My fellow Australians.

Serving as your Prime Minister is the greatest honour of my life.

And it is with a deep sense of humility, and a profound sense of responsibility that the first thing I do tonight is say thank you to the people of Australia, for the chance to continue to serve the best nation on earth.

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay respects to elders past, present and emerging today and everyday.

Today, the Australian people have voted for Australian values.

Today, as the Last Post cuts the silence of dawn, we pause to honour and reflect on more than a century of Defence service and sacrifice.

110 years ago today, Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the beaches of Gallipoli under heavy fire, in the battle that would begin the Anzac legend.

Little did they know, their story would shape both our nations for generations to come.

Today we honour them, and all those who have served in our Defence Force in the years since. We pay tribute to the fallen, lost in service of our nation.

JOURNALIST: Who from the Cabinet will be representing the Government at the Pope’s funeral, and have arrangements be made for somebody from the opposition to follow?

Australian Catholics and faithful around the world give thanks for the life of their Holy Father, Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome.

Today, the prayers of more than a billion people – from all nations and every walk of life – go with Pope Francis to his rest.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936, and ordained a priest in 1969, Pope Francis’ fellow cardinals elected him Pope in 2013.

His was a papacy of firsts – the first pope to hail from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name of the great champion of the poor, St Francis of Assisi.

The Australian Government is activating further financial support for flood-impacted communities across western Queensland through the Disaster Recovery Allowance.

This allowance offers up to 13 weeks of income support for eligible workers and sole traders depending on their personal circumstances who have suffered a loss of income as a direct result of the event.

It will be available in 15 LGAs of: Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Bulloo, Central Highlands, Diamantina, Flinders, Longreach, Maranoa, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie, Richmond and Winton.

• $80 million in recovery grants for small businesses, primary producers, not-for-profits, and rural landholders affected by Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
• Grants of up to $25,000 are available to fund clean-up and immediate recovery needs for return to operation.
• Activated across 16 local government areas from Bundaberg to Gold Coast and west to Toowoomba.

The Australian and Queensland Governments are activating grants totalling more than $80 million to eligible small businesses, primary producers, not-for-profits, and rural landholders to support communities impac

• New recovery packages worth a combined $269 million will strengthen North Queensland against future disaster events.
• Packages target infrastructure, community and mental health, small business, primary producers and tourism, and the environment.
• Assistance jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments.

New disaster recovery packages worth more than $269 million have been announced to support North Queensland’s recovery from last month’s floods.

• $5 million Emergency Fodder Support Package established for eligible primary producers in western Queensland.
• Available to farmers in the LGAs of Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Diamantina, Longreach, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie, and Winton.
• Jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Western Queensland primary producers inundated by current flooding now have access to a $5 million Emergency Fodder Support Package.

The Australian Government is providing further support for communities impacted by the flooding in Western Queensland – activating the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP).

The payment will be available for eligible resident in the Barcoo, Bulloo, Longreach, Paroo, Quilpie and Winton Local Government Areas – providing further support for these communities.

This event has impacted people in different ways.

MARK GIBSON, HOST: On Tuesday night the Government delivered its pre-election federal budget. Tonight it's the Opposition's turn to reply. And Peter Dutton has already flagged that he'll try to trump Labor's cost of living measures with a 12 month cut to the fuel excise. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese joins me now. Prime Minister, good morning.

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