SUBJECTS: Devonport tragedy; visit to Wide Bay region; Morrison-Joyce Government’s rorting; MYEFO; Labor’s policy agenda; COVID-19 pandemic; Labor’s skills plan; need for a National Anti-Corruption Commission; Federal election; booster shots; Australia and UK free trade agreement.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: All Australians are grieving today at the tragic loss of life of five young Australians who should have been looking forward to a great life. Our hearts go out to the families directly affected, but also to the community of Devonport. This is a really close-knit community. And they'll all be impacted by this tragedy. We know as well that there are further injured children and we wish them a speedy recovery. But we also express our thanks to the emergency service workers. For the emergency service workers, the children, teachers and families who have witnessed this tragedy, it will be something that will impact their lives for the rest of their life. And it is an unspeakable tragedy. And it is, again, just my sincere condolences on behalf of the Australian Labor Party to all the families affected and to the community of Devonport. 

Yesterday, we saw the Mid-Year Economic Forecast. And what we saw from the Government is a Government that has presided over declining living standards and cuts in real wages not keeping up with inflation. That's going to continue to occur this year and next year and into the future. Real wages declining means that people are struggling to keep up with the cost of living. Here in this electorate in Bundaberg, we've seen a 33 per cent increase in the costs of going to the GP since this Government came into office. We're seeing wages not keep up with the cost of living. We're seeing real pressures when it comes to rents and housing prices in this community. And a Government that's expressing arrogance when it's asked to explain how it is that it's going to get the economy back on track. We saw none of that yesterday. Instead, we saw $16 billion of new secret slush funds being created for the Government's re-election campaign. This is a Government that treats taxpayer funds as if they're the funds of the Liberal and National parties. It's not good enough. The fact is that Scott Morrison, when he was asked about this, just arrogantly dismissed it and said it was because of representations from local members. We know that's not the case. We know that this Government get out colour-coded sheets to decide where taxpayer funds are going to be spent. But the truth is you don't pay different tax rates depending upon what electorate you're in. And what Scott Morrison is saying is that if you can't help him, you're on your own. Scott Morrison is only interested if you happen to be in an electorate which he needs to win to retain power. Because for Scott Morrison, it's all about him. He's not on your side. He won't represent your interests going forward.

And we've seen yet another broken promise today, along with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which these rorts have reminded us of why we need a National Anti-Corruption Commission and why this Government has refused to implement one. Today, the Government has walked away from any legislation of having a Voice to Parliament for First Nations people. Another commitment that it made prior to the last election, another broken promise from a Government that doesn't have an agenda for this term, let alone an agenda which could justify it getting a second decade in office. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is confident that falling unemployment will lead to higher wages over the next four years across the country. What do you think?

ALBANESE: Well, this is a Treasurer whose economic strategy comes down to hoping and wishing, it doesn't come down to any actual strategy. The fact is that real wages have fallen on this Treasurer's watch. And the prediction in yesterday's forecast is that they'll continue to fall. This Government doesn't have a strategy for lifting real wages. And indeed, they've gone to court here in Queensland to stop people getting same job, same pay, to stop casuals, who aren't really casuals, being treated as the permanent employees that they are. This Government joined a court case of a private company which engaged permanent employees, called them casuals in order to undermine their wages and conditions. And the response of this Government has been to back the company rather than to back workers when it comes to the court case. I've got legislation for same job, same pay in the Parliament. Because this Government has refused to do so. This is a Government that withdrew the provisions that had the support of the Parliament in its own legislation to make wage theft a crime as an act of pettiness. So, because of that, wage theft remains acceptable to this Government. This is a Government that have done nothing to lift real wages and won't do anything to lift real wages. What we need is a change of government, a change of government with a strategy to deal with the casualisation of the workforce, to deal with same job, same pay, to deal with the gender pay gap, to deal with the issues that are leading to a loss of real wages, which is really hurting people throughout Queensland and throughout the country.

JOURNALIST: The Budget update also has money set aside, $16 billion. (Inaudible). What do you think of that?

ALBANESE: Well, this is another reason why we need a National Anti-Corruption Commission. To establish an additional $16 billion of slush funds under the category 'decisions taken but not announced' is a disgrace. The fact is that this is taxpayers' money. And taxpayers have a right to know what it will be spent on, not to have just a line item with $16 billion attached to it of decisions taken but they're secret and won't tell you what they are until the election campaign is on. This Government treats taxpayers' money like it is its own. Scott Morrison, when this has been raised with him, has dismissed any concern in the ultimate act of arrogance. And if this Government is so arrogant at the end of its third term, imagine how bad they'll be if they get a fourth term and a second decade in office. Scott Morrison is unashamed about the fact that taxpayers' funds are funnelled based upon the political characteristic of any particular electorate. So if you are in a marginal seat that Scott Morrison needs your vote in, he'll be worried about you. But if you're not, then you're on your own. Scott Morrison isn't on the side of Australians. And we need a change of government. A change of government that will have a strong National Anti-Corruption Commission and a change of government that will treat taxpayer funds as the precious commodity that they are.

JOURNALIST: Worker shortage is a huge issue here in the Wide Bay. Businesses are expecting it to only get worse when the state government’s vaccine mandate comes in. How concerned are you about that?

