SARAH HOWELLS, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, good afternoon.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, Sarah. And I've got to say whatever Brad's being paid, it's not enough. That was a reminder of what a big state Queensland is, let alone of course, the big country that Australia is. Yesterday morning I was indeed in the Kimberley looking at the devastating floods people in Fitzroy Crossing, in particular, but that the whole region, Derby's been cut off. It's familiar to Queensland, the impacts of a natural disaster, but it's quite extraordinary. But once again, we're seeing the resilience of the local community who are determined to build back stronger.
HOWELLS: Absolutely. We're good at that in Australia and you've been in Mackay today talking about cheaper medicines. Now, your government's legislation to drop the maximum general co-payment for scripts came into effect on January 1, how much difference is that making for everyday Australians?
PRIME MINISTER: It's making an enormous difference. I met with Jeff who was a local customer at the pharmacy we were at in Mackay. He needs four different scripts a month. And so it's making a difference of $50 a month to his budget or $600 over a year. So one of the things that pharmacists had said to me in the lead up to the election where we made this commitment was that they had to deal with customers who are coming in and saying, 'well, I've got this script. I need two or three different medicines. I can't afford all of them. Which one is absolutely essential that I have to have?'. We're a better country than that. People shouldn't be in that circumstance. And that's why I announced as a major centerpiece of my election campaign launch back in May, that we would reduce the scripts from $42.50 to $30, the maximum payment from January 1. That's the first time in 75 years since a former Labor government introduced the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that it's ever gone down. People listening will be familiar with things going up. That seems to be the way that the world works. But in this case, the cost of medicines are going down and it's a very positive thing.
HOWELLS: It's good news for a lot of people to make it you know, that little bit more affordable, but not much help if they can't get access to the medicine that they need anyway. In December, the Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed that the most commonly prescribed antibiotics are scarce. This week, we're hearing from pharmacists that there's a shortage of liquid alternatives for some important medicine for children needed for pneumonia and chest infections, among other things. What are your plans to ensure that all Australians have access to the medicine that they need?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're working through these issues. One of the things that's occurred in global supply chains in so many areas that you've heard about, everything from construction to manufacturing, and now it appears to be hitting pharmaceuticals with the issues which have arisen in the last year in particular since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the pressure that are on our supply chains globally. One of the things that I'm determined to do is to make sure that Australia makes more things here and that includes pharmaceuticals. So we've been meeting with pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna for example. We'll be setting up an operation for manufacturing here in Australia of mRNA vaccines. But we need as well to bring increased capacity here in Australia to make more things here because one of the lessons of the pandemic is that when we're dependent upon international production processes, then we're left vulnerable. And so we're working through the immediate shortages which are there to make sure that there continues to be an appropriate level of supply.
HOWELLS: Yes, there's over 300 critical medicines in short supply at the moment due to that reliance on the import industry. So will there be investment in local manufacturing and distributions of medicines? What will that look like?
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. Well, we've got our National Reconstruction Fund. It is looking at ways in which we support industry to be based here, both for existing industries to transform and continue to operate cheaper through use of clean energy, but also in ways that we can make more things here. Areas like pharmaceuticals and health industry is one of the areas that have been identified as a priority. So we want to work with industry to encourage more to be set up here. For a long period of time I think we've got complacent. We told the car industry to leave for example and that's had a knock on impact on advanced manufacturing. Pharmaceuticals throughout the world have tended to be concentrated now in a couple of nations in particular. And I think there's been a bit of a wakeup call, that that's not appropriate. That nation states need to have more control over their destiny. And that means making more things here. And we have these processes through our Industry Minister in Ed Husic through the creation of National Reconstruction Fund and other support to make sure that we can make more things here and that includes pharmaceuticals.
