LUCY BREADEN, HOST: Prime Minister, thanks for your time.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, great to be with you, looking forward to being in Tassie today and tomorrow.
BREADEN: Today and tomorrow? So, what brings you here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're having our meeting of our full Cabinet tomorrow. We've been meeting around the country. And I want to make sure that we get the entire Cabinet out of Canberra. And last week, we had a meeting in Adelaide. We've had meetings in Perth and Port Headland and up in Gladstone in Queensland, and it was time to meet in Tasmania.
BREADEN: How are you feeling when it comes to Tasmania? Meeting with our Premier, Jeremy Rockliff? Premier for now at least, given the Tasmanian Liberals current troubles, instability, as well. How ready do you think State Labor is for an early election?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I think, when, if elections are called, people will be ready. I met with Rebecca White in Devonport just a couple of weeks ago, when I visited there and attended a citizenship ceremony. Of course, an election isn't due for some time, but I am aware of the instability there. Look, I have a good working relationship with the Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. And I'll continue to work with state and territory governments right across the country in the interests of the people, who vote whatever way they vote, people want to see governments work together. And I do have a good working relationship, but I also have a good friendship, going back a long way with Rebecca White.
BREADEN: Our minority government has been plunged even further into minority with the resignation of former Attorney-General Elise Archer. Do you think Jeremy Rockliff needs to go to the polls? Because the Liberals clearly can't govern?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, that's a matter for him. Quite clearly, there has been instability in the Tasmanian Government. And that is very unfortunate. I think that, from my understanding of what occurred, I think the Attorney-General's position clearly was not tenable to stay where she was. But those issues are a matter for Tasmania. My job is to be Prime Minister for the whole country. And I work with state and territory governments right across the board. I had a good relationship with the former Premier of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, as well. Of course, I was pleased to see Chris Minns be elected Premier. And I'm always pleased to see Labor do well. But I do work with governments in a constructive way and I must say, I have a very constructive relationship with Premier Rockliff.
BREADEN: Well, one of those jobs that you do have is deciding Tasmania's pre-selection, Labor's pre-selection, that is. When will Labor's National Executive vote on Tasmanian Labor pre-selection?
PRIME MINISTER: Those are matters for the organisational wing and I’ll leave that -
BREADEN: But you are a voting member, though?
PRIME MINISTER: Indeed, but I don't involve myself in those day to day activities. What my job is, to be Prime Minister for the whole country. That's what my focus is on.
BREADEN: When do you think it should happen, then? The chances are, we're being told, that an election could be triggered anytime from now.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, my focus is very much on cost of living issues. Today, earlier today, I'll be talking in Victoria about child care. Later today, I'll be attending an event with Linda Burney for the Voice. Of course, voting starts today in the referendum. Tomorrow, I'll be talking about TAFE and what we're doing. Just last week, we released our Employment White paper. That's really important. My focus has been on jobs and making a difference. We've created more than 550,000 jobs since we came to office, the most for any new government on record. And that's what my focus is on and making sure that Australians can get the skills that they need, as well. Which is why tomorrow, I'll be visiting a TAFE there in Tasmania.
BREADEN: And look, they are very important issues, but I think Tasmanians deserve to know. When will Tasmanian Labor and its members be pre-selected?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's a matter for the organisational wing and those discussions take place through the National Executive.
BREADEN: Would you hope it's soon?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm sure that it will be at an appropriate time and that those things are in hand. The National Executive oversees a range of states. We oversaw the Victorian branch for a long, an extended period of time, and indeed New South Wales. And both those states had successful election results for Daniel Andrews and Chris Minns after those interventions. And the National Executive is overseeing the Tasmanian branch, but they're also working constructively with the Tasmanian leadership of the state parliamentary Labor Party.
BREADEN: It's 7:17am. Anthony Albanese is my guest, the Prime Minister of Australia, here on Breakfast. A question our listeners want to know, this question is coming in thick and fast, Anthony Albanese, will you exclude the funding for the Macquarie Point urban redevelopment project, which includes the big stadium, from GST calculations for Tasmania?
