SUBJECTS: Importance of the tourism and transport sectors; a Future Made in Australia; Solomon Islands; last parliamentary sitting fortnight of 2021; need for a National Anti-corruption Commission; anti-discrimination bill; religious freedom; Australia’s relationship with China; Labor’s policy agenda; Federal election; Bridget Archer.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: It's good to be here at the TTF conference today. The tourism and transport sector have done it really tough. And the tourism sector, which is seasonal by nature, missed out on a lot of support. The truth is that many tourism businesses have gone under in recent times. But I'm very confident that, as well as the return of domestic tourism, that we can get international tourism back as an important growth industry for Australia. I know that when we look at the fastest growing region of the world, it's just to our north. And what that means is that the growing middle class will be looking for the sort of experience that you can have coming to this great city of Sydney, or seeing the Great Barrier Reef, or going to Uluru, or going right around regional as well as urban Australia. We have the most beautiful country on earth. I encourage Australians to explore it. But I also want to see the return of international visitors here. Our transport sector, as well, is absolutely critical to that. One of the concerns I've raised today is the fact that I couldn't get the light rail from where I live to right here at Darling Harbour because it is shut down for 18 months. That's a reminder that we need a future made in Australia. That we should be making trains, trams, buses, and ferries right here in Australia. Creating jobs, using the skills, so that this transport infrastructure is fit for purpose. Transport infrastructure to get around our cities is a vital part of the tourism experience. When you think of the great global tourism destinations in the world - New York, London, Paris - they're all defined by having fantastic local urban transport available to all. And that's why it's important for productivity in our cities, but also important for the tourism experience, that we are able to get around our cities. And that means investing in public transport. But it also means making sure that when we do it, we make things here, helping to boost manufacturing, boost our economy, rather than the sort of experience we have, which is every time a train, or a ferry, or a tram is built overseas, it's not fit for purpose, it's got to be redone. Here we have the line shut down for 18 months. That's not good enough. 

I also want to take the opportunity to thank our ADF and AFP personnel who've been deployed to Honiara in the Solomons. They do important work, and we hope that they're all able to return safely. They're playing an important role for the Solomons, a good partner of Australia that has experienced civil unrest in recent days. And Labor supports the deployment, thanks those ADF and AFP personnel and wishes them a safe return.

JOURNALIST: In terms of that deployment, some Solomon Islands opposition MPs have expressed concern about that, saying it will prop up the Prime Minister there. How does the Government avoid (inaudible).

ALBANESE: Well, the Solomons are important partners of Australia, as is the Pacific region. This was a formal request for support to the Australian Government. Labor was consulted on this. And I support the deployment.

JOURNALIST: They are saying that they're stirring up trouble in the country. Do you think that these concerns are (inaudible)?

ALBANESE: I am very confident that Australian Federal Police and Australian Defence Force personnel are there to calm the situation, to ensure safety. And that is what they do. They always play a professional role. And I have every confidence in our Australian personnel. 

JOURNALIST: The Australian Government's just revealed that a Chinese spy ship was just off the coast of Australia recently. Have you been briefed on that? And do you think China's representing more of a threat in our region?

ALBANESE: Well, I, of course, am regularly briefed about national security matters. And it's well known that China has become more forward-leaning in recent times. And that requires Australia to stand up for Australia's national interest. We have, in terms of this action from China, it does nothing to advance good relations between Australia and China. And we will continue to support Australia's national interest. That has got to respond to the fact that China has changed its positioning to be more forward-leaning in the region in particular. It's one of the reasons why Australia has to play an increased role in the Indo-Pacific. It's one of the reasons why we have pointed out that climate change is a national security issue that requires a response for Australia as well. It's a part of building those international relations.

JOURNALIST: Were you briefed on it though, by the Prime Minister?

ALBANESE: No, in terms of, the Prime Minister has not raised any of those issues with me. But I'm regularly briefed by the agencies and that includes the actions of foreign governments and the threats that are there to Australia's national interests.

JOURNALIST: Do you expect the Australian Government to place travel restrictions on South Africa given the new COVID variant there?

ALBANESE: I haven't been briefed on that. The Australian Government though, with regard to health restrictions, should always take advice from our health agencies and our health experts. And I've supported all of the decisions that state governments and their health bodies have made, or the federal health authorities have made as well. And the role of politicians, can I say this, should be to support them across the board rather than to support them selectively, which is something that the Prime Minister has done. 

