TANYA PLIBERSEK, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Welcome all of you to the federal electorate of Sydney today. It’s such a great pleasure to be here at the Hay Street Markets, the old Paddy’s Markets as it was when I was growing up. I used to come here with my parents as a kid, we’d stock up on the fruit and veg, we’d buy those special ingredients that Europeans were looking for, that you couldn’t buy in the Sutherland Shire. Then as a teenager, I remember coming here, spending hours looking at the clothes from stall to stall. It’s wonderful to see the way that these markets have been rejuvenated, because every great city needs a great markets.
 
It’s particularly a pleasure to be here with so many special guests today. The Premier of course, the Lord Mayor, and most particularly the Prime Minister, coming off a great win last night in the debate. We’re all looking forward to a great win on May the third as well, Prime Minister.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much Tanya, here in your capacity as the local Member for Sydney. What a lucky person you are to represent this city, of this great global centre of Australia. It is such a pleasure to be here for the opening of this great addition to this city. Sydney is a vibrant, dynamic city and this will add to the experience, not just for people who live here, but importantly as well for people who visit here. These sorts of attractions will add to the life of a city that, for a while there, was not as vibrant as it should be. But under Chris Minns’ leadership, and I pay tribute to him and his Minister, John Graham, for what they’ve done in the nighttime economy here in Sydney.
 
This centre here will be extraordinary, and I pay tribute to the Signorelli family. It is such an enormous privilege to know Paul and his family. They are great people who make a contribution with, literally, many millions of dollars of investment in a sign of confidence in this city. But they also make a contribution in so many other ways through philanthropy and through the contribution. This here will also be a place celebrating our multiculturalism, in particular the Italo-Australian community. But more than that, as well, as you go around. We have a great privilege, in this country, of sharing this continent with the oldest continuous culture on Earth, but also being able to experience the food, the music, the dancing, the culture, the language of all around the world. And this here will be a centre of it.
 
This is about job creation, it's about boosting our economy, it's about boosting tourism in this beautiful city. Bringing jobs and opportunities is what will thrive here. And it was a great honour for me, with the Premier, to be opening this centre. And I congratulate, once again, Paul and his family on the contribution. We'll hear from the Premier then we're happy to take questions.
 
CHRIS MINNS, PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES: Thanks, Anthony. Thanks to the Signorelli family. It's wonderful to be here with Tanya as well as Steve Kamper for the opening of Hay Street Markets. I think the PM's exactly right, this is what we've been waiting for in Sydney for a long time. Vibrancy to return to this part of town and hearing Paul's story about coming to the Paddy's Market site in the middle of COVID when the streets were empty, economic activity was at an all time low and wondering if it would come back. And then to put your own capital, your entrepreneurship, your blood, sweat and tears into this site, it's fantastic. It's the kind of inspiring story that we see in Sydney over and over again. People backing themselves, putting capital behind it and taking a chance on something.
 
So, now the onus is on us, the people of Sydney, the tourists who come to this great city. Get down to the Hay Street Markets, have fun with your family and your friends, enjoy some of the best produce, the best restaurants, the best feed that you're going to have in the entire country, right here on the doorstep of one of the best cities in the world. I would say the best city in the world. There's a lot going on at the moment, but we really appreciate the PM coming in to Sydney to launch an important part of Sydney's vibrancy. We've given credit to the previous Government about opening the Metro and they deserve credit for it. That city, CBD Metro has really, I think, put a rocket under economic activity through the CBD. They deserve a lot of credit for it. We need to do two things now, bring back the nightlife, bring back some vibrancy and bring back housing, and then we can really pull the jigsaw pieces together and ensure that this is a great place to live, a great place to spend time with your family and a great place to get a meal. PM.
 
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks Chris, happy to take some questions.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the damaging superannuation industry hack from last week, could you please tell us when you were made aware of it? Have you discussed it with Wayne Swan in his role at CBUS and is the Government downplaying it due to Labor’s links to the superannuation sector more broadly?
 
PRIME MINISTER: When it occurred, I was informed. No, I haven't discussed it with Wayne Swan. And, no.
 
