Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs have today announced a new direct pathway to Australian citizenship for eligible New Zealand citizens.

Changes in 2001 made it more difficult for New Zealanders in Australia to attain citizenship.

Today we have announced that from 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens living in Australia will have a direct pathway to Australian citizenship.

The shipwreck of Australia’s largest loss of life at sea has been discovered, more than 80 years after it sunk.

Japanese merchant vessel the SS Montevideo Maru was sunk on 1 July 1942 off the coast of the Philippines after setting sail from the former Australian territory of New Guinea. 

The ship was carrying approximately 1,060 prisoners from around 16 countries, including 850 Australian service members from Rabaul. The ship was not marked as a Prisoners of War transport. 

Well, thanks very much. I also begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet no pay my respects to the elders, past, present, and emerging.

I do want to acknowledge my parliamentary colleagues, Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. We have Mark Butler, the Minister for Health. We have Julie Collins, the Minister for Housing and Homelessness. We have Assistant Minister for Infrastructure, Carol Brown, and we have Bridget Archer, the Member for Bass all joining with me at this launch from the Federal Parliament.

LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning, everyone. And thank you so much for being here. In the last week, I've been from east to west, from the Top End to down here in the Apple Isle. I've seen the best of this country, and I’ve seen the worst. I have seen hope and I have seen despair. What's happening in places like the Northern Territory shows that we have to do things differently. We need to listen to locals, we need to listen to the grassroots solutions. A genuine partnership, not politics as usual.

SARAH FERGUSON, HOST: Prime Minister, welcome to 7.30.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you.

FERGUSON: No referendum has ever succeeded without bipartisan support. What makes you think this referendum will be different?

PRIME MINISTER: I believe that Australians will take up the positive opportunity to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Constitution and also to consult them on matters that directly affect them.

AMANDA KELLER, HOST: Hello Prime Minister, how are you?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. I'm very, very well.

BRENDAN JONES, HOST: We could take up your time and say ask about your first school excursion that you went to back in the day.

KELLER: But there's more important things to discuss.

PRIME MINISTER: I can't remember what my first school excursion was.

ANDY 'TUBES' TAYLOR, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been in the state to kick start a 14,600 kilometre run around the nation in support of the Yes vote ahead of this year's referendum on the Voice to Parliament. He joins us now live on the show. Good morning, Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning. Good to be with you. It was great to be in beautiful Hobart yesterday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of New Zealand, The Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, to Australia from 22-23 April as a guest of the Australian Government.

This will be Prime Minister Hipkins’ second visit to Australia as leader.

This year Australia and New Zealand are celebrating 80 years of diplomatic representation, 50 years of the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, and 40 years of our Closer Economic Relations Free Trade Agreement.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for joining us. What a great way to start the day. It is an absolute pleasure to be here with our Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, and the newly sworn-in Environment Minister for New South Wales, Penny Sharpe. So congratulations to Penny on her appointment as part of the Minns Labor Government. We've just met a couple of very cute little bilbies, Opal and Ballara. And these beautiful animals are Australia's answer to the Easter Bunny. So it's a good time to make the announcement that we're making here today.

This Good Friday, the Australian Government is pleased to announce $6 million to support the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.

The funding, to be delivered over the next three years, will help continue the hospital’s important work to ensure children and their families can access healthcare of the highest quality.  

It will help fund life-changing treatment, world-class research, leadership and training, to attract the brightest minds to help care for kids from Melbourne, Victoria and across Australia.