Prime Minister
DR RACHEL SWIFT, FEDERAL LIBERAL CANDIDATE FOR BOOTHBY: Well thank you so much for being here today. It’s an absolute pleasure to be with the Prime Minister and Premier to make an announcement about the last stage of funding for the North-South Corridor, this is an incredibly important investment for the people of Boothby and to the state of South Australia, removing twenty one sets of traffic lights and improving productivity. Over to you Prime Minister, thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you, Rachel, once again our Liberal Candidate for Bootby. It's great to be here with you, Rachel. It's great to be joined by my colleagues, of course, but in particular, my my dear friend, Premier Marshall. Steven, it's great to be back with you and your beaming, smiling face, as always, and it's a beautiful, beaming day here in Adelaide today.
Before I come to the the announcement that we're making together today, there are some serious issues I need to address internationally first regarding the situation in Ukraine. Late last year and over the earlier course of this year, we have been sending very clear messages to all Australians in Ukraine to take them to a place of safety, that they should move to a place of safety. We have already moved the families and others of our Australian based staff in our mission in Kiev. They have already departed some time ago and we have three remaining staff and they have been instructed now to move as other five eye countries are. And you would have seen the announcement from the United States as well and Canada. And that is the next stage in Australians being moved to safety. I want to thank particularly those three Australian based staff who have been there supporting in a consular way the many Australians, many of whom are joint citizens, dual citizens who are in Ukraine. But the situation, as you are all hearing as well, is deteriorating and is reaching a very dangerous stage. And I want to send a very clear message on behalf of Australia, a liberal democracy who believes in freedom and the sovereignty of states not just in Europe, but in our own region as well. That the autocratic unilateral actions of Russia to be threatening and bullying Ukraine is something that is completely and utterly unacceptable.
And I note that overnight Australia has been criticised by the Chinese Government for peacefully coming together with our partners in the Quad, with the United States, with Japan and India and working together to promote peace and prosperity in our own region, in particular to provide greater humanitarian support, working together to support countries in our region with COVID. Yet the Chinese Government is happy to criticise Australia for engaging in such peaceful activities, but it remains chillingly silent on Russian troops amassing on the Ukrainian border.
The coalition of autocracies that we're seeing seeking to bully other countries is not something that Australia ever takes a light position on. And certainly my government never has. My government has always stood up to anyone who seeks to bully or coerce Australia. And the bullying and the coercion that we're seeing take place on the borders of Ukraine is an example of that, and it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable there and it's unacceptable anywhere else.
Secondly, it's great to the reason why we're here today. It's wonderful to be here with Steven Marshall. Steven and I have worked incredibly closely together on so many projects. When Steven became premier, he became premier on on the on the basis of saying, I'm going to end those phony fights with Canberra, and I'm just going to get on and I'm going to work with the federal government to get great delivery for the people of South Australia. And that's what he's done, and today is another example of that. But importantly, it was Steven Marshall who working together with the federal government and me personally was very clear about the full cycle docking here in South Australia and why it was the best decision not just for South Australia, but for Australia. For Australia to ensure we continued to do full cycle docking here in South Australia. See plenty of premiers will make arguments just on the basis of their own state. But as a federal government, we have to always look at the national interest, and I want to commend Premier Marshall for addressing that issue. It wasn't just about making a case for South Australia, which I can assure you he passionately did, but he made a smart argument. He made the right argument that this wasn't just in South Australia's interests. It was in Australia's defence interests. And that's why he's been such a great partner to work with and I hope we will be able to do that well into the future in both of our roles Steve.
