I'd like to thank the Prime Minister for coming down to Strahan and Macquarie Harbour. We sent out an invitation back in June, and then also in August, and recently wrote him a letter. It's good to see the Prime Minister, it's great to come down and have a look at Macquarie Harbour, and how big it is and how small the footprint that the salmon industry does play in Macquarie Harbor. So yeah, thank you very much for coming down and I'm sure that the Strahan people and especially our children will appreciate you being here.
JOURNALIST: Can I just ask you a question really quickly, Shane? What are you hoping comes out of the visit?
MAYOR PITT: We're just hoping that the Prime Minister sees what Macquarie Harbour is all about and how big it is, and, you know, the part that the salmon industry does play on the West Coast, especially Strahan. And you know, and he will meet some of the children today, that their lifeline is the salmon industry, and we want to make sure that their life in Strahan is sustained.
JOURNALIST: Peter Dutton made a pretty big promise about the salmon in industry last week. And you hoping we did the same for the Prime Minister?
MAYOR PITT: Certainly, certainly. You know, Prime Minister mentioned before that when I spoke to him in Devonport, that he was right behind the industry and wanted to support the industry and he has so far, and we just hope for the continue of that process.
JOURNALIST: One more. So, this is a step forward, but the big battle is ensuring salmon farming operations can continue here?
MAYOR PITT: Yeah, we want to make sure that the salmon industry stays in Strahan as it is. We don't want to see a decrease either. And you know, it's recent times we've seen what the oxidization plan has done on the harbour, and the health of the harbour's increased. The salmon industry and the Skate can coexist, and we've seen that over years. And we look now at the skate, there's more skate in the harbour than what they thought, so the science is right behind this as well. So let's get on and get the salmon industry back up, you know, where they want to be. And so they've got a future, and they know where their future holds.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well thanks very much, Shane, for the invite from yourself and Anne to come to have a look firsthand. I think it's really important that public representatives actually have a look firsthand at what is happening in our regions and in our communities. And I know firsthand, having met with the workers, having met with the Mayor, having engaged in Tasmania for a long period of time. When we were last in government I helped save the rail line in this local community which was about jobs in the tourism sector. This is about jobs here in Strahan, but throughout Tasmania as well. And I support the Tasmanian salmon industry. I support jobs. As long as I'm Prime Minister, there'll be support for jobs here in Tasmania because I understand how important it is for the Tasmanian economy. We need to go through, legal processes of course need to take their course, and those processes are underway. But we will do whatever we can to ensure that this industry continues to not just exist, but with the work that we're doing providing support for oxygenation here in Macquarie Harbour, the work that we're doing as well with trials of salmon farming offshore as well. The work that we've done providing funding for the Maugean Skate in terms of, to reproduce, and they've been quite successful as well. That program is showing real support and real positive outcomes with hatchings taking place, that's all a positive thing. So I'm here to listen and to see first-hand. I must say, it's good timing as well to spend some time with the local community during their Christmas function.
Could I just make some comments as well about the announcement that was made yesterday, belatedly. We've waited now more than two and a half years for Peter Dutton to come up with a single costed policy, and yesterday we saw a farcical policy. A policy on nuclear reactors that suggests that there will be 40 per cent less energy use in 2050 than what AEMO, the Australian Energy Market Operator, what the CSIRO, what the science tells us is going to be. Now for that to happen, that means 40 per cent less economic activity here in this country. We know that with industries like manufacturing, like data, like so many are going to require an increase in energy, not less energy, which is why we need to prepare for it. It's not surprising that Peter Dutton chose to put it out in Brisbane, away from the Canberra press gallery, without there being proper notice of the information that was there. Not only did they not give appropriate information to the media, they didn't even get it right the briefing to their caucus members, they didn't get a say in this nuclear fantasy. And what we know as well is that this will be some time off in the 2040s. Peter Dutton says that he's relying upon state and territory governments and everyone to come on board this. He couldn't even get the Queensland LNP, his own political party in Queensland, to come on board for this fantasy because they know that in the meantime you need to have increased energy access and energy security. Which is why we know all of the experts are saying what you need is renewables, with booming capacity through batteries, and firming capacity through gas, is the way forward for Australia. That's what our Government's plan is. That's what we're working towards to make sure that we can support not just households, but support manufacturing and industry and jobs as well. Peter Dutton plan put out just a week before Christmas in order to hide from scrutiny is undermined as well by the fact that this will be totally funded by taxpayers, because no private sector investor will go anywhere near this. That's why as well he didn't come out yesterday with a single costing of what difference it would make for consumers. Now you know that if you are having public investment in the most expensive form of new energy, that will result in higher cost for consumers, not cheaper costs. That's what the CSIRO says, that's what the Australian Energy Market Operator says, and that's what business says which is why they won't invest in Peter Dutton's plan.
JOURNALIST: On salmon, you say you want to protect jobs, but how would you do that if a review decides to enter your pause or a reduction on salmon farming operations in the harbour?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll do what's necessary to make sure that we support jobs.
JOURNALIST: What does that mean?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what it means is we'll do what's necessary to support jobs here, and we want to make sure that these jobs are able to continue. And we know that the laws are there, that have to be complied with. The Environment Minister must comply with them, otherwise they'll be subject to legal challenge. But what we say is, we'll do what's necessary to support jobs here in Tasmania, as we have across the board in so many industries as well. The other threat, of course, to jobs here in Tasmania, to name just one area, is Peter Dutton's plan to get rid of the Rewiring the Nation Program. That is what is funding Marinus Link. That is what is funding jobs here in renewables and hydro here in Tasmania. Peter Dutton wants to abolish it as part of his plan, which means less jobs here in Tasmania.
