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. Here we are at Petuna Seafood today, as I think people will remember a week ago today, the Prime Minister sent a letter to the three salmon companies here across Tasmania to support the industry and support the jobs ongoing in Macquarie Harbour, which arose out of a IMAS report, which was just amazing in terms of the sustainability and the oxygenation and the state of the harbour has improved significantly. We also, part of the captive breeding program, we've funded some of that, and I'd like to announce today, we are adding another $2.9 million to the captive breeding program for the Maugean Skate. That skate program has been going magnificently down at Taroona at the IMAS facility. I went down a few months ago and had a look at them. They're sort of cute little critters, but they really need some help in making sure that we can continue to sustain them. And it's really great to have a further 2.9 million provided to IMAS for the ongoing work on the stake breeding program. So I'll now hand over to the Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Anne, who, of course, is our Labor candidate for Braddon. Braddon has a vacancy, and I can't think of anyone better to fill it than someone who's been such a fighter for this local community and for jobs and for industry for her entire working life, as Anne Urquhart, I'm just so pleased that she's agreed to put her hand up. I've been to Tasmania now more than 20 times as Prime Minister. I'm a regular visitor here, I don’t just come here when there’s election on, and I work with Tasmanians to make a difference. And can I make this point that this week says a lot about the life of our Government over the last three years, on Monday, we had Cabinet. We had the various committee meetings of Cabinet, including the Expenditure Review Committee. And we had meetings in Canberra. Proper Cabinet led government, as opposed to the chaos that we inherited where people didn't even know who the ministers were. The former Prime Minister appointed himself to half a dozen different portfolios without the knowledge of the Treasurer. You had processes just broken down completely. We’ve restored orderly government. Tuesday saw the dividends of our two budget surpluses of our delivering an inflation figure with a 2 in front, 2.4 much lower than the 6 that was there that we inherited in inflation and the Reserve Bank making a decision to lower interest rates that were, of course, increasing before we came to government. Lower inflation, lower interest rates. We then had Wednesday where we had there, wages figures that showed for five quarters in a row, wages have risen in Australia, as opposed to the five quarters of the last period of the government, where real wages fell every single quarter. And on top of that, of course, we've delivered a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer, so Australians are earning more and keeping more of what they earn. On Thursday, we had the employment figures that showed that with inflation going down, wages increasing, we'd seen more jobs created. Now up to 1,152,000 jobs created since we came to government, an unemployment rate of 4.1 per cent, an unemployment rate which is lower on average since we came to office than any government in the last 50 years. So, orderly government on Monday. Interest rates going down on Tuesday. Wages going up on Wednesday, and jobs being created on Thursday, and on Friday I was there signing the deal with Premier Malinauskas, protecting the jobs and the industry and indeed, the community of Whyalla, serving the national interest, making sure that we can continue to make steel here in Australia, which is so essential. And today, here in Devonport, confirming, once again, consistent with the approach my Government has, jobs here are important. This is my third visit with the salmon industry. Sitting down, having a look at what happens at Huon, then visiting first hand to see firsthand Macquarie Harbour and how that industry is operating there, working with industry to produce improvements in sustainability that we are delivering. We're now, with this announcement today, are delivering $37 million to this industry to improve oxygenation levels in Macquarie Harbour, to improve the captive breeding program for the Maugean Skate whilst supporting this sustainable industry that's so important for job creation, but should also be a great source of pride. This is the best salmon in the world, and we want Australians to have access to it, and we want the world to have access to it as well. It's as simple as that. And what we have done is work with industry. We will produce legislation. It will go through the Parliament, and we will do it at the very next setting. We'll make sure we get that legislation right, but that's the way to deliver certainty for these workers. And these workers deserve certainty. They work hard each and every day to look after their families. This company here Petuna has existed since 1949 it's incredible that Peter is with us here today, this factory and facility built in 1983. It has employed over the years, generations of Tasmania, good, secure, well paid jobs producing fantastic, sustainable products for Australians in ocean trout as well as salmon and other products as well. So I'm really proud to be here today. My job and any Labor Government will always stand up for jobs. That's our first, second and third priority. That's what we're doing here, standing up for jobs, making sure that our economy continues to grow, and this has been a week, I think that has, quite rightly, if you look at everything mixed together, has defined what my Government's about: jobs, with wages growing, with inflation going down, taking pressure off cost of living, looking after working families here in Tasmania and indeed, right around the country. And I'll ask Luke Martin from Salmon Tasmania to make some comments as well on behalf of the industry.