JOURNALIST: Now that you've seen the anti-discrimination legislation, is Labor prepared to back it and do you think it will pass before Parliament rises? 

ALBANESE: Well, it can't pass in terms of through the whole Parliament, because there'll be a Senate committee process to examine the detail. Look, I support people being able to practice their faith free of discrimination. But I also support that happening without any impingement on other discrimination which might occur because of who people are. So, we will examine the legislation. We will wait for the processes of the Senate inquiry, so it won't be concluded this year. I note that there was some activity in the Senate yesterday with regard to a committee process. It's important that there be that input. I am disappointed that we didn't receive, well in advance, the copy of the legislation. But I note that the Liberal Party room didn't get it either before they approved it. But they approved it on the condition that there'd be a proper Senate process.

JOURNALIST: Can you talk us through the concerns Labor has with the original Coalition proposal for a Commonwealth integrity commission? What kind of changes do you think are required? 

ALBANESE: Well, they haven't got a proposal. They haven't put anything before the Parliament. They’ve got an exposure draft and what they've got is a thousand days of inaction. The truth is that they could have had a debate yesterday. A majority of the Parliament, a majority of the House of Representatives, wanted a debate yesterday. And the Government used the fact that COVID has meant that not all MPs have been able to be in Canberra to avoid that discussion. This is a Prime Minister who doesn't support a national integrity commission, in spite of the clear commitment that was made prior to the last election. This is a commitment that was made in 2018. It's now just four sitting days left in 2021. And they haven't tabled the legislation that was before the Parliament. And yesterday, we saw the extraordinary circumstance of a Prime Minister trying to blame Labor, saying that Labor had to agree with any legislation before it was introduced into the Parliament. Well, if that's the precedent that this Prime Minister wants to have, well, he should apply it across the board. I would welcome that. So, that everything would have to go through our Caucus processes before it was introduced into the Parliament. But that's not the way Parliament’s operated since 1901. But this Prime Minister is just looking for excuses. But a Prime Minister who has Minister Taylor, with the ongoing saga about Clover Moore, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, and what she was alleged to have in documentation that was given to The Daily Telegraph, we still don't know where that came from. We still don't know all of the circumstances around the $30 million that was paid for land that was worth $3 million around the Leppington Triangle. We've had the Sports Rorts saga. We've had the pork and ride scheme for commuter car parks where there is no train station, where no one is allowed to apply, except for sitting members of the Government and candidates who aren't even in the Parliament are allowed to put forward projects for programs that we don't even know what the basis of their approval is. We've seen programs including the Urban Congestion Fund with billions of dollars in it that have all been allocated on the basis of taxpayers' money being seen by this Government as being the same as the Liberal Party money. It is no wonder that this Government hasn't advanced it. And of course, the Attorney-General who was responsible standing next to Scott Morrison when they promised to have a national integrity commission was Christian Porter, who received, for a private legal matter, donations of up to $1 million and won't disclose where that money came from or what the basis of those donations was. It is no wonder that this Government have backed away from having a national anti-corruption commission. It's very clear that Australians know that if they want a national anti-corruption commission and if they want to restore faith in our political system and integrity, they need to elect a Labor Government. Because that's the only way that it will happen. Thanks very much.

JOURNALIST: Bridget Archer was hauled into a meeting with the Prime Minister after crossing the floor yesterday, where there was a frank discussion. Do you think this is appropriate?

ALBANESE: Well, Bridget Archer stood up for a national integrity commission, which the Government said was its own policy. Why is it that Scott Morrison could take action against Bridget Archer but is silent about George Christensen and silent about so many people who've been out there promoting anti-vax principles in his own Government, including Senator Rennick. I think the contradiction that is there, the contrast that is there, between Scott Morrison's actions on Bridget Archer and those in his own Party who've been promoting anti-vaxxer views and undermining the rollout of the vaccine and the opening up of Australia that will happen after that is very clear for all to see. This is a Prime Minister who always acts in his own interest rather than in the national interest. And his actions against Bridget Archer are in stark contrast to his actions against the right-wing views of people like George Christensen and others who've undermined the efforts of Australians to get vaccinated so that we can return to life as normal. Thank you.

ENDS