Our special guest is in the studio right now. 23rd time to WA is, of course, the Prime Minister. Albo, how are you?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Fantastic. Great to be here.
CARLY PORTCH, HOST: And you were in Collie the other day –
PRIME MINISTER: I was in Collie on Sunday.
PORTCH: Yes, now tell us about that. Because I understand it was, what, the first time in 40 years the PM has been to Collie.
PRIME MINISTER: That’s right, so it was a big deal there. And we went to the old coal fired power station, of course, it’s shutting down in 2027.
PORTCH: Yeah.
PRIME MINISTER: And what they’re doing is building a big battery there for storage that will have enough storage to power 860,000 homes. It’s huge. So Peter Dutton, of course, wants to build a nuclear reactor there, but it’s sometime in the 2040s. But that’s not going to happen. What’s happening right now is that investment and making a difference. And then we went to graphite industry, place facility that’s producing graphite and is going to be exporting to the world. And it’s an example of what’s happening with the transformation in the economy here in WA. There’s 500 jobs in construction at the big battery that’s being built there. It will be one of the biggest in the world and 5km’s away just over the hill, because you’ve got the transmission lines, of course, in the old coal fired power station, so it can just go straight into the grid. So there’s another one being built which will also have the capacity for storage for 800,000 homes, just really making a difference. So for those people about renewables, you know what happens when the sun doesn’t shine? That’s the whole point, it’s technology’s moved on, so you can store up the energy and then use it when it’s needed during those peak hours, you know, 6pm to 9pm at night.
VON: They have a huge medical cannabis facility down there as well. So, I’m pretty sure they’ll be happy for the solar with that big hydro system they probably have.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, it’s huge down there. There’s a whole lot of industries. It’s a growing town.
PORTCH: Yep.
PRIME MINISTER: And that’s a good thing. And they’re really proud of what they’re doing. And they should be.
PORTCH: Yeah, absolutely. We were talking off air Albo, as well about how much you have actually not just come into Perth, but you’ve managed to get out to the regions. I was wondering about the logistics of that, because some of these places are not the easiest. Are you taking your big, kind of, jet into these little airports? Like how, are you road tripping it with the security detail?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we flew from, I was in, on Saturday I was in Rockhampton and then Brisbane. And I got up Sunday morning, we flew from Brisbane to Busselton and in a Falcon, one of the RAAF planes, and then went by car. It was then six hour plane trip, then hour and a half on the road to Collie, and then another hour and a half to Mandurah, where we went to the Giants of Mandurah.
VON: What do you reckon?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s awesome. The kids were climbing all over the sculptures and there was a really good feel. It’s a beautiful spot there on the waterfront. There were about 60-70 locals came out to say G’day, and have a bit of a spontaneous meeting. And it’s just a great attraction. I got sent the invite and I had a look and was like, oh, this looks interesting, but it’s fantastic. What a great idea to bring people to Mandurah, which is, of course, one of the beautiful places here in this state.
PORTCH: Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: And then we kept driving up to Perth, here.
PORTCH: Yeah, that’s a big trip, Albo.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s a very big day. More than 10 hours in the, just transport getting down.
VON: Yeah right, so that is massive.
PORTCH: Now, I did see this morning on the Today Show your Treasurer’s here in WA as well –
PRIME MINISTER: I’ve got the whole ministry, I’ve got the whole team.
PORTCH: All hands on deck. Now obviously, being the Treasurer, top of the agenda of course was the inflation, cost of living. I mean, Albo, I feel like we’re all sounding like a broken record, but we’re just wanting that sweet relief. And we want to know when it’s going to come, because, kind of, we’ve seen Coles and Woolies being called into this inquiry, and it’s always been laughable how lax they’ve taken it. I mean, I was just in the supermarket the other day and I’m still not seeing the prices come down. Are they being truly held accountable?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we are holding them to account by making the old voluntary code of conduct, mandating it. So, you can’t just say, oh, please do the right thing. You’ve got to enforce it, and that’s what we’re doing. And so it does take time, but that’s just one of the measures. I mean, since I was here, everyone now would have had their pay packets after July –
PORTCH: Yes.
