DAVID PENBERTHY, HOST: Prime Minister, good morning to you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, and Port Lincoln is absolutely stunning this morning.
PENBERTHY: What brings you to Port Lincoln, PM?
PRIME MINISTER: Yesterday, I had a civic reception here. The Mayor, Diana Mislov, invited me when we had the Australian Council of Local Government, we set a date. And yesterday, I met with all of the business leaders from the seafood industry, from agriculture, from the port, as well as from Indigenous leaders, the elders from the local community here, from the Eyre Peninsula. I met with a full spectrum of people, I thought the whole town had come out to the reception. It was a really good event. And then, I had then a one on one, or one on ten meeting, with a smaller group as well, the Regional Development Association, the local group here. And this morning, I'm going to visit the Port Lincoln grain export terminal to talk about ports and what needs to be done there. It's extraordinary, some, almost $1 billion dollars of exports passed through Port Lincoln last year.
PENBERTHY: It's an amazing town.
PRIME MINISTER: Eighty-five per cent of those exports were grain. And I've always wanted to come here. And I was in Whyalla, as you know, a few weeks ago, and I’ve visited Renmark. And I'm making sure that I visit not just the capital cities, but also the regional towns, because it's so important for our economy.
PENBERTHY: Well, PM, we're four days away from the vote on the Voice at the referendum on Saturday. This will probably be the only time that you have a conversation with the people of South Australia, through a radio interview this week. What would your final words be to people here ahead of the vote?
PRIME MINISTER: Be generous, think with your heart, but also your head. This will make a practical difference to people's lives by listening to them. And there was great support here from Indigenous elders and leaders yesterday in Port Lincoln, as I found around the state, when I've spoken to Indigenous communities. This is a very gracious, modest request. It's just two things. Recognition of the First Australians in our nation's founding document. And secondly, just a non-binding Advisory Committee. Nothing to fear, nothing to be scared of. It won't make a difference to the way that we're governed. But what it will do is enable us to listen, because up to now, we know that things aren't working and a vote for No is a vote to keep things the same, to say, this is as good as it gets for Indigenous Australians and surely, we can do better.
PENBERTHY: Prime Minister, we've been shocked and appalled by the scenes coming out of southern Israel, as I'm sure the vast majority of Australians have. Yet, we've also seen scenes of jubilation and celebration in the streets of some parts of Australia and outside the Sydney Opera House, which was lit up in blue and white of the Israeli flag. What's your reaction to seeing those sorts of scenes, that sort of celebration, playing out here in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's nothing to celebrate from the loss of innocent lives. And I always have been sympathetic to a two-state solution in the Middle East, one where people from Israel and Palestine can live in security and safety. You can have that position. But I think that the events on the weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation. People going about their lives on Kibbutz or in the community, in more than 20 different locations, being attacked and murdered. Those young people attending a music festival being slaughtered, many of them being captured as well and taken into Gaza to be held as human hostages. I just find it abhorrent, and it should be condemned unequivocally by everyone. I just think, my heart goes out to people in the community who are worried about their relatives or loved ones, friends. This is a really difficult time, and the loss of innocent lives is something that is never to be celebrated.
PENBERTHY: It hasn't got to this point yet, Prime Minister, but if Israel wanted some kind, you know, coalition of likeminded nations to play some sort of military role, be it a symbolic one or something more substantial, would Australia line up behind something like that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's no suggestion that that is what's envisaged. What Israel is not asking for, but what they're receiving without having to ask, because they shouldn't have to, is the political support of the world to call this out, this atrocity for what it was. And that is what we did. And that's what other democratic Western nations, of course, have done. And that's what other individuals and groups are doing, as well. These were quite horrific scenes, and it just has no place. You can have, I realise the Middle East is a very complex situation. There is no question that there has been ongoing suffering of Palestinians, but also hardship because of the conflict on Israeli citizens. And we have all, the world has sought solutions. What this does, though, is not provide any solution. This just provides for the murder of innocent civilians. That does nothing to advance a political cause.
PENBERTHY: Based on your briefings, Prime Minister, are you concerned at all that this might develop into a broader conflict?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we are concerned, and I've been briefed already this morning. I'm getting daily briefings from our appropriate agencies. We have, very much DFAT are working, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, are working on a 24-hour basis to keep on top of the situation. We'll provide a briefing for the Leader of the Opposition this morning. And we want to make sure, as well, that the interests of course and protection, we're concerned about the safety of Australian citizens, many of whom are there in the Middle East.
PENBERTHY: Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, always great to catch up. Enjoy your time up in Lincoln and we'll catch up with you soon. Cheers.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, guys.