BELINDA KING, HOST: Cabinet is coming to Hobart this week as well. So this morning we have the pleasure of being joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to talk through these topics and more. Prime Minister, good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Belinda. And can I just add my gratitude and my congratulations to Legacy on celebrating 100 years. To all those volunteers, they do an extraordinary job.
KING: I know they will be delighted to have your good wishes, and they certainly do extraordinary work. Prime Minister, what will be on the agenda for National Cabinet this week in Tasmania?
PRIME MINISTER: Well its the Federal Cabinet, is meeting tomorrow in Hobart. And we'll be dealing with the normal Cabinet business, the full suite, including looking at the impact of our Full Employment White Paper we released just last week. There have been 550,000 jobs created since we came to office, more than any new government in history. And on that area as well, we have unemployment with a three in front of it. But we also have to make sure that we deal with skill shortages that, in part, arise from the fact that many businesses can't find the workforce that they need. So tomorrow morning, I'll be visiting a TAFE talking about our fee free TAFE. That's been a huge success. We promised 180,000 places, we've delivered over 200,000. A part of the Full Employment White Paper is to deliver TAFE centres of excellence. And we will work with the creation of Jobs and Skills Australia that is designed to make sure that we plan for the workforce that Australia needs. What do we need in one year, five years, 10 years time? How do we make sure that our education and training system is fit for purpose. So that will be a big focus. But I've been making sure that the Cabinet has met around the country. We met in Adelaide last week and we've had meetings previously in regional WA and regional Queensland as well as Perth and Brisbane. But it was time that we come to Tasmania and I'm really looking forward to spending a couple of days there once again. It will be my seventh visit to Tasmania this year.
KING: Now let's move across to the Voice referendum. How important will Tasmania be in deciding the outcome do you think?
PRIME MINISTER: Tasmania will be critical and that's why you've seen both the Yes and No campaigns have a focus on Tasmania. I'll be speaking with volunteers before they go out door knocking this afternoon around the suburbs of Hobart. But I, of course, have campaigned in Launceston with Bridget Archer, the local member, which highlights that this is an issue which should be above politics. It's a very clear and simple proposition before people, one, to recognise First Australians in our nation's founding document. And secondly, the form of recognition should be just with a non-binding advisory committee. That's all that the Voice is, a non-binding advisory committee so that we can listen to Indigenous Australians about matters that affect them. Because we know if you talk with people who are directly affected and listen to them you'll get better outcomes. We know that from experience in areas like health and Indigenous Rangers programs, justice reinvestment. It is time that we got this done. And I note that Peter Dutton is saying that they'll have another referendum if this one goes down if he's elected Prime Minister. After 122 years it is time that we recognise our first Australians. And I'm sincerely hoping that Tasmanians as well as the whole of Australia do vote Yes. And people of course can do that from today.
KING: Changing tack to the new stadium. Will you look at excluding the funding from Macquarie Point urban development project, including the stadium from the GST calculations for Tasmania?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's a matter for the Treasury Department. But the way that the GST formula works is that they include everything in every state that's an infrastructure investment. And that sorts itself out as long as states all get their share. So it evens itself out. If you exclude that, why wouldn't you exclude also the Queensland Olympics works, which is a far greater investment than what's occurring in Tasmania. Treasury consider all of those things. It's a formula that was established by the Howard government when the GST was established.
KING: So if the Olympics works are included, you would see that a similar situation would apply to the Mac Point development?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, everything's all automatically included unless for some reason it is excluded. Treasury have these applications from time to time. It's very rare for something to be excluded and if one state has that occur, then every state, of course, will put in an application. That's not the way that the GST works. But that's a matter for Treasury. It's not a political decision. That will be advice from, as I said, the Department of Treasury.
KING: Prime Minister we've got less than a minute before news time. So one quick question from Warren in Devonport this morning. When will we hear about Julian Assange and bringing him home?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I hope yesterday, frankly. My view is enough is enough. There is nothing to be gained by Julian Assange's ongoing incarceration. I have made my position and Australia's position very clear. It's consistent with the position that I took in Opposition, and I continue to make representations to the US administration.
KING: Prime Minister, thank you so much for your time this morning and joining us on ABC Northern Tasmania.