PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: It is wonderful to have the Prime Minister here in the electorate of Perth in the great state of Western Australia, and to be accompanied by Premier Roger Cook. We delivered our Budget one week ago, and one of the big focuses of that budget was housing, making sure more Australians have a place to call home. But it wasn't the first time our budgets focused on housing. This here on Pier Street is proof of our investment in housing. We've got some 100 social and affordable homes being built right here because of the strong partnership between the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments. Two governments who are committed to doing what is right for Western Australia and what is right for Western Australians. We'll continue to champion housing in this electorate of Perth, across Western Australia, and across Australia. I'll hand over to the Prime Minister to say a bit more.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Patrick. It is great be back in WA and to be once again standing with the Premier, Roger Cook, on what is my 42nd visit to Western Australia as Prime Minister in under four years. Fulfilling a commitment that we made to make sure that my government represents the whole nation, not just the East Coast and not just Canberra or Sydney - and this is a great example of us delivering. Two years ago we stood here when it was literally just a site on a very hot day where there was no construction whatsoever. Now we see the outside of the buildings here all completed and the internal fit outs well underway. This site is obviously a fantastic location in the centre of Perth, close to all the amenity which will give such a high quality of life for everyone who lives here. 219 new apartments, 66 social homes, 44 affordable homes. So, a total of 110 either public housing or for essential workers who work in the city. Making sure that housing is available for people like nurses and others who want to live close to where they work. 109 market rental apartments, including 10 specialist disability accommodation apartments as well. This has been an extraordinary development finished through 29 floors being delivered by my Government working constructively with the Cook Government here in WA. We've delivered $88.6 million of loans and grants towards this development to make a difference. And a prime example of what we're doing through our $47 billion Homes for Australia Plan. We have a plan that is comprehensive, whether it be public and affordable, through our Housing Australia Future Fund, our Shared Equity Scheme, which is modelled on the scheme that's operated effectively in WA for more than 50 years. Our 5 per cent home deposits, which have resulted in 250,000 Australians, including more than 19,000 here in WA, getting access into their first home. What that means is that in excess of half a million Australians, if you look at most of those home purchases are through couples, and often people with children, have access to their first home as a direct result since we've come into office. And we want to make sure that we do everything possible, which is why in the Budget last week we had additional money, $2 billion for the extra infrastructure that can often mean the difference between a project going ahead quickly and it just waiting for the water or the sewage or the energy to be connected for a development to go ahead. Half a billion dollars as well, $500 million for the planning that we've worked with WA constructively on, the environmental laws that we changed at the end of last year. We want to make sure that we can fast track projects in resources, in energy, in housing as well as we go forward, and that $500 million will help that. In addition to that, we're changing negative gearing so that for existing people who have their negatively geared properties to build their assets and their wealth, nothing changes for them. But for future, if people want to negatively gear a property in the future, it will be a new build. So, they're investing not just in their own future assets and wealth, but they're investing in the future assets and wealth of the nation as well, a practical change going forward. In addition to that, I have got a couple of announcements that are really important, particularly for WA today when it comes to fuel security. We know that the war in the Middle East has had an extraordinary impact right around the world. And at that time, when we led before Easter, there were real issues and a real concern that by the time we handed down the budget there would be restrictions in place because there simply wouldn't be enough fuel. And we have thrown everything at making sure that we get fuel security by having the additional cargoes through Export Finance Australia, by the changes that we've made to fuel standards to allow fuel to be used here rather than be exported, with the release as well of 20 per cent of our reserves, and with cutting the fuel excise by half. Today I can announce that as a direct result of the discussions that I've had with Chinese Premier Li, we've secured three cargoes of jet fuel carrying more than 600,000 barrels of jet fuel for Australia. The three cargoes of jet fuel from China are expected to arrive in late May and are in addition to the 100,000 barrels we've already secured through our Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility. The cargoes from China are a first step and I thank Premier Li for the constructive engagement that we've had. Just like the relationships that we’ve built with Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan have assisted us during what is a difficult period. This is providing great assistance and will provide more jet fuel here in Australia. And of course, WA, we know that something like 95 per cent of the arrivals in WA come on a plane, so it’s particularly important for WA. Further, I can announce that we have secured another 38,500 tonnes of agricultural grade urea for Australian farmers, producers and our agriculture industry to keep Australia's food production system strong. This fertiliser will be coming directly here to WA. It comes on top of the previous announcements that we have made to give farmers greater certainty when they're thinking about planting their crops and what they will need to go forward. We're an important food supplier, not just here for domestic use, but of course we are a food bowl for the region. And for industries like the wheat industry here in WA that supply into Singapore, into Brunei, into our neighbours to our north, into Indonesia, is so important going forward. So this is good for Australia, but it's also good for our region as well. My Government is dealing with the challenge which is there in a constructive way, working it through in an orderly way as well. Making sure that we deliver on these results. I'm very pleased that we've been able to announce these outcomes while I'm here in WA, given that WA will particularly benefit from them. I'll hand to the Premier and then we’re happy to take some questions.
