SUBJECTS: Bill Crews’ Exodus Foundation Christmas lunch; Christmas; COVID recovery; penalty rates.

JOE HILDEBRAND, HOST: Christmas Eve is an incredibly special time of year for so many of us. But what about those less fortunate? And I'm not just talking about the people who have to spend time with their in-laws. Well, one person who looks after those less fortunate is, of course, Reverend Bill Crews and his Exodus Foundation and his Loaves and Fishes Cafe, which is just a fantastic organisation. I pass it almost every day, it's on my way to the supermarket where I get all my stuff. It's in our neighbourhood. And it's also in the neighbourhood of our next guest, who happens to be attending their Christmas lunch tomorrow. His name is Anthony Albanese. And he joins me on the line. G'day, Albo. How are you?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: G'day, Joe. I am very well. Merry Christmas. 

HILDEBRAND: Happy Christmas to you, too, sir. Tell us about what you're going to be doing tomorrow.

ALBANESE: I'll be working with Bill. Bill puts you to work. I spoke to him yesterday.

HILDEBRAND: You don't get any special dispensation for being the future Prime Minister or anything?

ALBANESE: Not at all. I asked him yesterday what time. He rang me up to confirm I was coming. And he said, '11 o'clock sharp'. So, we will adjust, he's putting in place, of course, measures to keep people safe. There will be lots of take-aways tomorrow. But you have about 2,000 people. I've done it before. And he has a machine, Bill does, of angels, literally, who are just helping out. So, you might be on potato duty, or pea duty, or the roast. And it's an assembly line.

HILDEBRAND: Roast duty would be the kind of high watermark. Everyone would be going for the roast duty. That's where you get all the kudos, isn't it?

ALBANESE: Where you get all the gravy, that could be a good one too. It's just a great day. It's really uplifting to see people who are down on their luck, or maybe they are just lonely and don't have a family gathering to go to. So, they're part of Bill's broader family of a couple of thousand people. And it's always a fantastic day. He does great work, of course, each and every day of the year, looking after people who are homeless or people who are just down on their luck, providing opportunities for students who are outside the mainstream school system. One of the best things that you can ever go to, I reckon, in your life is to go to a graduation ceremony from people who may have been illiterate into their teens, have had issues that haven't been picked up properly, and then that develops, of course, behaviour issues. And Bill puts them into the mainstream and gives them an opportunity in life. It's a great organisation.

HILDEBRAND: Yes, it certainly is. And you are fantastic for going there and helping out on the big day. Can I ask, you have three great religions in your life growing up, it was the Australian Labor Party, the Catholic Church and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. I've got to ask, I feel like I have to ask on behalf of your lovely long-gone mum, are you going to mass tomorrow, Albo?

ALBANESE: I usually go on the Christmas Eve, which is good. Either the early one or midnight. It's a good thing. And you would have passed, probably, the nativity that is outside of St Brigid's at Marrickville. It is quite extraordinary.

HILDEBRAND: Doesn't take any prisoners, does it?

ALBANESE: They have made an incredible effort. You can see, of course, St Brigid’s from a long, long way away in Marrickville there with the big tower, the bell tower. But they've gone to great lengths this year. And good on the parish for doing so.

HILDEBRAND: Yes, absolutely. And obviously, you know, red and green, the colours of Christmas. Also, the colours of the Rabbits. I mean, I think there's a natural sort of synergy there. You must have been pretty happy with how the Bunnies went this year.

ALBANESE: They did very well. But I would have been happier if Adam Reynolds had have kicked that goal at the end. I think we were coming home on top. But that's life. They did exceptionally well, and they did the team proud. They left nothing on the field. And I hope they go one better next year. But I always think they are the premiership contenders at this time of the year.

HILDEBRAND: I think that we're lucky to get as far as they did. I think they did incredibly well. They came home with a wet sail and couldn't have their little fairy tale. Hey, oh god, my voice is breaking. What else are you going to be doing across Christmas day? Are you going to just be kicking back? Have you asked Santa for anything special? What gift do you hope to be getting? And don't say an election victory please.

ALBANESE: Well, I don't need to say that. It kind of goes without saying. I've got a bit of seafood. I'm just on my way to pick it up now. And so, I will have that later in the day and have a pretty quiet time. Maybe take the dog for a walk there on the of golf course in the morning. But it will be pretty quiet in my household. But it'll be a great day. And it is a day which is very important, of course, for people of Christian faith, but it's also a day where Australians, regardless of their faith or having no faith, it's a great day of celebration and gathering. And it'll be difficult this year, of course. So many gatherings won't be possible because of the Omicron outbreak that's going on. So, I just urge everyone to keep safe and to have the best day possible.

HILDEBRAND: Very good advice. I think there'll be a lot of people like you as well who will just be wanting to put the year behind them and think, 'I just want to relax'. 

ALBANESE: Well, it has been a tough year, a tough couple of years for Australians. But they've been magnificent. They've made sacrifices and they've looked after each other. They've followed the rules that have been in place, even though it's been difficult to follow sometimes, the chopping and changing. But they've been great. And it has shown the strength of Australian society, I think, over the last couple of years. And I think particularly today as well to think about the essential workers, the nurses and the cleaners and the police and emergency service personnel who will all be working tomorrow. If I could put in one bit of politics, which is, they deserve their penalty rates for working on Christmas Day.

HILDEBRAND: I think we could definitely agree on that. We'll call that just a statement of fact. Anthony Albanese, thanks so much for joining us on Afternoons. Happy Christmas. And we'll speak to you in the new year.

ALBANESE: And to you, Joe.

ENDS