Prime Minister, welcome to 7.30.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you.
SARAH FERGUSON: Your Government did not previously support the idea of a cut to the fuel excise. What was the moment in the war when you changed your mind?
PRIME MINISTER: We always have been looking towards cost-of-living measures. It's something that's defined our Government, looking after people.
SARAH FERGUSON: You were pretty clear that you didn't want a fuel excise cut, however.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, if you actually look at our comments, we left it very much open, but we wanted to make sure as well today was the right day. Because what today did was bring together the Commonwealth with the states. It not only led to a reduction by the Commonwealth in fuel excise, but as well, we've addressed the issue with the states of the GST and the windfall gains which are there. We also worked through the Road User Charge, reducing that to zero. And because the Road User Charge goes up every six months, we deferred the increase of 6 per cent that comes in on 1 July. And that is also connected with the states because they link their heavy vehicle registration charges to that as well.
SARAH FERGUSON: So, I guess what I'm trying to understand from you is what was the moment or what were the events in this war that made you think, "We're going to have to take this drastic action. We can't wait for President Trump to change his mind."
PRIME MINISTER: We know that people are under pressure. And my Government understands that. And we also understand that there'll be a long tail. That is the advice. The war could end tomorrow and the economic impacts would still be there in weeks and months to come. And that's why we've looked to our first priority being supply and the range of measures that we've done. We're very conscious that this is having a real world impact. This is a war on the other side of the world, but it's having an impact in every single part of the world.
SARAH FERGUSON: So, you accept that the Opposition was right to push for both of these changes that you've brought in today?
PRIME MINISTER: No, well, they didn't do that, what they did was not push for the same changes on heavy vehicles. What they didn't do was take -
SARAH FERGUSON: I think they did. I think Angus Taylor wrote a letter suggesting a change to the Heavy Vehicle -
PRIME MINISTER: Not down to zero, at all. It's a very different thing that we have done. There was no consideration given to the registration issue of vehicles, no consideration to state GST.
SARAH FERGUSON: But they were on the right track. Would you accept that much?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, not fussed particularly by what they do because they have been just taking pot shots, not being constructive. Others have been from time to time constructive. I said in Parliament today that Barnaby Joyce had contacted us, a number of their members individually have been concerned about okay, how do we meet this Team Australia moment, if you like.
SARAH FERGUSON: You laid out today a plan with a series of levels in it. What kinds of circumstances would trigger you to move us into the next stage of that plan?
PRIME MINISTER: If there's a major disruption in supply. And at the moment, that hasn't occurred. At the moment, there are distribution issues, but there is more fuel available today than there was prior to this war commencing. So, other measures that we've taken to ensure that we stay at level two where we are today is the measures that we announced on Saturday, which is pretty unprecedented. Put simply, the idea that if out there there's a cargo available, a shipload of fuel, and it is at a price that might be $20 million more than what the price would have been a month earlier, that the private sector will have the confidence of bidding to secure that supply, being underwritten by the Commonwealth Government to make sure that in the international marketplace, which is still operating, however restricted it is, Australia can secure that supply.
SARAH FERGUSON: I just want to come back to that question about what happens if we move into stage three, because as you know, there are, as you know perfectly well, there's a great deal of uncertainty around what's happening in the Gulf at the moment. The plan says National Cabinet will develop practical measures to reduce demand. Can you spell out what those practical measures could be?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, they'd be worked through through the National Cabinet, but the practical measures mean, for example, further encouragement of people to take public transport.
SARAH FERGUSON: So, can I just ask, are these all encouragements or will any of them be forced restrictions?
PRIME MINISTER: Encouragements is where we want to go. Australians want to do the right thing by each other. And we've all seen the pictures of people not doing the right thing, people filling up entire utes full of jerrycans. That's not only selfish behaviour, it's dangerous behaviour as well.
SARAH FERGUSON: So, just take us through what those measures could be if we move into that area. I know you don't want to cause panic, but just give us some idea -
PRIME MINISTER: - a whole lot of hypotheticals. Well, I just did, which is people being encouraged more to take public -
SARAH FERGUSON: How do you do that?
PRIME MINISTER: You send out the message that it is important that people, where they can, avoid use of fuel do so.
SARAH FERGUSON: You're already doing that, Prime Minister. You've started giving more frequent press conferences. You spoke for a long time today with the Treasurer and the Energy Minister. If you're in stage three, what does that look like? What are the measures that you can bring in at that stage?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it means stepping up those issues, making sure as well that we conserve fuel wherever possible. The measures need to make sure as well that the fuel gets to where it is most needed.
SARAH FERGUSON: Did you discuss rationing in National Cabinet?
PRIME MINISTER: No -
SARAH FERGUSON: The word was not mentioned?