Now on today's announcement, Torrens to Darlington. This brings to completion the full financial commitment of the Commonwealth Government to this shcity (sic) city shaping. Got to be careful with that, this city shaping, I'm sure that'll get a run. The city shaping infrastructure, the backbone of of this wonderful city of Adelaide, which is going to set it up for growth in the future. And what we're here talking about today is the road ahead. The road ahead for this important North-South Corridor and that North-South Corridor, some $10 billion of investment and the Commonwealth working shoulder to shoulder with the state government to make that a reality. It's not only about a road ahead to a better standard and quality of living. The people living in a growing city here in Adelaide. It's a road ahead to more jobs and around 5,000 of those jobs. It's a road ahead to a stronger economy here in South Australia, in the city of Adelaide and indeed for Australia, because every time South Australia takes a step forward, Australia is taking a step forward and that's why we're here investing in this project.
So, Steven, I invite you to make your comments on this project, and I want to thank you very much for the partnership. We have been in this partnership on this North-South Corridor for some time now, for many years. We have already been delivering the earlier phases of those projects, of this project, and we're already and have been in planning for this next phase that we are now announcing today. So it is a great thrill to be here with my good friend Steven Marshall, and I want to thank you very much for the great working relationship that we've formed. He's done what he said he would do. He said he'd work constructively with the federal government, and South Australians are benefiting from that constructive relationship.
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Well, thanks very much, Prime Minister. It's always great to have you here in Adelaide. First of all, can I just thank you for your strong action with regards to the deteriorating situation in the Ukraine. We back you 100 per cent. You always act in the nation's interests. It is a very dangerous situation there, and our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine at the moment.
I can also thank you for your belief in South Australia. When we were elected, I think it's fair to say that South Australia was on the mat. We were an under performing state. You believed in the turnaround strategy for South Australia. You wholeheartedly invested in the turnaround strategy for South Australia. We love the way that you partnered with us on the largest infrastructure build in the history of the state, but also crucial projects like securing the full cycle docking, the life of type extension and of course, the upgrade to the destroyers, which is going to go ahead at the moment. Defence is such an important part of the national security, and we are the defence state in South Australia. We thank the Coalition for backing the defence industry to develop that sovereign capability for our nation, much of which of course, is domiciled here in South Australia, but also very much thank you and your government for making the decision to put the space agency headquarters in mission control in South Australia. I've got to tell you, a lot of young people in this state are now getting into STEM subjects because they want to get into the space sector. That was the decision by the federal government. It was a hotly contested decision. Everybody had to put their best foot forward. And again, what we tried to do here in South Australia was to think about what was in the nation's best interests. And I think we have delivered on our commitment for the space sector like we have for defence and like we are here talking about today with the North-South Corridor.
Now let me tell you about the North-South Corridor. This was a plan which was envisaged more than 50 years ago before I was born, before the Prime Minister was born. The Matts plan to have a continuously flowing North-South corridor here in South Australia. It is now finally going to be delivered by this partnership between the Morrison Government in Canberra and the Marshall Government here in South Australia. We thank you for the missing piece of the puzzle. The $2.2 billion commitment from the federal government, which will allow us to get on and finish this important project 78 kilometres from Old Noarlunga all the way through to Gawler. The last part is the toughest part, and we are, I think, going to deliver with a very innovative solution with the dual tunnels, which will keep that connectivity, keep that connectivity between those people on the East and those people on the west of this North-South corridor.
Importantly, we've also been able to preserve some of the iconic heritage infrastructure along the way by going to the tunnel solution. But it wouldn't happen if we didn't have this good, strong working relationship with the federal government, cutting out the fake fights, delivering for the people of South Australia, delivering for the people of Australia and most importantly, building what matters. We've currently got $17.9 billion worth of infrastructure underway. Now that can only happen in partnership with the federal government. They are our funding partners, both here in metropolitan Adelaide, with a whole range of projects. Congestion busting projects in metropolitan Adelaide, of course, at the North-South Corridor that we're here talking about today, but also importantly, regional roads, which are getting a massive uplift, dealing with the neglect that occurred over the previous 16 years of the Labor government, who did not focus on country SA.
