occurs, ceremony, but also participate and get the benefits that come from being a very important part of this great nation, Australia.
SHIRLEY: Does it give your Government focus and people like her focus on what's next when a really important and yet failed move that you supported, the next steps and the next positive steps to make for this country in our First Nations people and their welfare.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. This week we had a discussion between Ministers about the way forward and there are so many initiatives taking place, whether it be broadband connections, communications into remote communities, whether it be housing, whether it be employment, taking essentially the CDP program and making sure that there are real jobs with real training and real futures attached to them. Health care for Indigenous Australians, where we need to do so much better. Justice reinvestment, which we know works as well. In addition to that, caring for country, we can learn a lot in this nation of the fact that you have Indigenous Australians who have cared for country and waters for some 65,000 years.
SHIRLEY: Lastly, I mean, a big theme tonight is unity of purpose. Together we can achieve so much more than individually or on separate sides, be it the policies that you see through to the next election, be it a change in the way we do or don't pay tax, and obviously it's been a busy 24 hours for you in that regard. How much can you learn? Can the Opposition Leader learn, any politician learn from the kind of sentiment on display tonight rather than what some see as a divisive, adversarial form of doing politics in government?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think we need to look for common purpose, we need to look for unity. We need to look for what can unite us rather than constantly looking for division, constantly looking for argument. And that's something that I've tried to bring to my political engagement. I'm continuing to do that. We do have sometimes an adversarial system, but I think –
SHIRLEY: Unnecessarily, sometimes do you believe?
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely unnecessarily. You see some of the debate that has taken place over so called culture wars. People have different views.
SHIRLEY: Promises or not promises, I guess. I know that's theatre to a degree. When it comes to the real lives of Australians, how much is unity and an attempt to come together, something that all should focus on, including yourself?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we should focus on it. You raise tax, I think that there should be a tax cut for all Australians, not just some. And so that is something that we've tried to do, something that benefits everyone, regardless of what income they are on. I think we need to look for ways in which we can all benefit as a nation in a united way. And tomorrow, I hope that Australians celebrate Australia Day, celebrate who we are. We're the greatest country on earth, but in the future, if we work together, we can be even greater.
SHIRLEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. It is a great night and we are very grateful for you making time for ABC Radio across Australia. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much.