PRIME MINISTER: And the tax cuts for every single taxpayer have made a difference. Fee free TAFE, later today I’ll be up at a TAFE here in Perth in the northern suburbs. And fee free TAFE has seen half a million Australians benefit. On Sunday 1st of September, we kicked in additional medicines into the cheaper medicines policy. 60 days dispensing rather than 30 means for people who need that regular medicines, that literally cuts the price in half for them. So we’re doing a range of measures and, of course, energy price relief, together with the Cook government here in WA, that’s taking $700 off everyone’s power bills, which is making a difference as well. But we recognise people are doing it tough. We want to get inflation down, inflation moderated further this month – that’s a good sign. We know there’s more to do. That’s why we’re producing as well, not one, but two budget surpluses.
VON: Hey Albo, I’m interested to know your take on America at the moment, because obviously their politics influences us so much. You’re one of the rare people who have had the opportunity to meet an American President in Joe Biden. And also there’s the transition into Kamala Harris as well. So I wanted to know, what’s it like to meet an American president, and what’s he like? And also, what’s your thoughts on Harris?
PORTCH: Or Trump as well?
VON: Or Trump.
PRIME MINISTER: The President I get on really well with. We have similar backgrounds – he’s a pro labour movement person who comes from Delaware, they’re an industrial part of the US. He’s really easy to get along with. He’s very warm and fond of Australia and it’s been great getting to know him. And, you know, he made the difficult decision to step back and to support Kamala Harris coming forward as the presidential candidate for the Democrats. I’ve met her a few times as well. We’ve got on very well. She hosted me at the State Department when I was there last year for a big speech. Australia and the United States are friends. We, and that transcends Democrat-Republican politics. Yesterday, I was on the USS Hawaii here down at HMAS Stirling, the first time that a US nuclear powered submarine has been maintained outside of the United States. And that’s where West Australians here are picking up skills, jobs are being created, a big boost to the economy here from those defence relationships. But the election will take place in November, I reckon that there’ll be a real focus around the world on the outcome. As Prime Minister, I, of course, will work with whoever’s elected.
PORTCH: Do you prefer one more than other? Because, you know, what is your take on Trump personally?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, as Prime Minister, I don’t have, I’m not in a position to have those personal views.
PORTCH: We’ll talk off air, Albo.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s important that we engage diplomatically with whoever is elected and we’ll do that. It’s a relationship beyond individuals. I mean, I get on very well with Joe Biden and that’s a personal interaction that we have. And Kamala Harris and I have had chats about music and various issues as well about politics.
VON: What’s she into?
PRIME MINISTER: She is very much into, well, what you expect in the United States. But I got a lovely present at the State Department dinner of they cut Born to Run, literally the vinyl, they cut the Washington DC skyline into the album, and an ACDC album, they cut the Sydney skyline on and put them in a frame together. It was a really creative, a really thoughtful present that now hangs in The Lodge.
PORTCH: Wow. That is a great present, she nailed that.
VON: I love it.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, they’re pretty good.
PORTCH: Well, Albo, welcome back to our state again. I have no doubt we’re probably going to catch up again next week. Surely by now me and Robbie have made the wedding guest list, we’ve hung out so much.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh yeah, well the wedding we won’t have before the election now. I mean, it’s just we’re so busy. Tomorrow I travel to Melbourne from here and then back to Canberra on Thursday.
PORTCH: Wow.
PRIME MINISTER: But it’s a busy existence. But it’s been fantastic to be here for a few days and to bring the entire cabinet. And as you said, I’ve also been to the regions, not just to Perth. We’ve been now as Prime Minister to Collie, Albany was the first PM’s visit there for a long while as well. Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Fitzroy Crossing, Port Hedland, Broome.
PORTCH: Oh, we love Hedland.
VON: Love it. Love it. Hey, do we have a date for the election before we let you go or is that – ?
PRIME MINISTER: Sometime between now and May.
VON: Right. Gotcha, gotcha.
PORTCH: That’s a bit broad. What, is this a wedding date as well?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you’ve got to watch the car when it goes to the Yarralumla, it will be called. But, yeah, I think three years is too short for terms. So we’re busy governing and trying to deal with cost of living pressures, deal with other big issues that we have, including the defence issues that are rolling on here. Yesterday was a really important day in marking out the success of the pathway that we’ve said we’d do, and we’re doing it.
PORTCH: Well Albo, it’s great to have you in our state again and thanks for joining us once again.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. I’m loving all the glitter in the studio here.
PORTCH: This is just for you.
PRIME MINISTER: It’s awesome, thanks guys.
