SUBJECTS: Labor candidate for Robertson; importance of community in the Central Coast; climate change; net zero by 2050; COVID-19; Federal election; Vaccine rollout; need for purpose-built quarantine; COVID restrictions across Australia; Aussies stranded overseas; state borders; PEP 11.

DEBORAH O’NEILL, LABOR SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES: Well, good morning everyone. And it's a pleasure to be here standing outside the Umina Beach Surf Life Saving Club, a stone's throw from Umina Public School and the wonderful parts of our community. So, enjoy. And of course, this amazing part of the coast, the Central Coast, with the roar of the ocean waves behind us. I'd like to acknowledge that we are gathering today on the land of the Guringai and Darkinjung People and pay my respects to elders past and present. And I'd particularly like to acknowledge Dr Gordon Reid as a proud Wiradjuri man. Unfortunately, his grandma Robin Reid, who is a renowned local elder in our Aboriginal community, is unable to be with us today. And I also want to acknowledge the work of Mingaletta, which is just around the corner from here, for its wonderful leadership in this local community. Today, it's a great pleasure as a Senator for New South Wales to welcome Anthony Albanese, the Honourable Anthony Albanese, who is the Leader of the Labor Party federally. We need to win Government and to form an Albanese Government. And to do so we need great candidates like Gordon Reid to be elected by the local people here from the Central Coast. So, without further ado, can I hand over to the Leader of the Labor Party, the Honourable Anthony Albanese.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, thanks very much, Deb, and thanks for all the work that you do as duty senator here in Robertson and representing the people of New South Wales. But can I say this, we want to take one of your jobs off you in representing Robertson, because here we have Dr Gordon Reid, an amazing candidate for Labor. And I want to thank Dr Reid for putting himself forward, for having the courage to stand for Labor at the Federal election. And Dr Gordon Reid will be an outstanding member for Robertson. This is an electorate that I have a long and fond association with. It's an area whereby I used to come for holidays at Ocean Beach Road, just up the road there when I was a young kid with my mum. And it was a wonderful experience. And I've seen this electorate grow over the years. But it's kept its important character, that sense of community. And in Gordon, we have someone who went to public school just here in Umina before going to Central Coast Grammar, and then going to the University of Newcastle to study medicine. And Gordon, during this period, has been absolutely critical working in emergency at Wyong Hospital. During COVID, we once again have been reliant upon our health professionals. And none have done more than our doctors, our nurses, our people who work in our healthcare system. It's one of the things that has led Gordon Reid to make the decision to put himself forward as a young doctor, a young doctor of Indigenous heritage, to stand for Australian Labor at the election. And I'm very confident that we can win this electorate. And Gordon Reid can be a strong voice in a Labor Government for the people of the Central Coast, joining Emma McBride here as lifelong Coasties, who love this area and want to protect that area.

And one of the things we need to do to protect the Coast is to take action on climate change. This Government have been in office now for almost three full terms. They're in the pre-election period. And once again, now we have another plan today exposed on the front pages of the papers to deal with climate change. But it's not really a plan. It's just really a headline looking for some substance. This is a Government that can't even commit to net zero emissions by 2050, that now have Darren Chester leaving the National Party room to sit outside of those processes because he has no faith in the National Party or the Coalition to actually take a sensible position on climate change. Now, if Darren Chester doesn't have confidence in the Coalition, in which he was a Cabinet Minister just a few short months ago, the Australian people shouldn't have either. The fact is that Scott Morrison ridiculed the net zero emissions policy when I announced it after I became Leader of the Labor Party. Scott Morrison has ridiculed renewables. Ridiculed electric vehicles in the last election. They said it would end the weekend. And now they have you believe that they think technology and advances in technology are the way to deal with climate change. The fact is that the Morrison Government had net zero credibility on climate change. And the whole world knows it. We are a pariah amongst our major trading partners in not adopting that policy. We are a pariah when it comes to every state and territory government supports net zero emissions by 2050 and collectively, they have a target that is stronger than 26 to 28 per cent reduction by 2030 that's the Federal Government's position. That it is also the case that the National Farmers' Federation, the Business Council of Australia, all of our major banks, all of our major resource companies, companies like Telstra and Qantas, all support net zero by 2050. And here you have a Government led by Scott Morrison that isn't actually leading. A Government that's just following. The Australian people know that we do need to take action on climate change. But this Government just doesn't get it. They don't get that there are opportunities for jobs, opportunities for clean energy and opportunities to reduce our power prices if we embrace the future and shape it in the interests of Australian jobs and the Australian people. We can be a renewable energy superpower. 

