TOM CONNELL, HOST: We are going to squeeze a bit more juice out of the lemon from Jason Falinski and Patrick Gorman, our volunteers here at Sky News. Patrick, of course, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Jason, former Liberal MP. Let me start on the defence announcement today. Patrick, so we're getting told it's not cuts. It's not saving. It's nothing at all. Just about efficiency. Are there going to be more efficiencies, though, to fund AUKUS effectively?

The community of Maningrida has celebrated the opening of new changerooms at Maningrida Oval, a major infrastructure upgrade delivered by the West Arnhem Regional Council with support from the Albanese Government.

Funded through a $4.58 million grant from the Aboriginals Benefit Account, the new changerooms provide modern amenities for players, officials and spectators.

The upgrades include showers and toilets as well as canteen amenities and shaded seating areas, designed to support local sporting teams and community events.

Western Australia’s Premier Metal Recyclers has been named the 2025 Australian Exporter of the Year at this year’s Australian Export Awards in Canberra.

Premier Metal Recyclers is an outstanding Australian export success story, sending reclaimed end-of-life metal to steel mills, foundries and extrusion plants around the world.

As well as Exporter of the Year, Premier Metal Recyclers also won the Sustainability and Green Economy category award.

South Australia’s Munda Wines is the inaugural winner of the First Nations Exporter Award.

The Albanese Government today released an action plan supporting First Nations businesses to realise growing trade and investment opportunities with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and broader Middle East.

The Australia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) First Nations Action Plan, developed with the First Nations Trade and Investment Advisory Group, provides a framework for First Nations businesses to take advantage of the UAE trade deal, which entered into force in October.

The State of the Service Report 2024-25, tabled in Parliament today, shows clear progress across the Australian Public Service, with stronger service delivery, higher workforce capability and improved integrity.

The Albanese Government is proud to announce applications for the 2026 Indigenous Health Scholarship Program (IHSP) open today, 26 November 2025. 

Delivered in partnership with Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), the program provides financial and mentoring support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students pursuing a career in health. 

The government is investing $1 million over 2 years to support up to 80 scholarships annually. 

NADIA MITSOPOULOS, HOST: Patrick Gorman is the Federal Labor Member for Perth. He is also the Minister assisting the Prime Minister, and is with me now from Canberra. Patrick Gorman, good morning.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Nadia, and good morning to your listeners.

MITSOPOULOS: Now, before we get into what's happening in Canberra, can I ask you about the Burswood racetrack? Now this has been, according to you, a big issue in your electorate.

ANDREW LEIGH, MEMBER FOR FENNER: Thank you everyone for coming along today. My name is Andrew Leigh, the Federal Member for Fenner and proud representative of this part of Belconnen in the ACT, where we are today. Really delighted to be here to celebrate the one year anniversary of Parent Pathways, alongside my extraordinary colleagues, Amanda Rishworth and Patrick Gorman. This is a program which works with young mums and occasionally young dads in helping them find their way through employment and training.

Eligible organisations are now invited to apply for funding to deliver free, community laundry facilities in remote First Nations communities, through the Albanese Government’s new Remote Community Laundries Project.

The $11.4 million project will fund up to 12 new or upgraded mobile or fixed laundries across the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Let's go to Canberra now, where Patrick Gorman, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Labor's member for Perth, joins us live. Patrick, good afternoon.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, Oly, and good afternoon to your listeners who, like me, are in a little bit of shock about your massive announcement.