LUKE MARTIN, CEO SALMON TASMANIA: Thanks everyone, Prime Minister and thank you for your commitments last week, but particularly your message today. This is an industry very proud of what it does, and workers around Tasmania who just want to get on with creating the world's best salmon in one of the world's truly great environments, and continue to put food on their own families tables and make their communities vibrant. That is what this industry is about, and it's ultimately what people care passionately about here today and all across Tasmania. The process of Macquarie Harbour has been incredibly difficult and frustrating for all of them. And again, we understand we're in a really intense legal process, and that's ultimately what the legal tests that are being applied by the Minister for the Environment. But it's become pretty clear also that the legislation doesn't allow a quick, enable a quick resolution to this issue, and as the science has started to speak even more strongly about the sustainability of the industry, the IMAS report last week that said, effectively, the population of a Maugean Skate is now at a 10 year average, that the conditions in the harbour now at their best in over a decade. It all shows that the adaptive management, the way the industry has been regulated in the harbour, is working, and that the industry and all the regulators, and I think all Tasmanians and Australians will be confident that the industry that's occurring in that harbour that beautiful environment, is being done sustainably, and that to be done in the best interests of the environment and also its vulnerable species, like the Maugean Skate. But for the workers, this has been going on now for nearly three years. In terms of the initial research now coming into a really prolonged, difficult process, but they’ve been under enormous scrutiny and enormous pressure from activists and media coverage from locally, but increasingly from nationally, and it gets to them. We've got a town in Strahan that's got 60 kids going to local school, over half of them come from salmon families. Do the math, and you know, there's no salmon industries, there’s no school in that community. The other businesses, the tourism, hospitality business, the salmon industry keeps the businesses vibrant over the winter months when the tourism is down. So we want certainty. We want an outcome. And what we've been trying to work over the last 6 to 12 months is find a way forward through legal representations, through engagement with the Minister for the Environment and obviously also through and the Prime Minister's Office to see how do we get that resolution and obviously, what the Prime Minister announced last week and spoke about today is exactly that. Legislation to deal with what is effectively the loophole on the act that's been gamed by activist groups and organisations and to be able to actually close that and provide certainty. It doesn't mean that we're not still held up to the some of the highest regulations environmental management that's occurring in the harbour. It doesn't mean we're not being met by the same standards of the EPBC Act, which are incredibly vigorous around these issues. It just enables some certainty around that process and can be wrapped up and provide the families, the communities affected by this, the certainty. So Prime Minister we acknowledge that this is your third visit. We were always pretty confident you were going to work for us. And I think the last couple of weeks has been very important. And obviously Anne, as I said before, again, the politicians who go that little bit extra. Who do the hard yard to actually go and visit the workers and bring their colleagues down. We've hosted, gosh know how many of your colleagues down on the water at Strahan, because we know, and I think Anne knew that it's one thing to read about some of the coverage in the media, and be briefed across the Cabinet table, it’s another thing to eyeball workers whose lives are ultimately impacted here, and to see the science upfront, the oxygenation machine, and speak to the scientists actually on the water in Macquarie Harbour. So we really do appreciate what you've done and the outcome you’ve got for us now. Particularly, Prime Minister note, we ant to see it quick, we the commitment. We'd certainly like to see that happen as soon as possible once parliament does go back, I'm assuming we might go back because we haven’t called an election yet. So whenever that happens, whether it's the next few weeks or the next couple of months, we'd like to see this legislation move on and ultimately, these people get back to doing what they do, which is create a great product and support their own family.
JOURNALIST: There was an Oz article yesterday that you wrote a letter to the Prime Minister seeking clarity on the legislation details and timeline, but also on the EPBC Act request for review. Have you received any commitments about that request effectively being rejected?
MARTIN: Look, one thing I want to be really clear about this is and this has been really strongly directed from the companies. These guys are very professional businesses who have a lot invested in the state, but they also want to do things properly and integrity has been really important to the way we played this along. So right through the process, we've written a series of communications to the government, all levels of government, all sides of politics, and also the group of public servants who are doing this review to make sure that the relevant information is provided. So we're still in a live EPBC review. We know that there are activist organisations who use huge budgets and their own law firms that look at everything that's occurring here and will continue to put pressure on the Minister for Environment, whoever that is, the current minister, or indeed a future minister, around that EPBC review. So we wrote off the back the announcement last week, which is a response to a further legal advice that and science advice that have been provided to the government with the IMAS support last Saturday, and we just sough clarity, both on the announcement and also obviously, on the review. I think from today's message from the Prime Minister, it's pretty clear that we're going to see a quick resolution. We want to work with the government in good faith around what that looks like. And obviously with both sides of politics. It'd be good if we could start putting the politics aside on this one and just get everyone working towards a resolution that gives everyone confidence because families are losing a lot of sleep over this issue for a long time, and we just want to see it resolved as soon possible.