JOURNALIST: The US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer overnight indicated the US could be using its trade surplus with Australia to offset its deficits elsewhere. What do you make of that, would that be insulting and would that undermine AUKUS if true?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I did see the comments from Mr Greer and he spoke about, he used a footy term for when you have a lead, trying to get a further lead. The fact is, that what he has drawn attention to is what I've been saying consistently and what I have said very directly to President Trump, which is the United States has a trade surplus with Australia of around about 2 to 1. They have had that since the Truman Presidency, and therefore not only is it an act of economic self-harm for the United States, but it certainly is not an appropriate action and it certainly isn't reciprocal that Australia has received a 10 per cent tariff. Whilst we acknowledge, that every other country has a worse arrangement than Australia, or certainly no one has a better arrangement than Australia.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on that subject, you were one of the first world leaders to call Donald Trump after his election and congratulate him. If you win on the 3rd of May, are you expecting a call from Donald Trump? And what will you say to him on that phone call if he makes it?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I'd welcome a call from whoever wants to call, but we're not getting ahead of ourselves. May 3 is a long way away. We are not halfway through this election campaign. Elections are hard to win. So, I'm not thinking about what happens post-May 3. I'm focused on May 3. I've been focused on it for some time. My opponent is focused, of course, on measuring up the curtains at Kirribilli House. That's not what I've done.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, following Peter Dutton’s gas announcement do you think the Government [INDISTINCT].
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the only gas policy that the Coalition have is gaslighting the Australian public. Gas prices were $30 when we came to office. They're now $13 to $14.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on gas. Overnight, the Coalition has put out modelling saying that their gas strategy will lower prices of electricity by 3 to 8 per cent. How much will your energy policy lower gas prices, and if you are re-elected, will you allow Tanya Plibersek to do her job and actually deliver environmental reforms that Labor promised in 2022?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if we had the numbers in the Senate, we’ll deliver reforms. We've got 25 out of 76, and in spite of some of the commentary that's there, there's no list that includes 50 per cent plus one in the Senate from the last. I say this about gas policy. I mean these people think that the Australian public are like goldfish that they don't remember. They went around at the time when they were in Government, when 24 out of 28 coal fired power stations announced their closure, they said they were going to have a gas-led recovery. Remember that? Josh Frydenberg, time after time after time, and nothing happened. All that happened was the gas prices reached $30 when we came to office. They're currently $13 to $14.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, many Labor supporters would like you to consider tax concessions on property. They argue that [INDISTINCT]. Do you sympathise with their concerns and would you consider any changes to tax concessions on property in a second term?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Our tax policy is out there for all to see and there's a big choice at this election. The Labor Party, building on our tax cuts that have gone into the pockets of every Australian, all 14 million of them. And a top up, not once, but twice. We stand for lower income taxes, the Coalition stands for higher taxes. They are going to introduce legislation to increase the income tax of all 14 million Australians. That is the policy that they have explicitly said, after they voted against our tax cuts.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you requested to speak with Donald Trump since the ‘Liberation Day’ tariff regime?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we have constant engagement with the US Administration.
 
JOURNALIST: PM, you’re here with Chris Minns for the first time this campaign. He’s forcing public servants back to the office in a policy that Peter Dutton mirrors in his announcement, saying that it’s the only way you can build team culture. Do you think Chris Minns is out of touch for getting public servants back to the office?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I think Chris Minns is a great Premier and he's doing a great job. I think that Peter Dutton's policy is very different –
 
JOURNALIST: How is it different, PM?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if you give me a chance I'll explain. Peter Dutton's policy was to change the way that, the only way that he can do it is to change the Act. Now we introduced the legislation at the same time as part of our two tranches of reform. Same job, same pay. He said he was against that, then he’s for it. It's not clear what his position is. Casualisation, he was for it, then against that. It's not clear where they stand on that issue either. On the right to negotiate over working from home, what we argue very clearly is, that for a range of public service jobs, you can't do them remotely. But ironically, his policy of attrition of 41,000 public servants is precisely those frontline services such as Centrelink employees, the people helping the victims of floods who are on the ground right now in western Queensland. They are the ones who have a higher rotation through the public service than people such as Foreign Affairs and Trade or Treasury.
 
So, what we have now from Peter Dutton was a big announcement, about 41,000 cuts. He now says there's going to be attrition and there is no difference, he says, in fiscal policy. He says the savings would be, the Premier's here and he'll answer the question. The 41,000, he's gone from saying we're going to sack them immediately, then we'll let natural attrition occur over a number of years, but there's no change in the savings that they have. It's just another hole, like the $600 billion hole that is in their nuclear costings.
 
I asked Peter Dutton last night, ‘where will the cuts come from?’ Because when Peter Dutton cuts, you pay. That is going to be the position going forward. Peter Dutton last night as well, said, remarkably, that there weren't cuts to health and education. They're there in this little document. This little document here, Budget 2014-15. The cuts are there in the Budget. $80 billion, $30 billion from education, $50 billion from health. His economic policy doesn't add up.
 
