SUBJECTS: Visit to WA; WA borders reopening; Federal election; Labor’s policy agenda; Premier Mark McGowan; Ukraine; national security.
 
BEN O’SHEA, HOST: The WA border finally opened at midnight last night. And the first plane to touchdown had a very familiar face on board. Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese. He literally could not have arrived in WA any sooner, which tells you everything you need to know about just how close the looming Federal election could be, and the importance of WA in determining the outcome. Anthony Albanese joins me now. Good morning, Anthony.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Good morning. Good to be with you. And good to be back here in Perth.
 
O’SHEA: Well, it's been a while since a Federal leader has been in WA. I think April last year was the last time. And now, you were on that first flight in. Families are being reunited for the first time in a couple of years. What was that like to witness?
 
ALBANESE: Look, it was just terrific, the excitement to see at both ends, people getting off the plane and people waiting. It has been a tough period. But Western Australians, of course, have fared much better than overwhelmingly the rest of the country. And part of that is because of difficult decisions which have been made to prioritise keeping people safe. But people were very excited, including, of course, a number of family groups who were on the plane.
 
O’SHEA: And you didn't waste any time getting boots on the ground over here once the borders came down. Can we interpret that as a sign that you see WA as a key battleground in this Federal election?
 
ALBANESE: WA is critical. But it's also a sign that I keep the commitments that I make. And I said a number of times over almost a year that I would be on the first plane if that was possible. And so, I kept that commitment to Western Australians. I had made a commitment to visit the West ten times a year as a Labor Leader. And that wasn't possible. I was racking up the trips. I was running at one a month when the borders were open. But I wanted to make sure that I fulfilled the commitments that I gave. And it's an opportunity. This morning, I'm talking with Tracey Roberts, our candidate for Pearce. I know Tracey well as the Mayor of Wanneroo and the work that she's done with the Growth Areas Alliance of Councils and her leadership in the northern suburbs, but more importantly, for growing outer suburbs as well, not just her local community. She's a leader. And the opportunity to be with her this morning and then with Tania Lawrence in Hasluck at Ellenbrook, I'll be looking at community batteries there for our Powering the Nation policy that we have to tackle climate change, but create jobs and economic activity while we're doing it. That is really important. And then I'll be catching up with Mark McGowan in the middle of the day.
 
O’SHEA: And so, will we see a public appearance with you and the Premier?
 
ALBANESE: We certainly will see a number of public appearances over coming months. I'm certain of that. We did it last time. We hosted an event after his significant election victory. And that was a good thing. I've known Mark for a long period of time. And we've kept in contact. He is someone who has, I think, provided outstanding leadership of this state. And I look forward to working with the West Australian Government. I think one of the problems that we've seen over recent times is we've had a Federal Government that worked against the West with backing of Clive Palmer's legal case, for example, that occurred with taxpayers, forking out a million dollars as a result of the decision of the Morrison Government to back Clive Palmer rather than to back West Australians.
 
O’SHEA: And so, when you are spending time over here, how do you balance, I guess, the need to get out there and press the flesh and meet as many people as you can, and, I guess, convinced them that you're the future Prime Minister of Australia and also spend time, I guess, you know, maybe currying favour with the top end of town, the mining industry, which we know is so critical to the WA economy, but especially to the Australian economy?
 
ALBANESE: Well, it is critical. Last year I went to Karratha and looked at the gas industry and what was occurring there. I met with Woodside, talked to workers on the ground as well. And we had a full Shadow Ministry scheduled for Port Hedland that wasn't able to go ahead unfortunately, because of the border closures. But I'll be talking with the business community while I'm here. But I'll be talking with union members, I'll be talking with workers talking to community workers as well. I want to engage with as broader cross section as possible, because that's how you get feedback. And I want the country to move forward as one. There are common interests between employers and employees. And what we need to do is to have a Government that promotes that and seeks to unite people around our common interests, rather than look to divide.
 
O’SHEA: Would you expect that Premier McGowan would be an active participant in a Federal Labor election campaign? Will we see him out on the hustings, on the campaign trail, with Labor candidates?
 
ALBANESE: Well, Mark, I know, has already been seen with Labor candidates here. But primarily, of course, it's a Federal election campaign. And just as I campaigned with some of the state candidates, there's a crossover. But primarily, this is a Federal campaign. And we'll be campaigning on Federal issues. But of course, who's in Federal Government has an impact on the state. And I want a Federal Government in Canberra that works with Western Australians, rather than against them.
 
O’SHEA: So, one of the challenges for any opposition leader, I guess, is convincing the electorate that they are a Prime Minister, like they can be a Prime Minister. And Scott Morrison in the past week has been dealing with the crisis in Ukraine on the world stage. How would you assess his performance in that situation? And how would a Prime Minister Albanese deal with a problem like Vladimir Putin?
 
ALBANESE: Well, we would have done the same. And we've provided support for Scott Morrison and the Australian Government. It's important that Australia sends a message that we're united in our opposition to Russian aggression. I've served as Acting Prime Minister. Last decade, I did that. I've been Deputy Prime Minister. I've served as a senior Minister in the Government, Leader of the Government in the House of Representatives under both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. I have a record of infrastructure investment here on Gateway WA, what used to be called the Swan Valley Bypass when we funded it, the Perth City Link Project to unite the CBD with Northbridge and sync the railway line there, major projects down to Bunbury, the Great Northern Highway, major road projects right around Western Australia, and community infrastructure projects as well, working with local government. So, I have a history there of delivering for Western Australia. Every time I land at the airport, I travel on Gateway WA, which was a federally funded project largely, and then go on the Great Eastern Highway to go into the city, which was also widened, funded, built and opened while we're in Government. So, it's a reminder to me every time I come to the West, I get that early reminder of the importance of the work that we did. In partnership, it’s got to be said, with WA governments of both Labor and Liberal persuasion. I had constructive relationships. And the problem with this Federal Government is too often, it's looking for arguments rather than solutions.
 
O’SHEA: Your opponent, of course, has COVID at the moment. He's not coming over here for a while. So, you've got a slight head start in WA. But it's going to be a marathon, not a sprint to the ballot box. The polls haven't been that kind of Scott Morrison in recent weeks. Do you think that puts you in the box seat?
 
ALBANESE: No. We take nothing for granted. We know from the last election that polls don't mean much. What matters is people putting numbers next to candidate names on their ballot paper at the polling day. And that's likely to be May 14, give or take a week. They are the options that are available now to the Government. They have left it to the last possible moment to have an election. But we'll continue to campaign strongly. Of course, I said that I'd be on the first plane. Scott Morrison wasn't due here this week. I think he was due to come at some stage next week. But I have been a regular visitor to Western Australia over a couple of decades. And I think that puts me in good stead. Way back, as a private citizen, as a student, I came over here in December and January and spent six weeks here on the ground, which is when I really fell in love with Western Australia. I had Christmas Day way back in 1983 on Rottnest Island. And I travelled around the southwest and really got to know the region during that period. And ever since then, I've come back as often as possible. One of my best mates, who I grew up with in council housing in Inner City Sydney, moved over here. And I'm catching up with him while I'm here and renewing that friendship.
 
O’SHEA: Well, no doubt we'll see you a lot more in the weeks to come. Opposition Leader, Anthony Albanese. Thanks for joining us on The West Live.
 
ALBANESE: Thanks very much.
 
ENDS