SARAH HARRIS, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins us. Prime Minister, if the Greens will accept an extra $500 million for social housing, why not just give it to them so we can get this done?
PRIME MINISTER, ANTHONY ALBANESE: Well, we have, of course, got $1.6 billion for the extension of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement this year. We put an additional $2 billion from the surplus to the States and Territories in June. There's $2 billion of additional investment as well for community housing through the NHFIC, a body that provides funding for community housing. We're doing, all of these measures are in place and the Greens should vote for it. Just like David Pocock, and Jacqui Lambie, and other crossbenchers are voting for it, indeed the Coalition should as well. We all know that housing supply is the issue, so why wouldn't you support a policy that will increase that supply?
STEVE PRICE, HOST: PM the Greens always want more. They also want an increase, rent increases capped, they want a freeze on rent increases. What's your personal view on that? And I know it’s a state issue, but have you lobbied the Premiers on those two promises from the Greens?
PRIME MINISTER: States and Territories are taking their own response and are dealing with the issue. All the Premiers and Chief Ministers are very conscious about these issues, but they know that the key is actually supply. They know that that's the thing that has really got to be addressed, but they know that they're doing that. The idea that they'll all do exactly the same thing that the Greens essentially, are trying to negotiate from the Commonwealth with every state and territory government. It's just setting itself up for political failure because it is just playing politics. I'm quite happy to take responsibility for things that are in the Commonwealth domain. We've done that, we've provided an additional $2 billion of funding just in June, and of the 30,000 homes, 4000 will be reserved for women and children escaping domestic violence. There'll be additional funding for veterans at risk of homelessness, as well as for the repair of Indigenous housing in remote communities. So this is a well thought out program, it is a good program and it should receive the support of the Senate.
WALEED ALY, HOST: You do hold the biggest megaphone in the country, though, and you do have the money to create incentives, which is what the Greens are actually asking for you to do. They're not asking for you to determine state policy, but rather to incentivise it. So before you -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they are actually. They are, they're asking for -
ALY: They want a billion dollars on the table that you can then, like that the states can then use to incentivise it. But the question -
PRIME MINISTER: The problem with that Waleed, is that we put $2 billion on the table for States and Territories in June, they must have missed that. And as a result of that, that was an incentive -
ALY: But specifically on the question of rent caps.
PRIME MINISTER: No, that was an incentive.
ALY: Sure. Not for rent caps though. I’m just interested in the question –
PRIME MINISTER: No, that was an incentive for planning. For planning. What we need to do, the key is not rent caps, the key is fixing planning.
ALY: This is the point I'm interested in, are you philosophically opposed to the rent caps and the idea of capping rent increases? Are you philosophically opposed to that and therefore won't use your megaphone for that?
PRIME MINISTER: What I want to do. Waleed, that’s not the question. The question here is, States and Territories will look at measures for renters and renters rights, I want to see increased renters rights, if that's what you're asking me. But there are six States and two Territories, all of whom have different systems in place. And the Greens are actually a part of the ACT Government, they don't have, their so called cap is for inflation plus seven per cent – so it's quite substantial as well. So the question here, though, is how do we get States and Territories to have better planning, so we get increased supply of housing. That's the key thing that we put the $2 billion on the table for, and that is what we'll continue to discuss with States and Territories. And you've seen New South Wales and Victoria make statements about that, because that's what we need to address.
ALY: All right. Can I come to the Taipan Chopper tragedy. We learnt today that these choppers have been plagued with issues we've known about for years. We spoke to Glenn Kolomeitz earlier in the show, he's a former Labor Defence Policy advisor, actually. And he says that Australia just has a habit of paying top dollar for rubbish equipment. Do you agree with that assessment?
PRIME MINISTER: Today's the day, Waleed, with respect, where we're dealing with four families who've lost loved ones. Today's a day to think of those families, that's my focus today. There will be an appropriate investigation and that needs to run its course. We'll take any recommendations from that obviously seriously. But today is a day where my focus as Prime Minister is on not just the directly grieving families, but the Defence Force family as well.
ALY: Sure, and we all feel for them, but do you not think those families, and indeed anyone who might become a family of a Defence Force soldier in the future would want to know whether or not we keep buying rubbish equipment?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, Waleed, and there will be an appropriate investigation on that, and appropriate responses. Today's not the day for me to speculate about what has occurred, it's important to not add to the difficult day that people are going through. So I'm not saying that these things should not be looked at, of course they should be. We had a Defence Strategic Review that actually found a range of issues in terms of equipment and made recommendations to the Government and indeed, the Government is responding to that appropriately.
SAM TAUNTON, HOST: Albo, before we let you go, now the Matildas play later tonight, it's a do or die game. Now, you promised the nation a public holiday if they won the World Cup.
PRIME MINISTER: They do.
TAUNTON: As soon as you did that, they lost. Did you put the mocker on them? What have you done here? And if they do continue to lose, do we get a day of mourning, maybe?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'm very confident that they'll have a win tonight. I'll certainly be watching from Canberra, and I think the whole of Australia will be behind them. And I'm sure that Sam Kerr being on the pitch will make a big difference. I thought they played exceptionally well against Nigeria. If you look at the stats -
TAUNTON: You’re not answering the question, Prime Minister.
ALY: If you’re that confident, are you willing to bet a day of mourning on it?
PRICE: But look what he’s done, he has just taken over coaching the Matildas.
PRIME MINISTER: That's not a sign of confidence, that's a sign of concession. I'm talking Australia up, I'm talking the Matildas up. I'm very confident that they'll win and that they'll go through to the round of round of sixteen and that they'll keep winning.
PRICE: The holiday is still alive, Sammy. The holiday is still alive.
TAUNTON: I just want a day off, Albo. Just give us a day off, that’s all I want.
PRIME MINISTER: Keep the dream.
HARRIS: Prime Minister, thank you for your time tonight. Really appreciate you joining us.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks a lot, guys.