Dr Iain Ross AO has been appointed as the acting Chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency, replacing outgoing Chair Mr Greg Combet.

Dr Ross will take up the position on 1 June 2024, with the Government to appoint Dr Ross as the inaugural Chair of the Net Zero Economy Authority once legislation to establish the Authority passes the Parliament.

The Government extends its gratitude to Mr Combet for his leadership and commitment in setting up the Net Zero Economy Agency.

The Albanese Labor Government is working to end violence against women and children in one generation and has appointed an Expert Panel to conduct a rapid review into best-practice prevention approaches.

The Panel will meet for the first time today and deliver a report to Government later this year.

The Panel will:

MARK KENNY, HOST: Welcome to a very special Democracy Sausage episode. I'm Mark Kenny, Director of the Australian Studies Institute at ANU. Do you know that the Albanese Government is now two years old? So joining me to reflect on that milestone is the man himself, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Welcome to the podcast, PM.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Very good to be with you, Mark.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

I thank our hosts, the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue.

And I acknowledge all my colleagues here today, every one of them a champion for this great part of our nation. 

Western Sydney reflects the aspiration that drives Australia.

The courage, compassion and community spirit that our Government works every day to reward and to nourish.

The enterprise and initiative of small businesses.

GARY CLARE, HOST: Remember before the news, I said, you know, we've got the Green in the Hands, First Time Friday and we've also got the Prime Minister coming up. And then we said, you know what? He could actually ring up for the quiz.

MARK HINE, HOST: Yeah.

GARY: Because he's never been on before. And there's nothing in the rules that says a Prime Minister can't play. First Time Friday, Grand in the Hand, win a $1,000. Good morning, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.

ANIKA WELLS, MEMBER FOR LILLEY: Welcome to Lilley, welcome to the Prime Minister, welcome to the Minister for Industry, Ed Husic, the Premier of Queensland, Steven Miles, and welcome to all the great minds at QUT and industry who join us here today to launch our National Battery Strategy right here at Banyo on the north side of Brisbane. Banyo actually was settled in the mid 1800s by German immigrant farmers.

ASHLEY “ASH” BRADNAM, HOST: We've got the Prime Minister in the studio. Prime Minister.

[RECORDING] PRIME MINISTER: Albanese.

SUSIE O’NEILL, HOST: Welcome, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Something was happening there.

ASH: You haven't got your headphones on. Last time we had you on, we asked you for the correct way. Good morning, by the way. But we asked you for the correct way to pronounce your name and you told us.

KELLY HIGGINS-DEVINE, HOST: Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Good afternoon.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon. Can I cast my vote?

HIGGINS-DEVINE: Sure. Are you going banger or clanger?

PRIME MINISTER: Clanger. No, it's a shocker. It was ordinary in 1974 and it hasn't got better.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

It is such a great pleasure to be joining you on Public Education Day – and to celebrate what is one of the most potent forces for good that we have.

All Australians can proudly point to public education as one of our great strengths as a nation.

A quality education system that is available to everyone regardless of their postcode, their wealth, faith or ethnicity.

The Albanese Government has today released the nation’s first National Battery Strategy, supporting a Future Made in Australia and shoring up our economic resilience and security.

The global demand for batteries is set to quadruple by 2030 as the world transitions to net zero, and our Strategy maps a path for Australia to take advantage of this growth to build a thriving battery industry.

It identifies four high-value strategic opportunities: