Good morning everyone, my name is Claire Clutterham and I'm the federal Member for Sturt in the Australian Parliament and it is a pleasure to be here this morning at Hampstead Barracks. I'm joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil, and our South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas. And this morning we are talking about an issue that is at the heart of the Federal Government's agenda and at the heart of the State Government's agenda, and that is housing supply. PM, welcome to Adelaide.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you so much, Claire, and it's fantastic to be here in Adelaide on such a beautiful day, I've got to say, and always good to be in Adelaide. And always good to be talking about infrastructure when it comes to South Australia and there's no more important infrastructure than housing. And I've been now throughout this great city of Adelaide with the Premier of South Australia, looking at increased social housing, looking today at what is an urban renewal project at this site of Hampstead Barracks.
We did a defence audit that showed that there were a range of defence assets that weren't being fully utilised. And which made more sense to use for Australia's national interest and then to use the funds coming from that as well to build up Australia's defence capability. And this site here, along with Keswick Barracks, which was part of a transfer arrangement back in 2023 for the work that we're doing to build nuclear-powered submarines here in South Australia, is an important site. Here is the vision that we've just seen, it's about 400 homes for South Australians, located in an area that's close to public transport, that's just 6km from the city, that will have a fantastic quality of life. It's this infill development that's so important, a mix of densities here on this site, but providing a great benefit for South Australia. I want to say how fantastic it is to work with Premier Malinauskas on dealing with what is a housing supply challenge and this is just one area in which we're improving housing supply. So, whether it's social housing the Housing Australia Future Fund, the build-to-rent scheme for private rentals, the Help to Buy scheme, which is shared equity, or whether it to be other measures such as the 5% deposits that have seen 270,000 Australian households get into their first home. We are working hard on supply each and every day and this project here is a very exciting one going forward. We'll hear from the Premier and then Assistant Minister Khalil and then we're happy to take some questions.
PETER MALINAUSKAS, PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Well, thanks so much, Prime Minister. I'm very greatful that Albo's in Adelaide, yet again, on our shared commitment to grow housing supply in South Australia. I'm very pleased to report to you, Prime Minister, that you are in the state with the fastest growing housing supply in the nation. Only last week, the ANZ conferred on South Australia yet again having the fastest growing rate of growth in housing supply and that's something we seek to maintain. And it matters because the state's economy is growing at a very fast, quick rate, full employment and we've got a lot more work that's coming our way, which means we need more workers. But you can't have more workers without more homes. So having the partnership that we've got with the Federal Government that's actually making a difference is important. I'm very grateful for the fact that we've found in the Albanese Federal Government an active partner, just to get things done and get supply on the road here because without increasing supply, you're not making a difference. So our partnerships that the Prime Minister referred to, particularly in places like Prospect Corner, among others, is actually just seeing homes come out of the ground faster than what would otherwise be the case, which is why when the Commonwealth announced it was conducting a review of sites like this one, we wanted to be first out of the blocks. I make no apologies for being straight on the phone to Assistant Minister Khalil and also the Prime Minister saying we want the opportunity in South Australia to get access to sites like this, like Hampstead, in a way that we've already done at Keswick. And the good news for South Australians, what that means is, by the State Government entering into formal negotiations with the Federal Government, we aim to use our $500 million Housing Land Fast Track Fund to get access to this site and to get homes built here quickly, get them done quickly. You drive past Southwark at the moment, you see homes coming out of the ground far quicker than what would otherwise be the case if we just left it to the market itself. By us buying this land off the Commonwealth we can do the civil works, we can do the urban design, we can do the master planning and then get it onto the market quickly. And that's only being facilitated because the Federal Government is able to partner with us. I thank them for it; this is a genuine strategic opportunity. Our city is growing up and out. But strategic infill locations like this one, it's good mixed-use development with a 15% minimum affordable housing overlay, that's under $600,000, appropriate level of green space, and all the connection through readily accessible public transport. It makes sense and I want to thank the Government, the Federal Government, for its practical engagement with our state, just to get a few things happening, we really appreciate it.
PETER KHALIL, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR DEFENCE: Thank you very much Premier Malinauskas and Claire for having us here today and of course it's great to be here with the Prime Minister in Adelaide. As they've mentioned, this is a significant site because it will be such a significant result for housing in South Australia and for Adelaide. I do want to say though that this Defence Estate Audit is a significant reform which the Albanese Government has made the hard decisions about and this is one of the sites that is being divested amongst 67 sites across the country. It is 7 hectares here in Hampstead, 6km as you've heard from the CBD. The process of transition, I just want to make a point about that for the Defence workforce, is in consultation with our Defence workforce, there's a small contingent of ADF, full-time ADF personnel here, as well as some Reservists and Cadet units that meet here, but we are going through a very thorough process with the Defence workforce in transitioning and relocating the personnel here to largely, primarily to Warradale and other sites, but also working with the Cadet units to make sure we get a really good result and I thank the South Australian Government for working with the South Australian Education Department, for working with the Australian Defence Department around some of those locations. The key part of this reform is to make sure, as the Prime Minister said, that we are, that we have a defence estate and our critical infrastructure that is fit for purpose for the modern force structure of the ADF and the evolving force structure of the ADF. We are facing significant strategic challenges over the coming decade, we live in a volatile world, but as the PM said, we want to put every single dollar that comes out of this process into the capability for the ADF, so that the men and women in uniform can do their jobs. Many of the sites across the country, some are underutilised, some are not used at all, some are very beautiful sites, we're preserving the heritage, that's a very important part of this process as well. I want to thank the Premier and Minister Nick Champion, who wasn't here today, but they certainly as the Premier said they came out of the blocks early and were very constructive in engaging with us on the sites here in South Australia. They saw the vision early and they made it happen as well and negotiating with the Federal Government, this is going to be a great outcome for South Australians, thanks for having us today.
JOURNALIST: [INAUDIBLE]
PRIME MINISTER: We have a challenge when it comes to pressure on households, that's why what we have done is to have cost-of-living measures. Whether it be the tax cuts that came in on July 1, whether it be free TAFE, whether it be the Urgent Care Clinics, the increase in bulk billing through the tripling of the bulk billing incentive. All of these measures are aimed at taking pressure off households.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, households have to tighten their belts when the interest rate rises, will your government do the same?
PRIME MINISTER: We've done that. You might recall that we produced two budget surpluses. We produced in the figures that were released this week a $6 billion improvement in the bottom line when it comes to the deficit which is there, which we continue to have well over $100 billion of savings. You might recall that in the last budget handed down by Josh Frydenberg and Scott Morrison, really easy figure to remember, zero. Not a single cent in savings. We continue to examine that because we understand that fiscal responsibility is important.
JOURNALIST: You often blame inflation on the war in the Middle East. Do you acknowledge that it was an issue before the War, though, and likely will be long after?
PRIME MINISTER: We've had two wars, to be fair, that have impacted on the price of fuel. And the truth is that when you have fuel increases as you've had as a result of the war in the Middle East, and what you're seeing is inflationary pressures being a global phenomenon, which is why you've seen interest rate increases, including just in the last fortnight in the United States and in other advanced economies.
JOURNALIST: Economist Richard Holden says the Treasurer blaming the war in Iran for inflation is gaslighting the Australian public, is the Government gaslighting the Australian public?
PRIME MINISTER: What we're doing is being straightforward. Richard Holden's a well-known critic of the Government. That's not surprising, his comments. What we have done is to, he must have been beside himself under the former government that had no budget surpluses, that left us with debt figures and deficits that were much higher. The predicted deficit that we inherited for the current financial year was about double what we've actually delivered. So, we continue to do what is necessary in the interests of Australia. But you can't just wipe away the impact that the war in the Middle East is having on the entire global economy.
JOURNALIST: Australian industry and farmers are concerned about a potential US export ban on diesel. Do you have any concern about what that could do for prices here? And is there any lobbying going on behind the scenes to try to stop that ban?
PRIME MINISTER: We continue to engage with the United States in Australia's national interests, including on that issue. We continue to argue against tariffs that are put on Australian goods and we continue to argue for the free flow of trade between our two nations in accordance with the free trade agreement that we have with the United States.
Now, one of the things that we've managed to do prior to February 28, of course, the conflict began around about Easter, you might recall some of the people who are now pretending they didn't say that, calling for restrictions and saying that those restrictions would be inevitable. They were talking about having the odds and even system for access to fuel. Now, we have around about now the same amount of fuel in Australia, be it diesel, petrol or fuel for jet fuel. We have around about the same amount that we had then. We have secured supplies in a way which people did not envisage we'd be able to do. We've been very successful. And one of the ways that we've done that is to diversify where we get fuel from. So, places that in the past have not sent fuel to Australia, as diverse as the Netherlands, Nigeria and Argentina, for example, three countries, three separate continents, we've delivered that. When I travelled to Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia, the Opposition said, 'what is that for?' And criticised that. The truth is that secured supply from our friends in those countries, as well as the engagement we have with China to secure jet fuel as a result of conversations I had with Premier Li. In addition to that, we've been able to secure fuel from the Republic of Korea as well. All of this has made a difference, have meant that we're less dependent on just any one nation. But we have secured supply from the United States. We do want that to continue. But of course, the United States makes its own decisions. All we can do is to continue to advocate for Australia's national interests.
JOURNALIST: What's your message to families at home over the dinner table tonight? Potentially with another rate rise later on this afternoon, will you look at bringing back some easy measures like a fuel excise cut again, just to ease the budget heading into family, families heading into the back end of the year?
PRIME MINISTER: We understand that Australians are under financial pressure. We'll continue to look at measures, but we'll continue also to bear in mind that any measure we don't want to have a further impact on inflation. And to bear in mind the fiscal position that that represents. But there's a reason why we have at every opportunity done our bit to assist Australians under pressure, including the tax cuts that came in on July 1, tax cuts that not only did the Opposition vote against, but they said they would reverse if they had been successful just over a year ago in the election.
JOURNALIST: Larissa Waters is stepping down as leader of the Greens. What's your reaction to that?
PRIME MINISTER: I've spoken to Larissa Waters and wished her all the very best for the health issues that she's dealing with. People should not forget that people are real human beings here. And Larissa's going through this personal health challenge. When I spoke to her, she is going off to see further health checks today and I wish her well. This is a job and a leadership position for a minor party means a lot of travel, a lot of pressure. And that travel, she had a position that she wasn't in a position to be able to do that job going forward, but she intends to stay in the Senate. Look, I just wish her all the very best on a personal level. I obviously have differences with the Greens Political Party, but this is a human issue and I can also have compassion and I have a good relationship with Larissa. Can I thank her for the constructive engagement that I've had with her. I work with people across the Parliament. We have to do that in order to secure any legislation through our Senate. We haven't always agreed and we won't always agree going forward, but I wish her all the very best.
JOURNALIST: Can I just clarify on response to your earlier question, are you examining fresh measures to cut spending, government spending, or are you satisfied with the existing measures to that spending?
PRIME MINISTER: We constantly look through the ERC, meets regularly, we're constantly looking at ways to deal with the budget. We'll have MYEFO at the end of the year. We have a budget next year. We're constantly looking at making sure that there's value for money.
JOURNALIST: OpenAI has committed to giving Australia credit from their $1 million Daybreak for Frontline Defenders Fund… [INAUDIBLE]
PRIME MINISTER: I spoke with Sam Altman last week and we had a direct but constructive discussion and since then I of course had an extensive briefing yesterday in Canberra about the ongoing work that our task force is undertaking. OpenAI have been very constructive and open in engaging in that process and I welcome that, as have some of the other, Anthropic as well have been constructive in the engagement that's taking place.
Look, this is a challenge that the world is dealing with. Artificial intelligence can improve economic growth, improve our productivity. It can make a big difference for businesses who are using it. Importantly as well, it can provide revolutionary breakthroughs in health and research and science and innovation. But there are risks and we've seen those risks exposed, not just in what occurred in Australia, but the revelation that that has occurred in the United States and other countries as well. So, we need to work this through. We see this as an opportunity, but we want to seize the benefit whilst mitigating the risks. That's the task that we have going forward. And I welcome the engagement with OpenAI.
JOURNALIST: Melbourne man Hiep Tran missing in Cambodia. Appears he was targeted and kidnapped by Vietnamese authorities for his political advocacy. Is there any update from the Government on that matter?
PRIME MINISTER: We're continuing to deal, including engage with the family involved and provide consular assistance. That's what Australian Governments do for our citizens. And we'll continue to engage directly with the family.
JOURNALIST: Adelaide University has recorded a shortfall of 4,000 international students. Are you concerned that changes to the student visas is deterring international students from coming to Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't seen those figures. But international students do come to Australia and international students provide a benefit for Australia, but also a benefit for them. They also provide a connection with the rest of the world. I've been to an Australia India Alumni Association launch, for example, in New Delhi years ago, almost a decade ago now, when leading a delegation there. And that provides a real network. It's one of the benefits that we have here. We need to make sure as well that students coming here are coming here for educational purposes, which is why we need to make sure there's integrity in the system and that's what we're doing.
JOURNALIST: [INAUDIBLE]
PRIME MINISTER: We know that interest rates are rising around the world. That is happening. There is global inflation. We're dealing with that. We'll continue to engage in cost-of-living measures. We'll continue to understand that Australians are under pressure. We understand that. We work with that. That's why we've provided considerable cost-of-living support. Thanks very much. Thanks very much.