ROGER COOK, PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Thanks very much, Prime Minister. It's great to be here with you and with the Member for Perth, Patrick Gorman, at this exciting project. We thank the team at ICON for having us here today. It's an exciting project because my Government's priority is to ensure that every Western Australian has a place that they can call home. And that's what we're delivering here at 195 Pier Street. We're working with the Commonwealth to bring these 200 apartments to the rental market, near public transport, near schools, near hospitals, in the heart of the city. And we want every Western Australian to have the security that a home provides. Our most recent budget prioritised getting more renters, first home buyers and frontline service workers in regional WA into housing. And it's great that we have a partnership with the Albanese Government who are equally laser focused on meeting the challenges of housing. Making sure we've got more supply, ensuring that first home buyers have an opportunity to get into the housing market, and it's a great partnership with the Commonwealth, which includes a $2 billion joint investment that we will be working together to deliver 11,000 homes for first home buyers throughout WA. By delivering critical new supply of homes, both the Commonwealth and my Government, will ease pressure, putting downward pressure on increases in rentals and property prices and helping more Western Australians to get into a place that they can call home. I’ll hand you back to the PM.
PRIME MINISTER: Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: We support WA getting its fair share of the GST because that's the right policy for the nation. Just like we’re putting forward the right policy when it comes to housing.
JOURNALIST: But you’ve made those guarantees before.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've been very consistent –
JOURNALIST: You said 50 times -
PRIME MINISTER: I've been very consistent about WA, and I reaffirm that that's the government's position. We've just handed down a budget.
JOURNALIST: You were consistent on negative gearing 50 times. Will you say it 51 times -
PRIME MINISTER: We have handed down our position. I've been very clear, both in opposition and in government.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: I've been very clear in opposition and in government that we support WA getting its fair share. I'd ask you to think back, before I was Prime Minister, there were three Liberal Prime Ministers and I've been in for four years, here 42 times to WA because I know the contribution that WA makes to our national economy. When others were in leadership positions, they made biannual visits quite often to WA and weren’t engaged. I'm engaged, I’ve been not just here in Perth, but to every part of regional WA as well. WA is an important part of our nation. It's a driver of our economy. And I'll continue to back WA.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: I'll continue to back WA consistently, as I have throughout my time. Tonight I'll be doing the function for WA that is the Telethon. It's something that I do every year as well. I back WA across the board. WA has an important role to play in our economy and we have a very strong WA contingent in our caucus as well.
JOURNALIST: Premier, do you trust the Prime Ministers word on the GST? Do you trust what the Prime Minister is saying in relation to the GST?
PREMIER COOK: Absolutely. The Prime Minister's given us a rock solid commitment that Western Australia will receive its fair share of the GST.
JOURNALIST: What security do you have for that when you broke another guarantee?
PRIME MINISTER: We have a very clear position that we support WA getting its fair share. That's something that we put in place. We had a budget last week. People can see what our plan is going forward and that included backing WA.
JOURNALIST: On Premier Li, did you talk, in your discussions with Chinese Premier Li, did you talk about Northern Minerals, and how they have asked Chinese companies need to sell their share of that rare earths project?
PRIME MINISTER: When I talk with Premier Li, I talk privately and constructively. And our main focus was, of course, on what is happening internationally is happening right throughout our region. And I thank Premier Li for the support that's been given.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we’ve put in place a system where if you have a fixed trust, then you're not impacted by any of the changes which are there. We put that out very clearly, very clearly in our Budget as all of our arrangements are out there for all to see. We’ll be working through the legislation, the first legislation we'll have will be in a couple of weeks’ time when parliament sits. We'll have legislation on the other tax changes, the trust changes will take longer to develop, but we'll be introducing that legislation this year as well.
JOURNALIST: Businesses are sharing AI generated images of you. What are your thoughts on that?
PRIME MINISTER: I think some of them are very flattering and I thank them for picking very nice photos of me and I thank them for that.
JOURNALIST: What about the commentary that you take 47 per cent equity in their business?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, our policies are very clear. When it comes to capital gains tax, what we are simply doing is returning the system to what was there before 1999. And when those changes were introduced, what we've seen since then is a massive distortion of investment as towards housing away from other forms of investment because of the changes that were made. What we're doing is simply moving to a real gains system. So it only impacts when gains are made, capital gains. That's not when the normal course of business occurs. When the capital gains occurs, it's looked at the real gains, that is the gains less inflation as we go forward. And that's a system that operated effectively between 1985 to 1999.