But here closer to home, this Government's extraordinarily backward position is exposed by the fact that they still haven't ruled out the PEP 11 project. This is a plan to have oil and gas drilling off the coast here, off our pristine coast, from the beaches of Sydney right up through the Central Coast up to Newcastle. This is an extraordinarily backward plan that can be ruled out today by Minister Keith Pitt. But he refuses to do so. He refuses to do so because this Government takes people here on the Central Coast in Robertson for granted. Well, it's time to send them a message. Because they can't be taken seriously if, just before the election, they discover that climate change is real and that we need to have serious environmental policy. And that's why Dr Gordon Reid represents the best opportunity to have serious representation here on the Coast. He's a proud Coastie. He will be a great representative. He will bring that health expertise and experience to our national Parliament. And I'm very proud to announce him as Labor's candidate for Robertson at the next election.

DR GORDON REID, LABOR CANDIDATE FOR ROBERTSON: Good morning. And thank you for that introduction, Anthony. My name is Dr Gordon Reid. And I'm honoured to accept this nomination as candidate, Labor candidate, for the electorate of Robertson. I've lived and worked on the Central Coast for my entire life. And actually, I was just saying that just across the road is where I started my schooling over at Umina Beach Public School. And I've been humbled during this COVID-19 crisis, during this COVID-19 pandemic, to have worked alongside my health colleagues in the emergency department here on the Central Coast. And it's been an honour, and I've been very proud to work alongside them. As a local here on the Coast, I understand what's important to our community. And I know first-hand that the Central Coast wants someone to represent them and to let their voices be heard in the Federal Parliament. I'm looking forward to advocating for the health needs of our residents by supporting increased access and increased affordability of primary care and general practitioner services, which is of particular importance here on the peninsula. We also need to be working with our small business community. The small businesses are the backbone of the Central Coast economy. And they need to be heard and they need support. They need the support that they deserve. And finally, of great importance to our local community, as Anthony has said, is our local environment, our beautiful coastline, our beautiful beaches. And they must be protected. And I feel strongly that we need to stand together from current threats, such as offshore drilling projects like PEP 11. And we need to be moving forward with our actions to protect our environment and to combat climate change. The values of my local community here on the Central Coast and of the Labor Party resonate within myself and they resonate within my family. And that's why I'm standing here today. That's why I'm standing here on Umina Beach as I look forward to representing the people of Robertson and letting the voices of the Central Coast be heard. Thank you, everyone.

ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Gordon. And we're happy to take questions. 

JOURNALIST: What's prompted you to go into politics? (Inaudible).

REID: I love being a doctor. I love working in the emergency department. And as a doctor, I'm able to help that patient and I'm even able to extend that help to their family. But look, in this role, with my expertise from the health system, I'm able to help and change the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of Central Coast residents. And when an Albanese Government is elected, that's what we plan to do.

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).

REID: Access to general practitioners is of particular importance to me. So, working in the emergency department, I had a shift just prior to this latest lockdown, and there were almost 100 people in that department. And there was a significant proportion of them that were there because they either couldn't get in to see their GP, or they couldn't afford to see their GP because they're no longer bulk billing. So, it's sitting down and talking with our local GPs, practice owners and GPs, to find out how can we best support them and how can we improve patient access to these services.

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible). How confident are you that Labor can tap into that or take that?

