Hi, I'm Daniel Mulino. It's great to be here in Melbourne's west in my electorate for an announcement in relation to a very significant transport and infrastructure project. The Melbourne Airport Rail Link is going to transform transport in the West and also be a major economic contributor to Victoria. This is a project that is long overdue, so it's wonderful to be here today for this announcement. We're here today with the Prime Minister, with the Premier, with Ministers from state and federal levels, and as you can see, with a lot of local members. It shows the importance of this project. With that, I'll hand over to the Premier, Ben Carroll.
BEN CARROLL, PREMIER OF VICTORIA: Thank you, Daniel. Hi, I'm Ben Carroll, and I'm the Airport Rail Premier. This is personal to me, as someone who grew up under Melbourne Airport, grew up under the flight path. At the end of my street was the freight line, the Albion East line, and the only noise I grew up with was the rattling of the freight train over the concrete sleepers. Morning, noon, and night, I would hear it. I'd walk up and down the freight line, and always imagine one day there being passengers, Victorians, on that railway line getting into the city. So this is really, really important. And Labor is now building stage two, putting a train station at Keilor East. Keilor East train station will transform literally hundreds of thousands of people that live in Keilor East, Airport West, and Keilor Park, who have been car dependent all their lives with public access to public transport for the very first time. This is more than getting business people to the airport on time. This is about bringing public transport to Victorians that have never had it. East Keilor Airport West, Keilor Park, Niddrie - that is less than 20 kilometres from the Melbourne GPO, but it doesn't have rail access. It's been car dependent for 100 years. Many residents in the 1970s, when they bought their properties, were promised a train station. We are now delivering it. This is really important for Melbourne. It's an iconic project as well. We know Melbourne, Victoria, we're the only city in the top 20 OECD nations that doesn't have an airport rail line, and we now have a prime minister and federal colleagues that know Melbourne's western suburbs. Recent commitments on the Western Highway, the Western Freeway, joint Labor project. And Airport Rail - significant billions of dollars to build Stage Two. We're getting it done, and this is so important. I personally want to thank the Prime Minister for his commitment today and ongoing. This is budgeted for. This is not a promise to take to the election. This is hand sealed, delivering the funding to get Stage Two done. And I'm very proud to be here with all of my colleagues in Melbourne's West. Airport Rail will electrify the north west, and Labor is getting on with it. I'll now hand over to the Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks so much, Ben. It's great to be back in Melbourne once again, and once again talking about infrastructure and important rail infrastructure. I'm joined by many members of my team here. Obviously, the Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, but local members here, not just Dan, but Jo Briskey and Basem Abdo, as well, joining me along with members of Ben's team. This is a transformative project. This will make an enormous difference going forward. 7.4 kilometres this stage, including a 500 metre rail bridge over the Maribyrnong River, which the boss here of this project tells me will be the second highest bridge in Victoria, making an enormous difference. Dealing with these engineering challenges, but making an enormous difference. And I want to thank the workers we've met here today, who have, I think, the extraordinary satisfaction from looking at and riding on this rail project when it is completed for the rest of their lives, making an enormous difference for infrastructure. Melbourne Airport Rail has been spoken about for a long period, but it's taken two Labor governments to get it done. We've got $6 billion invested in this project to make an enormous difference for productivity and to make a difference. This is about building Victoria's future, giving Victoria its fair share of infrastructure spending. Something that my government has absolutely been committed to. It also makes enormous sense in terms of the BCR that is here for this project as well, it is in excess of two to one. So building productivity is an enormous benefit for Victoria, making an enormous difference for people travelling to and from Melbourne Airport, but will make a difference for local residents as well. And it's a great project, creating jobs, boosting our economy, and boosting productivity. We'll hear from the Infrastructure Minister and then we'll take some questions.
CATHERINE KING, MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Thanks very much, Prime Minister, and it's terrific to also be here with Premier Ben Carroll, who is such a big advocate for Melbourne Airport Rail, alongside the Prime Minister, as well as my state and federal parliamentary colleagues here. Well, this is a pretty exciting day for Melbourne. I was back in March, we were at Sunshine announcing the Sunshine Super Hub, a $4 billion project which untangles the rail lines that actually allow Melbourne Airport Rail to happen. But it is so much more than that. Stage Two, delivering Albion to Keilor, delivering that rail line to actually make sure that the people of Keilor actually get access to public transport, rail transport, for the first time is a huge investment into the people of the West. Melbourne Airport Rail is happening. That is what we are seeing today. Already budgeted for Stage Two, that delivery of 7.4 kilometres of track, bridge, new bridge over the Maribyrnong, new train station at Keilor East. Stage three, I know people will ask some questions about that later, but discussions with the airport are going incredibly well. We're continuing that work, and we'll continue to work with the airport about what that looks like. But Stage Two, the next stage that we're announcing today, making sure that project is on delivery. We know that there are hundreds and hundreds of people living in this area who work in this district, but also work at the airport. Delivering Melbourne Airport Rail is not just great for them; it's also great for communities like mine in Ballarat, Bendigo, and Geelong. Being able to get into the airport via rail will be an incredible legacy for the people of Melbourne. Can I thank very much the Premier and the Prime Minister for their incredible support for this project. I know this has been a long time coming. We've had some false starts before in previous years, but this is happening for Melbourne, and it's happening because of the Prime Minister, and it is happening because of Premier Ben Carroll. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just touching on what the Minister said there about stage three. Obviously this stage two is important, but Victorians and people visiting Victoria really want to know when they'd be able to get a train to Melbourne Airport.
MINISTER KING: So, if you remember, we've set up a group and an MOU between Melbourne Airport, the Victorian Government, and the Federal Government. So, obviously, the complexities of getting it onto an airport site had to be worked through, and there's some broader issues around that. We've agreed scope, which has taken quite a while to get there, so we're at the scope stage. We're now working through how will we deliver it. If anyone has been to Melbourne Airport recently, there is a lot of infrastructure happening - the third runway, the removal of that outrageous bridge that we've all been stuck on as we're trying to get out of Melbourne. That's about to come off as well. There's a whole range of other projects, a new hotel that's being built on the airport at the moment, and that all of that master planning had been done. They're now just working through how will the delivery happen. Once we've got that, we'll have a time frame for that, and that'll lead us into our budget processes next year, and we'll have more to say about that. So this is a really important stage, as I said back in March, there was no way Melbourne Airport Rail could happen at all unless we actually untangled the rail lines and had that initial stage. We're now announcing Stage Two, and Stage Three is progressing well. This is, I think, the first time since Melbourne Airport Rail has really been talked about. You know, we can see the light of where this project is going, and when it will be delivered for Victorians, and we'll have water stay about Stage Three once we've got that delivery part actually sorted through with the airport and with Victorian Government.
JOURNALIST: Who will build the station? Will it be an airport project or a government project?
MINISTER KING: Well, again, again, the issue around delivery, we're just looking at all of that at the moment. So, we know that VIDA here in Victoria does a fantastic job. They've been doing great work. But also, obviously, at the airport, there's some complex building that's happening at the moment, and trying to sequence that while you've actually got a functioning airport without too much disruption to passengers, is critically important. And the working group is actually working through all of those issues. And I do want to thank Melbourne Airport Rail and the Victorian Government. They've been really constructive discussions to have that scope settled. Been a major part of the project and we'll keep that working and we'll have more to say about that in the future.
JOURNALIST: I think the question here was. I think the question here, I'm not sure if either of you might want to jump in. The question here was when might Victorians be able to catch the train to the airport? If the answer is you don't know, that's fine.
MINISTER KING: The answer is, we're still working on the timing for Stage Three. Obviously, the delivery of that, that will also give us a clearer indication of cost and we'll have more to say about that in the future. But you can't get it to the airport if you don't get it to Keilor for a start. So, that's what we're announcing today. You've got to keep working through that. If you can't get it to Keilor, you're not going to get it to the airport. So, it's a pretty significant announcement that we're making today, that we're actually getting through to that stage too.
JOURNALIST: The capacity of Melbourne metro, can take 24 trains an hour through the tunnel. We are going to have electrification - we are going to have 23 services an hour. Where are these trains going to go?
MINISTER KING: Well, I think that's probably more a question for the Victorians.
VICKI WARD, VICTORIAN MINISTER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT: So, the trains will continue to work through our network. Now, we know that the trains that are coming from Keilor East will go through the metro tunnel and we do have incredibly skilled people in the Department of Transport, as well as VIDA, who are able to work through scheduling and ensure that we are using the metro tunnel as well as the city loop to its maximum potential.
JOURNALIST: If you're living in Melton, is it correct that basically every train that's coming from Keilor East, comes from the airport through the tunnel?
MINISTER WARD: So, for Melton, we know that the electrification works can continue once we have untangled the lines at Sunshine, once we have put in new stations at Albion and at Tottenham, at the moment they continue to go to Southern Cross. Once we have completed those works, then we can work towards the ongoing progression of electrification of the Melton Line.
