SUBJECTS: Northern Tasmania; Labor's plan for A Better Future for Tasmania; Labor's plan for manufacturing; Scott Morrison's failures on vaccines and RAT tests; Election costings; Social media; Solomon Islands
 
ROSS HART, LABOR CANDIDATE FOR BASS: I'm Ross Hart. I'm the Labor candidate for Bass. Firstly, can I thank all of the market stallholders here at Niche Market for allowing us to be here during the course of their market. And welcome once again to Anthony Albanese for his sixth visit to Northern Tasmania since the borders opened in mid-December. Anthony, it's wonderful to have you here in Northern Tasmania to talk about a better future for people in Tasmania. You're going to be addressing party members and members of the public about your vision for Northern Tasmania. I'm so proud to have that vision presented here in Tasmania today. Welcome once again Anthony to Northern Tasmania and to Bass.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, thanks very much Ross. And thanks for the stallholders here at these markets for the very warm welcome that we've got this morning. I'm looking forward to addressing people at the rally that we're holding in just a very short period of time. I'll make some comments and then just take a couple of questions this morning.

Can I say that building a future starts here in Launceston. It starts here in Tasmania, but it goes throughout the whole country. We have put forward a constructive plan for a better future, which stands in stark contrast to the Government's approach, which is another three years of just more of the same. This morning, I'll be making some specific commitments here in Tasmania. Commitments consistent with the need to have a future made right here in Australia. It's one of the big themes of our campaign, that coming out of COVID, Australia needs to learn the lessons. And the lessons of the pandemic are many, of course, but one of them is we need to be more self-reliant, we need to stand on our own two feet.

I spoke on Thursday in my major address to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry about the fact that Australia ranks last in the OECD for manufacturing and self-sufficiency. When we look at the Harvard index of economic complexity, Australia ranks 86th – 86th, in between Paraguay and Uzbekistan. We need to do much better. We need to create secure jobs here, we need to be able to stand on our own two feet. And we need an economy that doesn't just accept that we can just survive at the end of the global supply chains.

And that's why today I'll be announcing a range of very specific commitments. Firstly to kick-start Line Hydrogen's George Town project, using co-located solar panels to produce green hydrogen to replace diesel in Tasmania's trucks and buses. Now they intend as well, that this would have benefits down the track for the whole of Tasmania, as you have at least five delivery spots here in Tasmania down the track.

Secondly, support for expanding Costa's East Devonport berry distribution center. Now this can support as many as 140 jobs year round, a practical program that is reminiscent of some of the measures that we put in place when I was Regional Development Minister to support the salmon industry and to support other industries. Tasmania is known for its natural projects, we see that right around these stalls here. We need to commercialize it, we need to take advantage of it for domestic as well as for exports.

Thirdly, we're going to partner with Inghams – a great company – to implement a carbon zero certified business model. This will provide a great example for how businesses can transition to carbon zero, protecting more than 120 local jobs, but pioneering sustainable manufacturing throughout Australia.

Next, we will also support a feasibility study and early development costs for Westcoast Renewable Energy's proposed Whaleback Energy Park. This has the potential for hundreds of jobs to be created. Tasmanians, of course, understand the importance of renewables here in Tasmania. And this will be important. And I note that this week as well, we announced funding to secure the future of Waverley Mills Textiles here in Tasmania as well.

All of these measures, all of these measures are consistent with our plan to shape the future. Because if you don't shape the future, the future will shape you. We need to seize the opportunities that are there from the transition to a clean energy economy, seize the opportunities that are there to create more secure work, and to make more things here in Australia. And in particular, to make things here in Tasmania. They're just some of the announcements that I'll be making in a short period of time.

Happy to take a couple of questions. The first question, the first question is to someone who is having their 30th birthday today. Now, now, if anyone can beat that, and don't tell me you're 29 or 32, or even 16, because 30 is a special one. Trudy, thank you. Happy birthday.

JOURNALIST: Thank you Mr Albanese, thank you. In January, at the height of the Omicron outbreak, you said RAT tests should be free for all Australians. Now, if you're prime minister on May 21, is that Labor's policy now? Or have the times changed enough in your opinion?

ALBANESE: Well, the times, of course, have changed. The times have changed. And what we do is consider the health advice at the time. At the time, there was an urgent need to get RATs out to people, people were struggling. And one of the things that happened at that time as well, is that the Government said, go to your local pharmacy, and you can get a free RAT test if you're a concession card holder. But when people went to their local pharmacies they were told no, they're not the free ones. You've got to, you've got to pay, the free ones aren't available. So now of course with supply – it’s like the supply, as well, of vaccines. The Government was too slow. The Government was too slow to order vaccines, and it was too slow to organize rapid antigen tests.

JOURNALIST: Labor will have increased deficits of $10 billion over the next four years. (inaudible) How can you speak about responsible economic management (inaudible)? 

ALBANESE:  Well, that's not the plan. We will release all of our costings, all of our costings in the usual way that oppositions have done for a very long time. 

JOURNALIST: Studies suggests up to about 50 per cent of women, it's probably even more, after giving birth experience female experience incontinence, it's a major issue amongst women. How is it appropriate for your member for Lyons, Brian Mitchell, to tweet about: “If this debate doesn't wrap up soon, we're going to need most women don't do well holding on?”

ALBANESE: Well, I haven't I haven't seen that tweet when is it from?

JOURNALIST: A few years ago, I think.

ALBANESE: When is it from? 

JOURNALIST: 2011. 

ALBANESE: Ok.

JOURNALIST: Still not appropriate, right?

ALBANESE: No, of course it's not appropriate, of course it's not appropriate. But that's at a time well before he was a member of parliament. I'm sure that Mr Mitchell regrets that, and it's not appropriate. 

JOURNALIST: I know (inaudible) costings will be released, but will the deficit be bigger than the Coalition’s?

ALBANESE: All of our costings will be released, but I can just say that that report, that report that I did see in the paper, I don't know what it's based on, it's certainly not based upon comments from the Shadow Finance Minister, or the Shadow Treasurer. One more.

JOURNALIST: Just on the Solomon Islands.  Foreign Minister Marise Payne has met with her counterpart in Brisbane. It's a face-to-face meeting. You've been calling for the Government to take action. Are you pleased about this? 

ALBANESE: Good – 

JOURNALIST: And secondly, are you concerned that Labor didn't have a seat at the table?

ALBANESE: Well, that's good. It's about time, I would have thought it would have been appropriate. I don't know the circumstances of whether Marise Payne invited the Shadow Foreign Minister, given we're in caretaker mode. That would have been the appropriate course of action. I'm not aware of whether that happened or not. Thanks very much.

ENDS