REID: I'm very confident because we're going to be listening to the issues here in the electorate. We're going to sit down with stakeholders across the different areas and listen to them and not assume to know what they want and not pretend to know what they're thinking. We're going to listen to their concerns. We're going to listen to their issues. And we're going to move forward and progress the Coast with a bold new fresh vision.

JOURNALIST: How would you rate the current Member for Robertson?

REID: Look, I think that we need to band together as a community, and we need to find out what’s impacting our community the greatest and we all need to be working together for the Central Coast. And we need to move forward from there. I think that Lucy Wicks has, in some cases, forgotten and left the Central Coast behind. And the Government, along with Lucy Wicks, continues to advocate for change but they're only delivering excuses.

JOURNALIST: Regional vaccination rates are nowhere near the state average. (Inaudible).

ALBANESE: Well, the fact is that the rollout of the vaccine has been too slow. The supply has been too slow. The reason why we're in lockdown right now is because Scott Morrison failed to do those two big jobs he had this year, supply the vaccine and to fix purpose-built quarantine. It's just extraordinary that yesterday, almost in a parody of himself, Scott Morrison has promised that Australians who are stranded overseas would be brought home by Christmas. He promised that last year for last Christmas. For those Australians who've remained stranded overseas all year, they're not laughing. They will be very frustrated with a Government that's failed on the simple jobs that it has had. Why is it that Moderna is just being delivered now through pharmacies, whereas it's been delivered for month after month after month overseas? Because this Government failed when last year it put all its eggs in one basket and didn't get enough deals with enough pharmaceutical companies for enough vaccines soon enough. And regions have particularly suffered as a result of that, including right here on the Central Coast.

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible). What would it take for you to come to the table?

ALBANESE: We're at the table. Scott Morrison's been nowhere near the table for a long period of time. This is a guy who has engaged in stunts and ridiculed people who care about climate change. Remember the stunt that he did on the floor of the Parliament? This is a guy who has been in charge of our Treasury, who's cut funds for important projects. This is someone who tried to abolish ARENA, the renewable energy agency, and now wants it to be used funding for something else. This is a Party that tried to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. This is a Government that Boris Johnson would not even invite to the last big global conference that was hosted in the UK on climate change. This is a Government that refuses to sign up to net zero emissions by 2050. Australians don't take Scott Morrison on climate change seriously because Scott Morrison hasn't taken climate change seriously. He's done the opposite. He's ridiculed it and run scare campaigns. And Australia deserves better. And by electing Gordon Reid to the national Parliament to represent this community, it will ensure that we can do better.

JOURNALIST: When will Labor announce their mid-term targets?

ALBANESE: Well, we have a net zero emissions by 2050 policy. We have that. We announced that very early on. We've announced a range of other policies as well including Rewiring the Nation, a $20 billion fund to fix transmission. We've announced community batteries. We've announced all of those policies very clearly, very positively going forward.

JOURNALIST: Do you think the Prime Minister should attend the climate change conference or are you comfortable with others attending for him? 

ALBANESE: The Prime Minister should attend the Glasgow Conference. And he should represent Australia. If he doesn't, it's because he's embarrassed about Australia's position.

JOURNALIST: Does Queensland need to open up its borders by Christmas to other states if vaccination rates reach 80 per cent double dosed?

ALBANESE: Well, we have restrictions on travel right here in New South Wales. I had to receive permission from the New South Wales Government to come here today just up the road. That is what has to occur. So, the sort of restrictions that are in place right now, to be very clear, are in place because of Scott Morrison's failure when it comes to the vaccine rollout and when it comes to quarantine. I don't think Australians want restrictions to be in place for one day longer than is necessary. All state and territory governments have signed up to the national plan. But the Federal Government must bear the responsibility for the lockdowns that are in place now. In Queensland, because of Annastacia Palaszczuk's leadership, Queenslanders enjoy a lot more freedom than we're enjoying here in New South Wales. That is as a result of her leadership. That's why you had Suncorp packed on Friday and Saturday. And that's why Suncorp will be packed next Sunday to see South Sydney play another team on Sunday afternoon. And I certainly regret the fact that the borders aren't open. I'd love to be there. But that's not going to be possible. But they will host that, just as Perth was able to host the AFL Grand Final. The leadership of Mark McGowan and Annastacia Palaszczuk has been extraordinary in keeping their community safe. And if Gladys Berejiklian had have shut down Bondi when the outbreak occurred at the very beginning of June, where she allowed it to continue, allowed it to expand, on the urging of Scott Morrison who congratulated Gladys Berejiklian for not shutting down, that's why we're in lockdown here today. 