JOURNALIST: Yesterday RBA Governor Michelle Bullock said domestic spending is driving high inflation, and the Middle East is adding to those pressures. Today Phillip Lowe said your government should be cutting spending to take pressure off inflation. Markets are expecting inflation to come in at 3.6%. When will you curtail government spending?
PRIME MINISTER: We've had $178 billion of savings. Every single economic statement that we have handed down has had savings. And indeed we have savings that are before the Parliament right now. Indeed, the only savings that the Coalition have supported, and the Greens political party haven't supported any of them, is on the NDIS and that they delayed for months to play politics along with the Greens in the Senate, which cost triple figures in hundreds of millions of dollars. Now, the Coalition, Angus Taylor has a question that he has to answer, which is how can you promise $110 billion of new spends? Which he has. How can you oppose every savings which has been put forward? Which he has. And how can you say you repeal the measures that were put in place, such as the changes to capital gains tax and to negative gearing, which were put forward, and then say that you're going to have a fiscally responsible policy? What we have done, we will continue to look for savings in the Budget as we have in every single economic statement that has been put forward. We have done that, will continue to do that. But the Reserve Bank Governor made it clear yesterday, as did the Reserve Bank in their statement, that yes, there are inflationary pressures in the economy, which we have said are there, but they have been made more difficult because of the war that has occurred in the Middle East, where Australia is not a protagonist, but we have been impacted by it because of the impact on petrol prices.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned those savings that your Government has had, surely more needs to be done than if we're continuing to see these rate rises across the country impacting homeowners, mortgage holders, everyone in the country at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, people are doing it tough. People are under pressure. That's one of the reasons why we've looked for savings in the budget so as to create the space to do things like tripled the bulk billing incentive, which is enabling more Australians, above 80 per cent, to see a GP for free in order to create space. So, we have the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, Medicare Mental Health Clinics, the Endo and Pelvic Pain Clinics for women, such as the one that I visited at Werribee here. We have created the space in order to provide support for people who need it. We have savings before, will come before the Parliament. The test is, just one example, the private health insurance changes, the rebate, which will mean that a 65 year old is treated the same as a 64 year old. But what we've had from the Coalition in the Parliament is opposition to that. You can't say we want more savings and then oppose every saving which is put forward. But what are the saves that the Coalition have supported that we've put forward of that $178 billion? They've all been fought for. We had yesterday, I was there in South Australia at one of the two sites that have been made available because we did a Defence Estate Review which found 67 sites were not fit for purpose. Now, that's to create the space for defence investment, for our capability. That's what we're prepared to do. They're all tough decisions. They're all tough decisions. None of them backed by the Liberal Party, the National Party or One Nation.
JOURNALIST: The RBA Governor also said that the Government is unlikely to meet its housing target of 1.2 million new homes because of the housing downturn that came off the back of your budget changes. Is it time to admit that maybe you shot yourself in the foot?
PRIME MINISTER: Victoria is on track to meet its target that they have, and we have incentives there for it. And what the changes we did in the budget are about is giving people of your age the opportunity to own your own home. That's what it's about. And stopping a generation of Australians missing out. I don't want to live in a country where my generation are able to own their own home and young people are giving up. It's as simple as that. And they're the changes that we've put in place, sensible, practical changes, whilst at the same time, because we have changed negative gearing and capital gains tax to only apply to new builds, what that's doing is if you want to invest in investment property, you're not only investing in your future wealth and an asset for yourself and good on you for doing that, you're investing in an asset and future wealth for the nation because you're helping to boost supply. So, all of our measures are aimed at boosting supply as we go forward. And I've got to say, the Victorian Government here have been ahead of the curve in what they've been able to achieve.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, yesterday you said you were looking at cost of living measures. Can you be specific about what they are?
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, I can. And we'll announce them in MYEFO, which is at the end of the year, and the budget next year. We consistently -
JOURNALIST: I think, I would expect Australians want some answers now. Australians are hurting and they are not hearing something from you.
PRIME MINISTER: What they expect is a government to be considered, to work through proposals in a considered, orderly way. That is what we are doing. We understand people are doing it tough. That's why we introduced tax cuts on July 1 that were opposed, not just opposed in the Parliament, but that Angus Taylor, who had a pretty critical role at that time as Shadow Treasurer, went to an election saying he would reverse it. If they had have been elected, taxes would be higher today, students would have more debt, there wouldn't be more bulk billing doctors, there wouldn't be more Urgent Care Clinics, there wouldn't be free TAFE, which they described as a waste, even though 800,000 Australians have had access to free TAFE. That's the difference. A government that is making savings, that is prepared to make tough decisions, but also is prepared to make sure we understand, we understand that people are doing it tough, which is why we've had measures to make a difference to them, such as tax cuts, such as the increase in the minimum wage, also opposed by the Coalition.
