: Well, it's great to be here today. We've been with the local candidate for Bonney, Kyle Kelly-Collins, and importantly as well my friend Steven Miles, the Premier of Queensland, and we've just been on a light rail trip. A light rail trip that wouldn't have been possible if it had been left up to the LNP. Because when we put $365 million in the 2009 Budget to begin Gold Coast Light Rail - which is now up to stage three - it was opposed by the LNP federally. It was opposed by the LNP here in Queensland. Local members like Steve Ciobo railed against it, selected petitions saying it would be too disruptive. Just like the investment that we had in Gold Coast Light Rail - I was just chatting to the CEO here, a former Chair of the Gold Coast Suns about the record investment that we put into the stadium there as well. Because what Labor Governments do is they don't get out colour coded spreadsheets to decide where funding should go. They provide funding for infrastructure based upon what is needed. And that's why we have in Queensland $21 billion over ten years as part of our infrastructure investment here in Queensland. $10 billion of which is, of course, allocated for the Bruce Highway. We have been working constructively with the Queensland Government to get things done to make a difference for Queenslanders, whether it be infrastructure or the investment that we've got in health and in other service delivery, or whether it be in building new public and social housing. Something that was ignored by the former Federal Government, who didn't even bother to have a Housing Minister for some of the time that they held office. And we've done all of that - all of that by working cooperatively with the Queensland Government of Steven Miles. That is showing as well the transition to net zero, how important that will be for the Sunshine State, which, by definition, of course, has magnificent resources for renewables going forward. And that stands in stark contrast to the nuclear plans of Peter Dutton. David Crisafulli - I'm not quite sure what his plans are because I don't think he's sure himself because you get a different answer every single day. Steven Miles I've worked with very closely over a long period of time. He's someone who's into getting things done, into making a difference for Queenslanders and we're friends 365 days a year and 362 nights. There are three nights when we're not friends. But apart from that, it's all good between us. And I'm very proud to support Steven Miles' campaign. He is a great Premier already, but will be even better with the continuity that will come from an ongoing Queensland Government. I remember what happened the last time the LNP were elected. They ripped money out of Cross River Rail that would have been open now. They ripped money out of health and out of education, they ripped money out of roads and the State, of course, after just a few years, turned against them with good reason. Now, David Crisafulli, of course, was a part of all of that, which is why Queenslanders should remember over the next couple of weeks what it was like during that period of job losses and cuts and devastation for Queensland. That didn't take Queensland forward, took it back. Steven Miles is continuing to take Queensland forward and I'm proud to support his campaign.
STEVEN MILES, PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Well, thanks so much, Prime Minister, and it's always great to have you in Queensland. There is a proud - we are proud of the record of infrastructure delivery that we've been able to deliver here in our State thanks to your leadership and working with us. And there's no better example of that than Gold Coast Light Rail. The Gold Coast Light Rail is a Labor success story and one we're proud to keep building upon. Of course, stage three, from Broadbeach to Burleigh, is underway at the moment. I understand they recently completed a kilometre of rail track and testing will begin in the middle of next year. Gold Coast Light Rail has taken 86 million passenger trips, with a big increase in passenger trips since we cut all of our fares to a flat 50 cents. Since the 5 August, 2 million people have used a Gold Coast Light Rail and it's cost them almost nothing. That is 20 per cent more than prior to 50 cent fares and 30 per cent more than prior to COVID. Of course, we have a business case underway for stage four and I think what people on the Gold Coast know is that the only party that will deliver and continue to deliver Gold Coast Light Rail is the Labor Party. I saw Laura Gerber just last week suggesting that buses might be better than light rail. But we know in a city like the Gold Coast, light rail is the best solution and so we want to keep building upon it. We're both happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Premier, have you managed to get to any pre-polling booths today?
PREMIER MILES: Not today, but I will be on one tomorrow.
JOURNALIST: Why didn't you want to go today?
PREMIER MILES: I had a busy day, but I'll be there tomorrow. You'll have plenty of chances to go to pre-poll with me.
JOURNALIST: You've made an election pledge of blocking nuclear power in Queensland, but now you're saying you'll hold a plebiscite on it. So, what happens if the people of Queensland come back and want you to change the legislation?
PREMIER MILES: I've said I'll comply with the law. David Crisafulli also said he would comply with the law. The law bans nuclear in Queensland, but also requires the Minister to hold a plebiscite as soon as they reasonably believe that the Australian Government intends to build a nuclear reactor. That's what the law says. I've said I will comply with that law. David Crisafulli has said he does too, but I wonder whether he actually intends to hold that plebiscite. You saw Peter Dutton be really honest about this when they held their joint press conference. Peter Dutton said the first step to get nuclear reactors in Queensland is to elect David Crisafulli. They were his words. That means that the first step to blocking Peter Dutton's plan for nuclear reactors is to elect me in October.
