FIONA PHILLIPS, MEMBER FOR GILMORE: Good morning everyone. Here in Nowra, at the New South Wales Labor Country Conference, I'm delighted to be here today with Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, coming to my hometown here, and delivering a wonderful address to members here at Country Conference. I'm thrilled to have Anthony here. It's been a huge couple of weeks in Parliament, particularly around tax cuts, where we know that 87% of taxpayers in Gilmore will be getting a bigger tax cut under Labor. So thrilled to hear the reception here today.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

It’s always good to be in Nowra. And it’s a pleasure to speak at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre.

If you’re at a loose end next Saturday night, come back here and see Boy & Bear. They’re a great band who come out of Marrickville.

It’s so important that the lifeblood of the arts flows through here in all its forms, whether it’s a band on tour, or a permanent fixture like Bundanon just up the river from here.

SHARON CLAYDON MP, MEMBER FOR NEWCASTLE: All right, that is brilliant. So that is the big welcome to Newcastle siren, Prime Minister, East End Boardriders have got the show underway. So delighted to have you back to Newcastle, and just this morning having an opportunity to meet with so many Novocastrians, from all different kinds of professions, who stand to benefit from the reconsideration of the stage three tax cuts.

SCOTT BEVAN, HOST: The PM has come to the Hunter to deliver a speech last night at what is called the Hunter Nexus Dinner, organised by the University and the organisation Hunter Business. Well, in his speech, Mr. Albanese has talked a lot about the future, about change, about new energy sources, new jobs and a new fast rail network - yep, rears its head again - and he reckons this region has a lot to teach the rest of the country when it comes to making these things happen. Well, before he delivered the speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave an interview to me.

EMMA MCBRIDE, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION: I'd like to welcome the Prime Minister to this clinic. I'd also like to acknowledge my colleagues, Pat Conroy, the Member for Shortland and Dr Gordon Reid, the Member for Robertson, and to the principles of practice here Dr. Sachin for the work that you'd have done on behalf of our community. And to the doctors, nurses and staff here at Central Coast Coastal Lakes Medical Practice, thank you for the contribution you're making to our community, including Dr. Rathi, who I just spoke to. Dr.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

I'm delighted be back in Newcastle.

This is a beautiful part of our country, it's also a community that can teach us so much about responding to challenges and seizing opportunities.

Newcastle and the Hunter tell a great Australian story of resilience and reconstruction.

A reminder that even as we grapple with the urgent challenges of the present, we must always be looking to anticipate and shape the future.

TANYA WILKS, HOST: Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese is with us. Congratulations, Albo, to you and Jodie.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you so much. People have been very kind. I assure you that Steve's marital status did not enter into calculation.

STEVE GRAHAM, HOST: Yeah, thank you, mate. I appreciate that. Although I do find you being very Australian, it's like: “will you marry me”? “Yes”. “And by the way, I'm going away for the weekend”.

COTT LEVI, HOST: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is visiting the Central Coast today, a place he has very close connections to with his now fiancé, Jodie Haydon, a local through and through. Good morning, Mr Prime Minister.

Ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's brutal full-scale invasion, the Albanese Government will provide a $50 million grant to the International Fund for Ukraine, directly supporting the procurement of priority military capabilities.

The International Fund for Ukraine is administered by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. It uses international partners' contributions to procure priority military equipment for Ukraine and ensure the continued supply of military support – lethal and non-lethal –through 2024 and beyond.

The Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on reports of Israel's planned military operation in Rafah.