Australian National Flag Day is celebrated annually on 3 September, and is an important time to commemorate a key symbol of our shared Australian identity and history.

Our National Flag was first flown at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne on 3 September 1901, and was chosen through an international design competition. Entries were submitted from nearly 1 per cent of the population at that time.

I encourage all Australians to join in celebration of our most prominent national symbol with pride.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Let's go now to the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, for his take on all of this. He loves commenting on polls, Patrick, good to have your company today. We've seen this through a lot of polls.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here Tom.

CONNELL: Why do you think the Prime Minister right now is not all that popular with voters?

Every year on September 1, Australians around the country celebrate National Wattle Day. Commemorating Australia’s national floral emblem, Acacia pycnantha (golden wattle).

Marked by the first day of spring, National Wattle Day is a unifying celebration of the diversity and resilience of the Australian community.

There are over one thousand species of the wattle, and they are uniquely suited to withstand Australia’s droughts and winds, and to rejuvenate quickly after bushfires. 

Hello everyone, it’s Malarndirri McCarthy here – coming to you from the lands of the Larrakia people.

I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country where you are tonight the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples - and pay my respect to Elders past and present.

I’m sorry I can’t be there to join you in celebrating your achievements.

I’d like to congratulate each of the award nominees and winners.

And all First Nations business owners in attendance, for creating a legacy for future generations.

For being leaders, role models, and mentors.

Connecting Australians to one another

For 123 years the Commonwealth has had the role of connecting Australians to one another. When Australia Federated, Canberra was bush. Today it is still our Bush Capital. Here in WA, the enthusiasm in Coolgardie for Federation outpaced even Perth CBD.

On 1 January 1901 the largest Commonwealth department was the Postmaster General. 89 per cent of all public servants worked there, and in the years that followed we went so much further.

I have received a copy of the independent review into the progress of the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC) in addressing the recommendations of a governance audit undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).

The review was commissioned earlier this year by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

The review shows that the ALC’s governance, operations and decision-making remain deficient.

The Albanese Labor Government has welcomed the return of six First Nations ancestors from New Zealand in a cultural ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum today.

Five ancestors have been returned by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and one ancestor returned by the University of Auckland.

Community representatives from the Dambeemangaddee community of Collier Bay, Western Australia, travelled to New Zealand to take part in the ceremony and will accompany their ancestor home.

Thank you Aunty Dorothia and Uncle Rocky for the wonderful Welcome to Country.

As a Saltwater woman from the Yanyuwa Garrawa people, I pay my respects to the Larrakia people and their ancestors, past, present and emerging.

I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Welcome to the Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa First Nations Land and Water Management Forum.

I’d like to thank Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation for so warmly welcoming attendees at the forum.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Joining me now, regular panellists, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman and former Liberal MP and New South Wales party president Jason Falinski. Pat, just starting with you on this, what do you think of the actual members, the workers that are sending this message to Labor? Presumably that they think the CFMEU is a really well-run union, and it should keep going as it is?

Indigenous land and water managers from across Australia will gather on Larrakia Country in Darwin from 27 to 29 August at the Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa (Strong Country) Land and Water Management Forum.

For the first time in over a decade, Indigenous rangers and Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) providers will gather together and have an opportunity to build stronger connections and share the knowledge needed to care for Country into the future.