JOURNALIST: So, if the people of Queensland come back and say we want nuclear, you'll allow nuclear power plants to be built here?
PREMIER MILES: Well, the Act requires that that plebiscite be held and I've said I'll comply with the Act.
JOURNALIST: Have you arranged a day with the Prime Minister about the possible plebiscite?
PREMIER MILES: No, we haven't had a chance to discuss that yet. But it would only occur if Peter Dutton were elected and I don't think that's going to happen.
JOURNALIST: Premier, your Party's come out swinging about those texts that voters received from the LNP about the patient tax. You guys have run your own spare campaigns around the LNP cutting health workers, that sort of thing. Do you think Queenslanders deserve better from both parties? Is it a bit of a race to the bottom at this point?
PREMIER MILES: Well, there can be scare campaigns that are lies and scare campaigns that are true and we know that their claims about the patient tax are just lies. We also know that they have a record of cutting health workers and that they refuse to tell Queenslanders how they will fund their commitments. Now, he said, I understand, again today that they would not borrow any more. And so if you're not going to borrow more and you're not going to increase revenue and you're going to balance the Budget, then the only way you can fund $17 billion of promises is with cuts. So, that means there is truth behind that campaign. You cannot find that many cuts to the Queensland Budget without cutting health. Health is well over a third of the Budget, so you cannot achieve that level of savings without cuts to health. Now, that is very different to texting Queenslanders with untrue claims about a tax that we have said we will legislate to get rid of.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Labor has fallen behind the Coalition in the latest poll on a two party preferred basis, are you concerned about the prospect of a hung parliament?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm very focused on continuing to lead a majority Government. My Government has a record that we're very proud of, a record that's cut inflation in half whilst creating almost a million jobs, whilst providing cost of living relief. Here in Queensland, $1,300 - between the Queensland Government and the Commonwealth - in energy price relief, whilst making sure that we've given a tax cut to every Australian worker and delivering not one but two Budget surpluses. We'll have more to do, we'll have more to say going forward about education, about health, about child care, about our second term agenda. But that is something for the future.
JOURNALIST: What do you think has happened? What are voters angry about?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we know that cost of living pressures are very real, but my Government is addressing them and I make this point that Peter Dutton has opposed every single one of those measures that we have undertaken, whether it be Cheaper Child Care, Fee-Free TAFE, the tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer. He said we should have an election on it. And Steven has spoken about health. I mean, this is a guy who thought there were too many free visits to the doctor. Who wanted to introduce a GP tax on every single visit to the doctor and wanted to introduce a fee on visits to the hospital as well. This is a guy who was rated as Australia's worst ever Health Minister. And when people focus in the election on what the choices are, I'm very confident that they'll continue to support the Federal Labor Government that understands the pressures that people are under and that is doing something to assist them.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, would you be comfortable with a plebiscite on nuclear if (inaudible) win the election?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that is a matter for Queensland. What I certainly hope occurs is that Steven Miles is elected Premier of Queensland. That's what I want to see happen, because that's a way of making sure that this nuclear fantasy, which is completely uncosted. Uncosted. They won't say where it will be. I mean, one of the spots is in Newcastle that in recent months has had a fair bit of activity under the ground. I mean, you don't build a nuclear power station in an area that has been the subject of a major earthquake in Australia, in Newcastle, where many people lost their lives and which has seen recent seismic activity as well. They don't have a proper plan here and it's no wonder that they should be held to account for it.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, it's been one year since the Voice referendum was voted down. Firstly, why haven't you said anything to mark the anniversary? And secondly, what do you say to Indigenous leaders who are critical about your Government's leadership on Indigenous affairs since October 14?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I'll make two points. Firstly, that, from my perspective, it was a disappointing result. I accepted the gracious invitation of Indigenous Australians that they made in 2017. A request to walk with them in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. They determined in 2017 that they wanted a constitutionally recognised Voice because of their experience where ATSIC and previous bodies had been abolished with the stroke of a pen. So, we took up that invitation, as I might say, the Coalition was elected prior to 2019 and again in 2022, said they'd advance Indigenous recognition. And Peter Dutton has committed to a referendum during the next term. It was one of the throwaway lines that are out there and are still there. What we've done since the referendum is do a number of measures for practical reconciliation. Firstly, $4 billion on remote housing to make an enormous difference. Making sure that people can have a secure roof over their head. We signed the education deal with the Northern Territory that will significantly lift up opportunity there. We have our remote jobs plan. We have funding for communications to make sure, throughout Northern Australia, including community in Queensland, they have better access to communications as well. And we continue to engage on issues, such as the recent additional funding we have over domestic violence and over those issues to make sure that women and children are kept safe. We'll continue to engage directly with Indigenous Australians. I've done that. I've attended the major festival that's held each year at Garma. I've attended now multiple times, including every year since I've been Labor Leader, but before then as well. And I'll continue to engage to make sure that we can do better when it comes to Closing the Gap, because governments of all persuasions have not done well enough.