We welcome the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, to Rockhampton this morning. Hello.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Aaron. It's wonderful to be back in Rocky. Well, it's a beautiful morning today. I did the brekkie TVs down by the river and it was just stunning.
STEVENS: Absolutely. It's a beautiful day. We've turned on the weather for you. I can hear the birds in the background and certainly saw you in some of the early morning TV. Everyone's talking about this announcement of the Bruce Highway. I guess congratulations and thank you very much. But I couldn't help but think yesterday with those announcements and seeing the pictures being taken that we are in election mode.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this is an important artery for Queensland and for the nation and there's $7.2 billion of additional funding that we will provide will make an enormous difference, targeting those difficult areas to bring it up to speed. Everyone who travels the Bruce Highway, as I've done, I did three road trips, as you might remember, during the pandemic, the length of the Bruce Highway - and it simply isn't up to scratch. What this will do is to make it a safer road, but will also improve the economy by boosting economic activity. All of the freight goods that go up and down the Bruce Highway are so important. So, this is consistent with what we've done, of course, in our first two budgets is we've put additional money into the Bruce, including an additional $700 million we put into the Rocky Ring Road where I'll be travelling to this morning. It as you're aware, a hole hadn't been dug under the former Government. We put in the additional funding. It's now under construction. Hundreds of people working on the project, contractors benefiting, there being a big boost to the local economy while this important infrastructure project is actually getting built.
STEVENS: Prime Minister, we've spoken a number of times about the Bruce. Every time that you've given us some time on this program, we've talked about the Bruce Highway. The thing is, it was only a short time ago there was still the 50-50 split and we weren't seeing that injection. All of a sudden a couple of months out from an election, we're seeing $7.2 billion and back to the 80-20 split with the State Government. I mean it's great to see, but is that a backflip?
PRIME MINISTER: Not at all. We put in the additional $700 million, for example, into the Ring Road. The Commonwealth funding of that is now over $1.2 billion just on one section of the Bruce Highway. So, we needed to get the spending and investment in order. Part of the problem of the former Government was that you had promises made but you can't drive on a media release. So, that you can't have something that is 60 per cent funded and there being a gap because you can't actually go to contracting out and get things done. My Government knows how to get things done when it comes to infrastructure. I was the Infrastructure Minister for six years that built the road over the Yeppen Floodplain and did other important works. Cooroy to Curra, where I was yesterday, we've got all four sections of that done. Nothing had happened under the Howard Government before we came to office. And what we've done here is to make sure that we can actually deliver what we're saying we can. And that will have a practical benefit. I'm pleased that when I spoke with the Premier on Sunday, they're putting in their share of the funding as well. It'll be in their June Budget, he's announced today. And that's a good thing.
STEVENS: Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: This shouldn't be a political issue. It should be something that just gets fixed. And my Government's determined to fix it.
STEVENS: And the State Government certainly have been proactive on the Bruce since coming in and obviously making that announcement that it'll be $9 billion put into the the Bruce Highway with that 80-20 split. They've also had the Bruce Highway Committee set up to look at the most more attention needed areas. Will we be using that information that comes out of that committee to make sure that the Bruce Highway gets up to standard?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course. I mean one of the things that the Commonwealth does, of course, we're a funding body but we don't do the contracting and manage the projects. And that's why it's a good thing that the Premier, when I discussed it with him, the funding is capped. That puts some onus on the State Government to actually deliver projects on budget and on time as well. And he appreciated that. We spoke about when he was Local Government Minister and I was the Federal Local Government and Infrastructure Minister on Cooroy to Curra, when we got the first section completed, was able to be done with a saving and we allocated that money into the next section of Cooroy to Curra, to get that done. So, we're determined to make sure that the priority areas that are identified get fixed and get fixed as a priority. And what that will do is literally save lives. I was with a wonderful fellow yesterday, Wayne Sachs, who is an ambo based in Gympie. He's worked there for more than 30 years. He's been an ambo for almost 50. I met him when he visited Canberra to lobby for upgrades on what was regarded as the worst section of road that there was. And it, as a result of his lobbying and the former Government under Kevin Rudd, his commitment, we got that project done. It was wonderful to have him there yesterday. But sections that have been identified, Maryborough to Benaraby, Rocky to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville, Ingham to Innisfail, all of these areas will require work. Funding will commence from this year. And we want to get as much done as soon as possible.
