I thank the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Herald Sun for bringing this forum together.

My Government is focused on building Australia’s future – and Victoria is central to this in every way.

This state represents over 20 per cent of Australia’s economy.

More than a quarter of Australia’s value-added manufacturing.

More than 700,000 small businesses.

And in so many fields, from medical research to renewable energy technology, Victoria is a global leader, not just a national one.

The Albanese Labor Government is building Victoria’s future, today announcing an investment of more than $3.3 billion in Victoria for new road and rail projects to boost economic growth, improve connectivity and tackle congestion on suburban roads.

We will partner with the Victorian Government to fund and build a rail link to Melbourne Airport, providing new transport options for people in Melbourne’s west.

JEROME LAXALE, MEMBER FOR BENNELONG: It’s so great to be here to talk about this wonderful announcement – a further $8.5 billion for Medicare. I’ve been the Member for three years now and the cost of seeing a doctor is something that was raised with me almost every day. My local GP benefitted from our first announcement, and that was to triple the bulk billing incentive for people under 16 and concession card holders. They were about to bring in a co-payment, but didn’t because of that first announcement.

BEN FORDHAM, HOST: If you've been listening this morning, there has been a toxic reaction on the open line to news that there is going to be a funding cut to the charity Red Nose that supports parents who lose their child. So I sent a note to the Prime Minister just saying, look, is this something that you're going to go ahead with? Do you want to make an announcement on it right now to say that the funding is going to be restored? He is about to jump on an airplane, but we've got a couple of minutes with him. The Prime Minister's on the line right now.

CARINA GARLAND, MEMBER FOR CHISHOLM: Well good morning everybody. Welcome to Burwood. And it’s really terrific to be able to welcome the Prime Minister and the Health Minister here in Chisholm. Yesterday’s announcement regarding Medicare and that Australians would be able to go visit the GP for free is really important to me. I grew up in a family where my parents ran a medical practice.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Can I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of land on which we meet today and acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Well, it's been a big week. On Tuesday, we had the first interest rate cuts since 2020. On Wednesday, we learned that real wages are increasing still, now five quarters in a row compared with the five quarters of the former government, the last five quarters where wages went backwards. On Thursday, we learned that employment was continuing to grow.

Today marks three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

For three years, Ukraine has bravely resisted Russia’s illegal and immoral war of aggression.

Australia mourns the loss of life of Ukraine’s citizens and defenders, and the generational toll of Russia’s brutality.

Australia continues to stand with Ukraine.

We have committed over $1.5 billion to help Ukraine defend itself, including more than $1.3 billion in military support through vital equipment for the battlefield and the training of Ukrainian forces.

ALISON BYRNES, MEMBER FOR CUNNINGHAM: Really excited to be here at WIN Stadium with the Prime Minister and with my colleagues Stephen Jones, Fiona Phillips, and our fabulous new candidate for Whitlam, Carol Berry, to make a great sporting announcement here for our region. Before we go on, this backs on to another exciting announcement that we made this morning. $10 million from a re-elected Labor Government for the Southern Suburbs Community Centre down at Warrawong. So this is Labor investing in our region.

ANNE URQUHART, SENATOR FOR TASMANIA: I'm Senator Anne Urquhart, Senator for the Labor Party in Tasmania. I'm based here in Devonport. It's fantastic to have the Prime Minister in Devonport.

A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will make the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, with $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed GP visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program ever.

Australian patients and families will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs, with patient savings of $859 million a year by 2030.