ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.

JOURNALIST: Do you have any lessons from inside the church, PM?

I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has appointed Mr Simon Duggan as the Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Mr Duggan has an extensive career in the Australian Public Service most recently as the Deputy Secretary of the Energy Group at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Prior to joining DCCEEW, Mr Duggan was a Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he led the Economy and Industry Group and served as Australia’s G20 and G7 plus Sherpa.

I can inform the House that the Western Australian Government has confirmed the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team - comprising WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO – has charged one man yesterday, a 31-year-old male, with engaging in a terrorist act.

That offence carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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 acknowledge all my parliamentary colleagues here today.

From the very beginning of the United Nations, Australia has been a leader in the global effort to promote equality for women.

Indeed, the reason the UN Charter makes specific mention of sexual discrimination is because of a great Australian, Jessie Street.

One of just eight women among 850 delegates in San Francisco in 1945.

She told that conference:

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

I acknowledge Her Excellency Hilda Heine, President of the Republic of Marshall Islands;

I also acknowledge my colleagues from across the parliament;

Admiral David Johnston, Chief of the Defence Force, and senior officers from across the services;

The Honourable Peter Tinley, National President of the RSL;

Alison Frame, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Welcome back. Of course, we came back early to deal with the immediate consequences of December 14, the antisemitic terrorist attack. And we got the legislation through, not in the form that we originally proposed, because some of it was unable to receive support of people who had called for the precise measures that we introduced into the Parliament. But the legislation on guns and hate speech that we were able to carry through the Parliament was a significant advance.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Australians right across the country are facing extreme and dangerous conditions, with bushfires burning in multiple states, and of course, the dangers arising from severe wet weather to our north, particularly the north-east.

As I've often said, though, at the worst of times, we're seeing once again, the best of the Australian character, and it's been good to be here at the centre to say thank you to the workers who are really protecting their fellow Victorians and fellow Australians.

JOHN, HOMEOWNER: My name is John, I recently moved into this house with my family in December - a wonderful Christmas present. But the only reason it's possible is because of one of the programs we had to help support us, the affordability of land, as well as first home owners, and a range of other programs that let us live our dream home. Without those, we would not be standing at our house today. So we're really grateful. And I think our family is too to finally have our own home. It's something I never thought I'd achieve, to be honest. And yet here we are.

The Albanese and Malinauskas Labor Governments have struck a deal to unlock 17,000 new homes for South Australians, including nearly 7,000 for first home buyers.

Both Labor Governments are determined to build more homes and help first home buyers achieve their dream of owning a home.

The $801.5 million deal announced today is a major milestone in the delivery of the Albanese Government’s 2025 election commitment to help build 100,000 homes for first home buyers, in partnership with state governments and industry.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome Their Majesties, The King and Queen of Denmark, to Australia from 14 to 19 March.

During their six-day visit, Their Majesties will visit the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania, for a number of business and cultural engagements.

This will be Their Majesties’ fourth official visit to Australia, and their first since His Majesty The King’s ascension to the Danish throne.