The Albanese Labor Government is backing home-grown innovation, regional jobs and a Future Made in Australia – with the country’s first commercial Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) heat plant to be built in Victoria.

The development of the plant at the Mars Petcare facility in Wodonga will be backed by more than $17 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

This project will secure jobs in the region, reduce emissions through clean, renewable energy and show what’s possible for the future of manufacturing in Australia.

Australia was one of the most successful nations in its pandemic response, but an investigation by the independent COVID-19 Response Inquiry finds the country was not adequately prepared for a pandemic.

The Inquiry is a reminder of the incredible service and sacrifice of so many people, not just frontline workers, but every single person in Australia.

It was a time of great uncertainty and adversity. Thousands of Australians lost their lives. Borders were closed. Australians were asked to stay in their homes.

The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are jointly investing more than $60 million over five years to establish the Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence at TAFE NSW’s Tighes Hill campus in Newcastle.

Both the Albanese Government and Minns Labor Governments are investing $28.1 million, with a further $5.27 million in federal funding to support the centre.

This will accelerate the development of a Higher Apprenticeship model focused on the advanced skills required for net zero manufacturing.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It's wonderful to be back here at the Italian Festa here in Norton Street, Leichhardt in the Inner West as Prime Minister, but also as the local member for Grayndler. This is the largest Italian festival held anywhere in Australia. Over 100,000 people will be here today, celebrating our multiculturalism and the contribution that Italo-Australians make to our local community. So it's a great day and a fantastic day to be here.

PRIME MINISTER, ANTHONY ALBANESE: Well, this has been a very successful Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting hosted by Samoa, and it is the first time that CHOGM has met here in the Pacific. Commonwealth countries represent one third of the world's population, and it's an opportunity to engage in Australia's national interests with our Commonwealth partners. And this morning, I've had the great opportunity to be here at the Pacific Policing Initiative being launched.

Talofa.

Thank you Prime Minister Fiame for hosting this event today.

In August in Tonga, as Pacific Leaders we agreed to a major new chapter in our region’s collective security – the Pacific Policing Initiative.

Today, it is privilege to join my fellow Pacific leaders in welcoming officers from 11 nations, representing the first ever Pacific Police Support Group deployment.

Putting the words of our agreement into action - and demonstrating the spirit of regional co-operation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has today joined other Pacific leaders to mark the first deployment of the new Pacific Police Support Group, part of the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), backed by Australia and endorsed by Pacific Island Forum leaders in August 2024.

More than 40 police officers from 11 Pacific countries are part of this deployment, providing security support for Samoa’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.  The deployment includes officers from Pacific partners trained at the PPI’s Pinkenba training hub in Brisbane.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: I've just come from the opening session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting here in Samoa. And apart from what was a rather extraordinary cultural display, including all the countries of the Pacific, including Australia, the speech of His Majesty King Charles was, of course, a highlight. King Charles spoke about the existential threat of climate change to our region. He also spoke about the need to not divide, but to come together in our common interest as a Commonwealth.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, Prime Minister, it was great to catch up informally last night, and good to have our first formal meeting this morning. We know each other quite well, through both meetings and the phone hook-ups etc, that we've had over the years. But I congratulate you very much on behalf of Australia for your election. I look forward to very much working with you. We share common values. And the work that we can do together in the international rule of law, in upholding international human rights, the work that we've done with common interests.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, met today on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders since the election of the Starmer Government.

The Prime Ministers discussed Australia’s and the United Kingdom’s modern and dynamic relationship, underpinned by close personal ties and strong security, trade and investment links.