JOURNALIST: Do you think that the vaccines have been distributed fairly?

ALBANESE: Well, it's an outrage that vaccines were taken away from the Central Coast here. It is an absolute outrage that occurred. That vaccines were taken away from the Central Coast and from Newcastle. Why? Because this Government's priorities were all wrong. And let me tell you that the people of the Central Coast will have, in Gordon Reid, joining with Liesl, and joining with our good Senator here, former Member for Robertson as well, Deb O'Neill, along with Emma McBride in Dobell, we will have a strong contingent that will stand up for the Coast. I just say this, where was Lucy Wicks when the vaccines were being taken away from this community and given to other communities in Sydney? Where was her voice?

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible). What do you make of that?

ALBANESE: Well, no wonder that they're frustrated by the fact that people in disability care were supposed to be in category 1A, along with aged care residents and aged care workers. They were told they'd be fully vaccinated by Easter. And we know that the rates up until recently were very low indeed and the people didn't have the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. These are some of our most vulnerable communities that were left behind by the Morrison Government.

JOURNALIST: Should people from Greater Sydney be allowed to travel to the regions if the regions don't have a higher vaccination rate?

ALBANESE: Well, we need to be very cautious about these measures. I had to apply to be able to be here today and to get approval of the New South Wales authorities to do so. And it is appropriate that we're cautious about these regions. But we want regions to be opened up. Because in terms of jobs, in terms of activities, that is a very good thing. My partner is from the Central Coast here. Her parents are here. She's unable to have contact with them at the moment. And it's a really difficult time for families who can't gather and who can't engage in normal activities. The key to that, of course, is getting our vaccination rates up. But the key also is still fixing purpose-built quarantine. There's no proposal for New South Wales to have any purpose-built quarantine. And in Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk has gone her own way due to the failure of the Federal Government.

JOURNALIST: Why did the Party endorse Daniel Repacholi for the seat of Hunter given there is a lot of backlash? 

ALBANESE: I think Daniel Repacholi will be an outstanding candidate for Hunter. He's someone who's a Cessnock Hall of Fame member. He's represented our country five times at Olympic Games and at multiple Commonwealth Games, including winning medals representing Australia. He's putting himself forward now to represent his community in the Hunter Valley in our national Parliament. And I am just overwhelmed by the extraordinary candidates that we have putting themselves forward, whether it be Dr Reid or Mr Repacholi, to be candidates for the Labor Party. We have a range of other outstanding candidates that I'll be announcing in coming days and weeks. And I'm very confident that not only will we have a Labor Government with a vision for the future, we'll have a team coming through. Making us a long-term Labor Government is what I want to do. I want people like Dr Reid, a health professional, to bring that expertise into the Parliament. Mr Repacholi is a small business person. He's run his own business. He's worked in the community. He's represented his country. And he will make an outstanding representative in the national Parliament.

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).

ALBANESE: Well, I'm very confident that Mr Repacholi will be successful at the next election. He's someone who has been a union delegate, someone who knows what it's like to do it tough. He's someone who's been a strong advocate for the rights of working people. He's been a strong representative of the Australian people. And I'm very confident that he will win strong support at the next election. I think he will be an outstanding candidate. 

JOURNALIST: (Inaudible).

ALBANESE: Well, the way to stop PEP 11 is by electing a Labor Government. We will support any legislation, but private members can't get things done. Because they can't get bills debated in the Parliament. We have very strong opposition to PEP 11. And a Labor Government that I lead will rule it out and will rule it out on day one. Thanks.

ENDS