JOURNALIST: Just to clarify, you're looking at a mechanism to allow the industry to continue, even if the review finds there needs to be a pause?
PRIME MINISTER: What we'll do, I'm not pre-empting a review. What I'm saying is we'll do what's necessary to support jobs in this industry.
JOURNALIST: Why isn't the Environment Minister here today?
PRIME MINISTER: Because I'm here.
JOURNALIST: But she's the one who has to make the decision.
PRIME MINISTER: I'm the Prime Minister, I'm here at the invitation of the Mayor, and it's appropriate that I come to show my support for this local community. I supported this local community when I was last a Minister. I supported Tasmania. I have a record of supporting jobs and economic activity in Tasmania, and I say this about the good Senator Urquhart as well standing next to me. She's going to be an amazing candidate and an amazing advocate for this area as she has been the defacto member now for more than a decade, standing up for the interests of the North West and the West Coast here in Tasmania. And I'm very confident that Anne will make an absolutely extraordinary local member here as the Member for Braddon. Which is why I asked her to put herself forward, and not to take the easy option of just hanging around where she was doing a great job as a Senate Whip. She's going to be a cracker of a candidate. And this community know her, they know her values, they know what she stands up for, and they know that she gets things done, and she will get things done as a member of the House of Representatives for this local community. She'll be an extraordinary advocate.
JOURNALIST: Both sides of the salmon debate say all they want for Christmas is a decision. Are you comfortable with how long this process has taken?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, these processes were set up by John Howard's government. You might have noticed that we had legislation to reform the EPBC Act to be better for industry and better for sustainability, to make those approvals sooner and to streamline them. And neither the Coalition or the Greens at this point in time have supported that legislation.
JOURNALIST: You talked about nuclear just before. Are you concerned the Coalition message of cheaper power is going to win votes?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's expensive power. You don't get cheaper power with the most expensive form of new energy. And the most expensive form of new energy is nuclear. It will mean power bills up by $1200, it will mean less investment in renewables, it will mean less jobs, it will mean less reliability in the energy sector. This is a disastrous plan put forward by Peter Dutton just before Christmas because he wants to hide from scrutiny with no costing whatsoever of what the difference will be for consumers. I don't know where you get the idea of cheaper from, because there's no costings out there from Peter Dutton saying what the cost will be for consumers. All there is a dodgy, a dodgy plan which suggests that there'll be 40 per cent less energy usage than what the experts tell us what there will be. And so this is a mob that couldn't even get the time right yesterday when they were releasing this policy, they had people online waiting for it to click in because they didn't know the difference between Australian Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time, who want to tell us that they're going to build all these nuclear reactors. Including in Newcastle, which if they haven't noticed, they can Google 'Newcastle earthquake', and it'll tell you why that is a simply crazy proposal to put it in an area like that. We have a sensible plan that's been worked out. And if this was such a good idea, why is it that the Coalition not only didn't do it in the 10 years they were in office - why is it that all of them were on the record - Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor, Barnaby Joyce - all of them on the record ruling it out because it was too expensive and would take too long. What we need to do is to get on with the transition. That's how we create jobs here in Tasmania, and that's how we get on with creating jobs right around the country.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just finally on Kevin Andrews passing. Do you have any reflections on Mr Andrews?
PRIME MINISTER: My condolences to Mr. Andrews' family. He was someone who was a very strong advocate. He had strong views, he stuck to them, and he was a strong advocate. He was always very personable to deal with across the Parliament. I have every respect for him, notwithstanding the fact that there were political differences. Kevin Andrews was old school. He could have strong views, but always put them forward in a polite and appropriate way, and he's someone who is respected for that across the Parliament. And I have today reached out, we've reached out to the Andrews family to offer a state funeral, which would be appropriate if they choose to accept it.
ANNE URQUHART, SENATOR FOR TASMANIA: Can I just say that I back, obviously, everything that the Prime Minister has said. I've had over 30 years either working in or looking after workers in the manufacturing industry. For the last 10 years, 12 years as a Senator, I have represented workers in that industry, the very industry that's standing here behind us. I will continue to stand up for these workers. It is in my blood, it's in my gut, and it's something that I will always do. And I think we can get a good outcome, a good, sustainable outcome, for both the harbour, but also for the workers here in Strahan and right across Tasmania within the salmon industry.
JOURNALIST: Are you worried this issue hanging over your head means it's harder to win Braddon than it would be otherwise?
SENATOR URQUHART: I will fight every day, every single day, when I'm campaigning. I know the people of Braddon, I've represented them for a lot of years, both in the Senate but also in my previous role. And I am just going to work really, really hard to make sure that I bring this home for Labor.
JOURNALIST: You've got salmon champion on your back.
SENATOR URQUHART: I have.
JOURNALIST: Are you comfortable that the review could eventually say that the operations here need to be paused or reduced?
SENATOR URQUHART: Well I think the issue is, let's not pre-empt what any review will say. I think the issue is there is a process to work through, as the Prime Minister has said, and that will continue. I will continue to knock on the Prime Minister's door, to knock on everybody's door that I can and say this industry is worthwhile, this industry is sustainable, and we should back the workers in.
JOURNALIST: But there's a banner just over there saying, 'Albo save our jobs' and you won't make that guarantee. Do you understand the anger in the community?
SENATOR URQUHART: I don't think there's a lot of anger in the community. There's obviously concern in the industry, and I understand that. But at the end of the day, there is a process that's undertaken. We follow that process through. It's a legal process. And we will ensure that there is a good outcome for the people of Strahan and right across Tasmania.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Thanks very much, guys.
