JENNY MCALLISTER, MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CITIES: Thanks everybody for being here, and I want to particularly thank our hosts Mayor Tony, also Mayor Cathy for joining us today. And of course Shane from AgForce for joining us as well. This morning we’ve had a chance to visit local landholders, Bec and Marto and talk to them a little bit about the impact of some of the water that's gone through their property. Obviously a really significant impact on their operations. And they are just coming to grips with what will be required. But they're optimistic. They're determined to rebuild, but I'll tell you something else about the conversation that I had with Bec. Her main concern, actually, were for the people further south who she said had had it much harder than them. And I want to reflect for a moment that that posture is characteristic of what I've seen all week in this region. I've had the chance to visit Charleville, Cunnamulla, Winton, Quilpie. I was here earlier in the week, meeting with the Mayor here in Longreach. Everywhere I went there was a spirit of generosity, people looking to support others in this community who've been affected by this truly significant flood.
 
Now, in an event like this, Queensland leads. And the Australian Government wants to be a good partner to the Government of Queensland for this event, as we have been through the other events that have occurred over the course of this year. we've worked with them to stand up personal hardship assistance in a range of local government areas. We've activated the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment so that people who've experienced the most severe impacts to their homes can receive support from the Australian Government. And we've worked, too, to make sure that primary producers were supported through this acute stage of the emergency, activating subsidies for freight, providing support for a fodder fund, standing up $75,000 grants for primary producers, and, of course, mobilising our assets. Two large heavy lift helicopters that are part of the Australian Government contribution to the National Aerial Fleet and providing ADF support for the distribution of fuel within the region.
 
This has been a really significant event and of course people here have been terrific, as you would expect. I want to offer some thank-yous to the emergency management personnel who have worked so hard, to the police, to the energy and telecommunications workers who contributed to supporting their communities, to council workers. And, to the Mayors who provided terrific political leadership, and also been such good collaborators with me, with our Government and, of course, with the Queensland Government. We know that actually, in some ways, the hard work begins now. A recovery takes time. And our message to the people of this region and to the people of Queensland more generally is that we will be here with you for the long haul through this recovery. I'll hand now to the PM.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Jenny. And I do want to thank Tony Rayner, the Mayor of Longreach, also Cathy White, the Mayor of Winton. I was with Cathy just a year ago when I visited Winton to meet with the Volunteer of the Year there at the Dinosaur Museum who was a victory in the Australian of the Year awards last year. I want to thank AgForce for the work that you're doing Shane on the ground as well. But this morning, having the privilege as it was, to meet Marto, Bec and their two wonderful boys, Cooper and Jacob, at their property. To see firsthand the devastation that has occurred, to see the power of mother nature in knocking over exclusion fencing and knocking over poles, uprooted from the ground that weigh an enormous amount. But you see the power of mother nature and the force that was there. We also spoke to Marto's dad who dropped by as well. And he has been on that property for 40 years, has never seen anything like this before. And for them to welcome us and to show us around and to be able to speak to us was a great privilege. It was an example of what I have seen before here in Queensland, unfortunately, too many times, but in other parts of Australia as well, that at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character. People helping each other, the emergency services personnel, the police, the Australian Defence Force, everyone from the Royal Flying Doctor Service here in Longreach, volunteers in the SES, and people, of course, around Australia who will kick in to provide support for their fellow Australians at what is a very difficult time.
 
The vision coming out of all of western Queensland is indeed truly distressing. There are some smaller communities that are still inaccessible that we can't get to at this time. Our thoughts are with those people who've been displaced from their homes as well. And certainly that was a concern that Marto and Bec had as well for their fellow Queenslanders going through really tough times. I have a message for Queenslanders, which is: we have your back. We will be with you. We will provide whatever support is necessary. Just as, recently when I spent some time with the Premier David Crisafulli, whether it was in north Queensland or then after that in the south east corner, there is no politics in any of this. I spoke with Premier David Crisafulli yesterday and we are working hand in hand, making sure support is provided.
 
I also spoke today to David Littleproud. I always try to tell people when I'm in their turf and I wish him well as well. He's working hard. We spoke last week in Parliament about the impact of this and we'll continue to engage with him as the local member who has been most affected the electorate of Maranoa, where we are now. I'm getting daily updates on the flood situation here in Queensland, and we're approving new funding just about each and every day. And today, I can announce that we will agree to the Queensland Government's request that we received last night for an additional funding of $7 million further for fodder. We want to make sure that there's a confidence there that it's not going to run out, that it's available – and it certainly will be.
 
