SUBJECTS: Afghanistan; COVID outbreaks around Australia; lockdowns; vaccine rollout; need for national quarantine facilities; vaccine supply.

KIERAN GILBERT, HOST: Let's go live to the Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese. The first airlift out of Kabul, you welcomed that. The Prime Minister saying there'll be several more flights out of that troubled city.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: I certainly do welcome that, Kieran. And I thank our Defence Force personnel who are bravely going into what is a dangerous circumstance in order to evacuate Australian citizens and others, including all of, we hope, the interpreters and those people who assisted us. This is vital, Kieran. This is a matter of Australia's obligations that we have, which is a moral one. But it's also a national security issue that we provide assistance to those people who gave us assistance now that they're in their time of need.

GILBERT: Three thousand humanitarian places. That will be on top of those translators and other locally engaged staff that have helped Australian troops and officials. That 3,000 number, again, is that a figure that you think is reasonable in the face of a resurgent Taliban?

ALBANESE: Well, of course, Kieran, one of the things that we know is that the current Government has 13,000 places in its humanitarian program. And those places currently aren't being filled because, obviously, people aren't coming to Australia at the moment. So there are many unfilled places there. We will seek further briefings from the Government on its intentions. But certainly, it is the case that for Australian Afghans who have relatives overseas, who've applied, many of them for a long period of time have been on a waiting list, they deserve priority. As do, of course, the first priority is those people who will be threatened by the return of the Taliban regime due to the fact that they assisted Australia and helped to keep Australian Defence Force personnel safe while they were serving in Afghanistan.

GILBERT: I spoke to Minister Hawke earlier. And I mentioned that I've had a number of Afghan veterans, Australians who served in Afghanistan, approach me over the last 24 hours with their concerns about mates who stayed with them at the Royal Military College Duntroon, six of them, I'm told about half a dozen, in Afghanistan. At least one, if not more, have received threats from the Taliban. Are these the sorts of people that you would like to see given protection visas and allowed safe passage here?

ALBANESE: Look, absolutely, Kieran. There's no doubt that these people will be very vulnerable as a result of their training in Australia. The Taliban have a history of cruelty and a record that led Australia into this action. And the fact is that these people, we do have a moral obligation, I think. And certainly, our veterans, this is a really tough time for them. And we also need to make sure that we're providing additional support to Australian veterans, both those who served in Afghanistan, but those who've served in other theatres of war as well. 

GILBERT: Sorry to interrupt. I've just got these pictures coming in. And these are the first images we've seen of that operation. So I just want to bring it to our viewers immediately as we talk about this. You are referring to the same individuals, basically, I mean, 250 personnel have gone over there for this operation. And it is a risky one. There is no doubt that this remains a volatile, fluid situation with the Taliban back in control 20 years on. As you reflect on, do you think much of that contribution and sacrifice is a waste?

ALBANESE: Well, we honour every one of our servicemen and women who wear our uniform. They do so with courage. They do so to serve our national interest. And they deserve our thanks each and every day. But they also deserve to be listened to. And our servicemen and women have been saying for a long period of time they've expressed concern about the interpreters and others who have assisted them. That's why you had John Howard, that's why you had Kevin Rudd, the veterans' community, Labor, all saying that we needed to get people out earlier so that we're not in the circumstance where we are now. But we are there. And therefore, it does require this action. And it is a dangerous place. It remains a dangerous place. And these people are prepared to go in there yet again, risking their own safety, to assist others.

GILBERT: Quickly before we move on, I want to ask you about the latest on the COVID situation. But those on TPVs, Temporary Protection Visas, that arrive by boat, the Government is saying they're not going to be considered as part of the humanitarian cohort. But if you've got an Afghan refugee, should that just be an amnesty granted now to all of those, even if they arrived on TPVs?

ALBANESE: Look, Kieran, we have had a policy for some time now of saying that we wouldn't continue with Temporary Protection Visas, that people needed the security that a permanent visa grants. And people who have been recognised as being refugees, the Government knows that it's not about to send people back into Afghanistan. And common sense should be applied here. And we've had that position for a considerable period of time.

GILBERT: Now on to the COVID situation. One of your frontbenchers, Katy Gallagher, is in a tough spot. Her teenage daughter has COVID-19 here in Canberra. Would you like to see a reworking of the vaccine program to the extent that kids now should be getting the jab? It's been cleared by the TGA. Should it now be a priority for governments around the country?

ALBANESE: Well, it's been cleared by the TGA but it awaits ATAGI approval. And that's an important part in the process. ATAGI will make that assessment. But one can expect, given what is occurring overseas and given the circumstances in which we confront, and we confronted, that is likely to be approved, given what the TGA has said. And then we need some certainty here. My concern here is that, and I spoke to Katy today and yesterday and last night, I've spoken to her as a parent, rather than as a Senator. And as a parent, she's going through a really tough time. All of us are worried about our young ones and whether they're kept safe. It's a prime concern that every parent has. And the fact that lately, we know that the transmission has occurred, in Evie's case, she caught COVID at school. She's a 14-year-old girl. And we really need to have better planning and a program and some certainty there. Parents are already having to homeschool. They're very concerned and worried about the circumstances in which they find themselves. And I think that the Government really needs to get ahead for a change, instead of constantly playing catch-up. Get ahead of the issue and have a program ready to go when ATAGI gives its approval.

GILBERT: You, I know, have been very critical. You say the Prime Minister had two jobs. You've said it many, many times. But is he right to be saying to people, 'There is a light at the end of the tunnel here' to try and lift people's spirits at a dark time?

ALBANESE: Well, there's nothing new in that. The Prime Minister said in Parliament a couple weeks ago that we were going 'from strength to strength' in terms of the vaccine rollout. Well, we weren't at strength from the beginning. The Prime Minister said it wasn't a race. And the consequences are there for all to see of the fact that we regarded it, or the Federal Government regarded it, as not being a race. So we were last in the developed world in terms of the rollout of the vaccine. It's good that people are being vaccinated. I want people to be vaccinated with whatever vaccines are available, subject, of course, to the appropriate health advice. We need to do better. And we need, as well, to have plans, including what we're doing about our young people, what we're doing about opening up, what that looks like, what that means. What's the plan for dealing with, for example, international circumstances? Why is it that there still is no appropriate quarantine facility being built? We heard today news that, and it's good that there at least is a timeframe, that there will be construction starting in WA in October. We're now in August. We're now more than 18 months into this pandemic and a hole hasn't been dug on a purpose-built federal quarantine facility yet. They're the two jobs that I keep speaking about. The rollout of the vaccine and effective, purpose-built quarantine. And the truth is that the Prime Minister failed on both. Throughout this, he's always been upbeat. Remember, Kieran, this is a Prime Minister who said we were at the front of the queue. This is a Prime Minister who said that people in that category 1A, aged care workers, aged care residents, disability care, would all be fully vaccinated by Easter. And it just hasn't happened. What we need is more delivery, less spin and less announcements. 

GILBERT: Mr Albanese, I appreciate your time, as always. Thank you. 

ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Kieran.

ENDS