: Joining me in the 6PR studios this afternoon is the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Good to see you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G'day, Oly. I'm not surprised by that announcement, I've got to say. Driving here - we were in the hills with Trish Cook there - and on the road on the way there were trees down, fire engines and emergency services rushing to clear debris away. It's a pretty fierce storm out there. So, if you're driving - drive safely, please.
PETERSON: Absolutely. We haven't had weather like this in a while. Did you bring the weather with you PM?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, yeah, I was up in South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales with some pretty horrific weather, I've got to say. We were in the Gold Coast Sunday night and the torrential rain, and looking out at the seas, were quite extraordinary. It didn't look like sea, it just looked like this big washing machine out there and you know, it ended up being downgraded - better than what was anticipated. But we live in a country where natural disasters do happen. But I certainly hope everyone stays safe this afternoon.
PETERSON: You were in Western Sydney this morning with rail announcements. You're in Perth this afternoon. Did you call the federal election on your way over here?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I certainly didn't, mate. But no, we had some good rail announcements in Western Sydney connecting up with the new airport. And of course on visits here in the West the last couple of years, the Metro openings are really opening up how people can get around, get to work and get around this great city of Perth. And today I had the opportunity, when I arrived here, to go see Roger Cook to congratulate him on what was a thumping victory, really. It's quite an extraordinary result for a third term government.
PETERSON: Is that what's brought you here to WA?
PRIME MINISTER: Such a big majority -
PETERSON: Beers with Roger Cook? Maybe some money for the Western Bears rugby league team?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I was due here last week, of course, but that all got deferred because of the weather that was happening on the East Coast. So, I planned to be here on election day and the day before. So, I would have been here in the studio, no doubt, on the Friday afternoon, but that wasn't possible. So, we've got some announcements tomorrow to make - a Future Made in Australia. We have a pretty common agenda, Roger's Government and mine, about making more things here, about boosting manufacturing, about making sure that our economy's more resilient. And I'll have more to say about that tomorrow morning. And this afternoon, I was at a medical centre there talking about the tripling of the bulk billing incentive, our announcement of 50 new Urgent Care Clinics that have made such a difference. There's already been eight opened here in the West and there'll be another half a dozen on their way.
PETERSON. So, the election result here by WA Labor over the weekend, it's obviously put a pep in your step. Does it boost your electoral chances now, to be given a second term?
PRIME MINISTER: It says that Labor is a good brand here in Western Australia. This is my 29th visit, Oly. As you'd be aware, I've been coming to this studio for many, many years, not just as Prime Minister, but Prime Ministers used to come here very rarely. They put in an appearance at election time and maybe one or two other times during the term. I've made sure that I've been the Prime Minister for the whole country, and I understand that WA helps to drive our national economy. It is so important, and that's why the relationship that we have on policy - WA was the first state to sign up to our schools funding agreement. We're working together on Urgent Care Clinics, we're working together on infrastructure and we're working together on what the new port will be over a period of time, and that will transform this great city. And of course, I've also been aware and very conscious of the fact that regional WA is so important as well. So, I've been to everywhere from Kununurra to Port Hedland, Karratha down to Albany, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton. It is so important for our national economy.
PETERSON: There's still an almost 20per cent swing against WA Labor in the state elections. Now, if that's what happens at the federal election, seats like Hasluck, Pearce, Swan, Tangney, Bullwinkel, I mean, they could fall, you could be in strife.
PRIME MINISTER: Oly, have a look at the starting point of the figures -
PETERSON: It's not bad,
PRIME MINISTER: The starting point of the WA election - it's extraordinary. They've held on. They'll get about 46, maybe even a bit more seats, in a 59 seat Parliament. If you translate the state outcomes on the federal seats, then it's a very bad outcome. We certainly hold all of our seats that we currently hold, and Bullwinkel with Trish Cook, a nurse running for a seat named after a nurse, of course - Bullwinkel, a famous nurse - and she's a fantastic candidate. Nothing says WA more than a nurse who used to work in the oil and gas sector and has worked around regional WA.
PETERSON: Before we get to Donald Trump's tariffs, is there another American you need to be on the lookout for? Are you a fan of Titanic?
PRIME MINISTER: I am. I know where you're going to go with this. Great movie. Great movie.
PETERSON: Well, Leonardo DiCaprio, he's not a fan of South32's mine expansion in the northern Jarrah forests because it will put black cockatoo nesting sites at risk.
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, we make those decisions based upon the facts. And of course, there are always environmental concerns have to be taken into account. There'll be conditions there for any proposal in accordance with the law, and I respect Leonardo DiCaprio. Anyone with an Italian surname, I'm going to have a bit of a soft spot for Oly and so he certainly a great actor. I'm not sure that he's aware of all of the details in south Western Australia.
PETERSON: All right, let's talk tariffs. Has Donald Trump answered your phone calls yet?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what - we've had two phone calls. He's made it clear his position over a long period of time and people like Mr. Navarro and others are out there saying that tariffs are the most beautiful word in the English language. The truth is that the imposition of tariffs is an act of economic self harm. It hurts the consumers in the country that's imposing the tariffs. And that's why we put our very strong case. I had a 40 minute conversation with President Trump. We put it respectfully that the US has a trade surplus with Australia. Historically, over the last decades since the Truman Presidency, it's been at about a 2 to 1 ratio. There's the odd blip. There was a rise in our exports of gold just in the latest figures. But the truth is over a period of time, it is in the US' interest to trade with Australia. This wasn't Australia being singled out, of course. Every single country in the world has had these tariffs imposed.
