SUBJECTS: COVID restrictions across the country; vaccine rollout; national quarantine; Morrison Government failing Australians during a health pandemic; Resources and Water out of the Cabinet; Nationals Party; importance of the resources sector; Federal election; weight loss.

MICHAEL BAILEY, HOST: Good morning to you, Anthony. How are you? 

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Good morning. I'm very well. All the best to you and your listeners.

BAILEY: Anthony, what's happening with Barnaby Joyce? Is he shooting himself in the foot by getting rid of their portfolio when it comes to Resources and Energy and Water? I mean, seems like a strange mixture to get rid of.

ALBANESE: I think that the foot, the mouth, everything's been damaged pretty quickly in the last week. And Australians, I think, will be scratching their head about why it is that they dumped Michael McCormack for a bloke who has gotten rid of Resource from the Cabinet, as well as Water, no position in the Cabinet. There's no Local Government minister that I can find. There's just an assistant, basically a parliamentary secretary. But the resources sector, just to put this in perspective, it will generate $310 billion this year. It is an absolutely critical industry. It, of course, has impacted on regional development, on infrastructure, on local and state government, on employment, everything else. And the idea that you don't have a voice in the Cabinet, and now this this absurd article with spin over who will represent the Resources Minister, along with their other jobs, when Cabinet discussions are going on, it defies belief. And it's extraordinary that Scott Morrison sat back and allowed this to happen. And that, of course, was further exacerbated by Barnaby Joyce in this rather bizarre interview saying he didn't give a stuff about people who might be suffering from the COVID issues in cities. It's just not what Australia needs right now. We actually need a bit of rational common sense to lead the country through this difficult time. And Barnaby Joyce is the last bloke that you would turn to.

BAILEY: Albo, to be fair, the Labor Party, we're not quite sure in or out when it comes to coal mining, although I suppose the spin I'm getting lately is that you're actually backing the coal industry to a degree.

ALBANESE: We'll were very clear that there won't be a new coal-fired power station built in Australia. That is just a fact. There hasn't been any that have happened in the last decade. The National Party would have you believe that it is going to happen. But the market has spoken there. If it was going to happen, maybe something might have happened in the first eight years of this Government. And it simply hasn't. But that doesn't mean that we won't continue to supply coal through our existing coal-fired power stations. It doesn't mean that we won't continue to export based upon any of the international demand. Coking coal for making steel, as well as thermal, coal also means that one of the big divides in Australian politics is that we respect workers. So issues like same job, same pay, that is a huge issue in Central Queensland. I know that that's something that Robbo, our candidate there in Capricornia, is very passionate about. Making sure that miners actually get a fair go and decent working conditions. This Government is supporting court cases to undermine the wages and conditions of miners while at the same time pretending that it supports them.

BAILEY: So if you get elected to office, it is only just around the corner by the sounds of it, Resources and Water portfolio, what's going to happen with that?

ALBANESE: Well, they'll be in my Cabinet. Absolutely. And I not only have Madeleine King as a Resources Shadow Minister in the Cabinet, I also have Murray Watt assisting her, looking at specifically Queensland resources because it's so important, not just the resources that have been important to us in recent decades, like coal, gas, iron ore, but also as the potential that is there for new resources that are growing enormously, resources like hydrogen, resources like lithium and nickel and copper which has increasing demand due to the changing nature of what is happening with energy, with the shift globally towards more clean energy.

BAILEY: Look, lithium has increased and Australia's one of the biggest exporters. That's an industry to watch, isn't it?

ALBANESE: Look, it is. But the other thing is that we should be using more of it here. Now, we produce everything that goes into a battery - lithium, nickel, copper. And there's no reason why we shouldn't be manufacturing more here, having value-adding here, having those high-value jobs here. And that's something that I'm really committed to. That's why we've set up the National Reconstruction Fund to support industries to transform and become more efficient, but also for newer industries. And I think that there's an enormous opportunity that we have if we just seize what is a once-in-a-century opportunity to come out of this pandemic stronger, not just trying to go back to what was there before, but come out of it stronger, both in terms of jobs and also the security of those jobs, making sure that the trend that has happened towards casualisation, contracting out, use of labour hire to undermine wages and conditions, is really hurting our national economy. I want to see high-value jobs and new industries as well as old industries thriving in places like Central Queensland.

BAILEY: Look, you've got to look after jobs. That's what it's all about. And to be paid fairly. I'm a firm believer in that myself, Albo. The CFMEU President, Tony Maher, I love his line. 'The heat is on. The Nationals have sacrificed miners for farmers'. Are you finding that down south as well?