PRIME MINISTER: No. What we're talking about is measures that aren't mandating.
SARAH FERGUSON: None of your state counterparts brought up the potential for rationing?
PRIME MINISTER: No, we're all talking constructively about how we work through these issues. A range of states, Victoria and Tasmania have announced free public transport. That will make a difference, of course.
SARAH FERGUSON: I want to talk to you about President Trump. Obviously, everything now depends on the duration of this war and most of the signals that we can see point to escalation. You want more certainty from Donald Trump. What do you mean by that?
PRIME MINISTER: What I'd like to see is a timeframe or a clearer objective. Now, the President said at the beginning of this conflict that it was about three things. It was about nuclear weapons and making sure that Iran can't get a nuclear weapon. Certainly agree with that, a worthy objective given the nature of the Iranian regime. Secondly, we wanted to damage Iran's capabilities to attack its neighbours or to assist its proxies in Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis and others as well, stop the role that it plays around the world, including of course, we saw attacks here in Australia perpetrated at the behest of the Iranian regime, which is why we expelled the ambassador. But the third was regime change. And I note the President today has said that there has been regime change.
SARAH FERGUSON: What's your response to him saying that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there certainly has been a change in personnel.
SARAH FERGUSON: It's not regime change, is it?
PRIME MINISTER: But the structures of the IRGC and the way that they engage is still largely in place, that's clear.
SARAH FERGUSON: So, the President of the United States is wrong, according to you?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the President of the United States can define for himself -
SARAH FERGUSON: He can't have his own facts. We've established that. Since COVID, you're not entitled to your own facts. Isn't that his own fact, that the regime has changed, you've just described a regime that has not changed.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is a fact that the personnel have changed.
SARAH FERGUSON: It's not the same. You know that.
PRIME MINISTER: I think that was what the President was referring to, but he can speak for himself. But history has shown us that regime change, and I want to see regime change in Iran, to be very clear. This is an abhorrent regime that oppresses its own people, that murders its own people, that engaged in international terrorism.
SARAH FERGUSON: You say you want clear objectives from him. Tell me, just describe a little bit more clearly what you mean by that.
PRIME MINISTER: What I mean by that is I want to see a recognition of the economic damage that this conflict is continuing to result in. And I want to see any objective of what is to be achieved by further conflict rather than negotiation, and I want to see an end or a de-escalation to the conflict there. Now -
SARAH FERGUSON: Have you communicated those wishes to the President, your ally?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we continue to engage very constructively with the United States. We were very clear that the response of the United States was justified -
SARAH FERGUSON: But now -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it was on the basis of regime change. And I think that largely, as I've said publicly for some period of time, the objectives that were outlined at the beginning of this conflict have been achieved largely. In most cases, not everything reaches 100 per cent, but I think the President is in a position whereby he can claim that he has achieved the objectives that he set out to.
SARAH FERGUSON: Do you think that the world is better off given the economic chaos that's been unleashed on the world? Do you think the world is better off for what you've seen over the last four weeks?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, certainly a weakening of the Iranian regime -
SARAH FERGUSON: Are we seeing that?
PRIME MINISTER: I think it certainly has been weakened. Its capacity to attack its neighbours has been weakened. Its leadership has been changed and that over a period of time, if you take out people who are senior, then that disrupts the capacity of that regime.
SARAH FERGUSON: But you don't want to see those decapitation strikes continue, or do you support the United States continuing with those changes?
PRIME MINISTER: What I want to see is a de-escalation and what I want to see is a beginning of what will need to occur, which is repairs to the global economy. This has had a devastating impact and that tail will continue for some time and quite clearly there is a need to see an endpoint. I think that's what people want to see, whether it be people in leadership positions or people watching this program, they want to know how this ends and what the circumstances are.
SARAH FERGUSON: Is this the beginning of a rift between Australia and the United States on the Iran war?
PRIME MINISTER: Not at all. We have a very constructive relationship personally, myself and President Trump. That's my job.
SARAH FERGUSON: But now you're looking at escalation and you're asking for de-escalation. That sounds like a rift.
PRIME MINISTER: My job is to engage respectfully and constructively, and I will continue to do so. The United States remains our most important ally.
SARAH FERGUSON: Even if they bring more troops, put troops on the ground, escalate the war further, do as President Trump has suggested, take Kharg Island or take Iranian oil?
PRIME MINISTER: Australia isn't an active participant in this conflict.
SARAH FERGUSON: Would it be fair to say at this point that it is not in the interests of the Australian people for this war to continue, in your view?
PRIME MINISTER: I think it is clearly in the interests of the global community, as it always is - conflict always has a price and the conflict has achieved its objectives that were outlined at the beginning and we want to see, I think people want to see an endpoint.
SARAH FERGUSON: Prime Minister, thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much.