The other new fund that we will establish today is a fund of $105 million between our two Governments for exclusion fencing. This is absolutely vital to protect the stock, which is there with exclusion fencing coming down, access from wild dogs, wild pigs potentially as well, with the increased fodder that's on the ground. I've been to this area before. I've never seen it so green, and that will bring with it its own risks as well. That is why exclusion fencing and getting it up as soon as possible is really important. We do have the Disaster Recovery Allowance is also available for people who cannot work or cannot find work due to the floods. This will open today in the following local government areas: Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Bulloo, Central Highlands, Diamantina, Flinders, Longreach, Maranoa, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie, Richmond and Winton. This allowance gives up to 13 weeks of income support for eligible workers and sole traders. Applications will open on Tuesday 8th of April at 2pm local time. So, we want people can of course apply and can prepare for that through the MyGov app or website or can find out more by calling the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66. That's 180 22 66. Now, this comes on top of the other support that the Commonwealth is providing, some of which has been outlined by Minister McAllister.
 
I wish everyone well during this period. One of the things about our great Australian farmers and people on the land is this is tough country, but they're tough and resilient people. We want to see them come through this. They make a contribution not just to their local community, but to our nation as well. We're proud of each and every one of them for the work that they do contributing to our country, and all of Australia stands with them at this time. We'll hear from the Mayor of Longreach, Tony Rayner, then AgForce Chair Shane McCarthy, then the Mayor of Winton, Cathy White, and then we're happy to take some questions. 
 
TONY RAYNER, MAYOR OF LONGREACH: Prime Minister and Minister McAllister, sincere thanks for your visit today and your announcement. And we also need to acknowledge that both the Federal Government and the State Government have been here for the last ten days and longer, from day one of this flood disaster. The Federal Government providing the resources in cash approvals to get all of those helicopters on the ground doing the wonderful work that they all have. Prime Minister, the announcement today of that $105 million for exclusion fencing to get that back up and running, will change the economic health of every town in western Queensland. Those fences are more than just a fence around one property. They are a fence around every community in western Queensland. And with that means economic safety, economic health and mental health. So, we thank you sincerely for that. And again, to Minister McAllister for your repeat visit, it's these partnerships with both Federal and State Government that keep us going.
 
SHANE MCCARTHY, AGFORCE PRESIDENT: First of all, thank you, PM. Thank you, Senator, for coming out. We really appreciate government being here, especially the leaders, thank you very much, in this time of disaster. The generosity of Australians, Queenslanders and Australians, just astounds me every time we have one of these, and we seem to be having a few this year. But I will guarantee you, we farmers we’re a resilient lot, otherwise we wouldn't be farmers. So, it's an important work that we do. We feed the nation, and we produce enough of it and efficiently to be able to export. So, while this is a setback, we will get through it, and once we get through it, there will be required ongoing help and it won't be an easy and quick fix. So, we thank the Government for their announcements to date, that goes a long way until ensuring that these guys can get back on their feet. Once they get back on their feet, they'll do what they do best, and that's producing food and fibre for the nation. We really, really appreciate both levels of government, the State and the Federal. They, like Tony said, they've been here from day one, it's been amazing. The response has just been above and beyond what they can do. And it's just amazing the amount of support that both levels of government have been giving us. And these announcements, they go a long way. I’ll leave it at that.
 
CATHY WHITE, MAYOR OF WINTON: I just want to thank the Prime Minister and the Senator for coming out here today. It meant the world to us for you to acknowledge what ag does for Queensland. Just the announcement today of these funding packages just sends a clear message who feeds Australia. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for you to come here. We are standing here, Mayor Rayner and I, and we're standing on behalf of the other Mayors, not just in RAPAD, but all in the south going down the rivers. They've gone through hell and back, those Mayors, and if they could be here today, they would be. And it hasn't been touched on today, but I want to think about people's mental health. It's not to be underestimated. They're in for the long haul here. But these announcements of these packages today will go a long way in making them get through it. So, I don't want to go on what other people have said here today. But look, honestly, it's meant the world for these packages and for the Government to come out here and support our farmers.
 
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Cathy. Happy to take some questions. There are any questions on this first, and then we'll go to political questions.
 
