Morning. Well, it's fantastic to be here in Albury at the Border Urgent Care Clinic. This is one of 124 that we already have opened. We will get to 138. At the last election, we promised to have another 50 Urgent Care Clinics opened, and we've opened more than half of them already since the May election, and that comes on top of the 87 that we elected before, that we opened, during our first term in office. We promised 50, but they were such a success that we kept going, because they're in such demand. So, this clinic here, there's one in Shepparton, one in Wagga Wagga, we want to make sure that throughout regional Australia, as well as in our cities, there are Urgent Care Clinics available that make a difference for people. This is also taking pressure off our public hospital network, because instead of going to an emergency department to deal with an issue, if there's a break or a cut or sports injury, or your child falls off a bike or skateboard, you can come here get the care that you need when you need it, and all you need is, of course, your Medicare card. This little green and gold piece of plastic says a lot about Australian values. What it tells you is that you can get the care that you need with just your Medicare card, regardless of your wealth or who you are, you need to get that care. And that is something that Australians should be so proud of, because this is a part of our platform to strengthen Medicare. In addition to that, we have tripled the bulk billing incentive. Now that came in in in November, and already the number of fully bulk billed clinics in the Farrer electorate has now gone to 27. 18 of those are newly fully bulk billed clinics, just since November. So, what we're seeing is that clinics are realising it is financially sensible for them to move to that full bulk billing, and what that will enable is more Australians to see a doctor for free, which is what we want to see as a Federal Government. This is just part of our commitment to regional Australia, but it's an important one, together with the $25 cut to the price of medicines, down to $25, the same price they were back in 2004, as well as 1800MEDICARE, all you need is the phone. You can dial that number and get 24/7 advice on any health issues for yourself or a child, and already, tens of thousands of Australians have accessed that system since January 1. Strengthening Medicare is one of the priorities of my government, it is dealing with cost of living pressures, taking the cost of getting health care down by improving the number of people accessing free health care through Medicare. But in addition to that, it's making sure that people get the health care that they need when they need it. Happy to take questions
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, ahead of the 2026 Farrer By-Election, health is a huge issue for constituents here. Will the Commonwealth be delivering any more funds for the controversial Albury Hospital redevelopment, which both state governments have been calling for?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we've done is to deliver $25 billion of additional hospitals funding. That is an agreement that we struck just a few weeks ago with the states and territories and was signed off finally, just on Friday, three days ago. So, we're providing additional funding for every single state and territory, record funding for every state and territory, as well as taking pressure off the hospital network through this support for primary health care.
JOURNALIST: When you were here last you visited Mars Petcare, and Helen Haines there handed you a message from local doctors in relation to calling for a new hospital on the Border. What's your response to that?
PRIME MINISTER: That state and territories build hospitals and are responsible for the hospital network. What we're responsible for is providing some investment for them. We're providing $25 billion for, of additional funding, as well as - this is federal funding, all federal funding that we're providing in primary health care. We have a federated system here in Australia. We're providing that support as well as, of course, providing additional investment in other areas for state and territory governments, including the public schools funding, full and fair funding of every school in Australia, that funding commenced this year, where schools went back just in the last few weeks, that's additional investment. As well as our additional housing investment, as well as funding that were provided at places like Mars Petcare to have that transition as well. Governments have limited budgets. We are responsible for the Commonwealth's share. We're certainly doing that.
JOURNALIST: Farrer has always been a traditionally safe conservative seat. Do you think Labor this by-election can win more votes and close that margin?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, it's - we haven't made a decision about standing a candidate finally, yet. Traditionally, we haven't stood candidates where it's unlikely that we would be successful. And of course, at the last election, that was a contest between Sussan Ley and an Independent. So, I met with the locals last night at Soden's Hotel, both the supporters, but then met with others as well, and it was an opportunity to have a chat about local issues. We'll make a decision once Sussan Ley actually resigns. And I say this about Sussan Ley though, is that she served this electorate for 25 years. I wish her well. I think she was very shabbily treated by the Liberal Party that didn't give her a fair crack as Liberal Leader. She was undermined by Angus Taylor and by Andrew Hastie and others from day one. Didn't even get to give a Budget Reply, and I don't think that was fair for the Liberal Party's first female leader. There's now a test for Angus Taylor and David Littleproud. Will they put One Nation last on their how to vote cards? That's the question that they have to come up with, because One Nation are surging at the expense of the Coalition. They can't just be One Nation lite, coming up with similar policies to One Nation. They need to be responsible going forward. John Howard always put One Nation last on the how to vote of the Liberal Party. We'll wait and see what decisions Angus Taylor and David Littleproud are prepared to make, if, as appears likely, they both run against each other in this by-election.
