ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much for joining us. It has been a very successful meeting of this Pacific Islands Forum. And it has been a great pleasure and honour to represent Australia here. We are family when it comes to the Pacific. And there was a good spirit of cooperation and dialogue, speaking about our common interests. Australia's new position on climate change was particularly well-received, and that is reflected in the communique.
The Australian and New South Wales governments have extended the support committed following the extensive floods in NSW in February and March to include those impacted by the most recent July event.
Funding will go towards grants for primary producers, small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and councils, clean-up efforts and expanding the property assessment program in disaster-declared areas.
The investment also builds on the support already provided to the 37 disaster-declared local government areas under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Federal Government disaster payments are available now to eligible residents in eight additional local government areas (LGAs) affected by the severe storms and flooding that continue to impact large areas of New South Wales.
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is now available in the local government areas of Cumberland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Randwick and Warren, which brings the number of LGAs receiving disaster payments as a result of this event to 37.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much for joining us, and I’m very pleased to be joined by the Premier of New South Wales today, the Treasurer, and also my Minister for Emergency Management. The most recent floods of course have devastated homes, businesses and livelihoods in New South Wales and I'm very pleased that we've had complete cooperation, I think, and a seamless relationship between the national Government and the New South Wales Government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Fiji on Wednesday, 13 July for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Suva.
It will be his first visit to the Pacific as Prime Minister.
The first in-person Leaders’ Meeting since 2019 will bring together Pacific leaders to discuss important issues including Pacific unity, climate change, regional security and economic recovery from COVID-19.
The Forum has been gathering for more than fifty years and brings together heads of government and representatives from the Forum Members.
We, the leaders of Australia, India, and the United States, are shocked at the tragic assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Prime Minister Abe was a transformative leader for Japan and for Japanese relations with each one of our countries.
He also played a formative role in the founding of the Quad partnership, and worked tirelessly to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Our hearts are with the people of Japan — and Prime Minister Kishida— in this moment of grief.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: The tragic death of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is devastating news. On behalf of the Australian Government and people, we offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mrs Abe and Mr Abe's many family and friends and to the people of Japan. It is hard to believe we're talking about Shinzo Abe in the past tense. I've had a little while to process the information, but like I think many people around the world, I'm still in shock at this news.
DISASTER PAYMENTS AVAILABLE FOR MORE NSW FLOOD-IMPACTED RESIDENTS
Australian Government disaster payments are available now to eligible residents in six additional local government areas (LGAs), affected by the severe storms and flooding that continue to impact large areas of New South Wales.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Good morning. Can I start with reminding people that from today, people will be able to get their fourth booster shot. And those who are eligible, those above 50, are certainly very much encouraged to do so. Those above 30 should consider doing so as well. And this will be important in terms of providing a protection for people. We know that people who are immunised have less of age pact on their health if they do contract COVID.
The Albanese Labor Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit will be held at Parliament House in Canberra on 1–2 September.
The Summit will bring together Australians, including unions, employers, civil society and governments to address our shared economic challenges.
Our Government took office at a time of rising inflation and interest rates, falling real wages and a trillion dollars in debt which is now more expensive to service.