It's great to be here at one of the best Italian festivals in all of Australia. And it's great to have Anthony Albanese, the first Prime Minister to come to Ferragosto here today, and I welcome him.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much, Sally, this is a great celebration of the Italian-Australian community here in Five Dock, one of the heartlands of this community. There are more than a million Australians who have some descent with Italy and here, Ferragosto has been celebrated since 1998. It began in a little garage with just a few people getting together wanting to celebrate Ferragosto, which is about the ascension of Mary. We think this is an important place to be able to celebrate our multiculturalism. And here in the heartland of the Italian community in the inner-west of Sydney, there's no better place to do that. And I congratulate the Canada Bay Council and all who've been associated with organising today's festivities. It's important that we value our multiculturalism that we celebrate it and that we cherish it, because it is a part of what is modern Australia. Can I also take the opportunity to talk about two things? One is that today marks 58 years since the bloody battle that was Long Tan, and today we pay tribute to our Vietnam veterans who served Australia and served the Government's decision to go to Vietnam. We acknowledge their sacrifice. We also acknowledge the fact that it took Australia too long to acknowledge that sacrifice, but today we commemorate it and we celebrate it. Also, just some news from Türkiye. With regard to the bushfires, it would appear at this stage, the reports are that there hasn't been extensive damage to the cemeteries that are there on the Gallipoli Peninsula of our Anzacs, and that is good news, and I thank all those firefighters there in Türkiye who struggled against what was a massive bushfire on the Peninsula.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, some news this morning about the amount that has been spent in our Washington embassy. How concerned are you about those figures?
PRIME MINISTER: Kevin Rudd is doing an amazing job as our Ambassadors to the United States, and the idea that the Australian Embassy in Washington shouldn't host events that have been so important in building relationships with members of the Congress and the Senate in the United States. He has a job to do. I tell you what, there'll be a few former ambassadors will be a bit nervous about today's report. Let me just say that. The fact is that people do their jobs representing Australia, and Kevin Rudd has received wide praise from across the political spectrum for the job that he's doing.
JOURNALIST: There are reports that Peter Dutton is considering taking legal action against Zali Steggall for calling him a racist. Do you think his position on people fleeing Gaza is racist?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's been a few reports about legal action from members of the Liberal Party today, whether it be Peter Dutton or the New South Wales Liberal Party, taking legal action because they couldn't get their act together to put in nominations for local government. This farce was rejected by the Electoral Commission yesterday, and of course, legal action is just stringing out what was a complete stuff up. If you can't even get your act together to nominate for council elections, I think it says everything about the dysfunction that's there in the Liberal Party. They're too busy fighting each other and too busy not fighting for Australia's national interest. That is what I am going to continue to do. That's what my Government's focused on.
JOURNALIST: So, you're saying the Electoral Commission's position on that is reasonable?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's pretty clear. Everyone knows when nominations close. Everyone else managed to get their act together to get in nominations. They got some in, some not. It's interesting the factional disputes that appear to be bubbling to the surface, once again, between the hard right of the Liberal Party and others complaining about some faction's nominations getting in, some others. It's up to the Liberal Party to explain how in some council areas, some nominations got in, and some seem to go missing and not get in. But that's a matter for them.
JOURNALIST: What about the consequences for democracy?
PRIME MINISTER: That's a matter for them. Well, it's just hopeless. But the Liberal Party need to get their act together and have a good look at themselves and stop looking to blame others.
JOURNALIST: Just back to the original question. Just back to the original question about Peter Dutton. The question was about Peter Dutton. Do you think his position is racist?
PRIME MINISTER: Peter Dutton plays politics. Peter Dutton plays politics at every opportunity. We have cost of living pressures on Australians. What My Government has done is to have a tax cut for every taxpayer, energy bill relief for every household, Fee Free TAFE, Cheaper Child Care, all of these measures have made a difference. Last week's report, now that we have created almost 1 million jobs, more jobs than any Government in Australian history since Federation. What does Peter Dutton do? He doesn't talk about issues of concern to Australians. What he does is try and whip up fear. That's something, I'll leave it to him. I think people will make their own judgment about Peter Dutton. He's always looking to divide, never looking to bring Australians together, and here at this festival, which is about celebrating our multicultural community, celebrating the contribution that people have made to Australia, who come here with their families, helping to create businesses and to make a difference.
JOURNALIST: How concerned are you that his comments are undermining confidence in the vetting process for people leaving the Middle East and coming to Australia.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the fact is that the borders at the moment are closed, of course, through the Rafah crossing. This is the fact. The fact is also that I have confidence in ASIO and in our security agencies. It's up to Peter Dutton to explain why it is that he's questioning those security agencies and the procedures that they have in place.
JOURNALIST: And can I just ask, will you finalise your policy on gambling ad reform this week?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll finalise it when it's finalised. And we'll announce it when we go through proper process. See, unlike the Opposition, we don't make policy at a press conference in response to a question. That's what happened last Wednesday morning when Australians were celebrating our Olympians coming home. No moment is too big for Peter Dutton to show how small he is. There we have our Olympians being welcomed home, it should have been a moment of national unity. It was for everyone, except for Peter Dutton, who chose that largest of moments, that moment of unity, to show how small he is. Thanks very much.
