Good afternoon. I am pleased to announce my Government will recommend to the Administrator of the Commonwealth that Ms Krissy Barrett be appointed the ninth Australian Federal Police Commissioner. Before going further, I do want to firstly thank Reece Kershaw for his decades of service and commitment to protecting Australians and Australia's national interest, including six years as AFP Commissioner.
Reece, you have achieved an enormous amount for our nation, and I hope you feel incredibly proud. We certainly wish you all the best as you get to spend precious time with your family. And I'm a bit jealous of what you have planned going forward. Commissioner Kershaw has made an extraordinary contribution to public life, and we are deeply grateful for his service. And on a personal note, as the then incoming Prime Minister, can I say that the personal relationship that I've enjoyed with the Commissioner as well during particular events, all of which we would rather not have to deal with. Commissioner Kershaw has been absolutely on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with his commitment to his fellow Australians.
Krissy Barrett brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to the position of AFP Commissioner. Krissy has expertise in community policing and operations, counterterrorism first response, serious financial crime and transnational serious and organised crime. In her most recent position as a Deputy Commissioner with the AFP, Ms Barrett has managed the national security portfolio. She is highly renowned for her leadership capability, and I've certainly seen that firsthand in the dealings that I've had with Ms Barrett, as well as the way that she has represented the AFP on matters before the National Security Committee. For her distinguished service to the Sollies and the Bali Bombings investigation, Ms Barrett was recognised for her leadership and contribution with the Police Overseas Medal in 2004 and Operations Medal in 2005.
Ms Barrett's appointment that was done today by the Cabinet, will be confirmed by the Governor-General later this week, will commence on the 4 October 2025 for a five-year period. Today's announcement is a historic appointment for the Australian Government and for the AFP, with Ms Barrett becoming the first woman to hold the position of Commissioner. The role of the AFP is critical to keeping our nation safe. There is no greater honour than wearing the uniform of those that serve and protect Australians, and we are so proud of our world-leading AFP and the work that they do. Krissy, we very much look forward to working with you as you take on the leadership of the AFP. Going to hear from the Minister and then we'll hear from Ms Barrett and then Mr Kershaw before we take questions.
TONY BURKE, MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS: Thanks very much, Prime Minister. A couple of weeks ago, Commissioner Kershaw asked to meet with me with no staff present. And in the meeting, to my surprise, he went through - as he may say a bit later - where he was up to both with family and grandchildren, and said that he had set October 3 as the date that he was intending to retire. I wasn't expecting the conversation, I wasn't expecting the announcement from him. But he leaves with his head held high and on the best possible terms with the Government. Commissioner Kershaw has led extraordinary work with respect to organised crime, setting up the Foreign Interference Taskforce; confiscation of criminal assets, now at $1.2 billion; work in setting up the cyber capacity; and importantly, with respect to our relationship with the policing organisations throughout the Pacific, the work at Pinkenba. We have been very well served by Reece Kershaw as the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police.
Immediately after that, I went and let the Prime Minister know where things were up to. And the Prime Minister and I both immediately had the same name in mind, and that is for Krissy Barrett to be the ninth Federal Police Commissioner. Krissy Barrett has an unusual history in the Australian Federal Police, having started not as a uniformed officer and also having worked in the ACT and community policing as well. Throughout all the different work and the varied work that the Australian Federal Police conduct, Krissy Barrett has shown herself to understand the work and to be a true leader within it. The Australian people are kept safe by the Australian Federal Police. We are well served by the Australian Federal Police. We have been well served by Reece Kershaw as Commissioner, and we can all look forward to the service that will come to us by Krissy Barrett as the next Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police.