So it's a great working relationship. I really appreciate the Prime Minister here. Can I also thank Paul Fletcher, raised in South Australia. He has been a great partner with South Australia in this project. He's worked very well with Corey Wingard, our minister for Trade, Transport and Infrastructure in South Australia and done an absolutely fantastic job. I'm really keen at the moment, if possible, to maybe take a few questions here. I'll pass over then to Corey and to Minister Fletcher, and then I think the Prime Minister will come back to answer questions.
JOURNALIST: Just briefly, Premier, have business cases been prepared by the state for stage 2 and what do they show?
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: So we've done the full, detailed design work for this project. We've set that budget, we've acquired in setting about acquiring the properties in the land that we need. Most importantly, the early works are underway at the moment, they're massive in their own scope. And then next year we start that tunnelling process. This is a game changer for South Australia. It's going to improve the productivity of our state. But for the average person in the street, what it means is they're going to be spending less time at traffic lights. They're going to be spending more time doing what they want to. And it wouldn't have happened without the cooperation of the federal government.
JOURNALIST: But as you rightly point out Premier, this is the biggest infrastructure project in the state's history. Have business cases been prepared for both stage one and stage two though, of this project?
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Yes, absolutely. So we've put the detailed design work out for both of those stages. What we've done over the last 12 months is to refine that final design. You would know we've been out on several press conferences where we've been taking those core samples to make sure that we can get that final design right. The missing piece of the puzzle was always the final money from the federal government, which has been confirmed today. One of the elements that we're very, very proud of is the placemaking, which is going to go along the way. We're not going to be just sticking a massive motorway, dividing communities. We're really focused on actually creating an enhanced environment for those people that are living alongside the North-South Corridor. We're also very keen to make sure there's good connectivity, East-West and on and off the North-South Corridor. It is a game changer for South Australia. We couldn't be happier with the final design, and now it's full steam ahead, with the federal government coming to the party with $2.1 billion for us today.
JOURNALIST: Premier, is the 50/50 the best deal you could get, why not 80/20?
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Well, 80/20 is the deal that we've got with the federal government in regional South Australia. They've been extraordinarily generous to our state and believed in us pushing ahead with more infrastructure development. $17.9 billion. It's the biggest infrastructure build in the history of our state. Interest rates are low, which is enabling us to get on with work that was neglected for a long period of time. But it wouldn't have happened without Paul Fletcher. It wouldn't have happened without Scott Morrison getting on doing those deals for South Australia providing that funding. And today is another perfect example of governments getting on delivering for the people of South Australia. Building what matters.
JOURNALIST: But you couldn’t have cut an 80/20 deal on this one?
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: The deal with the federal government is 80/20 in the region, 50/50 in the city, and it's absolutely fantastic
JOURNALIST: Premier can I ask about the COVID situation in South Australia; have you received a briefing this morning on how many new cases have been recorded?
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: We're very pleased to report that we've now had five days with reducing numbers of COVID positive patients in South Australia, and this is fantastic news for our state because we have been easing those restrictions. But the good news is people are doing the right thing, abiding by the remaining restrictions, going off and getting themselves tested when they develop any symptoms and of course, massively increasing the vaccination rate in South Australia. Tomorrow, all school students will be back in school in South Australia. We've had a staggered start. We've done it over two weeks here in South Australia. All school students will be back to face to face learning. I know this will be a big relief for some parents. I think there's going to be a lot of smiles on students faces tomorrow when they get back into the classroom. They see their classmates. Most importantly, what they're going to see in more than 100 schools across South Australia is a massive improvement to their built infrastructure. We have been embarking on $1.5 billion worth of spending in our schools, transferring our year 7s from primary school into secondary school. We were the last state in Australia to do this. Labor did not back this programme. We know it's in the best interests of school students and tomorrow will be the day when schools come together for the first time this year and year 7s will finally be in secondary school.
PRIME MINISTER: The Premier has a date with the Governor.
THE HON. STEVEN MARSHALL MP, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Yes. We don't want to leave you guys, but [inaudible].
