: Good morning everyone, and welcome to beautiful Darwin, to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, where it's just been an absolute pleasure to be taken through the new Cyclone Tracy exhibition. We're so thankful to have our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, here with us in Darwin for this really special anniversary, the 50th anniversary of when Cyclone Tracy visited bad times, terror on this community, but in the aftermath of that, we rebuilt, and that's what we're also celebrating. So it's a time to come together as a community, but it was such a nationally significant event that we've got our national leader, the Prime Minister of Australia, here to spend time with the survivors, and we're very thankful for that, Prime Minister. Also here, obviously, with the NT Senator, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, and it's just so wonderful to work with her and Marion Scrymgour here, representing the Northern Territory in Canberra. It's fantastic to have the Prime Minister here, but I'll let Malarndirri say a few words before we hear from the Prime Minister. Thank you.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Thank you, Luke. Yes, good morning everyone. This is a significant time as we reflect on a very difficult time for so many people who are a part of the story of Cyclone Tracy and I do thank the Prime Minister. I think it's really important that the Prime Minister, leading the country, acknowledges the deep pain and trauma of that horrific time. But it's also a recognition that we do live in a cyclone prone area, that we've always got to be careful. We've always got to be on alert. And it's an opportunity to thank all of those SES volunteers right across the Northern Territory, but indeed right across Australia, for always being there. And this exhibition shows the incredible amount of support there was for the people of Darwin, but the Australian spirit - that any crisis in our country shows that we can pull together, whoever we are wherever we are. Young, old, multicultural, black, white, we know how to come together as a country. And I would just say this, on a very personal note, I know from my family's experiences how difficult sometimes the trauma of reliving Cyclone Tracy is. And, you know, tomorrow is going to be a special day in many different ways, and I'm certainly looking forward to spending that with my family. Welcome Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Malarndirri, and thanks to Luke Gosling as well for - I came to this Museum in March, and there we talked about the commemorations for the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy. I was a young boy in Sydney, but like the rest of Australia and indeed the world, we were shocked by the images that came from Darwin with it being flattened on that evening of Christmas Eve into Christmas morning in 1974. This museum here and art gallery tells the story, and visitors to this great city are able to get some understanding of the devastation that was felt here in Darwin 50 years ago. The old museum was flattened that night, and was just part of the catastrophe that occurred for this city. We know that at least 66 people lost their lives during Cyclone Tracy, and the entire city was completely flattened. The third time that that had happened, going back to the end of the 19th century, and then again in 1937. But the devastation that was felt during the Christmas time of 1974 still resonates today for the survivors of Cyclone Tracy. This will be a difficult period where people will remember lost loved ones and remember as well the traumatic experience that they had. And I'm very proud to be visiting here as Prime Minister, together with the Governor-General Her Excellency Sam Mostyn, and indeed, the Chief of the Defence Force Johnson, who was a survivor of Cyclone Tracy, who will be joining us over the coming day. These three days that I'll spend - I arrived yesterday - and I'll attend the commemoration and memorial service that will be held at dawn tomorrow morning. It's important that we reflect, that we honour those who lost their lives. But it's also important that it's an opportunity for us to remind ourselves as a nation that at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character. In the aftermath of this devastating cyclone, we had individuals volunteer. We had people send up food. We had the Australian Defence Force commit to assisting with the rebuilding of this great city of Darwin. We had people throughout Australia provide their support, their funding and their commitment to the people who'd suffered through this devastating cyclone. And time after time, that is part of the Australian story. We are so resilient. When we're knocked down, we get up and we work together as well, and that's what we saw with the rebuilding of this city of Darwin into the modern metropolis that it is today. Our northernmost capital and a gateway into the fastest growing region of the world in human history, just to our north. So today and tomorrow, we will think of the families for whom every Christmas means revisiting that grief and trauma. Christmas can be a difficult time for many Australians, but hopefully by gathering this evening and then where we will hear some stories at the at the Railway Club from survivors - and then tomorrow morning at the Commemoration, it will be an opportunity for us to pay tribute and to hear more about the story of Darwin in all its wonder. And this great city is now a thriving city, and that is a good thing, out of that devastation. When you look at the impact that it had, it's beyond belief that people stayed here or came back here and were determined to rebuild their lives together. So it is an opportunity as well to remind ourselves that Australia is a country that's hit by natural disasters. And today we're reminding Australians as well of the warnings that are out there from extremely high temperatures. The warnings from bushfires in Victoria in particular, and a chance for us to once again thank the first responders. Thank all those in the Emergency Services, in Fire and Rescue, in our national parks, and all those who assist at times where it is difficult. So please listen to the warnings and the alerts which are out there. It is a difficult time over summer here in Australia, and at the moment, many Australians are experiencing that very much. Happy to take some questions.