JOURNALIST: Labor is the only party that has stood in every single Farrer election. If you don't stand at the by-election, what do you think that sort of says to the voters in terms of the party of government not being there on the ballot paper?
PRIME MINISTER: It says that we are a party of government, and we are in government, and we want to make sure that we concentrate resources where they are most, most able to be utilised. We stood, and we certainly will stand the candidate at every single general election. We'll wait and we'll make the decision. It's unclear when Sussan Ley will resign. It's unclear when the by-election will be. But the party organisation will make that decision through the National Executive, over whether we field a candidate or not.
JOURNALIST: There's been some speculation about what role you may have in setting a by-election date. What role do you have in that process?
PRIME MINISTER: The Speaker sets the by-election date, he has to consult the leaders of the major political parties before he does that. But of course, there hasn't been a resignation yet. So, there hasn't been any of that consultation. So, the Speaker would normally, as well, consult with the Australian Electoral Commission about what an appropriate timetable would be. But I'd encourage people, if they're not on the roll, then get on the roll, because at some stage, there will be a by-election for this seat.
JOURNALIST: A quick question from our Canberra colleagues. What's your response to the Coalition's plan to introduce new laws to make it a criminal offence to help any of the ISIS women or children from coming back to Australia?
PRIME MINISTER: They don't have serious plans. If they did, they wouldn't have allowed more than 40 people came, including fighters, on their watch when they were in government. The question for them is, what will they do over preferences? Whether they're prepared to preference One Nation in this seat.
JOURNALIST: Have you got a preference for the by-election being before or after the Federal Budget?
PRIME MINISTER: That's a matter for the Speaker. And the Speaker will consult, but in the end, it will be Milton Dick's decision.
JOURNALIST: Just back to the ISIS, is your government considering any new legislation to keep [inaudible] and has it sought any legal advice [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: We, of course, have advice, but it's the same advice that frankly the Coalition got, I'm sure, which is why the laws that are in place are the laws put there by the Coalition. They pretend that the Constitution doesn't exist. They know that there are some limits on what can be done. But I repeat, our position is we're not repatriating people and we're not providing assistance.
JOURNALIST: Barnaby Joyce has said metro-based GPs should be barred from participating in Medicare unless they spend a period of time practising in the regions. Do you agree?
PRIME MINISTER: That's an extraordinary proposition from Barnaby Joyce, and it's just an example of when people look at One Nation's policies, and it's not clear if that's Barnaby Joyce's policy, or is it Pauline Hanson's policy, or is it One Nation's policy? But the idea - we want more people to have bulk billing, not less.
JOURNALIST: What made you decide to visit Albury now?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've been here before. I've been in Albury, I've been in Griffith. This is my third visit to the Farrer electorate as Prime Minister. And I visit the entire country - last Saturday I was in Orange. But it is an opportunity to focus on the Urgent Care Clinics that are making such a huge difference.
JOURNALIST: Farrer is heavily agriculture based. The Trump Administration has announced a 15 per cent baseline tariffs on imports to the US. This comes just three months after the ag sector welcomed the news Donald Trump was dropping the 10 per cent tariff on Australian beef. What representations has the government made to the Trump Administration, and will you pick up the phone to speak with him and demand these new tariffs be dropped?
PRIME MINISTER: We will of course make appropriate representations. This is a decision that's just been made over the weekend by the Trump Administration. We repeat our view that these tariffs are unfair. We support free and fair trade, that's what we support, including for our agricultural products. Thanks. Thanks very much.