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when you were Opposition Leader you said that governments don't get any better in their fourth term. Do you stand by those comments today?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll tell you what - this bloke here is going to get better and better. Steven Miles has been a champion. I've known him for a long period of time. I launched his first campaign, I've got to say when he ran for the Queensland Parliament, and his second as well. And he's someone who's dynamic. He's someone who leads a fantastic team as well. I know many of the ministers in the Queensland Government, including Meaghan Scanlon, not far from here on the coast. A fantastic Housing Minister. What they've managed to do is to regenerate, and that's what governments have to do. This is a new Premier, a new Deputy Premier. You have people like Shannon Fentiman, who wasn't in Parliament at the same time that Steven was. You've got that regeneration coming through. It's something my Government has done as well with the retirement of three Cabinet ministers. You've got to continue to regenerate. That's something that Queensland Labor has done. Annastacia Palaszczuk was a fantastic Premier, and that is being continued on, that work by Steven Miles.
JOURNALIST: In relation to the light rail Prime Minister, if I may. The Gold Coast city leaders have said that it's vital line is extended to the Gold Coast Airport by the 2032 Olympics. There's been some concern about that cost. Do you back the line being extended to the airport, regardless of the cost by that timetable?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the business cases are being done for this. What my Government does is receive the business cases, make proper assessments, but we fund infrastructure, and in particular, one of the things that we did. Here's a really easy figure to remember - the number of dollars spent on public transport by the Howard Government over 12 years: zero. Not a single dollar for a single project. Now, we funded this project. Cross River Rail, as I said, would have been opened by now had Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman not combined to ditch the project, to delay it and come up with the silly plans that they did. We're funding Sunshine Coast Rail, together with the Queensland Government. We'll examine both.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, it's been suggested that the (inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER: Well, wait and see what they are. That's why you do a business case.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we're doing is to halve inflation. The headline figure down to 2.7 per cent is a remarkable achievement given what we inherited. We've done that whilst we're providing cost of living relief and things like 50 cent fares are good in a few ways. One, they lower costs for people, because they lower the costs that people are pulling out of their pocket. But also, they take cars off the road. That's good for health as well. There's a range of positive things behind getting people out of cars and on to public transport, and one of the things that the 50 cent fares policy has done is ensure that that's happening. The patronage figures are through the roof. That's a good thing. And you know, my Government's determined - we've lifted wages, we have reduced taxes, and we've delivered relief in partnership with the Queensland Government over things like, not just the Energy Bill Relief we're doing now, but the cap on coal and gas prices that we put on in partnership with the Queensland Government here - Queensland Labor Government and the Coalition Liberal National Government in New South Wales, led by Dominic Perrottet - we were able to get that done. The only people who were opposed to it were Peter Dutton. I'm not sure what Crisafulli - he probably was against it up here as well.
JOURNALIST: Labor is trailing in the polls in the lead up to the election, what responsibility do you take for that? And do you think that your Government is dragging down the popularity in this State?
PRIME MINISTER: I think Steven Miles is doing a great job as the Premier, and I'm happy to support him in this campaign. I'll see some of you on the trail tomorrow as well. I'll continue to be in Queensland. My only regret is I haven't been able to be here more in the last week due to other responsibilities I have as Prime Minister, attending ASEAN and attending Parliament. But I've been with the Premier here in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, as well as in South East Queensland, and I'm very proud to call him my friend. But also, as Prime Minister, I think that the Queensland Government are deserving of re-elections because they have a plan for Queensland's future, a plan of the net transition and what that means for jobs. They have a plan. We've been working together on the Fee-Free TAFE. We're working together on schools and healthcare. We're working together across the board on service delivery as well. On housing, the housing accord that we have in place, we were just in Cairns a short time ago with the construction of major new housing in suburban Cairns, and I think that Steven leads a Government that has taken Queensland forward and is worthy of reelection. Thanks.