JOURNALIST: One of the things that a lot of people remember from 50 years ago is the generosity from Australians from around the country. Do you think we would see a similar response today?
PRIME MINISTER: I do. Australians are a generous people. I was speaking with Reverend Bill Crews yesterday, because every Christmas Day I normally go and help out. He'll feed about 4000 people tomorrow at the Exodus Foundation, either people who are homeless or in need or just people who don't have family to spend Christmas Day with, will attend there at Ashfield. He told me that one of the first things that he was engaged with was at The Wayside Chapel. They got a call of Ted Noffs at that time - was there any food and sustenance available? And they filled up an aircraft full, and it arrived here. Australians are very generous, and it is a reminder that at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character, and I'm very confident that Australians will always look after each other. I'm optimistic about our country and our best asset - as much as we have wonderful natural environment and assets - our best asset is our people and the character of our people, and I'm sure that will always shine through, as we saw during the 2019-2020 bushfires. As I saw this time last year up in Far North Queensland, visiting communities that have been impacted by flooding there in the north of Cairns and Northern Beaches and right up through Cape York. Australians pitch in. They help each other, and we're a stronger country for it. Anything else on this, first?
JOURNALIST: Do you have any update on the situation with the Australian who has been captured in Russia and will the Government be open to a prisoner swap?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, Australia, we have called in the Russian Ambassador to Canberra to make appropriate representations. Our Australian Embassy in Moscow is also making representations to secure a positive outcome. It is an opportunity for us to say that the warnings, which are there, about travelling to areas of conflict are ones that should be heeded by Australians. This is not a safe or secure thing to do, and there is risk involved, but we will continue to, as we always do, make representations on behalf of Australians.
JOURNALIST: When did you start making those representations? Given you knew as early as November he was missing?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we make representations appropriately through the Embassy, and we always look after Australians.
JOURNALIST: When did you become aware that he was missing?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, when notification occurs, we take action on behalf of Australian citizens
JOURNALIST: That doesn't answer 'when,' sorry?
PRIME MINISTER: There are security issues involved, with respect, and we make appropriate representations about Australians, but we make this point - that it is a dangerous thing to do, to enter into a war zone in a time of conflict.
JOURNALIST: It's two years since you flew to Alice Springs - almost two years - and got the Northern Territory Government to change some of the policy decisions they'd announced through $250 million in funding at the time. A lot of people on the ground there say the situation has not improved in the almost two years since. Is it time to look at sending in the Australian Federal Police?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll be meeting with the Chief Minister later this morning, but we've provided $240 million has been provided for Central Australia to look at all of these issues as part of the Central Australian Package. That's a comprehensive plan, and we remain vigilant and available to provide support. The security and law and order is primarily the responsibility, as I said then, of the Northern Territory Government and the Northern Territory Police. And they are people who are on the ground and when I met with the Northern Territory Police at that time, they certainly felt that they were in the best position to take action. What we've seen in Alice Springs recently is once again, some horrific incidents. Violence is always unacceptable and justice should be brought down on perpetrators. But we have continued to provide support to the NT Government, work with them to tackle crime, to keep women and children safe and support young people. We signed a National Partnership Agreement to deliver additional law enforcement and community safety initiatives on the ground, including funding for additional police officers, liquor licensing officers and an Aboriginal Licensing Office to be positioned in Alice Springs.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned that Christmas is a difficult time for a lot of families. One of those families is Daniel Duggan's family, who say they feel abandoned by the Australian Government after his extradition to the US was approved. What do you say to them?
PRIME MINISTER: That the Australian Government will comply with the law, with agreements that we have and that, given these are legal matters, I'm not in a position to comment any further in any specifics. But the Australian Government will always comply with the law.
JOURNALIST: And speaking of violence, both sides of Northern Territory politics have for years been desperately calling for needs-based funding for domestic violence. Why hasn't the Federal Government come to the table on this?
PRIME MINISTER: We have exactly come to the table, in that regard. $240 million of funding across various Commonwealth portfolios and through a mix of funding provided to the Northern Territory as well as directly to front line organisations. That is more than 15 per cent of the national share when it comes to those issues, and that shows the Commonwealth's commitment to addressing these issues in the Northern Territory. The funding round for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations - the Northern Territory received 27 per cent of the total funding round. That's a larger allocation than the two most populous states.
