MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: Prime Minister, good morning.
PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: Good morning, Michael.
ROWLAND: I want to get to your predecessor in just a moment, and talk about the Voice, you're consulting on that with Torres Strait Islanders, but there are reports this morning that the Indonesian bomb-maker that assembled the explosives that were used in the Bali Bombing in 2002 that left 88 Australians dead is set to be released early by the Indonesian government, have you got any confirmation of that?
PRIME MINISTER: We have been advised that there's been a further reduction in the sentence for this person of five months and that, of course, will add to the distress that Australians are feeling. 88 Australians lost their lives in the Bali bombings including people like the Borgias and the Websters in my own electorate who was part of the Dulwich Hill sporting organisation where young people lost their lives in this terrorist attack. The anniversary is coming up, the 20th anniversary, I know that each and every year there's a commemoration at Petersham in my electorate as there are around Australia. This will be of concern for the families involved.
ROWLAND: Are you considering doing anything about this? For instance, approaching President Widodo trying to ask to keep this guy in jail?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course, his sentence is there. It's a decision that has been advised to Australian authorities. We continue to make diplomatic representations in Australia's interest and we'll continue to do that across a range of issues relating to security and relating to sentences including the sentences of Australians who are currently being kept in Indonesia. We'll continue to conduct that diplomatic action in Australia's national interest.
ROWLAND: You're in the Torres Strait, looks absolutely stunning behind you. You have been consulting Indigenous leaders about the proposed Voice to Parliament. Prime Minister, are Australians any closer to finding out the date of the referendum?
PRIME MINISTER: What we're doing here is consulting, firstly, Indigenous Australians. Yesterday I met with the Torres Strait Regional Authority. I met with the three local government heads and councils who are located here, not just in the Torres Strait but at the tip of Cape York as well, in the Northern Peninsula. We are going through that process of consultation. I'm talk being my parliamentary colleagues across the political spectrum. I want to make sure that this is a successful referendum. Yesterday, I received unanimous support for the Voice to Parliament, unanimous support for constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution; it's our nation's birth certificate. I put out a clear proposal, a question which is very clear: ‘Do you support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples being recognised in our Constitution with the Voice to Parliament?’ and a three-part constitutional change that makes it very clear what the Voice would be, but also importantly, what it won't be. It won't usurp the power of Parliament, it will just be an advisory body on matters that directly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. So I want to build support for it. I don't want the decision over issues like the date of a referendum to be just mine alone. I want there to be support across the political spectrum for this proposal because it's important that we get this done. Our nation's birth certificate should reflect the fact that we're proud of sharing this continent with the oldest continuous civilisation on earth, and we need to make sure that we get a positive outcome.
ROWLAND: Let's go to your predecessor now. It appears Scott Morrison spent a lot of yesterday and last night on Facebook cracking gags, joking about his multiple jobs, photoshopping his face on people like the coach of the Cronulla Sharks Rugby League Club. And he wrote on Facebook, I'm quoting him directly: “As Aussies we can also have a chuckle at ourselves.” What do you think of that?
PRIME MINISTER: I think that this undermining of parliamentary system of government, of the Westminster System and our democratic traditions of accountability, aren't a laughing matter. I'm surprised at the response of Mr Morrison to this. But, then again, I frankly was shocked by the revelations that he not only was Prime Minister, but took over responsibility or shared responsibility for five different portfolios as well, including Treasury and Finance and Home Affairs and Health and Industry, Science, Resources and Energy. I'm also somewhat surprised that there's been no concept that there's a need to say to the Australian people that the wrong thing was done here in undermining our Westminster System of parliamentary democracy. But people will make their own judgement about whether Mr Morrison's actions have been appropriate. Certainly, many of his colleagues have been very clear that they are shocked by the behaviour as well and the undermining of democracy. It's a pity it took Peter Dutton some time to distance himself from Mr Morrison's actions.
ROWLAND: Prime Minister, thanks for joining us.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Michael.