KRISSY BARRETT, INCOMING AFP COMMISSIONER: Thank you, Prime Minister and Minister Burke, for this great honour and for the trust that you have placed in me. I am truly humbled to serve as the ninth Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. I first started my career with the AFP as a 21-year-old administrative assistant down in our Melbourne office, and I never imagined that one day I would be leading this very fine organisation which now has a workforce of over 8,000 people and is posted in more than 30 countries across the world. The AFP's remit, experience and capabilities have changed dramatically over the years. We now police in an ever changing and ever challenging environment. But despite these challenges, the AFP's agility and innovation has ensured that we are a constant and dependable source of protection for Australians and Australia's way of life. As Commissioner, I will ensure the AFP continues to keep Australians safe, protects the vulnerable, and identifies and disrupts an emerging cohort of criminals who have mixed motivations and threaten our national security.
I will have more to say about my priorities as Commissioner in the coming weeks, but today I want to pay tribute to Commissioner Reece Kershaw, who has transformed the AFP into a powerhouse of operational success under his leadership. Commissioner Kershaw has been a true mentor for me and for many others in the AFP. Commissioner Kershaw, thank you for what you have done for our members, and thank you for what you have done for our country. Our success is the sum of many, and those who have enabled Commissioner Kershaw to deliver his vision are the intelligent men and women of the AFP, whose connection to mission is unwavering.
I now want to talk directly to AFP members. You make me proud every day with your dedication and your selflessness. You run towards the danger, you see the worst of humanity, yet you still come to work day in, day out because of your commitment to service. To all of you, I promise I will be your champion. I promise I will do this uniform proud for you. And to every Australian, I will be devoted to protecting you and our way of life. And I commit to working as hard as I can every single day, like every AFP Commissioner before me. Thank you.
REECE KERSHAW, AFP COMMISSIONER: Thanks so much, Commissioner. Thanks, Prime Minister. And thanks, Minister, for your support and advice throughout my journey as a commissioner. I'm coming up to almost 11 years as a commissioner and as you'd appreciate, it takes its toll on the family life. And being a grandfather has changed me dramatically, and I need to be there for my family. You know, policing is such a hard profession that we work in, and we sacrifice a lot, and in particular our family, including the careers, my wife's own career. She gave up her career to support me. So, it's time for me to give back. I do want to be able to give back to the Australian community in some sort of other capacity down the track, but it's been an incredible journey for myself. I'm very grateful and privileged to have been able to serve the community. And I'd like to think that we made that - we have made the community safer. And the people of the AFP, they're incredible people, committed, professional, based all over the world and they do some fantastic work. And you should be proud of the AFP and the people that serve our country. So, thank you very much everyone.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you so much. Questions?
JOURNALIST: Looking forward to the Reform Roundtable. Can we have any -
PRIME MINISTER: Are there any questions on this at all?
JOURNALIST: Just to the new commissioner, there's been a spate of officers post-career that have struggled at a particularly high level with the AFP. Is that something you'll focus on and something you think can be improved in terms of the outcomes for the health of officers once they finish?
BARRETT: Yeah, absolutely. So, one of my key focuses will be ensuring that we have a healthy workforce, but also in terms of those members who have given service over such a long period of time - as I said, have dedicated so much of their life to the workforce - it's extremely important that we have the support there, not only for the members during their work life, but also after that. So, absolutely will be a focus of mine.
JOURNALIST: Any changes to what's currently in place, or?
BARRETT: Look, I will take some time to engage with the workforce and engage with stakeholders, including ex-members, but certainly that will be a focus going forward. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: On another matter -
PRIME MINISTER: No, can we just - questions on this first? Standard thing.
JOURNALIST: People in Sydney and Melbourne have seen these mass rallies on the streets. I know they're state policing issues, but particularly because of your background, what are your concerns on a federal level about these sort of mass rallies that we're seeing?
BARRETT: Certainly. So, first and foremost, we obviously work very closely with our State and Territory partners, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, and have done so for a very long period of time. In the AFP, we commenced Special Operation Avalite at the end of last year to have a dedicated focus on antisemitism. We have recently created a National Security investigations capability dedicated to hate crimes and to the role that we play in social cohesion. And I did say that I would have a bit more to say about my priorities going forward, but absolutely, that is right at the top of the list.