PETERSON: Maybe you need to contact him on X or Truth Social or fly to Washington. Is that something you would consider, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, I of course have been to the United States on a number of occasions since I've been Prime Minister and of course beforehand as well. Look, we've had a couple of quite warm conversations. He said he would give it great consideration, exempting Australia. But then a range of his spokespeople made it clear that they don't support that. So, clearly there is a discussion taking place within the Trump administration. But I do think it's not the act of a friendly nation. I made that clear. It's not in Australia's interest. It's also not in the interests of the United States and it's certainly not in the interest of the global economy. What we're seeing is a real decline in stock markets around the world as a result of these trade wars. Trading is good. WA is a great trading state and Australia's a great trading nation. One in four of our jobs depends upon trade.
PETERSON: Well, Trump's Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has accused Australia of dumping cheap aluminium in the US. Are we doing that?
PRIME MINISTER: No, not at all. What happened, of course, with what was occurring with Russia is that Australia has stepped into a void. When you look at aluminium and steel represent less than 0.2 per cent of our exports. Neither aluminium nor steel are in our top 10 of products that we export to the United States. We have good product, good steel and good aluminium. And companies like BlueScope and Rio Tinto that I've engaged with are great employers of Australians and they produce good product. That's why they're in demand.
PETERSON: There's no guarantee, though, this stops with steel and aluminium from the US. Could other sectors be affected? For example, you're worried about agriculture, beef exports worth $5 billion?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I worry about all of these trade issues, of course. Trade is so important and you have with steel and aluminium - importantly to recognise this, Oly, if you increase the tariff of everyone by 25 per cent, you don't change the comparative advantage that Australia has with the products that we have. It's just the price for everyone - everyone buying a product from whatever country it's bought from outside the United States - gets hit with the same. So, it doesn't change our competition. And this came into effect at 3:00pm yesterday afternoon. At 3:05pm, there weren't suddenly steel manufacturing plants and aluminium factories being created and producing replacements for that, those imported goods in the United States. Which is why I say it is just an act of economic self-harm.
PETERSON: If they go in to other industries, though, and obviously trade is so important, might you rethink the ban on the live export trade?
PRIME MINISTER: No, that's a policy that, with a trade that was in decline, and all the figures show that that's the case. It was valued at under $100 million. Our sheep meat export trade is valued at over $4 billion. And we have an adjustment program of $139 million. That is an adjustment program for farmers that is higher than the exports that had occurred. We went to two elections committing to this. There's a transition time, we've given that clear notice which is there, to enable industry and farmers to adjust.
PETERSON: Have you got an ace up your sleeve in these negotiations with President Trump? Maybe about critical minerals?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we've got a few things that they need and we are putting our case very clearly that countries like Australia and the United States need to work together. If you have a look at what's going on between the United States and Canada and just take a step back a little bit and ask yourself, could you have imagined the situation where you have a tit-for-tat arrangements being brought in by both countries now, and you just shake your head. And you know, common sense tells you, that what that does is hurt the global economy, not just the national economies involved.
PETERSON: Beyond trade, do you need to consider - does Australia need to consider - that a Donald Trump America may now not be our closest ally, prioritising our economic, strategic and national security interests?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the United States remains a very important ally. President Trump and I have had discussions about AUKUS, for example. AUKUS is very important for -
PETERSON: Are you still 100 per cent confident in AUKUS?
PRIME MINISTER: I am. And importantly, so too are the comments by people across this political spectrum in the Senate and the Congress. And that's why you've got to look at what people say. I mean, no one should be completely shocked by the decision that was made yesterday.
PETERSON: No.
PRIME MINISTER: It is completely consistent with what they have said. And regardless of people visiting the United States or what discussions have taken place, they have just said, 'no, we're imposing it on everyone, last time around we had some exemptions, that was too difficult, we're not doing any exemptions this time.' But we'll continue to put our case because that is what we need to do on behalf of Australia.
PETERSON: But regarding AUKUS, the US Under Secretary of Defence said this week they wouldn't hand over Virginia Class submarines to Australia if they didn't have enough to share. Now, if that happens, it'll obviously jeopardise the whole first stage of AUKUS. With that jobs, potentially billions of dollars in investments.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we are working with our friends in the United States and in the United Kingdom, as well. I had a chat with Keir Starmer over the weekend, as well. He is a strong supporter of AUKUS, so it has the support of the leadership of all three countries and it's in our interest to do so. Part of that is making sure that we support each other's industrial capacity. And that's one of the things that we're doing.
PETERSON: Do you have a Plan B, back to France?
PRIME MINISTER: We want to make sure that AUKUS continues. That's our plan. That is where our funding is. That is what is in our national interest.
PETERSON: If he's dudding us, Donald Trump, that he's on tariffs - are you worried that he's going to dud us on the subs and cost WA jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: No. Look, WA jobs are secure. One of the things that I've done on a visit to WA last year, of course, is go on one of the Virginia subs that was stationed here for maintenance. The first time that maintenance of a US nuclear powered submarine has taken place outside of the United States. If you take into account that the US Base in Japan is a bit different, has been there as post World War II. So, that showed the confidence that was there. At that time as well, one of the submariners who I met was of course an Aussie, picking up the skills by being stationed on that submarine for a period of many months.
PETERSON: No plans to go to Washington?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, look, I'll go at, at some stage, of course. And I've had that discussion with President Trump. He's invited me, I've invited him. It's a matter of timing. There is, of course, an event will take place - we've got a budget to hand down in a couple of weeks on March 25th and then an election on May 17th or before.
PETERSON: I was wondering if that was the confirmation of the day.
PRIME MINISTER: Or before.
PETERSON: Prime Minister, thank you for coming to the studios today.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks so much, Oly. Always great to be with you.
PETERSON: Anthony Albanese live on 6PR.
