CANBERRA, ACT, Sept. 15 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:
PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: The Prime Minister is in Papua New Guinea for a week of celebrations for the nation's 50th anniversary of independence. He joins us now from Port Moresby. Prime Minister, welcome to the program.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon, Patricia.
KARVELAS: You're in PNG. You're about to sign a historic agreement. Will it fully integrate the Australian and PNG military forces?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, first things first. We're here to commemorate 50 years of independence for Papua New Guinea. It's an amazing achievement and the democracy has been strong here. It's continued. And the Papua New Guinea community are here for a big celebration because His Royal Highness Prince Edward's here as well, representing the Royal Family. I'm here with the Deputy Prime Minister. There'll be celebrations all over Papua New Guinea. So, over the next two days, 50 years is tomorrow, the anniversary. There'll be a celebration tomorrow night in the stadium, and then Papua New Guinea will be looking at what it does going forward beyond 50 years. And part of that will be the engagement with Australia. We know that our relationship has been strong, particularly our security relationship that was forged during World War II. Last year, I walked the Kokoda Track with Prime Minister Marape, and that was a really important moment. And what we're looking at, and I'll have more to say about that after it's done.
KARVELAS: But just give me a hint. I mean, just a lot's been said, you know, publicly. Will both our countries be compelled to consult one another if we face a security threat similar to NATO's Article 4 clause?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's certainly an upgrade in the relationship. I'll have more to say once we've signed the agreement, going forward, I think that's a respectful thing to do rather than foreshadow it all. But it's an upgrade in our security relationship to a treaty level, to the sort of level that we have with the United States and our important allies. So, it is important going forward.
KARVELAS: But is it - just to get some clarity, is the reporting accurate?
PRIME MINISTER: You get it on Wednesday, Patricia, you'll get it on Wednesday.
KARVELAS: Ok.
PRIME MINISTER: You'll get it on Wednesday, Patricia.
KARVELAS: It's clearly about us integrating our defence forces. So, we would be there for each other in that event of hostility, right?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's an upgrade in the relationship and it's increased interoperability, it's increased engagement. Our security relationship is important and our economic relationship is important, and of course our people to people relations as well, which is why we're here celebrating with the people of Papua New Guinea at a leader level. There's a black tie event tonight that will be a big celebration. Then tomorrow night, Prime Minister Marape told all the Pacific leaders last week that it's going to be a cracker of a celebration. I'm sure it will be.
KARVELAS: Ok, Prime Minister, there's a backlash that seems to be brewing in PNG. One of the country's most respected former military chiefs says that this deal that you're about to pen and sign off on basically threatens the country's sovereignty. Does this threaten the stability of the deal? Are you certain that you're going to get this across the line? And do you acknowledge that there are concerns about sovereignty?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the - this respects the sovereignty of Papua New Guinea, I assure you of that. And we respect national sovereignty across the board. That's one of the ways that we deal with countries in our region. And so we deal with respect, with respect for sovereignty and respect for national rights. And certainly we'll be doing that, as we have for 50 years.
KARVELAS: But would it draw PNG into a potential war with China if that's a decision we made?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, Patricia, you're getting way ahead of yourself.
KARVELAS:People have said that before. But, but in terms of the responsibility of doing a deal -
PRIME MINISTER:People will get to see the agreement, ok, people will get to see the agreement. People get to see the agreement. What Australia does is deal with countries with respect, and respect for sovereignty is front and centre of that.
KARVELAS: And does this mean that PNG has chosen us over China?
PRIME MINISTER: It means that Papua New Guinea is choosing itself in its own interests going forward, and its sovereignty.
KARVELAS: And why do you think right now they see us as being in their best interests?
PRIME MINISTER: Now we have a close relationship with PNG. We have had so for a long period of time. Forged of course, during World War II, when without the support of the people of PNG, the Australian diggers who were fighting in such thick jungle against what was an invasion force from Japan, they would have had it even tougher. It's remarkable. Having walked the Kokoda Track for three days last year with Prime Minister Marape, it is remarkable to think of the sacrifice that Australians made, but it's also very conscious when you do that, of how important the support of the people of PNG was during that time.
KARVELAS: I want to move to another topic. Prime Minister, do you agree that the Climate Risk Report published by your Government today paints a terrifying picture?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the report is there for all to see. It's a report we said we would publish -
KARVELAS: Would you use the word terrifying?
PRIME MINISTER: It certainly is a wake-up call for anyone who denies the science of climate change. I'll leave the hyperbole to journalists. But it is a wake-up call. It points towards the science. And the science tells us there'll be more extreme weather events, that they'll be more intense, that there's an enormous cost not just to our natural environment, but to our economy as well, to jobs and the way that we go about our business. The idea that you can just ignore climate change and pretend it goes away, or say 'we'll do nothing until the 2040s and then we'll get around to it', is just not on. And this report reinforces that. It reinforces the fact that we need to act, and act in a serious way with the transition. We need to be a part of the global effort as well, because of course, no nation state by itself can make the difference that is required. But Australia, because of our geography, our topography, our natural environment, we're particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events. And we've seen that in the time since I've been Prime Minister, I've attended events in every state and territory.
