Source: Prime Minister of Australia
ANNE URQUHART, MEMBER FOR BRADDON: Thanks for being here. It’s fantastic to be in Burnie, at Burnie TAFE with the Prime Minister this morning. It’s always a pleasure to have him in Braddon. I love having you here to show off what we’ve got in this beautiful part of the country. We’re here at Burnie TAFE to talk to a number of students and people around the Free TAFE, and I’m really excited that we have a number of Free TAFE students right across the coast at both campuses, both here in Burnie, but also in Devonport, in a number of different learning experiences that they’re doing. And for the 25-26 year, so up to about February, I think it was this year, February, March, we had around 961 students for 25, and the little bit of 26 that we’ve had, enrolled in our Free TAFE courses across the two campuses.
That is an amazing number of people for this part of our beautiful community, but it’s also, I think, very exciting for the young people and sometimes more mature people who are coming to do these courses. And many of them have told me that they would not have been able to do it had it not been for the Free TAFE that Albanese Labor Government has introduced into TAFE. So, I’m very excited. I’m really excited the Prime Minister has come here to talk to some of the students and understand what we’re doing here in this neck of the woods and how we do punch above our weight and really get Braddon moving again. So, I’m really excited. So, welcome Prime Minister.
< ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER:
So, this is valuable investment in young Australians, but also in people who might be reassessing where they’re going and want a new career in life. There’s over 10,000 Tasmanians have benefited from Free TAFE already. In construction, in electrical, in those areas, they also will get, as apprentices, a $10,000 cash incentive to go into areas of skill shortage so we can build more homes and more infrastructure as we go forward as a nation. In addition to that, I’ve met TAFE students here in Tasmania who are in the care sector, in aged care, in childcare, in all of these areas of service delivery. That is really important as well. Free TAFE is changing lives. Over 750,000 Australians have enrolled in Free TAFE, over 10,000 here in Tasmania. And I want to give a shout out as well to the teachers. In construction, one of the teachers who we met here was talking about how they want to pass on the skills that they have to the next generation. And that is such a worthy objective. Investing in our people is so important as we go forward, and it’s wonderful to be here at the TAFE in Burnie, back here in Tasmania as well.
Can I make comments about a couple of other things as well, one of which will be breaking news. I will convene the National Security — we convene the National Security Committee of Cabinet on a daily basis at this point in time. But tomorrow I will be convening the National Cabinet virtually, I’ll be from Hobart, tomorrow. And that will be about making sure that we deal with the issues that Australia and indeed the world is confronting, with the issue of fuel security, making sure that states and territories coordinate with the Commonwealth, making sure as well that we spread best practise and that we identify any issues which are there. And so, it will be an opportunity as well. I’ll be asking state premiers and chief ministers to appoint someone, a point person, so that the Commonwealth can collaborate in a way to make sure we deal with the challenges which are there. We know that we do have fuel security. All of our ships have arrived at this point in time, but we’ve had a surge in demand, which is leading to some shortages in some areas, particularly of diesel.
We’re very conscious of that, and that’s why we continue to work each and every day to make a difference. That’s why we changed the fuel standards to allow for more fuel that would have been exported to be used here domestically. That’s why we released 20 per cent of our National Reserve. And bear in mind that we have the largest reserves that Australia’s had in 15 years, and they’re kept here onshore, not in Texas, which is what the former government under the now Liberal Party leader wanted to do and did. We’ve been working each and every day as well with industry, but we want to make sure that states and territories, that we have that coordination. Hence the National Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning, which is just the next practical step going forward.
Can I also report that at 9:15 this morning at the Al Minhad base that Australia has in the United Arab Emirates, there was an Iranian projectile that hit near that base. I can confirm that no Australian personnel were injured and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time. There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting on a road leading up to that base. I have been to that base and spoken to our Australian Defence Force personnel on more than one occasion. They do a great job for Australia, as do every one of the men and women who proudly wear a uniform. And this is important, the first available opportunity, we’re informing the Australian public in a transparent way. But I can assure everyone that every person there is safe. I’ve spoken with the Defence Minister about this and it’s important that we recognise that the Iranian regime is continuing to engage in, frankly, random attacks right across the Gulf region. Australia has, of course, as a result of that, we have an E-7 Wedgetail aircraft providing assistance for defence, particularly in the UAE, as well as our AMRAAMs that we are sending to the region. Happy to take questions.
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Thanks very much.