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.

I also acknowledge those members of the Stolen Generations who have joined us in here. I had the great honour of spending time with them this morning at the National Apology Breakfast.

Your presence humbles us, and elevates us.

The Apology was the very first order of business of the Rudd Labor Government. There are many moments I am proud of as a parliamentarian, but that extraordinary day 16 years ago remains my proudest.

The Albanese Government is announcing a new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program (RJED) that will help close the gap in employment outcomes by creating 3,000 jobs in remote Australia.

This $707 million investment is the first step in delivering on our commitment to replace the failed Community Development Program (CDP) with real jobs, proper wages, and decent conditions.

The new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program, starting in the second half of this year, is about self-determination through economic and community development.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting.

I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.

I also pass on my respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that are with us here this morning.

And I particularly want to acknowledge every member of the Stolen Generations who are here with us today.

It is such an honour for me to be here with you.

Just as it was an extraordinary honour for me to be able to play a part in that extraordinary day sixteen years ago.

CHRIS O’KEEFE, HOST: Well, this is a bit concerning, seven murderers, 37 sex offenders and 72 violent criminals, none of them Australian citizens mind you, all of them released into our community after the High Court determined that they could not be kept in detention indefinitely. However, the Albanese Government rushed through laws that allows them to preventatively detain them. But then we learn today the Government has not applied to have a single one of them put back behind bars.

CATHERINE KING, MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Thanks everybody. Can I thank very much the Prime Minister for attending the 20th anniversary here in Ballarat of the Australian Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial. This is such a significant memorial to all Australian ex-prisoners of war. Their stories, their voices, their families are so grateful that we've had the first Prime Minister to ever visit this memorial as a serving Prime Minister.

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.

I’m delighted to be here in Ballarat.

The course of our national history has been shaped and changed here.

It’s a place where leaders were born.

A place where the past is present.

And we find an important part of our past here at the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, which speaks of a different chapter in our nation’s story.

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Joining me on the phone is the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. Good afternoon.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, Ollie. Always good to talk with you.

PETERSON: You’re riding high after the first week of parliament because you got your tax cuts through, you got the IR laws in the Senate last night. Are you back?

MARK DREYFUS, MEMBER FOR ISAACS: Morning everyone. It's an absolute pleasure to be here in the great electorate of Isaacs in Dingley, for the opening of the Hawthorn Football Club’s Kennedy Centre. It's been a long time coming. I was here on the 2nd of March 2019, with the now Prime Minister in a different capacity when he was Shadow Minister for Infrastructure. We made a commitment then, back on the 2nd of March 2019, and here we are today in 2024 with the turning of the first sod.

TOM ELLIOTT, HOST: Anthony joins us. Anthony, good morning.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Tom. How are you going?

ELLIOTT: Mr Albanese, good morning. How are you?

SARAH MACDONALD, HOST: I welcome the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, back to the show. Good morning.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Sarah. Good to be with you.