: Well, look it's fantastic to be back here in Cabramatta and for what is an exciting day. This is day one of returning this seat to the Labor Party and to having Tu Le as a representative for this fantastic community in my Labor Government. Tu Le will be a very strong voice for this local community. She lives here in Mount Pritchard. She is someone who is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. I've met her parents and her family, and they have lived in this community for a long period of time. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a lawyer who currently works at a community legal centre. Tu also has extensive community experience, including advocating for exploited migrant workers, and as the co-founder of a local social enterprise. She lives locally with her husband, Kelvin, her son Boston, and her dogs, Cleo and Kebab. We should have brought them along today. The issues that matter to this community are, firstly, cost of living, and we've seen in the last week, my Government take strong action when it comes to holding supermarkets to account. Whether it is the actions by the ACCC, the regulator, to take Woolworths and Coles to court. Over 500 products allegedly having their prices raised, then decreased by less than the original amount, and then saying that was on special. We also have taken action against shrinkflation. So many people, when they go to a supermarket, they're looking for value and they shouldn't have the product that was 500 grams reduced to 450 grams and be the same price - they shouldn't be paying for air. They should be paying for the sort of products and value that they expect. It's a breach of trust, which is why consumers have reacted so strongly to the abuse of power that so many of these supermarkets have shown. My Government is determined to make a difference on cost of living. We also have been determined to return the Budget to surplus. Replacing those Liberal deficits with Labor surpluses, so that we put that downward pressure on inflation. At the same time as we've managed to continue to increase employment, with some 980,000 jobs created since we came to office. This community has also benefited from Fee-Free TAFE in addition to the Urgent Care Clinics and the strengthening of Medicare that is so important for this community. And my Government is a strong supporter of multiculturalism. I'm very familiar with this community, and Tu Le will be an amazing representative. She's a great candidate, but she'll be even better as a local member who will have a voice in government and be able to get things done. So I'm very proud to introduce Tu Le, the Labor candidate for Fowler.
TU LE, LABOR CANDIDATE FOR FOWLER: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. And firstly, good morning to everyone. It's a glorious day here in Cabramatta on Dharug land. My name is Tu Le and I am absolutely thrilled to be the Labor candidate for the federal seat of Fowler. I grew up in southwest Sydney. I'm a proud Westie, and I am currently raising my young family with my husband, Kelvin, in Mount Pritchard in the local area. My parents came to Australia after the Vietnam War. I was fortunate to have been raised in Australia and benefit from the best possible public education. This has led me to the work that I do today. I work as a community lawyer, supporting the most marginalised people in their community, including victim survivors of domestic violence, young people, refugees and migrants. Growing up in southwest Sydney, and being the daughter of refugees, I understand deeply the power of equal opportunity and what it takes to overcome disadvantage. I think my personal lived experiences have led me to dedicate my life to advocating for the needs of the community, and I am very excited to be the Labor candidate for Fowler to continue fighting for my community and standing up for our rights and values. The community of Fowler deserve a voice in the Labor Government, and I am very excited to be a strong voice in the Albanese Labor Government and deliver better resources and services for the people of Fowler. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Well done. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you supported Israel's right to self-defence. However, President Joe Biden has gone further supporting Israel's right to respond. Would you support Israel in a targeted retaliatory operation against Iran?
PRIME MINISTER: We have worked closely with President Biden, and we've actually signed Joint Statements with the United States, with Canada, the European Union, Italy, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, all calling for a de-escalation in the region. Of course, Israel has a right to defend itself. But as we and the US and others have said, the region needs de-escalation, the cycle of violence cannot continue without end, and that is something that we will continue to work with partners on.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, there's been large explosions in the past few hours around Beirut Airport. Are you concerned concerns at all, does it worry you that an Israeli ground invasion may cost Australian lives in Lebanon?