HOWELLS: Tomorrow you head to Papua New Guinea. The first time an Australian Prime Minister has visited PNG since 2018. How important is this trip for Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: It's absolutely critical and I will have the great honour tomorrow morning of being the first foreign leader to ever address the Parliament of Papua New Guinea and of course it's occurring in January. The Thursday the 12th of January, isn't normally when Parliament would be sitting. So the PNG government of Prime Minister Marape are giving Australia a great honour in all of the MPs being brought together for this address. And then we'll have our PNG-Australia Annual Leaders' Dialogue take place after that. Minister Pat Conroy who has responsibility for the Pacific is coming with me, as well as Senator Nita Green, who's the local Senator based here in Cairns, will be traveling, as well as senior members of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials. This will be important, there's no more near neighbour with such a strong history as Papua New Guinea and the links with Australia. And next year we will commemorate the 50 year anniversary of independence for PNG. It is something that is coming up and of course that occurred under the Whitlam Government. The economic relationship and economic development there is critical. On national security, we'll be talking about our enhanced security arrangements and cooperation there which is critical as our near neighbour to the north. But also our common interest in acting on climate change. And we'll be having a discussion as well about advancing the vision that Prime Minister Marape has to have a rugby league team based in PNG, made up of people from PNG and the Pacific Islands and around the region. That is something that of course, those links are so important that we have those cultural links and our common interest and one of our common interests is passion for rugby league.
HOWELLS: Of course the countdown is on to the Olympics. A decade until we invite the world to Queensland. So I want to ask you, particularly about the Gabba in Brisbane. Yesterday, acting Premier Steven Miles confirmed that the price tag for the Gabba would exceed the original $1 billion estimate, but wouldn't say exactly how much, just that more detail will be released once those funding agreements are finalised with the Commonwealth. How much will the Gabba redevelopment for the 2032 games cost?
PRIME MINISTER: Well there will be a substantial price tag but it's an investment. It's an investment in Queensland. Hosting the Olympic Games will be the largest event that's ever been held in in Queensland. And I know as a Sydneysider the difference that the 2000 Olympics made for Sydney being a global city. The ongoing benefit that was provided through the international exposure as well as the economic activity that occurred in the lead up to and during the Olympic Games itself. So the Commonwealth Government is completely committed to assisting Queensland to host the Olympic Games and to host an Olympic Games of which I'm sure every Queenslander, as well as every Australian, will be very proud. Today, I've been in Rockhampton, Mackay and Cairns and the Olympic Games has been raised in two of those places, just spontaneously by young Australians. It just got raised with me when I arrived at Cairns here and came into the hotel this afternoon. And so I'm sure that it will be very positive. We're working through constructively with the Queensland Government on those funding arrangements. And we'll be making announcements very soon.
HOWELLS: So how committed is the Federal Government? Will the funding for the infrastructure be split 50/50 between the state and Commonwealth?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we will do our share and you'll see a very positive contribution from the Commonwealth for the Olympic Games. And one of the positives that's being worked through as well is how do you make sure that every dollar that's invested has lasting benefit for the people, not just to Brisbane but of Queensland and indeed the whole country? Of course, these events won't be just talking about the area around the Gabba and around that that precinct. There will be events and activities throughout Queensland including here in North Queensland and Far North Queensland. So it's a major benefit. And we want to make sure that we get it right. The Premier has of course taken on the Olympics ministry herself. I met with the Chair of the Olympic Committee, Andrew Liveris, who's an extraordinarily experienced business person. And I have every confidence that this will be just a fantastic event.
HOWELLS: So when will the funding arrangements be finalised?
PRIME MINISTER: The Premier is on leave at the moment as you know, and it's a well-deserved break that she's taking. When she returns we have a National Cabinet meeting scheduled for the first week of February, I will be talking with Premier Palaszczuk then. I met up and had another chat with Premier Palaszczuk at the Woodford Festival just a couple of weeks ago. And we've been working these issues through. We have Anika Wells, of course, it's no accident that I've appointed a Sports Minister who is based right here in Queensland. Because for the next decade, that will be a major concentration of not just Queensland government activity but federal government activity as well.
HOWELLS: Anthony Albanese, thank you so much for your time this afternoon, I really appreciate it.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you so much for having me on the program.
HOWELLS: And good luck in PNG.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. I'm sure it will be a very, very warm welcome. And I'm really looking forward to it. I think it will be one of the great honours of my life and it's a great honour for Australia to be given by our PNG friends.