THE HON. PAUL FLETCHER MP, FEDERAL MINISTER FOR URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Well, I'm very, very pleased to be here with the Prime Minister, with the with the Premier, with Senator Simon Birmingham, with Rachel Swift, our candidate for Boothby and of course with Corey Wingard, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport here in South Australia. And as the Commonwealth Minister for Urban Infrastructure, I work very, very closely with Corey and the proof of that is in the announcement that we're making today. Of course, the North-South Corridor has been a long standing partnership between the Morrison Government and the Marshall Government. Torrens to Torrens delivered in 2018, Darlington Upgrade 2020 and Northern Connect 2020, Regency to Pym 2021. All of those stages delivered and of course, for some time now, we've been a committed financial partner of the South Australian government 50/50 on stage one of Torrens to Darlington. Of course, the announcement today is about stage two and that commitment on what will be a total project of around $9.9 billion. And this takes our commitment prior to today's announcement of the Commonwealth's cumulative commitment was $4.6 billion on the North-South Corridor. Now reaching $6.8 billion. So a very strong partnership there. And since 2013, 10.7 billion is the Commonwealth government's commitment to infrastructure projects in South Australia. Under the Urban Congestion Fund, for example, 12 projects, including Portrush and McGill Road, $49 million, the level crossing one hundred and fifteen million. So a whole range of projects, Gawler line electrification. We're providing 50 per cent of the funding there. So a whole range of projects where the Morrison Government in Canberra working closely with the Marshall Government. We're backing South Australia and we're very pleased to do it. I'm very pleased to be working with my close friend and colleague Corey Wingard. And can I say as a boy who grew up in Elizabeth. First School I went to the South Downs Primary School. We barrack for central districts and I'm so pleased as Commonwealth Urban Infrastructure Minister to be backing this project, which is so important for South Australia. And can I particularly also acknowledge the support of a very important South Australian in the federal cabinet in Senator Simon Birmingham, the Minister for Finance and Corey.
THE HON. COREY WINGARD MP, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT: Thank you. I'll be very brief. I want to take this opportunity to thank Minister Fletcher. Senator Birmingham as well and also the Prime Minister for this investment in South Australia. It's been a pleasure working with him on this project and the outcomes are going to be great. Can I also say, Prime Minister, you're 100 per cent correct. This section of South Road is shitty. It's been shitty for a long time for South Australia and we are fixing it. So I thank you very much for that. It's absolutely outstanding and all South Australians will because we know for generations it's been incredibly poor and this is the worst part. We're getting on and fixing it and building what matters for the people of South Australia.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. One last thing, and Senator Birmingham can answer other questions on this, we're commencing a $40 million programme backing our decision to reopen the borders for international tourists. That campaign through Tourism Australia starts today. Looking forward to that, we made some very important decisions last week with premiers and chief ministers. One of those is the Commonwealth will also be lifting the biosecurity provisions that relate to cruise ships. Now what that means is states and territories will now be able to, well there’s only one territory. I don't think the ACT will be engaging in the international cruise shipping business, but certainly the Northern Territory can and states and territories that are that are relevant will be making their own their own decisions about how they will then open up their cruise shipping arrangements. The eastern states will be working together, particularly Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, together with the Commonwealth Government, to resolve any remaining protocols that need to be put in place to ensure that that process goes very well and that will happen over the next couple of months. But the states will ultimately take their own decision about when they go to that next stage. I look forward to them doing that. This won't happen immediately. The way the cruise shipping works internationally, there is a many months lead time that goes to that. And so we're putting ourselves in the right space to be able to re-engage with that business. But we are welcoming tourists back to Australia and here in South Australia and all around all around the country. And Tourism Australia will be out there backing that in with a new campaign to bring those tourists to Australia.
