MILTON DICK, MEMBER FOR OXLEY: Well, it's a real honour to be here in the Oxley electorate and particularly to welcome the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who is a great friend of the Ipswich community, but more importantly, is a true believer in the innovation and the jobs - alongside the Premier and our elected representatives - exactly what Coles is doing today, investing in our people and cutting edge technology. So, it's a real privilege to have the Prime Minister back in Oxley again.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much Milton. It's great to be here with yourself and with the Premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszscuk, for what is the opening of such an extraordinary centre. This centre, of course, created thousands of jobs in construction, but ongoing will create 320 - just to start with - permanent jobs, secure jobs here in Queensland. But importantly, also, it is a great example of investment in new technology and investment in Australia, a billion dollars in Coles if this investment and at Kemps Creek in Western Sydney in order to boost productivity, boost efficiency, lower costs, therefore lower prices and make a difference for people going forward. And also, it is the case of this facility will be net zero by two years time by having 100 per cent renewables powering this facility, making an enormous difference. This is a great centre for jobs and economic activity here in Ipswich region. Really proud to have participated in today.
ANNASTACIA PALASZSCUK, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: It's great to have the PM in Queensland. And it's wonderful to be here at the opening of this new facility. And of course, there's hundreds of jobs here. And they're good, secure jobs. What we're seeing is massive investment here in Queensland. This whole facility, this distribution centre, is the largest in the southern hemisphere. And we're seeing more and more investment here. There's a $500 million investment. And of course, we're seeing hundreds of jobs.
JOURNALIST: The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee noted unemployment payments have fallen to such an inadequate level that they create a barrier to paid work. Is the Federal Government holding productivity back by not raising the rates of payment?
PRIME MINISTER: I've heard many arguments about productivity, but the issue of people's payments is one that the Federal Government is looking at. We have a Budget in a couple of weeks' time, but we aren't in a position, with the trillion dollars of debt that we inherited, to do everything within our first year to address the inadequacy of the former Government. But what we are doing is working with business to drive productivity. That's one of the reasons why I was pleased to be here at this facility today.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just on the skills shortage and the need for those jobs to be filled. Can you see a good argument for making the pathway to permanent residency in Australia much easier?
PRIME MINISTER: I certainly can. If you look at this facility, and you talk to Coles management, I was talking to James Graham just this morning. One of the things that happened with this facility is that some skilled labour was brought in with specialised expertise in order to make this vision a reality. What we need to do is to be less reliant upon temporary labour, and to give people that permanent pathway to being secure to make a contribution here in Australia. The truth is that the migration system that we inherited was broken. There were over a million people waiting for visas in this country. What we need to do is to make sure that we identify the skills we need, identify the regions where we need additional workforce and tailor our migration system so that it benefits those people who come to Australia, but more importantly as well, so that it benefits our national interest. That's what our migration system is focused on. That's what Clare O'Neil will be speaking more about today.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: We have announced what the figure is already. At the Jobs and Skills Summit, we announced an increase to 195,000. But what it's about, I met someone coming through here on the way to this press conference, a Kiwi who has been in Australia for more than four years but hasn't been able to become a citizen. Now, common sense tells you that if someone is working in a facility like this, has been here for 11 years in this gentleman's case, but hasn't been able to become a citizen, then smoothing that pathway so that it's equivalent to what Australians receive in New Zealand is a sensible change that we announced over the weekend, right here in Queensland with Prime Minister Hipkins. A particularly large number of people from New Zealand have made South East Queensland their home. They're paying taxes, they're contributing, their kids are going to local schools, they're raising a family here. And these changes are aimed at for permanency. Giving people that security will mean that they're able to make a greater contribution to the Australian community.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: We've already said on a number of occasions - I do note the breathtaking articles from time to time about things that we've have said will happen - already, overwhelmingly aged care homes on track to meet that 24/7 target. This was well known weeks ago, a number of homes that have applied to have that extended have had that extended. We want practical outcomes here. But I think that putting a nurse in a nursing home is a sensible reform. It's something that we're seeing overwhelmingly complied with. And it's something that is consistent with the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission.
JOURNALIST: What is the Australian Government doing to get Australians out of Sudan?
PRIME MINISTER: We are continuing to provide support, as Australia always does, to our citizens in other countries. We would call upon all sides of the conflict in Sudan to refrain from the violence that is occurring in Sudan. But we're also working with our allies, including the United Kingdom, to make sure that our people in Sudan are looked after. We'll continue to do that. I think that Australia always does a remarkable job, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to look after Australian citizens. This is a dangerous circumstance. There are over 100 Australians in Sudan. And we are doing our best to reach out to them, to provide them with supporters in.
JOURNALIST: In terms of housing, Prime Minister, can the states coordinate tenancy standards and rent controls and will that be raised at National Cabinet tomorrow?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, one of the things that you will see at National Cabinet tomorrow, I'm very confident we will provide a framework for a better future for our Federation. I've already had very constructive discussions with all of the state Premiers and Chief Ministers. I thank Premier Palaszczuk for hosting us here. We'll be having a dinner tonight and then the meeting tomorrow morning. Healthcare will be on the agenda, as well housing issues and other issues in which we need that cooperation between states, greater consistency, but also that cooperation between the Federal Government and the state government. And I'm very confident that tomorrow's meeting will be a very positive one in the lead up to the Budget, which will be handed down now in less than two weeks' time. We'll have some announcements after tomorrow. There'll be a press conference. And I look forward to detailing further our initiatives that will arise out of tomorrow's meeting,
JOURNALIST: After the election you had the first National Cabinet in Gladstone. What will you be able to say to Queenslanders tomorrow about job security in the drive for reduced emissions and the resources sector, which represents 12 per cent of Queensland's GDP?
PRIME MINISTER: We had our first Federal Cabinet meeting outside of Canberra, we did do it in Gladstone. And that was for very good reason, just as we've been to places like Port Hedland. Because we understand that jobs in Central Queensland are very important. The transition that we're seeing with increased recent use of renewable energy provides not just a challenge, I see it as an enormous opportunity for Queensland. And when you look at the work that Premier Palaszczuk is doing with hydro with other work, looking at embracing the opportunities that are there from the use of clean, cheap energy, as well as our National Reconstruction Fund to support jobs. I want to see more manufacturing jobs in Queensland. And when I visited Central Queensland, in places like Maryborough, I've seen a template for where Australia should go. Unlike New South Wales under the Coalition where they stopped making trains in New South Wales, importing them, then they don't fit the tracks that are broken down. In Queensland, what you're seeing is retrofitting of trains that were carriages that were commissioned by the Newman Government that aren't fit-for-purpose. And instead of that, new construction, they're in Maryborough. I want to work really closely with the Queensland Premier on advanced manufacturing for Queensland and on creating jobs in Queensland. Thank you.