JOURNALIST: Maranoa is the safest Coalition seat in the country, so it's not really going to have any kind of impact politically during the election campaign. Why are you here?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I want to be the Prime Minister of all Australians. I find it astonishing – I've read some reports saying we should just go to marginal seats. One of the things that I think has alienated some Australians from mainstream political activity is that view. These people are salt of the earth. The people I've met today, I'm so proud to be Prime Minister of a country that has people like Marto and Bec producing food, raising kids like Cooper and Jacob. It lifts me up, I've got to say. And I've been as Prime Minister, I was in Winton last year. I've been to Mount Isa three times. I was at Lake Nash cattle station just across the border of the Northern Territory in January. I want to represent the whole country. That's my job. And it's not to always look at a political map. And that's why as well, I think in terms of funding, when I was a Minister and it's been carried on by my Government as well, funding and support from the Government doesn't look at the political map. And we don't get out a colour-coded spreadsheet to determine the infrastructure funding. We determine the national interest and that's important.
 
JOURNALIST: On the floods, Prime Minister, you mentioned you witnessed some unprecedented impacts across parts of this region. What role do you think climate change is playing, if any, in exacerbating those impacts?
 
PRIME MINISTER: You can't say that any extreme weather event, any single event, is just because of climate change. What you can do, though, is look at the science. And what the science told us was that there would be more extreme weather events, so more frequent and more intense. So, that is what we are seeing played out. Not just here in Australia, but right around the world. If we can just have floods first and then I'm happy to –
 
JOURNALIST: Thank you, Prime Minister. This has really impacted all the roads out here, many oh which have been waiting to be sealed for decades. Will there be ongoing support for road infrastructure in western Queensland?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we'll continue to have discussions with David Crisafulli and his Government. We have a really positive relationship, I've got to say. I had a very constructive discussion with him yesterday, as I always have, on the range of issues. Of course, in terms of road and infrastructure investment, there's substantial Commonwealth investment that was in the Budget as well, including roads in regional Queensland, of course, were very important, but we'll continue to engage with them.
 
JOURNALIST: This 13 weeks, will that, you’re open to extending these payments for people who've been affected?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Look, that is the allowance. That's a standard part of, that's not a new fund. That's something that happens in terms of disaster relief. But we'll continue to engage constructively with the Queensland Government and with the local Mayors. Just a shout out to these people, not just because they're here, Tony and Cathy, but the ones who aren't here as well. You know, local government attracts people who are passionate about their local communities. They give up so much of their time. They certainly don't do it for the massive salaries or for anything else because they don't get that. And just a shout out to them. We'll continue to listen to them on the ground as well. A shout out as well to my Minister, Jenny McAllister. She is a Senator for New South Wales, but she spent months now it would appear in Queensland. Each and every day getting about to some difficult areas, providing that support. And the relationship that she has with the Premier is very close as well. And that's a good thing.
 
JOURNALIST: In the past six months you've made more than $70 billion worth of spending commitments and found $2 billion of savings and reprioritisations. What happened to the old days of prudent fiscal management where if you spent $70 billion, you'd then outline $70 billion of savings or even revenue increases?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'll make two points on that. The first is that some of those figures are not right.
 
JOURNALIST: On budget and off budget I’m talking about.
 
PRIME MINISTER: Some of those figures are not right because what has happened is a range of funds that have been created. For example, regional infrastructure funding was created some time ago. It takes time to go through proper processes. So, the big, the biggest electorate that got the most number of projects and the most funding for regional infrastructure that was announced in January of this year is the electorate of Maranoa. But that funding wasn't in, that wasn't a new funding announcement. That was in previous budgets, because we make sure that there's value for money that takes time to roll out. What we have done is make sure that we have been responsible. I remind you that we turned a $78 billion deficit into a $22 billion Labor surplus. We then turned the next year a deficit that was projected to be over $50 billion, we turned that into a surplus in excess of $15 billion. And this year we have almost halved the deficit that was anticipated. So, we have been responsible. We've improved the Budget bottom line by some $207 billion. The first Government to produce two budget surpluses in a row in two decades. And I think that is about –
 
JOURNALIST: What happened to, if you're going to spend, your own Budget says $35 billion net increase in spending, why can't you have a traditional budget where you find the savings to all the revenue to fund your spending?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if you have, in recent times, traditional Liberal budgets have been, each and every one of them that has been produced over the nine budgets that they handed down had massive deficits. What my Government has produced is a smaller deficit this year and two budget surpluses.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Peter Dutton has said that he will buy back the Port of Darwin if he's successful at this election. What's your plan? And as we know, Landbridge's billionaire owner has extensive links to the CCP. Why has it taken an election to make some announcements about this?
 