ALBANESE: I think that this National Party are just concerned about themselves. I mean, it was an extraordinary performance here last week, when we had National Party members moving resolutions against their own legislation in the Parliament. We had the priority of dumping Michael McCormack for Barnaby Joyce. And then just decisions that make no sense, leaving Resources and Water out of the Cabinet. But also, some of the personnel that we saw with Darren Chester, who I've got my differences with Darren, but he's a man of integrity, he deserves to be a minister. He as Veterans' Affairs Minister was passionate about the interests of veterans. And he finds himself dumped for a bloke who most of your listeners, I'm sure, would never have heard of. I just find all of the decisions quite bizarre. And Barnaby Joyce failed, of course, the last time he was Deputy Prime Minister. And it's not a great stat. The Nationals and Liberals don't like each other. And the Nationals don't like the other Nationals as well. So it's all over the shop. But I think sometimes when a political party has been in government for a long time, and they have, they're approaching a decade in office, it's time for them to actually spend some time on the opposition benches and get their act together. And that's why Robbo is our candidate there and Capricornia and other really strong candidates like Matt Burnett in Flynn, we are putting forward really strong candidates and we intend to have a real crack at the next election.

BAILEY: It is going to be an interesting one. One Nation will be there, the Shooters will be there, Labor Party will be there. It's going to be a bun fight for sure. COVID-19 and, of course, the miners, I noticed in the Northern Territory there's a bit of a scare for fly-in-fly-out workers who could be disrupting Queensland. Lots of tests are being done. It must concern you to see those dollars maybe fall away if mines happened to shut because of COVID-19.

ALBANESE: Well, it's diabolical. All of this comes because they haven't got their act together at the Federal level in terms of quarantine. They should be in charge of it. There should be purpose-built quarantine facilities. Premier Palaszczuk has been saying that for a long time. She put forward a submission to the Federal Government last October for a purpose-built facility there near Toowoomba, near Wellcamp Airport. It is a sensible proposal. It should have been up and running by now. And you wouldn't have these circumstances. And our vaccination rates, we are the lowest, the worst, dead last, in the OECD of all the advanced economies all around the world. We are last sitting on 4.7 per cent of people fully vaccinated. But we did really well, led by the sacrifices made by Australians right around the country, at the beginning of this outbreak in 2020. At the beginning of the pandemic, we were ahead. And now we're just falling behind due to a Government that hasn't got the two jobs that it had this year right - rolling out the vaccine and national quarantine facilities. And as a result of that, Australia is now vulnerable, both in terms of health, but when you have health adverse effects, then that has an impact on the economy. And it's happening in the Northern Territory right now with the shutdown. There's something like 12 million Australians today subject to lockdown restrictions. And we shouldn't be in this situation. You look at the vaccination rates across the world and it's just not good enough.

BAILEY: Leader of the Labor Party, Anthony Albanese, you seem to have a lot more energy these days. Is it because you've lost a bit of weight?

ALBANESE: Well, that helps, of course. It always helps to be healthy. And I'm trying to get match-fit. I've got a big game coming up in the Federal election. And I had a car accident earlier this year, of course. And it's amazing what having a head-on argument with a Range Rover will do to your perspective. It certainly did. And because of that, as well, I think that gave me an extra incentive to really get fitter and get healthier.

BAILEY: I hope you don't mind me saying this, but the legend goes that you've lost over 14 kilos. Our listeners want to know how did you do it, in a nutshell?

ALBANESE: I think just being disciplined. Amazing what drinking water instead of beer will do for you. And things like just really watching your diet. And I have a lovely little dog who I'm separated from at the moment, she's up in Sydney, so long walks help. And I try to be a tennis player. Wimbledon isn't quite my level, unfortunately. But I do like to have a run around and a hit and sometimes a miss-hit. And I think all of us, it is a good thing that you do get more energy if you're fitter. So I'm up for the election whenever it's on. And I look forward to campaigning in Rocky with Robbo. He had a crack last time and I think he will be all the better for the first run, and also with Matt and others up there as well. I've had a couple of visits that have been delayed as a result of this COVID outbreak, but I will get up there as soon as possible

BAILEY: Well, keep up the fight. And avoid those Range Rovers, okay?

ALBANESE: Certainly. Particularly when they're on your side of the road.

BAILEY: Albo, thanks very much for talking to 990 4RO. Have a good day the office. I know it is COVID, but you can still use media quite efficiently. And you have a good day, mate.

ENDS