Now, happy to take some questions. I note that I'll be meeting with the Premier later again today over a range of issues we'll be taking up that opportunity and obviously, we'll be back here in South Australia again, not too not too far from now.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Australia is sending its diplomats out of Kyiv, can you guarantee their safety there?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a dangerous part of the world and we're taking every precaution and Australia has been ahead of the curve actually on this issue. We've been providing those warnings since late last year and all through January and our Australians who serve overseas and our missions and they've served in, you know, with people have served in Afghanistan with people who served in Iraq and some of the most dangerous places on Earth when we've been seeking to provide consular support. And these three Australians have been doing exactly that, putting their own duty. I remember vividly when COVID was breaking out in China for the first time that we had our own consular staff driving into Wuhan to help Australians get out. So they take great risks. And this is why I commend them for their tremendous service to their country. They have their protocols, they have their arrangements in place. They'll be able to move to Lviv, where many others are going, to a much safer place. And the situation in Ukraine is different to what we've seen in places like Afghanistan and so on. And there is many there's much support in surrounding countries for people also to go to a place of safety.
JOURNALIST: President Biden has warned that a Russian invasion would see transnational response. Would Australia commit troops, have you had any conversations?
PRIME MINISTER: There is no suggestions that Australia would be involved in that way.
JOURNALIST: The director general of ASIO said revealing which party or election was at the centre of foreign interference could be seen as corrosive as foreign interference itself. Did Peter Dutton defy the spy boss of Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: No.
JOURNALIST: Can I ask you to reflect on the results in the New South Wales by elections yesterday and do you think there’s any implications for your government?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I think Andrew Constance, the Liberal candidate for Gilmore, actually, Federal Liberal candidate for Gilmore, I think put it best. I think what he what he saw was that there were some, you know, very strong local candidates in the state by elections yesterday. We had the retirement of some very, very successful local members. I mean, Gladys Berejiklian, the former leader, John Barilaro, a former Nationals leader. And you could expect that in those seats, there was a very strong following for both of them and indeed for Andrew Constance as well, an outstanding local on the south coast of New South Wales. And I'm very pleased that he's seeking to join our team and running for us in the seat of Gilmore, at the next federal election. So I think that bodes quite well in that context as a very strong local Liberal there on the south coast of New South Wales.
I'd also commend an outstanding job by Bridget Sakr in the seat of Strathfield. I mean, this was, this is a Labor held seat previously held by the the state Labor leader and there’s postals still to come and Bridget. I mean, as you normally get swings against governments in by elections and particularly in the Labor held seats and the work that Bridget has done there. And look, I must admit, I'm a bit of fan. I'm a close friend of Bridget, as is Jenny. And you know, we've worked with them closely through Bridget, as well as as well as Danny and Leila Abdallah and the terrible tragedy that they've suffered. But she has really done an outstanding job and well done, Bridget. Well done, Bridget. You're you're an inspiration to all of us.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you’ve mentioned China’s silence on the Ukraine, are you concerned hat they might take advantage of any military action in the Ukraine to move on Taiwan?
PRIME MINISTER: I wouldn't go that far. No, I wouldn't do that. But I do note that the Chinese Government and Russia work together in the Security Council to seek to even have a discussion about this issue. You know, when autocracies start working together and cooperate and partner in this way, then that obviously raises real concerns for freedom loving liberal democracies like Australia. And that's why it's important that we have taken such a strong stand on these issues. I've never had an each way bet on national security. I've never had an each way bet when it comes to the the coercion or threats. I don't think that you can compromise on the 14 points that the Chinese Government has pressed upon Australia. I don't think some of the trade sanctions like South Australian wine, for example, should be offered up to the Chinese Government in order to get concessions on other issues. I don't have that view. But my opponent, Anthony Albanese, has expressed those exact type of views about entertaining trade offs between these various things. So he needs to be clear about, is he talking about South Australian wine being offered up? Is he talking about Central Queensland coal? Is he talking about lobsters out of Tasmania in the north of Tasmania? What is he talking about? But you won't get an each way bet out of me on these issues. I've had my critics for standing up for Australia, whether it was shutting the borders off to China when the outbreak started, calling out where this began and calling for an international inquiry. I've had my critics on all of those, but Australians know absolutely that I have taken a very firm stand on these matters and I've never had an each way position on these types of issues, ever.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, was last week the worst week of your prime ministership and do you [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: Every week I get to serve the Australian people as Prime Minister is the best week you can imagine you can ever have. It lights me up every day having the great privilege of doing this job and to be able to do the things that we do. One of the things you may not have noticed last week with all the other carryings on in the Canberra Bubble was it was Ovarian Cancer Australia's breakfast, and I met on a virtual link up a very brave woman in Canberra who has been battling ovarian cancer. And she was literally going from chemo the previous day to this breakfast and she'll be getting other chemo and we're able to commit again to the nurses programme to support those with ovarian cancer in this country, backing up the $22 million we've already put into research.
