DAN CROUCH, HOST: Good morning. How are you?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning to you. Well, I'm terrific. It's a great place to wake up, Port Lincoln, I've got to say. Beautiful morning, sun shining over the bay here, and it is going to be a really good day. I'm headed to the Port Lincoln Grain Export Terminal this morning to have a look, having had a big civic reception last night hosted by Diana Mislov, the Mayor of Port Lincoln. And it's been a really terrific visit.
CROUCH: Very good, glad to hear it. It certainly is a beautiful part of the world over there. Hopefully, you've had a chance to try some of the beautiful Coffin Bay oysters while you're there. Let's get straight into proceedings though. Mr Prime Minister, we are now just days away from Australians voting in the Voice to Parliament referendum and, in fact, many Australians have already voted. What are your final messages to Australians ahead of this Saturday's official vote?
PRIME MINISTER: My final message is this is a once in a generation opportunity to create a better future for our first Australians. This is just about two things. Firstly, recognition of the first Australians in our nation's founding document, something that should have happened back in 1901. We have a great privilege of sharing this continent with the oldest continuous culture on earth. This is a request from Indigenous Australians for the form of recognition they've asked for, which is just to have a non-binding advisory committee to be able to make representations to the government and the Parliament on matters affecting Indigenous people. Because we know that when people are consulted and listened to about matters that affect them, you'll get better results, you'll get better outcomes, you’ll help to close the gap. A vote for No is a vote for the same what we're doing right now. It doesn't move the country forward, there's no alternative being put forward, just a fear campaign. Australians have nothing to fear from this change. It'll be like the Apology to Stolen Generations. We will wake up the next day and Australia will be a more inclusive country.
CROUCH: You say a vote for No is a vote to stop progress essentially, and a vote to stay where we are. And I know you've recently said you'll move on from the Voice to Parliament if the majority of Australia does indeed vote No. If you're willing to move on from the Voice to Parliament, what is the next step in improving the lives of Indigenous Australians if it does result in a No vote? Because from the politicians and also everyday Australians I've spoken to who are planning on voting no, the common theme is an agreement that something should be done to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. But the Voice to Parliament just isn't the right thing.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Indigenous Australians are asking for the Voice to Parliament. All it is is a representative body to make representations. It doesn't change the way that Parliament functions, it won't be a decision-making body, it can't override or overrule Parliament or government decisions. But it's not too much to ask for, to be listened to. And I think when Australians focus on that, that's why I'm hopeful that Australians do vote Yes in the coming days and on Saturday, because this is the only option which is on the table. This has been worked out after more than a decade of consultation, and it will be a real loss for the country, I believe, if this is rejected. A simple request to be recognised and to be listened to. It's good manners to listen to people about matters that affect them. I think when Australians focus on that, they will come to the conclusion that they'll vote Yes, just as Indigenous Australians have. The Indigenous leaders that I met with here in Port Lincoln were all very supportive of the referendum, as will be the Indigenous leaders who I will meet with later today up at Mutitjulu in Central Australia. The Central Land Council has been unanimous, the 90 delegates from all of those communities all asking Australians to just vote Yes, because it is a way to move the country forward. Nothing to fear here, everything to gain.
CROUCH: From what I've seen, there have been two big criticisms of the referendum. Those have been the cost and the lack of transparency from the early days of the referendum regarding what it is all about. How do you respond to Australians who have been making those criticisms?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, on the cost issue, Peter Dutton is saying he wants another referendum. He wants people to vote No in this referendum, and then he wants to be Prime Minister and hold another one at the same costs that occurs for a federal election. And now, that makes no sense to reject the request has been made by Indigenous Australians and then have another referendum that he himself has said, no one has asked for. But that is the policy of the Coalition. And secondly, re the detail, the detail’s there in the question, it's very clear. The first part is in recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first peoples of Australia. That's pretty clear, straightforward. It then says there shall be a body to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, so that is a form of recognition. And then what will it do? The second point says, it may make representations to government and Parliament on matters affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - again, very clear. And then the third bit, will it override, what are its powers? It makes it clear that the primacy of the Parliament, the supremacy of the Parliament remains. It says, the Parliament shall make laws about issues relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, procedures, it makes it very clear. It's very straightforward. And what has occurred during this referendum, a lot of people saying things about, ‘what about this issue?’, that actually has nothing to do with what is in this referendum. It's a very straightforward, simple, clear proposition. A non-binding advisory committee is nothing to be fearful of. There's nothing to fear from listening to people about matters that affect them.
CROUCH: Mr Prime Minister, you mentioned Peter Dutton and the Coalition pushing to potentially have another referendum should the Coalition take power. Have you had any conversations with any Liberal ministers about what they would like to do instead of the Voice? Or do you believe it's just been all talk and a bit of a front from them so that they can vote No, and then make this a thing of the past?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they have no alternative. They were in government for nine years, and said they were going to have a referendum themselves. That was the basis of their election in 2019. John Howard was talking about recognition prior to the 2007 election. And what happened here was that Peter Dutton lost a by-election in Aston in Victoria earlier this year, and then the very next week, called a meeting of his Party room and decided just to vote No. And has decided to play the role of a wrecker in order to secure some perceived short-term political advantage. Peter Dutton is who walked out on the Apology to the Stolen Generations, was saying that it would have devastating consequences, running a big fear campaign there. He was wrong then, and he apologised for it earlier this year and said that he was wrong. Well, the truth is that he's now done exactly the same thing on this referendum question. And in years to come, if it's not successful, people will look back and wonder why it was that such a gracious request from Indigenous Australians just for recognition and an opportunity to be listened to - not to have any power except for the power of its ideas. If that is rejected by the Australian people, then I think people wonder what went on in 2023. Because the fear campaign has no basis, in fact.
CROUCH: Mr Prime Minister, just quickly before we wrap up. The terror attacks in Israel has been horrifying and absolutely heartbreaking to see. Do the Australian Government have any plans to assist as of yet?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we're doing is providing our consular assistance to Australian citizens in the region. We've expressed our horror at what has occurred here. The loss of so many innocent lives with this unprecedented attack, including on young people just enjoying a music festival, being murdered in their hundreds is just beyond comprehension. And that is why we have been so strong in our condemnation.
CROUCH: Thank you very much for your time today, Mr Prime Minister. It's been a pleasure to speak with you. And I hope you enjoy the rest of your time on the beautiful South Australian Eyre Peninsula.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much. And the Eyre Peninsular is certainly very welcoming and the people here have been terrific. And I'm really looking forward, this morning, we're going up the Port Lincoln Grain Export Terminal to have a look at the operations there. This region has an extraordinary future. And I'm very optimistic about a growth in jobs and economic activity here on the Eyre Peninsula. It's a beautiful part of Australia. And its people are very determined and focused and quite proud, understandably so, of the region where they live and where they work, and where they contribute to our nation.
CROUCH: Absolutely. Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you.