SUBJECTS: COVID outbreaks around Australia; lockdowns; vaccine rollout; need for national quarantine facilities; Labor’s $300 vaccination incentive; Labor’s policy agenda; climate change; net zero by 2050; regional NSW; Inland Rail; Afghanistan.

SALLY BRYANT, HOST: COVID is really hitting us all hard at the moment. We've had a lot of discussion about the state government. But that's not the whole of the situation. There is a Federal authority here as well. How is our vaccine rollout looking? And could the Federal Government be supporting us more? Well, joining me to talk about this is Federal Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese. Mr Albanese, good morning. 

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Good morning. Thanks for having me on the program. 

BRYANT: Thank you for joining me. Now, new data released last week shows that across most of our region, the Riverina, at least 40 per cent of people have had at least one COVID vaccine. Some areas have a first dose rate of more than 60 or even 80 per cent. Do you accept that the rollout seems to be ticking along?

ALBANESE: Look, we were running last in the developed world for the rollout. My concerns are that whole groups of people, including those who are part of so-called category 1A, aged care residents, aged care workers, people in disability care, we learned, for example, over the weekend, that just 50 per cent of disability care residents, that is people who really need a lot of assistance and are very vulnerable, have been vaccinated at all. That's a very low number, given that the target was that would be completed by Easter. We're now in late August. 

BRYANT: The nature of Federation means that the Federal Government has most of the cash. But when it comes out to the rollout of things like public health orders and mass vaccination programs, it really is up to the states. And the Federal Government's hands are tied.

ALBANESE: Well, the Federal Government was responsible for two big jobs this year. The rollout of the vaccine - it is only the Federal Government that could secure vaccines, and of course, purpose-built quarantine facilities. We have seen nothing done in terms of New South Wales for purpose-built quarantine. The current outbreak that's impacting your listeners started with a limo driver in Sydney, unvaccinated and without a mask, taking a foreign air crew to hotel quarantine. And that has been one of the at least 27 outbreaks from hotel quarantine that have occurred. And our vaccination rates are much lower than what we were told they would be. We've been struggling for a long while there to break into the top 80 countries in the world.

BRYANT: That has reversed just recently, hasn't it? We have really turned the corner. 

ALBANESE: It is getting better. And that's a good thing. And people have been desperate, though, to get vaccinated. The issue has been one of supply. It's only been in recent times that pharmacies have been used. It's only been in recent times there's been any public information campaign to encourage people to be vaccinated. And I think the Government should look at every measure at its disposal in order to encourage vaccinations. That's why we've put forward a constructive plan for a $300 cash incentive for people to get vaccinated, but also as a reward for those people who already have.

BRYANT: Now onto other issues. You have spent a lot of time in Queensland just recently. I appreciate the lockdown makes it hard for you to get around New South Wales. But is it reasonable to expect your policies for the next election might be reasonably Queensland-friendly?

ALBANESE: They'll be Australia-friendly. We will have policies for around the entire nation, including, particularly, for regional New South Wales. But regional Australia, I think, is an important component. I, of course, was able to visit New South Wales more prior to the current outbreak. At the moment, of course, I'm in lockdown in Canberra. So I haven't been anywhere for a number of weeks. 

BRYANT: What is going to be on offer specifically for regional New South Wales?

ALBANESE: What will be on offer is firstly cheaper child care. That will assist families trying to work and struggle to pay their bills. There'll be more secure work. We have a plan to address the casualisation of the workforce with the fact that wages have actually declined in recent times and they're expected to decline over the next four years. Our policy for national reconstruction. We want Australia to build back stronger. And we have a $15 billion fund that will particularly look at how new industries and new jobs can be created in regional communities. We have a plan for our Future Australia Housing Fund that will support a growth in social housing but also affordable housing, some 30,000 units. For women as well, we have policies to address the gender pay gap, to grant ten days domestic and family violence leave. And of course, something that is vital for agricultural sector is addressing the challenge of climate change. And only Labor is putting forward a policy for net zero emissions by 2050. 

BRYANT: So I've had a text in from Michael of Griffith who wants to know, what do you intend to do coming into the election with a fully costed 2050 zero emissions policy? 