JOURNALIST: Would capital gains tax changes compromise a Future Made in Australia and by disincentivising local startups?
PRIME MINISTER: Not at all. And we've said very clearly, like with other things in the budget papers, a range of measures that we are talking about are there in the budget papers if people actually look at them. And in the budget papers we said that for startups, for example, we'll have a period of consultation. It was not possible to have as much consultation before budget night as occurs with tax policy. And we're using this period of this week, next week as well, to have that consultation with startups. We're big supporters of startups and venture capital. There's a range of other measures in the Budget as well to provide additional support for small business, for startups, for that research investment as well. So, we'll work through those issues over the next brief period before we introduce the legislation.
JOURNALIST: When will those founders have clarity about what those changes are going to mean? When will those founders of those startups have certainty?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they’ll see the legislation which we'll introduce, the week after the second week of these sittings they'll be introduced into the House of Representatives. But we're also sitting down and talking constructively between now and then.
JOURNALIST: Are stamp duties [Inaudible]. And will the Commonwealth cover those costs?
PRIME MINISTER: No, well that’s an issue of state. You're aware stamp duties are imposed by state governments, not by us. And so we will work through with state governments those issues.
JOURNALIST: Have the states sought the concessions from you in that regard?
PRIME MINISTER: We will work through with state governments those issues. They are state taxes, not Commonwealth taxes.
JOURNALIST: State taxes that were meant to be abolished as part of the GST deal.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a matter for state governments. I'm here to speak on behalf of the Commonwealth.
JOURNALIST: Will WA get a carve out [Inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: We have modelled the gas reservation scheme that we foreshadowed last year. So this comes as no surprise. And when I was at the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy, I spoke about that a few weeks ago as well. So, I've had those direct discussions as well. WA won't be adversely affected. WA did what, frankly, other states in the Commonwealth should have done some time ago and it's been very effective here. So, those issues won't adversely impact WA. One of the things that I found about this Budget is that, to me, I take some comfort from the fact that people are talking about things that aren't in the Budget or won't have an impact, because what that tells me is that the three right wing parties and their allies don't have legitimate criticisms of the Budget. It's right that there be a debate after a budget, of course. And when you're advocating for change and fairness, which is aimed at making sure that 75,000 young Australians additional get into their first home ownership, we'll debate all those issues through. But on gas reservation we've been very clear and WA are very conscious about that and so is WA industry.
JOURNALIST: On the Hantavirus passengers, how they are travelling in quarantine and will they be released after three weeks?
PRIME MINISTER: The Health Minister will be responsible for that, but at this point in time, everyone is well and it's a good thing. It was a difficult task to take people from the other side of the world to bring them here. The restrictions we've imposed are the strongest in the world, but that's the right thing to do to keep people safe because we had to be concerned not just about the people who were on the cruise ship, of course, but those people who brought the people back to Australia as well, and they're all okay as well.
JOURNALIST: Will they continue quarantine at home when they leave here?
PRIME MINISTER: That will be a matter for assessment by the health authorities. We will take the appropriate advice at the time.
JOURNALIST: Angus Taylor [Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER: Angus Taylor, the door isn't open. There's no door. They're in the same room. They're in the same policy room - One Nation and the Liberal Party and the National Party. There are now three right wing parties in Australia all advocating policies that aren't in the interests of social cohesion and what's needed to bring the country together. Angus Taylor's speech on Budget night in his reply where he spoke about Australians as if they're separate from migrants, in particular singling out permanent residents, as if permanent residents aren't contributing to this country. I tell you what, go onto any building construction area, what you'll see is people who are permanent residents. Go into any hospital here and ask what would happen if we got rid of everyone who works at the Children's Hospital or other hospitals here who wasn't born in Australia, who's a migrant. I tell you what, you know, we need to not seek to divide Australians. We need to seek to bring Australians together. That is what my Government works at each and every day, valuing the contribution that people have for Australia. And some of, the contribution of Chinese Australians, Indian Australians, others who been here - since I've been in WA, I spoke to some business people yesterday, very proud of their origins, of where they were born in India and other parts overseas, but who are making an incredible contribution here and are loyal Australians. And, you know, it used to be that John Howard and other mainstream political parties agreed to put One Nation last, now that hasn't occurred and quite clearly the three right wing parties are getting closer and closer. And Angus Taylor's budget reply was all about fighting One Nation. What I'm about is fighting for our nation, the entire nation. Thanks very much.