So there's always a lot of noise coming out of Canberra, but the real things that matter are keeping Australians safe, which we have done, whether it's in the defence of our national security, the resourcing of our intelligence agencies, supporting the work to combat counter-terrorism, ensuring that our law enforcement agencies are getting the support to counter organised crime and the scourge of ice and the importation of drugs that are affecting so many, in particular regional communities around the country. Those issues were focused on last week. The economy was focused on last week, with unemployment going below four per cent. That's where we're headed and our economic plan with with the highest level of trade apprentices and training in Australia's economic history. And then the important health issues, whether it's those families that are struggling with family members and those members indeed with ovarian cancer, where we further committed funding and resources to those programmes. The other commitments through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and of course, the continuing battle with COVID, a battle that has seen Australia have one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, the strongest economies coming through COVID and one of the highest vaccination rates in the world to protect us against COVID.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, does the rising inflation rate, and what’s happening overseas, does that keep you up at night?
PRIME MINISTER: It is true that we are facing increasingly uncertain economic times, just like we're facing increasingly uncertain security environment into the future.
And that's why the choice at this year's election will be very important for Australians. There are very, very big issues at stake. Issues of the future of liberal democracies like Australia, the pressure that we see in our region, and how best to stand up and combat that. And yesterday, we had a protest by the union movement against the AUKUS Agreement. The union movement protesting against the AUKUS Agreement. There are only two principle opponents it would seem opponents of the AUKUS Agreement, the union movement and the Chinese Government, and they’ve both got a one way bet on each way Albo. So there are big issues at this election. The economic issues are big at this election and Australians, I know as they've been quietly going about their lives, battling COVID, getting their businesses through, supporting their family, getting getting to where they've been able to get to, they will want to see that clear road ahead. And they're getting that from my government when it comes especially to the issues of their economic wellbeing and their security wellbeing, and they are the issues before the election.
JOURNALIST: Can you guarantee there won't be a rate rise in the next 6 months?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, monetary policy and fiscal policy of our government, monetary policy, independently determined by the Reserve Bank has been working hand in hand. That has been one of the reasons why we have maintained our Triple-A credit rating in this country through a one in 100 year pandemic and the first recession that it caused in almost 30 years. So, you know, this is a country under the strong financial management of my government that is ensuring we've been putting massive, the amount of strong downward pressure, both on interest rates and on inflationary pressures themselves. I mean, Australia's inflation rate is well below what it is in the United States and the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. One of the reasons for that has been our strong financial management and under the Liberals and the Nationals, you will continue to get strong financial management. Under the Labor Party, well, if they'd had their druthers, they would have spent an extra, as the Finance Minister can tell you, $81 billion. They never know when to stop spending, the Labor Party. We always know when to start, when it's necessary, as we had to during the pandemic, but we also had the financial strength to know when to stop. And that's why there's a clear choice at this election. I've done three budgets. I've sat in the Expenditure Review Committee for seven of them, had the portfolios of treasury as well as strong portfolios in national security. That's what you need to do this job. And my opponent just doesn't have that experience. Thanks, everyone.