CARRIE BICKMORE:
Would you please welcome to The Project direct from The Lodge, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
[Applause]
Well, Prime Minister, welcome to The Project. Let's start with the conversation that's been happening today. What do you make of calls to change the date of Australia Day?
PRIME MINISTER:
Let's start first with Happy Australia Day. Isn't it a great day to celebrate what we have achieved as Australia? The most successful multicultural society in the world, a remarkable nation.
CARRIE BICKMORE:
But would you consider a change in date?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, look, I know there are people that argue for the change. The overwhelming majority of Australians, including me, believe the 26th of January is the day and should always remain the day.
Look the date itself is much less important than what you do on Australia Day and what you say.
You look at the ceremonies around Australia, they are all about inclusion. We begin with an acknowledgment of country, a welcome to country here in Canberra from Tina, of the Ngunnawal people. And we celebrate our multicultural nation; we celebrate the oldest continuous human culture on earth, of our First Australians, just as we celebrate the newest baby in the newest citizen's arms. What a great thing, what a great day.
WALEED ALY:
It's a great country to celebrate. Though, do you see a problem with celebrating the oldest continuing culture on earth on a day that is a day of such a wound for these people? I mean we now know the majority of them really don't like the idea of it being on this day. If the day isn't important but the country is, doesn't that actually strengthen the argument for moving it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Waleed, the road to recognition, the road of reconciliation, has many challenges. Believe me, there are many more important gaps to bridge, gaps to close, wounds to heal than one date in the calendar.
It's what we do and say and what we believe in our hearts on Australia Day that matters. That's what we should be talking about today. That's what brings us together.
RYAN FITZGERALD:
Prime Minister, you have been very busy today and you have been welcoming new citizens into our great country but have you had time to maybe get a bat out and play a bit of backyard cricket?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I haven't, although that would be embarrassing sight if I did. I'm not much of a cricketer.
No, I have been to a barbecue to raise money for cancer research here that Zed Seselja, the ACT Senator and Assistant Minister in my Government held. We felt we were tackling cancer one sausage at a time this afternoon and celebrating our Australianness at the same time.
PETER HELLIAR:
Just getting back to the cricket Prime Minister - since John Howard's infamous bowl many years ago, have all Coalition members been told never to play cricket on film?
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER:
No, certainly not. I encourage anyone to have a go at playing cricket, I just know how bad I am at it.
PETER HELLIAR:
Prime Minister, I have a bit of a bone to pick with you. Last year you had Waleed over for dinner. What are Carrie and myself, chopped liver?
PRIME MINISTER:
You're welcome any time. You can come home, we'll definitely have a dinner with you. No worries, delighted to do that, that’d be good.
CARRIE BICKMORE:
I like lasagna. Can you cook a lasagna Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have cooked a lasagna many years ago, but if you're coming to our place for dinner, I'll decide what's on the menu. If you want to, we might have something light, maybe some nice fish or some lamb. A very Australia Day dish, that’d be good.
PETER HELLIAR:
Or we could just get some UberEats in maybe.
[Laughter]
CARRIE BICKMORE:
Well all the best with the rest of your day Prime Minister, thanks so much for your time tonight.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[Applause]
ENDS