JOURNALIST: Commissioner, the Prime Minister reflected on the historic nature of your appointment. The first female in this role. How do you reflect on that?
BARRETT: Certainly, it's an absolute honour and privilege to be appointed as the commissioner, and I'm very aware it's a significant milestone for the AFP and for women in policing more broadly. I have been very fortunate to have some fantastic role models throughout my career, both men and women, and I do hope that I can play that role for aspiring leaders that are on their own journey within law enforcement.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Commissioner and - I'm not sure what the term is -- about-to-be-commissioner down the track. And I think you can see why Ms Barrett was the obvious choice to be the ninth commissioner. And I do want to reiterate, thanks to Reece Kershaw for the personal relationship as well as - most importantly, though - for the role that he has played for our nation to keep people safe. We can all be really proud of the work that the Australian Federal Police do.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just looking ahead to the reform roundtable at the end of the month, the Productivity Commission said that environmental approvals reforms were pressing and overdue. How big of a step would you like to see those meetings at the end of the month take towards new environmental laws? Would you like to have them pass by the end of the year?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Government will make decisions, and the roundtable isn't a substitute for government decision-making. Minister Watt is working closely with industry and with environment groups. I'd like to see these issues advanced as soon as possible. We know that the reform of the environmental laws was something that was commissioned originally when Sussan Ley was the minister, so it has been some time.
JOURNALIST: Question for Minister Burke. Could you just clarify what's happening with the skilled migration program this financial year? No numbers out, as would have been the case in the Budget. Yet people are asking what's the number? Are you taking numbers from other categories, such as spousal reunions, et cetera?
BURKE: Ok, what happens when the financial year kicks over is the department continues processing based on the previous financial years' arrangements. That's what the department's doing now. There's a process that we have in consultation with the states which is not yet concluded, but we're not too long from making a further announcement.
JOURNALIST: Just on a similar point to Katina, we have a lot of groups from the Productivity Commission to Rio Tinto to the unions, they're all calling on a carbon price to be adopted or considered. Are you open to that notion?
PRIME MINISTER: Government will make decisions as the government. Depends what you - some would argue the safeguard mechanism represents a signal. Certainly, that's the mechanism that we have. We have a target, and we have a plan to get there through the safeguard mechanism and the Capacity Investment Scheme. That's the Government's position. A whole range of people will put forward ideas over the next couple of weeks. That's fine. We don't intend to respond to each and every one of them.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what message did you take from the number of Australians who chose to March on the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday?
PRIME MINISTER: Two things. Firstly, that in a democracy, it's a good thing that people peacefully express their views. And yesterday's march was peaceful and was an opportunity for people to express their concern about what is happening in Gaza. And the images that we've seen, it's not surprising that so many Australians have been affected in order to want to show their concern at people being deprived of food and water and essential services. And so, the demonstration, in a democracy, it's important that people be able to express themselves.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, yesterday's march on the Harbour Bridge, did you support that personally? And also, do you share any of the same concerns that Premier Chris Minns has said, where more submissions could come in to use the Harbour Bridge for this sort of action?
PRIME MINISTER: The march took place. That was a decision of the courts. We live in a society where courts are able to make decisions and the rule of law is important. To me, the important takeout was that it was peaceful. What I don't support is when there have been breaches of the peace, which has occurred in the past. But what we saw yesterday was a peaceful demonstration. In a democracy, it is important that people be able to express themselves.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Ed Husic said this morning he believes Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue. Do you agree with that?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I think Australians do feel strongly about this issue. What's important is that we recognise as well that Australians don't want conflict brought here. They understand that Australia isn't a participant in the process and that's important as well. I've said consistently two things. Australians want people to stop killing each other, they want peace and security. But the second thing they want is they don't want conflict brought here.
JOURNALIST: PM, thank you. Hamas warned in a statement over the weekend that it would not lay down its arms until an independent state of Palestine was established. Does that sort of timeframe - and given your preconditions that you've set for Australia's recognition of Palestine - does that make it difficult, if not impossible, for you to go down that path?
