MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: Tributes are being paid this morning to the former Labor leader, Simon Crean, following his death whilst travelling in Germany. The 74-year-old served as a Cabinet Minister in the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard governments after a career as one of the nation's most prominent union leaders. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, joins us now. This is a shock to everyone this morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Michael. It certainly was a shock. And it is very sad news that Simon has been taken from us too early. He was someone who was full of life. I saw him just a month ago at a celebration there in Melbourne and he was pretty fit and certainly continuing to work. He was there in Germany working in Australia's national interest, as he always did, to support Australian businesses and to support Australian jobs. Simon is someone who is a giant of our movement, someone who served as a Cabinet Minister in four governments, someone who made a difference in all of the portfolios, whether it was doing trade deals, revitalising the arts, whether it was regional development, whether it was in employment, getting Australians into jobs. He is someone who was fondly thought of throughout not just the Labor movement but across the political spectrum because he was so engaging. He was so thoroughly decent and a very honourable man.
ROWLAND: He was Labor leader from 2001-2003, you were at that stage still a relatively new backbencher. What leadership qualities did you learn from Simon Crean back then?
PRIME MINISTER: I think when you have a look at what Simon did during the Iraq war, where he not only had the courage to oppose the basis of that war, he went to farewell the deployment of Australian service personnel, who, of course, were acting in our name, to make it very clear that whilst he opposed the decision, he supported them. And that to me was an incredibly courageous moment in Australian politics. And it is typical of the man, someone who is principled but someone who always understood the politics at the end of the day is about people. It is about people and making a difference to them and respecting them. And with the respect that he showed our defence forces on that day, it was, when you look back at it now, it sounds easier. It was a very difficult thing to do. And Simon did that. He served as Deputy Leader under Kim Beazley as well. But then he continued to serve in the Rudd and Gillard governments and make an enormous difference, particularly in regional development and in trade, where, with the Doha Round, which was a particularly difficult period. It is in Australia's interest, one in four jobs depends on trade, Simon understood that and was a strong advocate for our country.
ROWLAND: He served as Labor leader, as I mentioned, in those years at the start of the century. He never got to face an election as Labor leader. Was that a source of disappointment to him?
PRIME MINISTER: Simon, of course, had some ups and downs in politics, as we all did. But he showed no signs of anything resembling regret. He is someone who continued to make a positive and constructive contribution. Of course, we went to the 2004 election with Mark Latham as leader. And I don't think there is anyone who thinks that that was a good idea now in retrospect. Simon Crean is someone who continued to engage and offer support and advice. I met with him in Europe last year where he was, supporting Australian business, when I was over there repairing the relationship with France and attending the NATO summit. I met with him in Melbourne recently. He is someone who always had advice and wisdom, as a former Labor leader. It is a difficult job being Leader of the Opposition. And I had it for three years and I regarded his counsel as being very wise. He was someone who was always worth listening to.
ROWLAND: A huge loss, indeed. A couple of other issues before you go, what do you make of the chaotic events in Russia over the weekend and do you see them as the beginning of the end for Vladimir Putin?
PRIME MINISTER: I was briefed three times over the weekend. And on each occasion, there were variations because the events were moving so fast and it was unclear what was going on with circumstances that seemed bizarre from this distance. With the Wagner Group marching at one stage on Moscow and eventually it being resolved in one way. But quite clearly, you can't have events like that and just wipe them out, pretend that you will go back to stability. What is very clear to me is that the Russian illegal invasion of Ukraine has been a disaster for the people of Ukraine, most importantly, but it has also been a disaster for the people of Russia. Mr Putin thought he could just roll over international law and roll over the people of Ukraine and have regime change there. President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine have shown enormous courage in standing up for their national sovereignty. And, clearly, the democracies around the world, including Australia, will continue to provide support for the people of Ukraine. And this has been a disaster for Mr Putin. He overplayed his hand and he got it wrong. And some of the consequences of that, I think we saw playing out on the weekend. The best thing that Mr Putin can do is just withdraw from this illegal invasion, retreat back behind his own borders and that would be a good thing for international law if that occurred.
ROWLAND: And finally, we have the Newspoll out this morning showing bad news for supporters of the Voice, 43 per cent support a yes vote. But worryingly for the Government is that this is the first major poll showing those surveyed opposing the Voice outnumber those surveyed supporting the Voice. Are there rising levels of alarm within the Government, Prime Minister, about the prospects of success for The Voice referendum?
PRIME MINISTER: No, this is a proposition that has come from the bottom up, from the grassroots, arising from the First Nations Constitutional Convention in 2017 at Uluru that asked for recognition but also asked for recognition through a Voice by giving Australian governments the opportunity to listen to First Nations people on matters that affect them. I think that as Australians focus on what is before the Australian people in the last quarter of this year, recognition and listening, all upside, no downside for this proposal. As they focus on it, as business and unions and faith groups and sporting codes all go out there campaigning, talking to people, having a look at what the actual question is that is being asked here, I believe that a majority of Australians will come to the view that I have come to, which is that we will give greater respect to Indigenous Australians but we will also enrich and lift up our nation. This is a once in a generation opportunity. And we will be saying to Australians, if not now, when will we recognise Indigenous Australians in our Constitution? I am confident that a majority of Australians will vote yes.
ROWLAND: Prime Minister, thanks for your time this morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Michael.