PRIME MINISTER: It hasn't, in one. And Peter Dutton, I've noted his comments. I, when the Port of Darwin was flogged off to a company with links to the Chinese Government, we oppose that sale. That was a sale that went through, that was given the tick by the Commonwealth Government. But more than that, the government of, that was signed, I think from memory in October 2015. That was a direct result of the program introduced by the Abbott Government in its 2014 Budget of asset recycling, which provided an incentive for state and territory governments to flog off our assets, infrastructure assets. In this case, in April of 2016, the Commonwealth gave the Northern Territory Government of the Liberal Party, Country Liberal Party, $19.5 million. A cash bonus for flogging off the Port of Darwin. Now, when we've come to office, we have been engaging, including with Landbridge, with superannuation funds. The Northern Territory Government have been in consultation with my Departments as well in our Government. We've had Treasury and Finance looking at this as well. And I foreshadowed on Thursday, as you are aware, I foreshadowed a future announcement about the Port of Darwin. We have a clear view, which is that it should be in Australian hands and Peter Dutton was in the cabinet that sold it.
 
JOURNALIST: Why wasn't this a concern worth acting upon three years ago though, when you were first elected? It has taken until the campaign –
 
PRIME MINISTER: We weren’t in government three years ago.
 
JOURNALIST: Two and a half years ago.
 
PRIME MINISTER: What we did was we established an inquiry, an inquiry and looked at those issues and we have been engaging. We want to make sure that taxpayers’ exposure is minimised. That's what you do as a responsible government and we have had this view. Any time I have been asked since 2015, you have had the same answer. And as someone who was the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure for a period of that time, you've got that as well.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, if it's taken you two and a half years to get to a point where you're actually willing to say you will acquire back the Port, how soon in a next term would you acquire back the Port? Will it take another two and a half years, or can you beat or match Peter Dutton's commitment of six months?
 
PRIME MINISTER: He hasn't matched anything. This is once again –
 
JOURNALIST: He set out a timeframe of six months. Can you beat that?
 
PRIME MINISTER: That's just him talking on the run. This is the guy who sold it. I've seen –
 
JOURNALIST: I’ve asked what you will do, Prime Minister.
 
PRIME MINISTER: I have seen his media release and his media release pretends that this had nothing to do with the Commonwealth Government, of which he was a Cabinet Minister, and then he was the Defence Minister during this entire time as well. He did absolutely nothing. What my Government did was have an assessment of these issues, but at the same time, we didn't wait for that. We looked for interest, including through superannuation funds. I want this to go into Australian ownership, but I'd prefer it to be Australian ownership under the private sector. But if need be, we will purchase as well.
 
JOURNALIST: By when, Prime Minister, by when? Can you answer that question, please?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Here, you go.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the head of Landbridge has told the Financial Review today that they have not heard from the Government. Your statement earlier was that they have. Who from the Government and on what time frame and which superannuation funds would be interested? What's your consultation in the super sector for acquisition of the Port?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have consulted and we're not going to, because they're commercial issues. We're not going to go into that. Of course, the Government, including Landbridge, of course, had the former Trade Minister as one of its board members there. So, they have been aware of, that's just a fact. We have engaged with them and individual companies have reached out about whether a sale could be got. There was talk of Landbridge's situation, of whether that was available or not. What we're saying is that we will, if need be, compulsorily acquire.
 
JOURNALIST: If need be, how much would that cost taxpayers? And Peter Dutton says he contacted the Chinese Ambassador prior to making his announcement. He claims you didn't. Did you have any conversations with China before this?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, he's obviously got better connections with the Chinese Ambassador. That’s a very strange thing for him to say. And I'll just leave that sitting there. What we have done is engage very clearly. I have made, if you go back and look at my transcripts since 2015, you will see multiple statements from me about what our position is, about what our position is.
 
JOURNALIST: How much would it cost taxpayers if it came to –
 
PRIME MINISTER: This is a commercial position. What you don't do if you're going to an auction to buy a house, you don't say, ‘this is how much I'm prepared to offer.’ What you do is enter into commercial discussions because we want to protect taxpayers, not to just engage in speculation.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you talk about the plan for the Port being in train for some time. Specifically, how long have these discussions been going on for and what specifically triggered it?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Our position's been clear since 2015.
 
JOURNALIST: Landbridge is telling SBS that the Port is not for sale. So are you prepared to use compulsory acquisition powers?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Yes.
 
JOURNALIST: After how long?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, we are.
 
JOURNALIST: What is the time frame?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not putting a time frame on it. We are prepared.
 
JOURNALIST: But why?
 