JOURNALIST: Last night, a 60 year old woman was killed in a road accident, bringing the road toll up to 69 in the Northern Territory this year - second highest per capita around the country. Is the Federal Government going to be working with the Northern Territory Government going into the New Year to help lower that number in 2025?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we work on there are three things that you can do when it comes to the road toll. The first is better infrastructure. The second is driver behaviour, as well, that people need to drive within the speed limits. They need to not be affected by drugs or alcohol when they drive. They need to make sure as well, that they do not take risks and that they ensure they get to their destination, at a final destination, rather than get there quicker. And thirdly is various laws that can be made as well, largely which are done by state and territory governments. We'll continue to work. The road toll in recent years, after a period of decline, with the road safety strategy that was put in place when I was the Minister, between 2011-2020 we saw a substantial decline in the road toll. We need to be vigilant about this, and we need to work towards it, not just as governments, but as a society as well. And that's why at Christmas, part of what we can do is to give a message to people that every tragedy on our road causes heartache for loved ones, but when it occurs over the Christmas period, it is particularly heartbreaking because that trauma comes back every Christmas and reminds people of a tragedy at a time where we should be celebrating our relationships and our friendships. So, I say to people, please drive safely this Christmas. It's absolutely vital that you do so during this period. Every year, we see a spike in the road toll around Australia during this time because there are more people on the roads, and there are some people on the roads who are less familiar with where they're driving as well. Be conscious about that. If you're not used to driving on a road in the Territory, if you're from a southern state, be cautious. You know, be risk averse - is my message to Australians over this period.
JOURNALIST: It looks like there might have been a resolution reached this morning between the Minns Government and the rail unions. But do you have any message to them ahead of New Year's Eve?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's a good thing. I have called, in the last multiple days now, for this issue to be resolved, and I'm hopeful of a longer term solution. I know that Chris Minns, the Premier, I spoke to on Saturday. He's been working very hard to provide a resolution and common sense has got to prevail here and there was nothing to be gained by disrupting what is a really important period of the year, not just for people to celebrate relations between each other. There's an important economic time as well, that those fireworks in Sydney get shown right around the world. And it's a big ad - come to Australia. Come to Australia and experience the - I say this in a city with a very nice harbour - but the best harbour in the world is Sydney, and it gets shown around the world. And the idea that that would be disrupted would be extremely counterproductive, and it's good that it won't be.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much.
JOURNALIST: Can I ask a question of Malarndirri, please? You said before that we live in cyclone country, but earlier this year, we saw a debacle unfold in Borroloola with people not being able to be evacuated. What is the Federal Government doing to ensure our remote Territorians are safe and secure in cyclone disasters?
MINISTER MCCARTHY: Well, we've recently had the Minister for Emergency Services up here, Senator Jenny McAllister, who has travelled across the Territory here in Darwin, over to Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek, ensuring that our communities are ready. What happened in Borroloola this year was absolutely devastating for the residents of Borroloola, and certainly I've spoken with the Roper Gulf Regional Council, along with the previous Northern Territory Government, and I'll certainly have further conversations with this current Government just around the preparedness. But we certainly are very supportive of all our communities, and we have to remember, I think, in the Northern Territory too, that the Federal Government can only step in when it's invited to do so, and that really is the responsibility of the NT Government of the day. And I know that there have been lessons learned, and let's hope that these sorts of things will be much better improved.
JOURNALIST: Are you able to elaborate on what some of those lessons were?
MINISTER MCCARTHY: Well, if you look at Borroloola, for example, many would say that the arrival of the planes were too late, and that was a criticism at the time, and it's certainly been taken on board. Which is why Senator McAllister has travelled the length and breadth of the Territory to ensure that there is preparedness in terms of her relationship with the Northern Territory Government. Thank you.
LUKE GOSLING: Can I just wrap up - so -
PRIME MINISTER: I was just going to wish people a Merry Christmas! We can do it together?
LUKE GOSLING: I just wanted to wrap up with some thank yous. Firstly, to the Prime Minister for coming up for this incredibly special anniversary, 50 years since Cyclone Tracy, and it's your eleventh visit to the Northern Territory, just in this term of government, but for all your support in the years before that as well, boss. Thank you very much. Thank you to everyone who's working during Christmas, and that obviously includes all you here today. It's going to be a really special evening and morning tomorrow morning, so look forward to seeing everyone there.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah. Merry Christmas, everyone.