ALBANESE: I'm very concerned about these issues. And one of the reasons why we have a Future Made in Australia skills plan that I've announced is to make sure that businesses can attain the skilled workforce that they need. That's why a Labor Government will have 465,000 free TAFE places and 20,000 additional university places in areas of skill shortage. We need engineers and we need nurses to be trained at universities. But we need electricians, bricklayers and others in the trades to get TAFE training and TAFE qualifications so that we can fill those jobs, particularly in our regions. We need to have a strategy to deal with this. The Government doesn't have a plan going forward.

JOURNALIST: The State Government is expected to release a decision on Paradise Dam and what they're doing for the future of that by the end of the year. They say they will go to the Federal Government (inaudible). How important is it that they get behind that? 

ALBANESE: Well, it is important. And I have a good relationship with the Palaszczuk Government. Unlike the Prime Minister, I visit when there's not an election campaign on. This Prime Minister, the last time he visited before this week was, of course, to visit during the last Queensland State election, where he travelled up and down the Queensland region by saying, as well, that Queensland should just fling its borders open at that time, and was critical of the Palaszczuk Government, which has done a magnificent job to keep Queenslanders safe. So, I will work closely with the Queensland Government on any infrastructure project, like I did the last time around when I was the Infrastructure Minister and Annastacia Palaszczuk was the Queensland Infrastructure Minister.

JOURNALIST: The Prime Minister has downgraded criticism that pharmacies and GPs were caught short by the decision of booster shots. (Inaudible). What is your response to that?

ALBANESE: Well, this is a Prime Minister who said that it wasn't a race to give people their first and second shots and is now saying, effectively, it's not a race for people to get boosters. We know with Omicron, that it's important that people get their booster shots. And we know that will protect people going forward when they're eligible. The Government has brought forward the period in which people can get their booster shots after the second dose. But they haven't fixed the supply. And they're undercutting the payment to doctors and pharmacists who should be able to roll out this booster. The Government needs to get this right. We can't afford the same botched program that we have with the rollout of the vaccine in the first place when it comes to our boosters. The boosters are so important. We see the evidence overseas. And once again, we see a complacent Government who's saying it's not a race.

JOURNALIST: What would you like to see the Government do in regard to the booster shots? 

ALBANESE: I want to see the Government ensure there is proper supply, for our pharmacists, for our GPs. I want to see vaccination clinics available for people to get those booster shots. We know here in Queensland there wasn't enough supply. And that is one of the reasons why we've been held back in terms of opening up and returning to a normal way of life. If we don't get access to the boosters, and we know that the number of people who are eligible right now is much greater than the supply of booster shots that's available around the country, we need to do much better. Scott Morrison botched the rollout of the vaccine. He botched purpose-built quarantine, which is why Queensland's having to go it alone with Wellcamp. He can't afford to botch the supply of boosters. And this Government always says it isn't a race. This is a Government that's always interested in the announcement, but not the delivery. So, they've announced changes to booster shot eligibility without worrying about how it will be delivered. It's something that characterises this Government that's all about announcement, not delivery.

JOURNALIST: The UK and Australia signed a free trade deal (inaudible). Is that a positive move?

ALBANESE: Well, free trade is a good thing. Free trade increases jobs and improves economic productivity. So, it is a good thing. We'll examine the detail of the arrangement through the important parliamentary processes. But we support arrangements and an arrangement with the UK, which is, of course, a traditional ally of Australia, it has to be a good thing. We'll look at the detail, though, to make sure that the interests of Australian businesses, Australian farmers, Australian resources sector, are all looked after. 

JOURNALIST: The Trade Minister has said it would be the way out of the pandemic. Do you agree?

ALBANESE: Well, we will wait and see. The way out of the pandemic is much more than just a trade deal. Because a trade deal with one country in Europe can make a difference but it is not going to transform the economy the way that we need to do so. The way out of the pandemic is to actually plan to build back stronger, to build a better future. We've announced our National Reconstruction Fund to make sure that new industries can grow. We want to see value adding in the agricultural sector. We want to make more things here. We want to take Australian resources and make things here rather than have the natural resources exported, the value added overseas, and then imported back at greater value. We need to create jobs here. And part of that is our plan for cheaper and cleaner energy that's been well-received by the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the National Farmers' Federation. The truth is that the LNP in Queensland have held back the Federal Government from making the necessary policy changes which are required. We need a national energy policy in this country. We need to end the climate wars in the interests of business, in the interests of agriculture and in the interests of our resources sector. We need to grow high-value manufacturing jobs here. In this region, trains are being built at Maryborough. And that's leading to an enormous growth in that great regional town. This Government would rather have things made overseas. That's what the LNP do whenever they're elected to government, either in state or federal. A Labor Government will bring high-value manufacturing back to Australia, powered by cheaper, cleaner energy.

JOURNALIST: Why are you in this region today?

ALBANESE: I'm here to talk with you today. But I'm also going to have a few days off. I'm on leave. This is a private trip where I'm doing some work, though. So Richard Marles will be Acting Leader from later today through over the next few days. This is my third visit to the region this year. And I like Central Queensland. They're my kind of people as well. Always get a friendly reception, which I did just earlier on, just prior to this press conference with the people I ran into. And I'm looking forward to spending time here. I know that the mayor, Mayor Dempsey, is always keen for people to visit the region and to spend money here. And I intend to have a few days off in this wonderful region. Thank you.

ENDS