JOURNALIST: You've said a few times there about your Government cutting costs. Can you be specific? Tell us how you are cutting costs, given that families are tightening their belts.
PRIME MINISTER: $178 billion. That's how specific we are.
JOURNALIST: That's a very vague figure -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's not a vague figure.
JOURNALIST: It's a vague figure when you're not giving details. What's the top thing government is doing for you to save costs when families are tightening their belts? What are you doing to tighten yours?
PRIME MINISTER: It's not a vague figure there in the budget paper.
JOURNALIST: You're not going into detail is what you are saying.
PRIME MINISTER: If you give me a chance to answer, I will. I've just given you one with private health insurance, for example, a difference that we have made in the Budget, a difficult task. I gave you another specific example as well with the Defence Estate, 67 sites, a very specific example. One of which, the one I was in yesterday is being used for, is going to be housing projects as well, making a difference so that we continue to present savings which are there. We've had other savings which haven't been able to get through the Parliament. But we'll continue to look for savings across the board, as we have in every single economic statement.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, are you confident you can get a deal with Victoria to sign up for the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement before caretaker, which is in about, I think it's Cup Day? Is that something you're committed to doing?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we'll wait and see. But I know that this bloke has a bit to say about education and I've worked with Ben before he became Premier on education. I know how passionate he is about it and we're working those issues through. We'll have announcements when they're ready, but today's announcement is a pretty good one, I think.
JOURNALIST: Should we expect to see you back here before Cup Day?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm often back here in Victoria. I think I've been to Victoria more than one hundred times as Prime Minister.
JOURNALIST: Just to go back to the inflation question, Michelle Bullock has been saying the main driver is to domestic capacity pressures. Your Treasurer yesterday seems to be suggesting it's all to do with international issues. Who do you agree with, the RBA Governor or your Treasurer?
PRIME MINISTER: I agree with both of them because -
JOURNALIST: But they are saying contradictory things -
PRIME MINISTER: They are not saying contradictory things at all. And the Treasurer has been very consistent, speaking about the inflationary pressures which are there in the economy. They were there when we were elected, they've continued to be there. We've continued to take action on it. But as the Reserve Bank's statement made very clear yesterday, very clear, that the war in the Middle East has had an impact and people can't just dismiss that. Petrol, of course, has an impact and a flow on through the economy has an impact on the price of getting goods onto supermarket shelves, has an impact on the price of producing agriculture and our food production in our regions, has an impact across the board and that is acknowledged. And I don't agree that there's a contradiction. Hang on one tick. This woman here was next.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you're thinking about cost of goods increasing. Do you anticipate that could happen further tomorrow when the credit card surcharge ban is in place?
PRIME MINISTER: I think the credit card surcharge ban is a good thing. That's one of the examples of something that we have brought in to make a difference. I think when people turn up and tap, be it at a coffee shop or a pub or buying a sandwich for lunch, they expect the price that they see to be the price that they pay. And, and that is why tomorrow's example, it's an example of a cost of living measure which we have put forward.
JOURNALIST: What do you think Donald Trump's new agreement with the AI companies, do you think it goes far enough to addressing the guardrails?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we'll be doing is producing Australian Standards for AI. We've said that's important. I think there has been clearly evidence, not just in Australian experience, and I want to acknowledge the fact that OpenAI apologised very clearly and publicly yesterday, as well as Sam Altman certainly was along those lines when we had the one-on-one discussion that we had whilst I was in New York. Look, this is a complex area. AI can transform our economy, boost productivity, lead to revolutionary breakthroughs in health care, in innovation and science. But there are risks there as well and we need to make sure that we mitigate the risks. We're working constructively with AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, we're developing Australian standards. We've established a committee chaired by Jo Briskey in the Parliament, working with Jonno Duniam, because we want to make sure, as I've said, that we need to be engaged in all of these issues across the Parliament. I know that Jonno Duniam, because I've had a direct discussion with him, is interested in these issues on an ongoing basis and I know that Jo Briskey will do a fantastic job.
JOURNALIST: Two months out from the state election, the new Premier, Ben Carroll, has promised a new direction. What do you think needs to change in the state?
PRIME MINISTER: I think the thing that needs to stay is this bloke being re-elected as Premier because it's only, it's only a Labor government that ever does the big things.