JOURNALIST: On the politics of it, Luke, who's given you more assurance about the future of the industry between the two major parties? Is it Labor, or is it the Liberal National Coalition?
MARTIN: What I've admired and respected, the Prime Minister has done three visits to industry over the last 12 months. Mr Dutton has done a similar series of visits to meet and understand the issue. We know what's going on here with the pressure from the activist organisations. We can only imagine the amount of emails and, you know, letters that have been sent through to their offices. So to be credit of both leaders, I think they've actually made the effort to lead and talk to us, engage with us. We're not playing off that both sides. What we've got is the Prime Minister here who has made a very firm commitment to put legislation through very quickly. We'll operate in good faith with the government. We do have an election between this and the issue being resolved. We will obviously work with whatever the makeup is after that. What we have got absolute faith in is that there's a series of very, very strong political representatives who have been fighting this fight on sides of politics, and one is to my right, there are some on the other side of politics as well. And also got independents who have been fighting fight for us as well. So I'm not getting a caught up by politics. From our perspective, we think the electioneering and politicking is just about done. We just want to see a resolution and get this legislation through as soon as we can.
JOURNALIST: Are you concerned about the industry's reputation given recent mass deaths?
MARTIN: Look, the reality is industries, every livestock industry in the world and every farmer deals with mortalities. The fact of the matter is, we are going through a mortality event with one part of the state, the southeast, that's been more documented because effectively, organisations are running, but people going about their daily jobs are trying to deal with it. The scale of the issue is challenging. It's a warm water and we’ve got bacteria. So that's what's being dealt with. But what Australians can be confident on, is that the best salmon in the world is being produced in Tasmania with the highest possible regulatory conditions and standards. It's incredibly healthy to eat. It's plenty safe to eat, and we know that Australians appreciate and love Tasmanian salmon. We've got a short term issue we’ve got to deal with in one part of the state.
JOURNALIST: PM can I ask you a question? You've indicated earlier that the EPBC Act was not sort of fit for purpose, and that some of the issues are because of the age of it. This term in government you tried to overhaul it, that's effectively been shelved for now. Will you commit in a second term in Parliament to revisit changes to the EPBC Act, to modernise it?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we want to work with is to work with industry and work with environment groups to produce better outcomes, more certainty for industry and for the environment. One of the things about the existing Act, for example, that is not fit for purpose is the idea that it would just stop an industry like aquaculture while something was designated. Now, it was viewed that that would be about a road going through or a piece of infrastructure, not something that was dealing with live animals in this case salmon. So there's a range of issues there. We said that we will legislate. That's the point, to make sure that we get that certainty going forward.
JOURNALIST: When will you introduce that legislation? The Shadow Environment Minister raised concerns that if, hypothetically, Labor was to win a minority government with Teals and Greens, that this legislation could be shot down.
PRIME MINISTER: I speak on behalf of the Labor Party, and unlike the bloke who sits in the Senate and votes with the Greens to block housing and to block a range of issues as part of the no-alition, the Liberals, the Nationals and the Greens, I speak on behalf of the Labor Party. And Labor Governments, when I make a commitment, I've known this bloke for quite a while, I remember when we were doing Three Capes there, and people, Bob Brown, and people were saying that would wreck the environment and it would be terrible. It was the number one ask of the tourism sector, not just here in Tasmania, but Australia. That process, I walked the track commercially as a tourist, there, it is fabulous. It is fabulous. And you don't protect the environment by never allowing anyone to see what's there. It is world's best practice, and what we have here is an industry that is committed to world's best practice as well. To sustainability, and that's a good thing. That should be something that is source of enormous pride, and I know is of all of the workers here.
JOURNALIST: Will the legislation be introduced before the election?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll introduce it during the next sitting. You might be aware of some speculation. Quite clearly, I'm here in Tasmania, so I'm not at Government House, so you know, we'll introduce it as soon as we can. That's a commitment that I've made. You need to work on it to make sure it's legally sound. What we know is that there will be potential legal challenges. They've made it clear this whole process has been a law fest from some. There are some people who just don't want industry and jobs. That's not my approach. It's never been my approach, whether it's tourism, whether it's Minister for Infrastructure, or whether it be as Prime Minister.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you spend a lot of time here in Tasmania, like you said, and in Braddon. Why do you believe that this seat could actually be won by Labor?