PRIME MINISTER: I know this is an issue in Tasmania, over this particular project. I'm not quite sure why it's such an issue, compared with every single infrastructure project that receives funding, is subject to the GST unless Treasury decide otherwise. That is a matter for Treasury, not for a political decision. We'll await Treasury advice. But just like the Brisbane Olympics project is seeing significantly more investment from the Commonwealth than the Tasmanian precinct. This is a significant urban redevelopment precinct. It's a very positive project. I look forward to it being delivered. Way back in 2012, I was the Infrastructure Minister when we delivered $50 million for Macquarie Point and not much has happened, to be frank, for the decade in between. I think this is an exciting urban redevelopment project, but those matters are just subject to the usual consideration by Treasury.
BREADEN: Well, how long will we have to wait for that advice, then?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a matter for Treasury. They make that advice, but in the normal way. The way that the GST works and allocation isn't to just consider things by themselves, it's a whole formula that occurs. So, frankly, the GST, the way that decision was, well, if you talk about the timeline for decisions, that was a decision made by the Howard Government in the way that the GST operates. Which is to take into account funding across state and territory governments for infrastructure projects. And all of them are included, unless for some particular reason there's a decision not to. Now, that's a matter for Treasury, but that is the way that the GST calculation works. But essentially, it evens itself out because every state receives some infrastructure investment over the period of the cycle.
BREADEN: Anthony Albanese, my guest, Prime Minister of Australia, of course, on Breakfast this morning at 7:20am. A question from Louise, ‘Good morning’, for the Prime Minister, ‘If the No campaign wins, what will your Government do differently because of that decision?’
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the problem with, a vote for No is, of course, a vote for no change. It's a vote which says that everything's going okay at the moment. And the truth is that it's not. We have an eight-year life expectancy gap. We have a greater chance of an Indigenous young male going to jail than to go to university. And that's why we need a Yes vote in this referendum, because we do need to listen to Indigenous Australians about matters that affect them. And if we don't recognise Indigenous Australians in our Constitution now, when will we, after 122 years? So, I'm sincerely hoping that, not just Tasmanians, but all Australians, vote Yes in the referendum on October 14, or indeed any day from today when they'll be able to vote. We, of course, we are very focused on achieving a successful result because it will enable better outcomes. We know when you listen to people, you get better outcomes. Whether it's in this area or whether it be, if a local school listens to its P&C, the community that's directly involved, the teachers, the parents, the students, the local community around wherever the school is located, then the best functioning schools have an effective consultation mechanism. And all this is about, is an opportunity to listen to Indigenous Australians about matters that affect them, with a non-binding Advisory Committee. There's nothing to fear from that.
BREADEN: And so, you say listen to Indigenous Australians. When you're in Tasmania, will you be meeting with some of Tasmania's Aboriginal community to understand why such a large proportion don't want this? Some claim that the Voice is a toothless tiger.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Voice is something that arose from Indigenous Australians themselves. And I've met with Indigenous Australians right around the country. There was a lot -
BREADEN: In Tasmania, as well?
PRIME MINISTER: In Tasmania as well. The truth is, that this arose after a process of many years. And no, there isn't a consensus. But there's no reason why you would expect that there would be a consensus amongst any group of people, when you have an issue. And you shouldn't expect, you know, a homogeneous group to exist. But overwhelmingly, Indigenous Australians are supporting a Yes vote in this referendum. Indigenous Australians, delegates from all around the country, gathered at Uluru way back in 2017, after a process which went back at least five years of consultation. We've been talking about recognition since the Howard Government prior to 2007, and so if not now, when are we going to get to recognise Indigenous Australians in our Constitution? This is an opportunity. And I note that some of the people in the Indigenous community who were previously supporting a No vote have changed to a Yes position. Because they have seen the nature of the campaign, and the negative nature of the negative, No campaign, that's being put forward. And also, that they see this as an opportunity to step forward.
BREADEN: Well, yeah, it will certainly be interesting to see how Tasmanians vote when they go to the polls on October 14. We know that early voting is now open. Anthony Albanese, we have to leave it there. Thanks so much for coming on Breakfast today. Appreciate your time and enjoy Tasmania.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, I look forward to being in Hobart later today.