ALBANESE: Well, we will have, of course, a policy of net zero by 2050. We know that the cost of inaction will be far greater. The region, of course, was impacted by the bushfires that ravaged New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, most of the continent, just 18 months ago. And we know that there'll be more extreme weather events, more impact of drought, unless we act. I think the IPCC report that was released last week is yet again another wake-up call of the catastrophic effects unless we act on climate change. 

BRYANT: Labor holds Eden-Monaro. But we know that the booths in our region, like Tumut and Tumbarumba, tend to vote conservative. What are you going to do to make sure they don't get forgotten in what is, you'd have to say, a very large and very diverse electorate? 

ALBANESE: Well, I, of course, have visited there not just during the Eden-Monaro by-election, but on many other occasions as well. And Kristy McBain, I think, is someone who's doing an outstanding job. Her energy is extraordinary. She has got out and about around the electorate, continues to raise issues, including the failure of the Federal Government to spend money from its Emergency Response Fund to improve resilience and to help repair from the damage that was created during those devastating bushfires. 

BRYANT: David from the country wants to know there's a huge problem with freight affecting trade in and out of Australia. It's largely COVID related, but there are big disputes as well between unions and stevedoring companies. Patrick Terminals in particular are starting to automate container handling. What's your position on that?

ALBANESE: Well, I have developed, as a Minister, the first ever National Freight Strategy to make sure that we get it right, that we have appropriate intermodal transport, including, of course, there in Wagga Wagga. It was one of the things that was done under a Labor Government when I was the Infrastructure Minister. It's important that we're able to move our freight efficiently and in a way that improves productivity. And that's about using all of the modes. One of the things that I am concerned about is Australia's lack of maritime capacity. I do want to see the Australian flag on the back of ships taking freight around our coastline, as well as an efficient rail sector, which we rebuilt when I was the Minister, one third of the interstate rail freight network up throughout the entire country. And for the first time, have had the same gauge on rail freight throughout the country as well. 

BRYANT: Do you support the development of the Inland Rail that the Government is pushing?

ALBANESE: It's something that was started under Labor. I put $900 million into the Inland Rail Line because some of that is the existing line, to straighten it up and to improve the efficiency of the line. I'm concerned that this Government, which has been in office for eight years, talks a lot, but doesn't actually deliver. And at the moment, there's still no clear plan about what will happen once freight gets to Acacia Ridge, which is 38 kilometres from the Port of Brisbane. If we're going to have an Inland Rail, it shouldn't literally just be inland. It has to go to a port. It has to assist with our international trade as well. 

BRYANT: Mr Albanese, over the weekend, we've seen more lockdown protests across Australia. Does that concern you? And what needs to be done?

ALBANESE: It certainly does. These are super spreader events, potentially. And I would say to people, no one wants lockdowns. No one wants to see this happening. It's something that is necessary to protect people's health. And these protests I don't think are adding anything constructive to the debate and are a threat to public health. I agree with the comments of the New South Wales Government when it comes to discouraging people to partake in such activity.

BRYANT: And to less localised issues also, can I get your comments on the Federal Government's response to the situation in Afghanistan?

ALBANESE: I think something that has defined Scott Morrison is he's always too little, too late. When our embassy staff were withdrawn more than a couple of months ago now, the fact that action wasn't taken to remove people who need our support, whether they be Australian citizens or those who helped us in Afghanistan, is a real concern. I don't understand why that wasn't put in place. This is not just a moral obligation, but an issue of national security for Australia to show that when you help Australian servicemen and women, you'll receive assistance in return. I do pay tribute to those ADF personnel, home affairs and others, who are in Afghanistan, in Kabul now, taking these dangerous journeys to try to remove people now, because it's a very dangerous situation. 

BRYANT: What would you have done differently? I'm running out of time though. 

ALBANESE: I would have removed people earlier, which is what John Howard, Kevin Rudd, the veterans' community and Labor were all calling for some two or three months ago. 

BRYANT: Mr Albanese, thank you for your time this morning. 

ALBANESE: Thank you very much.

ENDS