PRIME MINISTER: We are prepared to do that and we're prepared to do it on the basis of proper commercial advice, which we are continuing to engage. Treasury and Finance have been engaged in this. We are a mature government that does things in an orderly way and we'll continue to conduct ourselves in that way.
 
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, why did you call ABC Darwin Radio last night?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Why not? I do lots of interviews. I called Triple M yesterday morning and I called –
 
JOURNALIST: But Prime Minister, we’re talking about the Port of Darwin here, you wanted to beat Peter Dutton to his own announcement –
 
PRIME MINISTER: And I called ABC Sydney yesterday.
 
JOURNALIST: Why was it important to you to beat Peter Dutton to his own announcement?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I made a statement on Thursday. On Thursday, in front of all of you, I made a statement about –
 
JOURNALIST: But you don’t make the announcement –
 
PRIME MINISTER: I made a statement on Thursday in front of all of you.
 
JOURNALIST: Did someone tell you that announcement was coming? Did someone, was there a leak on that?
 
PRIME MINISTER: That's up for you lot to talk about yourselves and what happens, but I can confirm certainly it didn't come from anyone here.
 
JOURNALIST: Is this the announcement today? Is this your plan or is there more to come down the track?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've made an announcement, but there's more detail to come as we roll out over the next four weeks.
 
JOURNALIST: Do you see why voters  might be a little cynical that this is playing out in the middle of an election campaign, that's suddenly the time we find out that the Government is looking to compulsory acquire the Port?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if people have had a look at the comments that we've made over a long period of time, they'll see that there's nothing spontaneous about this.
 
JOURNALIST: The Department’s report said there was no economic or national security risk through China having an interest in the Port. What's the risk?
 
PRIME MINISTER: We have, a political decision has been made on the basis of advice as well, consistent with the position that we've had since 2015 that this is an important national economic asset.
 
JOURNALIST: Has the financial advice changed over the past year, two years on the Port of Darwin. Has there been a shift in the advice around Chinese ownership of that asset?
 
PRIME MINISTER: What there has been is a Government that increasingly understands that we need to increase our economic resilience.
 
JOURNALIST: Just to clarify on Tom's question, so are you saying that the advice you're getting is that that Chinese interest in the Port of Darwin is a national security threat?
 
PRIME MINISTER: I'm saying that we as a Government have made a decision about our economic resilience, consistent with a position that I have put since 2015.
 
JOURNALIST: On economic resilience, we're in a vast agricultural region, as you outlined today. And China holds significant interest in agricultural assets across Australia. Is there any political concern from your Government over the level of Chinese ownership in food production?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we welcome foreign investment in Australia where it's appropriate, but when you're talking about a Port, then that has particular characteristics to it. And at the time in 2015, we very clearly stated our opposition to that sale. We've been opposed to that ever since. Ever since we have supported Australian ownership of the Port of Darwin. And every single time I have been asked, including during the last election campaign, I have said that.
 
JOURNALIST: Will forcing Landbridge out upset the relationship with China?
 
PRIME MINISTER: No, I think that, my job is to stand up for the Australian national interest. I'll continue to do that. But I note that our relationships with China and our economic relationship has improved to the point where we have more than $20 billion of exports have returned. That's about Australian jobs and Australian interests.
 
JOURNALIST: This push to take back the Port of Darwin have anything to do with Landbridge being in debt and having to restructure its debt, as well as its parent company being in a bit of strife?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's been a whole lot of analysis, which certainly brought some potential buyers through, of Landbridge as well, that were looking at this asset and whether it would be available voluntarily as well. That's been a context which has been played out. That's something that has seen companies reach out to Landbridge as well, and that is part of the context that we're dealing with.
 
JOURNALIST: You criticised the Abbott Government and the future Coalition governments for selling the Port of Darwin in the first place, but you're happy to have it in private hands now, would you prefer it to be in public hands? Like, why is privatisation a good thing in 2025?
 
PRIME MINISTER: Most of our ports and airports are in private hands. The question is, is it in the hands of Australian national interests? One of the things about superannuation funds, which own substantial assets in our ports and our airports, is including superannuation funds, for example, I think sometimes airports change ownership, but I think they own, the Port of Darwin - the airport at Darwin - is that superannuation funds mean that all of you who have super accounts own those assets as well, and they get returned to Australians. One of the things about our superannuation industry is that there's $3 trillion of money available. A lot of that at the moment is going offshore for infrastructure investment. We want that investing here in Australian infrastructure, because that produces a return for Australians as well. Thanks very much.