STEVENS: Well, that's good to hear, Prime Minister. Obviously, the concern of Central Queenslanders and all Queenslanders who have had anything to do with the Bruce Highway is that for years and years we've seen it patched and repatched. There needs to be a real rethink on the way that we approach the Bruce Highway because the fact is a lot of money has gone onto that repatching over the years. We need to get back to scratch and make sure that this $7.2 billion isn't just washed away next time we get 100mm of rain.
PRIME MINISTER: Exactly. You want to make sure that you get it right. I mean, one of the things that my Government's done as well is stop the nonsense that you couldn't build back better when you have a natural disaster. It's absurd. I remember a lot further north than here, the Einasleigh River Bridge up in the Cape used to get washed away every time there was a flood event and Normanton and Coorumba there in the Gulf would be isolated and have to get food and health supplies choppered in. And it was just absurd. Bob Katter came to see me about that. We responded and got that fixed and it's made an enormous difference. We did the same with a major bridge on the Warrego to make sure that that got fixed. And we need to make sure that we do get this right. We do have this funding now available. It will be rolled out as soon as essentially the Queensland Government can preside over the works being conducted. And as I said, I mean I found it astonishing, I've got to say, that the Rocky Ring Road when Kirsten Livermore was the Member and when we were in government had done the planning work but construction hadn't commenced until we came to office. It's just astonishing that for three terms a hole wasn't dug.
STEVENS: And you're going to head there this morning, as you told us. Just one more thing on the Bruce Highway, certainly plenty of people questioning that 8 year time frame that's been given. Can you tell us more about that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we want to make sure that it gets done. If we can do things quicker, then certainly we will, is what I've said. We want to make sure the funding is available now. We are talking about, you've got to have time frames and objectives. The Olympic Games of 2032, of course, will be not just about Brisbane and Southeast Queensland. There'll be events throughout the entire state. And that's a good thing to bring that regional activity here throughout Queensland.
STEVENS: Absolutely.
PRIME MINISTER: So, we think that sooner is better. 2032 isn't an objective that has to be met. If we could do it tomorrow, frankly, I'd like to see it done. But we will do it as soon as possible. There are, of course, issues of supply and all of that. One of the things that you can have as well when you've got this certainty now, there's $17 billion of Australian Government funding has been committed, is you can make sure as one project finishes, the next project can start. You know, as some of the equipment and capital required, you can do it in a more efficient way as well as, of course, providing that certainty for labour as well to move to the new areas as they are rolled out in terms of work programs.
STEVENS: Labour's the other big question, Prime Minister. I mean, who's going to build these roads?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Rocky Ring Road's under construction right now and that's a good thing. One of the things that we're doing is making sure that through free TAFE and other areas, we are increasing incentives, particularly targeting construction as well, so that we get the trained and skilled workforce. Our preference is for Australians to be trained for jobs rather than just bring in labour from overseas. We make no apologies for that. And we can create good, secure work in the construction sector. And one of the things that this will do, this announcement, along with other infrastructure projects we're doing, is to provide an incentive so that people listening to this program perhaps who are about to finish school, thinking about what they will do - this is a career that will put you in good stead and will provide a good secure income throughout your working life.
STEVENS: It's a concern, though, isn't it Prime Minister. I mean, it was only yesterday that news came out about the numbers being down for apprentices and trainees. Try building a house at the moment, people talk to us all the time about the difficulty in getting staff. I mean, it's fine to throw these projects out and obviously we've got a housing crisis, but we just can't get those people coming through.