PRIME MINISTER: Because this is, standing next to me, is the best candidate that Braddon could possibly have in Anne Urquhart, someone who was the delegate there at Simplot. It was Edgell Birds Eye now, it’s now Simplot. And who, whenever I have been anywhere in Tasmania, whether it was saving the railway there on the West Coast, whether it be infrastructure projects at Burnie for the rail revitalisation program, the upgrades to the Bass Highway, the community infrastructure projects that we've had at Ulverstone and a range of communities around here, everywhere I go, Anne Urquhart knows everybody. She knows everybody, and is trusted by everybody, and the work that she's done on an issue like this, where she has been relentless in advocating for jobs and for this local community, is something that shows the respect that she has. Now we were at Strahan at the Christmas barbecue last year after we had a looking including with the scientists in Macquarie Harbour, and there was a fantastic event. You had the local band playing. You had activities for the kids there. You had barbecue, you had stalls. Anne knew everyone there. The Liberal candidate, I'm not sure what his name is. You know, came up to me, wanted a photo with me with his Liberal Party shirt on. I was the only person he spoke to the whole time that we were there. Anne spoke to everyone. Knew everyone was respected by everyone. And dare I say it, is loved by a whole lot of people in this community as well.
JOURNALIST: PM can I ask you about another issue? China's live fire exercise in the Tasman Sea yesterday. We now know from Defence that China gave us very little warning, and, according to Defence, did not follow best practice in relation to the warning. Are you, is this time to sort of take a stand against China, publicly against about their actions?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's important as well, and Defence confirmed that China did comply with international law, and that's important. To not suggest that that wasn't the case. What we have done is to make appropriate representation through diplomatic channels, including Foreign Minister the Foreign Minister face to face in South Africa, where they are both at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting that we believe it would be appropriate to have been given more warning of this potential event taking place. I can confirm also that there has been no danger to Australian assets as a result of this action in China.
JOURNALIST: You've always said with China that you will disagree with China where you must, surely on this particular issue, albeit nobody has been injured, you disagree with China's actions?
PRIME MINISTER: I think they could have given notice, but given Australia has a presence from time to time in the South China Sea, it’s location is hinted at there by the title of the sea, that we engage in activities that are lawful. This activity took place outside of our exclusive economic zone. Notification did occur of this event, what we have done is to make representation, saying that we think best practice would be to give more notice, and we've done that through diplomatic channels, as is appropriate.
JOURNALIST: Are you going to be looking at some sort of a punishment for China, like trade restrictions or anything like that?
PRIME MINISTER: You do know that most of the trade goes from here to there, not the other way around. And I've worked pretty hard to make sure that products, including seafood products, can get into China to where something like $20 billion, one in four Australian jobs are dependent upon trade, and China is our major trading partner. We've made appropriate representations. Australia also undertakes by sea and air activities in international waters and international air space. What we have done here is we, together with New Zealand and I had a discussion with Prime Minister Luxon last night, we work closely together. This is our Anzacs, if you like, Australia and New Zealand have been monitoring both through our frigates, but also the use of our aircraft as well, have been monitoring the activities that have taken place.
JOURNALIST: Will you be speaking to your Chinese counterpart about this, is it time to elevate this to Leader to Leader?
PRIME MINISTER: The Foreign Minister has spoken to the Foreign Minister.
JOURNALIST: Does this escalation from China warrant a stronger defence response from Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: With respect, I have answered the questions.
JOURNALIST: Back on salmon farming, can you explain exactly what the legislation will look like and what it will do?
PRIME MINISTER: What it will do is to make sure that the industry can continue. That's what it’ll do. It will fix up, as Luke called it, a loophole that's there, making sure that we actually listen to the science. The science is clear. The new research from IMAS shows populations consistent with 2014 levels, it shows that there's improvements in oxygenation levels, and it shows as well, that the Maugean captive breeding program is being successful.
JOURNALIST: Otherwise, still on the salmon, Prime Minister, a coalition of environmental groups have penned a letter to you calling on you to reverse the decision you've made with regards to legislation to protect the industry, saying that this could set a dangerous precedent when it comes to environmental laws. And they've also raised concerns around the Maugean Skate. What’s your response to that?
PRIME MINISTER: The science tells us about the Maugean Skate, I want jobs, but I also want sustainability. That's what we're delivering here. And there won't be a reversal. There's a clear position the government is putting very clearly that's in the interest of jobs, but also in the interest of sustainability. That's why we've produced a $37 million package. I know the former government didn't do anything in this area. It was sort of set and forget during the period. We're dealing with the issue, dealing with it in partnership with the industry, but also dealing with it in a way that protects the environment and protects sustainability. Thank you very much.