KARVELAS: Is anything less than a target at the top end of the climate change authority's 65 to 75 per cent reduction too low then, given -
PRIME MINISTER:Well you know more about the Climate Change Authority than I do. They haven't released their report yet.
KARVELAS: That is their interim, as you know, framework. So is anything -
PRIME MINISTER:So, I'm not, not pre-empting that. What we'll do is we'll receive the Climate Change Authority advice. It will be considered by our Cabinet.
KARVELAS: And today's report, how much does it inform your decision making then, given how bleak this picture is?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course it does. We act on the science and we want to transition. We want to make sure that we achieve three things. The first is that we need to act on the science on climate change. Secondly, we need to do so in an orderly way, because you'll lose support for action on climate change if people go home, they flick their switch on and the lights don't go on. And we need to make sure that in the transition we do so in an orderly way that takes advantage of the opposite opportunities which are there as well, for new industries and new jobs to be created. I'm confident that that's the path that the Government is on and it's what we will continue to do -
KARVELAS: You used the term wake-up call. It's a term actually the Greens have been using to say, 'well, it's a wake-up call for a higher ambition to land on'. Do you see it as a wake-up call for a higher target when you announce it?
PRIME MINISTER: No. It's a wake-up call for the need for the Coalition to stop their climate change denial, to stop talking about moving away from Net Zero. 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations announced their closure on their watch. They had 23 different energy policies and didn't land one. It's time for the climate wars to end -
KARVELAS: Well, they're not in charge, you are.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, and we're acting, Patricia. And we're acting in a serious way. What we're not doing is -you know, the Greens will do what they do, no matter what we do. They'll say it's not enough because they don't have to actually manage anything or do anything. They just have the opportunity to, to say no. What we've done is legislate for 43 per cent by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. We gave the Climate Change Authority the task of making recommendations to the Government. They will make those recommendations to the Government. The Government will consider that advice. We will then publish that advice along with our determination of what our 2035 target will be.
KARVELAS: Well, Prime Minister, let me ask you this before I let you go. It's not locked in, but you're likely to meet President Donald Trump next week at this UN -
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you, you know more than I do, Patricia.
KARVELAS: Okay. Tell me. So, am I wrong?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you'll find out when, when a meeting happens, Patricia.
KARVELAS: So, it's not -
PRIME MINISTER: I said this on ABC Perth earlier today. I'm saying that, you know, we, we will meet when we meet. Obviously there are things occur, such as the funeral, of course, as a result of Mr. Kirk's tragic murder, will occur on Sunday. There's a range of events occurring as well. And that means that people's arrangements, you know, will be finalised when, when they're finalised.
KARVELAS: Let me just ask you clearly then -
PRIME MINISTER: I've had four discussions with President Trump -
KARVELAS: You have. But, but you're saying Charlie Kirk's funeral, just to nail this down, may be a disruptor in you meeting face to face?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm just saying that that's a factor, obviously, because I was asked by a journalist earlier would we be having a meeting on Sunday, and quite clearly that isn't going to be the case.
KARVELAS:Right.
PRIME MINISTER:But I've got to tell you, Patricia, as I go around, as I go around Australia, or indeed anywhere else, it is journalists who are obsessed by this.
KARVELAS: It's a question I've asked many others, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:What we're doing is engaging, including with the United States.
KARVELAS:The US has pulled out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. They have pulled out of the Climate Change Agreement. If you do meet with President Trump and you've suggested, you know, we don't know yet, but if you do, will you raise that with him, given the climate work that you're doing this week and the announcement we're going to make?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what I do is engage diplomatically, and I don't foreshadow, not even on ABC Afternoon Briefing, what I'm going to raise with international leaders, with respect, Patricia. That's how I deal with things, in an orderly, appropriate, diplomatic way. And that is why we are engaging so constructively, and why we're such a trusted partner.
KARVELAS: Just a sneaky last question. Will you invite President Trump, if you do meet him, to the Australian Parliament to address the Australian Parliament?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I already have invited President Trump to -
KARVELAS: Would that involve addressing the Parliament as well?
PRIME MINISTER: I've said that. Well, you know, you're talking now hypotheticals on hypotheticals. You know, he hasn't scheduled a visit to Australia at this point in time.
KARVELAS: Ok. Hypotheticals is one of my favourite things.
PRIME MINISTER: Any US President - every US President would always be welcome in Australia, of course, as are other world leaders. I'll be welcoming the Prime Minister of Singapore to Australia next month, and I can confirm that.
KARVELAS: All right. Well, I've got one confirmation, Prime Minister. Thank you. And I hope you have a - it's an important trip, obviously, a very important event. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks so much, PK.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