On work from home, he has said he's against it. Then he said it's just about Canberra, as if all public servants work in Canberra. They don't. Public servants are at the Centrelink office up the road here. They're in offices right around Australia. They help. They help people on the ground. And I'll ask Chris to make some comments.
 
JOURNALIST: Premier, Peter Dutton copied your policy. Do you think that Labor’s [INDISTINCT] And what do you make of the fact that now Anthony Albanese won’t criticise your policy that Peter Dutton copied?
 
MINNS: Look, a couple of things there. What I would say is the New South Wales Government's got to be clear and consistent about this. We want public service to spend the majority of the week in the workplace. Now that's not Peter Dutton's policy or his updated policy or his reverse policy or whatever it is today. It's very different. And I'm not going to pretend to all of you here today that our policy is exactly the same as the Commonwealth Government's. They're different. But what I would argue is the workplaces are very different. 85 per cent of the public service in New South Wales are frontline workers. Corrections officers, police officers, firefighters, nurses. The cohort that works from home during COVID, most of their responsibility is to provide expert help and support for frontline public sector workers. And the only way to do that is to spend some time in the office. So, we're not going to change our policy.
 
And the Prime Minister has been clear and consistent about his policy and I think that's very, a key choice for voters in the election campaign. You know where I stand, you know where the PM stands. You’ve got no idea where Peter Dutton is on what used to be a fundamental part of his election pitch. One day he's for it, the next day he's against it. I think at the end of the day voters are going to say to themselves, how can we trust this bloke if his policies have got the lifespan of warm yoghurt? There's a used by date on everything he says, and I think he's got to be clear and consistent. And the Prime Minister is absolutely that.
 
As a last point, I'd say in uncertain times, with the world at a hinge point, we need the kind of certainty and clearness that the Prime Minister is giving us.
 
JOURNALIST: Inner city seats like where we are now are under a concerted attack from the Greens. Does that concern you, and if so, Adam Bandt is speaking at the Press Club today, essentially issuing a ransom note of sorts saying he wants to do a deal with you on negative gearing and rental caps. Is that something you will consider in minority government?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Adam Bandt's trying to make himself relevant and I don't blame him for that. That's up to him. All these minor parties will try to do that. I'm a member of a party of Government and I sit with this fine friend of mine here in a Cabinet room that makes decisions. I expect to be re-elected as the member for Grayndler. I'm not taking that for granted. I was in Grayndler yesterday with all of you. The member for Sydney, I'm here in Sydney today. She does fantastic work as the local member. We're being, there's nothing new about the Greens talking themselves up, because sometimes the media follow that up for their, for whatever reason, it makes things a bit more interesting. But the truth is that our objective is to hold on to the 78 seats that we currently hold and build on it.
 
JOURNALIST: Should Australian households be excited about the prospect of a potential double rate cut, or is that a concerning sign?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Look, people, households, of course the Reserve Bank is independent and they make decisions on interest rates. What we do is make decisions that bring inflation down. Inflation is down to the lower half of the Reserve Bank band at 2.4 per cent. Now, the markets have an expectation that there will be another rate cut just after the election and more rate cuts this year, but that will be a decision for the Reserve Bank. But I make this point, and I noticed Warwick McKibbin said something similar to what I said yesterday, in today's Financial Review, to give a free plug if there's any Fin Review journos here. The sanctions or the tariffs that Donald Trump has put in represent an impact on the world because the US is the world's largest economy, but 80 per cent of world trade does not involve the United States. There are enormous opportunities for Australia to take advantage of where we are in the world. In ASEAN, building on the work that we've done, building up trade relationships through Nicholas Moore's report about Southeast Asia, building our relationship with India, continuing to build on our economic relationship with China, a relationship that we have repaired since we've been in Government.
 
JOURNALIST: Overnight, President Trump has said he’s spoken with the leaders, or acting leader of South Korea and of Japan, and they are sending top teams, to use his words, to the United States to negotiate on tariffs, suggesting that the United States is potentially open to a deal. So, I have two questions. When is our top team going? When are you dispatching them and who will be in that team? And who exactly has spoken to President Trump since ‘Liberation Day’ on behalf of Australia?
 
PRIME MINISTER: We have continued to make representations through the US Administration. One of the ways that you deal with diplomacy isn't to do it with a loud hailer, to engage –
 
JOURNALIST: Are you just using this as a fig leaf though, it looks like we’re asleep at the wheel because you can’t say who’s talking to who? And it looks like we’ve not had contact with the President.
 
