National Cabinet met in Canberra today to discuss key national priorities, including energy and the health system.

Today all First Ministers, in recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the First Peoples of Australia, reaffirmed a commitment to working collaboratively to support a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament by signing a Statement of Intent.

I am pleased to announce that the Governor-General has accepted my recommendation to appoint Mr Tony Cook PSM as the Secretary of the Department of Education.

Mr Cook is currently Deputy Secretary, Higher Education, Research and International at the Department of Education. He has held a range of senior public servant positions at the Commonwealth and State levels, including as Director‑General of the Queensland Department of Education and Deputy Secretary at the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Can I thank the premiers and chief ministers for what was, once again, a very collegiate and collaborative meeting, where we worked together as a Commonwealth, with states and territories, and today as well, we added local government in the national interest.

ANNE ALY, MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: Good morning, everyone. And welcome to the electorate of Cowan and the suburb of Morley. It's wonderful to welcome back the Prime Minister on his second trip to Western Australia as part of his commitment to visit Western Australia ten times a year - an honorary Western Australian, if I might say so. And also to welcome the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, and of course, the State Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, who is also the Member for Morley, here to visit what could be a potential Urgent Care Clinic site.

JO TRILLING, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Perth today announcing seven Urgent Care Clinics that will open across WA to ease pressure on our emergency departments. Good afternoon, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you. It's great to be back in Western Australia.

The Albanese Government has reached a major milestone – six months ahead of schedule – with more than 35,000 Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) workers now in Australia.

In the October 2022 Budget, the Government committed to reaching 35,000 workers by June 2023. Latest data shows the milestone was reached in December.

XAVIER ELLIS, HOST: Mr Albanese, welcome to Triple M Perth.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: What a lovely welcome Xav and Michelle, that was great.

ELLIS: Now mate, you're not gonna let the cat out of the bag, you didn't fly over to help look for the radioactive ten-cent piece that was missing, did you?

PRIME MINISTER: All I can say is, I arrived and they found it.

MICHELLE ANDERSON, HOST: Ah, very good point.

NATALIE LOCKE, HOST: Nathan, Nat and Sean and the Prime Minister, just casually dropping by on Thursday morning. Albo, welcome back.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: We get the music and all.

LOCKE: Of course you do.

PRIME MINISTER: An intro to kick off the show.

SHAUN MORRIS, HOST: Do you know all the words?

PRIME MINISTER: Of course I do.

LOCKE:  To the second verse, do you know the second verse?

I pay my respect to elders past, present and emerging and I recommit, on behalf of the government that I'm proud to lead, the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.

Later this year, Australians will have the choice of voting Yes in a referendum that will advance reconciliation, that is about just two things: recognition and consultation.

Nothing more, but absolutely nothing less.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: From tomorrow, you will see evidence of why a change of government matters. From tomorrow, ten days paid domestic and family violence leave will be available to working Australians. It will make an enormous difference. This is the change that has come from the front line. Those people who work in family and domestic violence, providing support, particularly for women and children fleeing violent circumstances, have pointed out for a long period of time that a woman shouldn't have to choose between her job and her safety.