MURRAY JONES, HOST: Well, I wish I had a dollar for every time a bloke said to me in Tropical North Queensland when it came to maybe buying something, maybe a new toy or something, oh, well, I don’t know about this, I better talk to the Minister for Finance. Well, this morning I’ve got the real Minister for Finance, she joins me, it’s Katy Gallagher, good morning, Katy. How are you today?

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Good morning, Murray, how are you?

I am truly pleased to be in this beautiful part of Perth. The story of Joondalup is one of building something modern and visionary. It was first conceptualised in the 1970 ‘Corridor for Perth’ which planned Perth’s expansion along five main transport corridors.

Of the chosen locations – Fremantle, Joondalup, Midland, Armadale and Rockingham – only one was so surprising that it caused a stir.

Joondalup.

The Canberra Times reported that the:

New data has highlighted the difference that a well-resourced public service plays in providing essential support to Queenslanders impacted by recent flooding in the Townsville area.

Since the deluge began on 29 January, Services Australia service officers and social workers have been providing support at a number of service centres in Townsville and across the North Queensland region.

These hubs have provided in-person assistance to around 500 people already, and across the state, have helped to process nearly $4 million in support payments to those affected.

The Albanese Labor Government will invest a further $35 million in two programs to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The Clontarf Foundation will receive $33.6 million to support up to 12,500 First Nations boys and young men to continue their schooling education in 2026.

The Clontarf Foundation encourages boys and young men to improve their confidence, school engagement, year 12 attainment and post‑school pathways.

It provides in-school support, as well as before and after school activities.

First Nations people in South Australia will have a dedicated social and emotional wellbeing centre designed for their needs, with an interim service open by the end of 2025.

The Albanese and Malinauskas Governments are jointly funding the centre under the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.

Located in the Adelaide CBD, the centre will coordinate mental health support and wellbeing care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children across SA.

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Patrick Gorman, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, representing the Labor Party. Good afternoon.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, Oly. Good afternoon to your listeners.

PETERSON: And representing -

GORMAN: Good afternoon to those smart enough to listen as well.

TOM CONNELL,HOST : Joining me now Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, and former Liberal MP and continuing free market champion, Jason Falinski. Jason, what did you make of this? What could Peter Dutton do here that would sort of fit with those crucial Liberal values we hear so much about?

The Albanese Government is continuing its work to close the digital divide for First Nations people and communities, with three new programs aimed at boosting First Nations digital inclusion now accepting applications.

The new programs are part of the Government’s $68 million investment in First Nations digital inclusion measures announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget and will contribute to achieving equal levels of digital inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people under Target 17 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

New figures have confirmed that summer holiday activities in Alice Springs and remote communities across Central Australia, funded by the Albanese Labor Government, have been a great success.

Over the 2024-25 summer holidays, there were more than 24,600 attendances across 1,461 activities delivered by community organisations and local councils.

That includes nearly 16,000 attendances in remote communities.

Young people across Central Australia had the opportunity to learn new skills and stay active, with families coming together to share in the fun.

The Albanese Government has provided funding of $3.6 million over four years to open a Darwin Registry for the new Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) improving access to justice for residents of Darwin and the surrounding area.

The new ART is providing efficient, accessible, independent and fair services for the tens of thousands of people every year who seek independent review of government decisions, such as whether they qualify for an age pension, are compensated for an injury they suffered while serving their nation or receive NDIS funding for essential support.