PRIME MINISTER: Indeed. Well, TAFE had been gutted, frankly, under the former Government. And there are people in the Coalition who say that free TAFE, that is providing that incentive for people to do apprenticeships, is a waste of money. And the Coalition spokesperson, Sussan Ley, belled the cat and said if something's free, it's not valued. Well, what we want to do is to make sure that we encourage not just young people, but encourage people to be retrained as well.
STEVENS: Well, good luck with that. And also, once again, congratulations on the announcement of $7.2 billion. And something that I really have taken out of this conversation is how closely you're working with the State Government. That $9 billion is going to go a long way to giving us a safer highway. And you said it yourself, and the RACQ said it a little bit earlier this morning, lifting that grading to a grade three actually cuts the amount of deaths on our roads in half. And after we saw a tragic year last year, that can only be positive moving forward.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, mate. And there's been two deaths already this year in 2025. And we're, you know, we're a week in. So, that's why it's getting this special treatment. And I was asked earlier on, you know, will the other states ask for this as well in terms of the funding split? Well, this is a special case. It is Australia's most deadliest highway, 41 lives lost last year is just, you know, just a tragedy. And every one of those numbers sometimes don't really indicate the heartache and the loss that is felt. And so, I'm very proud of my record as Infrastructure Minister. And I'm proud as Prime Minister, I'm able to deliver on infrastructure investments such as this. And there's none that will be more important.
STEVENS: Let's get in and get it done. Just while I've got you, you also made that appearance yesterday at Rockhampton's Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. That must have been something special for you too.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. Look, it's made such a difference. There's been something over 16,500 people have been through the Urgent Care Clinic there in Rocky. And yesterday we welcomed five new doctors starting there at the Urgent Care Clinic. And it's made such a difference, people getting the care that they need when they need it for free. All you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. And one quarter of those people who've been seen, like the million people who've been seen in Urgent Care Clinics around the country, under the age of 15. So, it's been particularly good if little Johnny or little Isabelle falls off the skateboard or the bike to be able to get them the care that they need. But importantly as well, it's taken pressure off emergency departments as well. So, rather than people sitting around for hours after hour in emergency departments while more acute cases, you know, life-threatening cases of course take priority, if things are urgent but not life threatening, providing that middle tier which was the missing part of our healthcare system while strengthening Medicare has been something I'm so proud of. We promised 50 of them in our first term. We have delivered 87 open right now, making a difference, particularly in our regions.
STEVENS: I'm looking at a picture of you in the CQ Today taking selfies with the nurses there at the Rockhampton Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, which once again I'll go back to the beginning of this conversation. It looks like you're in election mode. Will you tell Central Queenslanders this morning when we're going to the polls?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we'll go in 2025. It'll be sometime May or before. I think there should be four-year fixed terms. That's been tried in a couple of referendums. The Coalition opposed it. Both times it failed, including during the Hawke Government tried it. That would make sense so as to avoid this speculation that occurs, that's been occurring. I've been asked this almost since this time last year. And Peter Dutton called for an election to be called, of course, when we introduced our tax cuts for every one of your listeners. Said it was such a bad idea to put extra money into people's pockets that we should have an election over it.
STEVENS: I'll say Prime Minister, after being through the last state election which stretched out about a year, I'm not sure that fixed terms are such a good idea.
PRIME MINISTER: But at least it's a four-year term. So, that meant there were three years where you weren't talking about it. I've been talking about it for the last year, unfortunately. I'm just concerned about governing and getting on with doing good policy, making a difference for people. I know that people are doing it tough. But the 2025 election will be a clear choice. Labor providing cost of living support and building Australia's future or going backwards and paying more under Peter Dutton.
STEVENS: Thanks for your time this morning. Enjoy that visit out to the Ring Road and we'll talk again soon.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Aaron.