PRIME MINISTER: We have had direct contact with the United States Administration and we’ll continue to do so. We are obviously in caretaker mode at the moment, but we will continue to engage as we are through our officials. Jim Chalmers travelled directly to the United States, met with the US Treasury Secretary. There have been documentations going between our two countries, as I have said before, and we will continue –
 
JOURNALIST: But have you spoken to Trump himself?
 
PRIME MINISTER: We will continue to make representations to the US Administration.
 
JOURNALIST: The President of Palau has just backed Australia’s bid to host COP, can I ask a question for Tanya Plibersek? When you doorknock in this electorate, are people responding to you that Labor’s inability to deliver on nature positive will impact your chance at the election?
 
PLIBERSEK: When I doorknock in Sydney and I talk about Labor's record on the environment, I get a fantastic reception. Since coming to Government, we have protected an extra hundred million hectares of land and ocean in this country. Since coming to Government, we've added more than a million tonnes of recycling capacity to the recycling capacity Australia has. Since coming to Government, I have approved enough renewable energy to power every single home in Australia, more than 80 renewable energy projects. We've got a fantastic record on the environment. We are the only party of Government that is serious about acting on climate change. That's why I get such a great response.
 
JOURNALIST: Just back to Latika’s question, in 2022 you were willing to talk about quickly swearing in a bunch of Ministers so that you guys could go overseas, I believe to Japan. Why can’t you say now who would be part of your top delegation to the US should you be re-elected?
 
PRIME MINISTER: It's an interesting question. Obviously, the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers has engaged. He'll continue to be the Treasurer after the election if I am the Prime Minister. What happened last time was on May 21 there was an election and then there was a Quad meeting. We got sworn in on the Monday morning. That has not happened before in history. We got sworn in at 9am and I was on a plane at 11am on the Monday morning.
 
JOURNALIST: [INDISTINCT] expansion of the North West Shelf?
 
PRIME MINISTER: What we will do is have proper environmental assessment in accordance with the law. And were I to give an answer on that, what it would do is delay any potential approval because it would be subject to legal action. The law is very clear that you cannot pre-empt a decision under the EPBC Act that I remind you is there from the Howard era. So, if you pre-empt it, what happens is that there is legal action as occurred with PEP-11 where as a result of the unwise comments that were made by the then Government, it took until the end of last year for an acting Minister, in this case Minister Husic, to make a decision because he had not made any commentary previously so could consider it in an objective way.
 
JOURNALIST: You promised to fix the environment laws and introduce a federal EPA at the last election, you’ve now shelved that. You’ve said you’ll introduce it in your second term. Why should we believe you and where’s the detail?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I'm hoping to get the numbers in the Senate this time. We got 25 out of 76 in the Senate. That is just a fact. And what we will continue to do is to advance our agenda. And what happens is that, and I discussed with the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy, I've had discussions with environmental groups and my Minister has been leading those discussions. We know that it is in the interests of both the environment and sustainability, but also of industry, to be a proper reform of an Act that is not fit for purpose. It has been there since the Howard era. Now we will deal with that in a second term in an appropriate consultative way.
 
Can I make this point as well. I note that Mr Dutton last night, one, refused to acknowledge that we inherited a deficit and turned that into a surplus. Secondly, he refused to find any answers for where his $600 billion that will be needed for his nuclear power plan will come from, where the cuts will come from. And thirdly, I think questions for Mr Dutton today is how is it that the shambles that is the Coalition, have in New South Wales here, members of the New South Wales Liberal Party, taking the Liberal Party to court seeking compensation because they couldn't get their act together to put in nominations for the local government elections. They've had to get rid of one candidate in Whitlam, because as one of the Liberals described to me, ‘he was a cooker’ and has been replaced by someone else who has extraordinary comments as well. And then you have the member in Leichhardt, who we may be having some contact with soon in that part of the world, has made the most extraordinary comments.
 
We have Matt Smith in Leichhardt, a distinguished Cairns Taipan champion, someone who will be a fantastic local member for Leichhardt. And in return, no wonder Warren Entsch didn’t back this bloke in the preselection. Warren Entsch, whatever differences I've had with him, he's been a pretty good local member and advocate for his community. This bloke, I don't know where they're getting these far right candidates from, but they would appear that they're popping up everywhere in Western Australia, in South Australia, in New South Wales and now in Queensland. Thanks very much.
 
ENDS