PRIME MINISTER: No. Hamas are a terrorist organisation. They should have no role to play in a future Palestinian state. And I note the comments from the Arab League last week.
JOURNALIST: PM, a lot of really significant reform ideas have been put forward ahead of Treasurer Chalmers' roundtable. Everything from CGT, tax cuts across companies, income taxes. It's really, really big now, what's being proposed. At the end of the day, it's the Treasurer -
PRIME MINISTER: Are you surprised by that?
JOURNALIST: Not at all. But at the end of the day, the Treasurer's going to be spending your political capital from the election campaign. How much are you willing to see done here? Are you willing to take a really significant reform agenda from this roundtable?
PRIME MINISTER: To be very clear, it's not a meeting of the Cabinet. We just had one of those. It's a meeting in the Cabinet room. And I expect that there'll be a whole range of views put forward, much of which is contradictory with each other. So, it's fine, in a democracy, we shouldn't be frightened of people being able to put forward ideas. You guys do that all of the time. Indeed, one of your newspapers has, I think, on the front of it, 'a contest of ideas', so, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a genuine contest of ideas. That's a good thing.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what's your message for Prime Minister Netanyahu? And do you anticipate pushback on possible recognition of Palestinian statehood?
PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: Do you expect him to push back on your comments last week about possibly recognising Palestine as a state?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made some comments that are certainly not consistent with a two-state solution, as well as - we've been critical of some of the actions of Israel, in particular the decision that they made in March to breach what would be expected of a democratic nation and withholding the supply of aid into people who desperately need it. And my message will be the same privately, as it has been in the past, as the public message. And privately, I have said to Prime Minister Netanyahu before, as I've said publicly for a long period of time, that I'm a supporter of a two-state solution, and that there can't be peace and security in the Middle East without there being an advance on that two-state solution.
JOURNALIST: Your colleagues Ed Husic and Alison Byrnes yesterday at the march, standing in front of the sign calling for more sanctions to Israel. Are you considering more individual, targeted sanctions to Israeli individuals?
PRIME MINISTER: No, we've made sanctions against two Israeli government ministers. They are very right-wing ministers and they're ministers who've engaged in rhetoric as well as actions that damage the opportunity to have peace in the Middle East.
JOURNALIST: Recognition of a Palestinian state, the Treasurer said last week was a matter of when, not if. It will be inconsistent with the view of the United States. Do you feel it may complicate an already complicated relationship with Trump or you can -
PRIME MINISTER: We're a sovereign nation. Australia makes our decisions as a sovereign nation.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister. Governments for twenty, twenty-five years have said they're going to make sure that multinationals pay their fair share of tax, and there's overwhelming evidence that they're not. I was wondering if you're looking for new ideas on that or whether the Government is moving in that direction?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I really - I look forward to the roundtable being an opportunity for people beyond just people who live and work in this building, to have input of ideas. That will take place not just at the roundtable itself over those three days, but importantly, in the public discourse that is now taking place. I don't think that's a bad thing. We should not be frightened of ideas. Doesn't mean that they're government decision-making, because they're not. This is a roundtable. Just that. It is not more than that. It's not a replacement of the Cabinet, we're not contracting out our decision-making processes. What we will do, though, is be prepared to listen, as we always are. Not just at the roundtable, but mine is a government that has consulted, that believes that there's common interest between business and unions and civil society. And indeed, in the engagement that we have, including with you good people in front of me here, we engage constructively. That's something that I want to be a characteristic of my government when the younger among you are writing, you know, the bios or what have you about what characterises the Government, that you say, well, they are prepared to consult and engage and harness the full capacity of the Australian people. That's a good thing. Shouldn't be frightened of it. And that's why we say we're not going to get into the rule-in, rule-out game or anything else. We're open for ideas. Our focus in government is on delivering what we said we would do, which is why in the first fortnight, the legislation that we advanced was about child care, was about the 20 per cent student debt, was about the penalty rates being protected, was about all of those measures. And that's been the focus of the Government.
Thanks very much.