PRIME MINISTER: We're very concerned about what is happening in Lebanon, and in particular, we are doing our best to look after Australian citizens. We have been warning for many months now, pleading with people to please leave Lebanon because it is not a safe place. And Beirut Airport is located in the south of Beirut, and we remain concerned. We have 500 places made available for Australians to leave tomorrow. We have organised and assisted the safe passage of a number of Australians this week. We are putting in measures. We have for some time, been planning measures to make sure that people can be looked after. But we do say if people can leave by commercial means, they should take up the opportunities as soon as possible.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, we are told that Australian people are prioritised for a flight out of Lebanon, and that was prioritised the vulnerable but there were 39 seats left unfilled. Was this a mistake and is your Government telling people to take whatever seats are available?
PRIME MINISTER: Look we are doing, the Australian Government and DFAT officials are doing their best under difficult circumstances. We have been saying at every opportunity for months now that people should leave Lebanon, and indeed arguing and putting the case as well, that people should not continue to go to Lebanon, which has been occurring. In the last month, some people from Australia have chosen to go to Lebanon, which is not safe at the moment. We will continue to work with authorities, but this is a difficult circumstance, and the Australian officials will always do their best, along with the Australian Defence Force, to ensure that Australia's interests are looked after.
JOURNALIST: Peter Dutton has called for the Iranian Ambassador to be expelled for describing Hassan Nasrallah as a remarkable leader. Should he be expelled?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah. We condemn the Ambassador's comments. Australia has maintained a diplomatic relationship with Iran since 1968 that has been continuous, not because we agree with the regime, but because it's in Australia's national interest. It has never been an endorsement of the regime, but it has been a channel to protect Australia's interest and to communicate our views and the views of our allies, like minded countries. My Government has taken the strongest actions of any government on Iran. The strongest actions. We have put in place hundreds of sanctions against Iranians and against Iranian entities. And that stands in stark contrast to the fact that nothing happened over the nine years in which Peter Dutton was a Minister in the former Government, where there were no sanctions, where there was silence about Iran. And Iran, of course, has not just changed its ideology in the last couple of years. They've continued a consistent position in recent years, including, I might say, when Iran put forward and was elected to the UN Status of Women Committee, the former Liberal Government was silent on that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Peter Dutton has described you as an appeaser who is walking away from the US over Israel. What do you have to say?
PRIME MINISTER: My relationship with President Biden and the US Administration is very strong. Peter Dutton always looks for division, no matter - even when it should be a moment where we look for unity and coming together. Peter Dutton is consistent, always looking to divide.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Hizb ut-Tahrir, the extremist Islamic group are planning to hold a rally on October 7 in Lakemba in southwest Sydney. What should be done about that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I have no time and condemn that organisation. And October 7 is the date where it is one year since the greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. I say to those planning demonstrations, or, of course, demonstrations need to be approved by the police. They won't be sanctioned. But I say to others who are thinking of other actions on October 7, think about whether your cause is being advanced or set back. This, in my mind, should be very much a solemn day that occurs, one where we recognise this horror that occurred on October 7. Australians overwhelmingly want to see tolerance. They don't want to see conflict brought here. And I believe very strongly that those planning any events on October 7 should think again and should recognise that that is not the time to engage in that activity.
JOURNALIST: It was reported yesterday that Murray Watt's bag containing Cabinet documents was left on a plane at Doha Airport last year. Was Australia's national security compromised in any way by this?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't talk about national security at a press conference.
JOURNALIST: Can you confirm that the two chartered flights…(inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER: Look those arrangements are being done through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. They're being done through the Australian Defence Force. People should take up the opportunities that are available to get out of Lebanon, as we have been saying for a long period of time.
JOURNALIST: Just back to the Ambassador of Iran, Prime Minister, we had displays in support of Hezbollah on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne. We've had police chiefs from state and territory departments come out with the AFP saying, warning against displays supporting terrorism on the streets. If the Ambassador is not expelled, what message is that sending to the community about how the Government may or may not be tolerating this kind of activity?
PRIME MINISTER: There's no connection between the two things. The Ambassador, we condemn his actions. We have - Peter Dutton took no action against Iran. There wasn't a single sanction against a member of the IRG, the Revolutionary Guard, against any Iranian citizens or entities during their nine years in office. My Government has taken the strongest actions against Iran of any Australian government ever. We condemn his actions. We act in Australia's national interest, which is what we do. Thank you very much.
