RICHARD MARLES MP
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE

SENATOR MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY
MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS

LUKE GOSLING MP
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DEFENCE, VETERANS’ AFFAIRS & NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SOLOMON

SUBJECTS: Zuccoli Community Hub; Port of Darwin; United States Force Posture; Defence Funding; Trump Administration; Federal Budget.

LUKE GOSLING, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: Good morning, everyone and welcome to Zuccoli. I'm Luke Gosling, the Federal Member for Solomon, which of course, as of a couple of weeks ago, now includes not only this wonderful suburb, Zuccoli, but Johnston, Farrar, and Yarrawonga. I used to, in the past, represent this part of Palmerston, and I'm so happy that Palmerston is back in Solomon completely again. With the growth out here in Palmerston, one thing that has been missing is a number of just community infrastructure projects, I guess, that are really important for a growing area of Palmerston, which this is. So that's why it's awesome to have the Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles here in Zuccoli today with us. Of course, not only the Deputy Prime Minister, but the Minister for Defence. And we've had an opportunity to meet with some of our US colleagues today, which was a fantastic opportunity as well. But I've also got my friend and colleague, Malarndirri McCarthy, the Federal Minister for First Australians with us, and my friend the Mayor of Palmerston, Athina Pascoe-Bell, here for this great announcement today. This announcement is for the Zuccoli community hub. This is a high priority for the Mayor and for the City of Palmerston, but it's also a high priority for the people who live here in this growing area of Palmerston. Now our federal commitment to the Zuccoli Community Hub will ensure that this growing area of Palmerston has got a first-class place for events to come together, and that's the sort of social infrastructure that people know that Labor continues to back for our communities. But I'll hand over now to the Deputy Prime Minister, and it's so good to have him here.

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Well thanks, Luke. It’s great to be here with Luke, with Malarndirri, with Athina, to make what is a really fantastic announcement for Darwin, for the City of Palmerston, for the community of Zuccoli – and that is to announce a $10 million commitment in an elected, a re-elected Albanese Labor Government to the establishment of the Zuccoli Community Hub. The $10 million that we will commit to the building of the Zuccoli Community Hub will be matched by $3 million from the City of Palmerston, which will provide for a state of the art community hub that will have a library, meeting, space, community hall, gardens, outdoor centre – and this will be a really important piece of social infrastructure for a growing part of Darwin, a growing part of the City of Palmerston. We're really pleased to be able to partner with the City of Palmerston in the development of this and we very much thank Athina for that, and we thank Athina for being here today. It is a really great example of cooperation between the Albanese Labor Government and local government, in this instance, the City of Palmerston. But it's a recognition from the Albanese Labor Government about the needs of communities. We are very much focused on communities in the way in which we go about our governing, and in this instance, to be able to provide this social infrastructure for this growing community is a fantastic commitment. Finally, I just want to acknowledge Luke, Luke Gosling, our fantastic Member for Solomon, in respect of this project, who has been very much an advocate for the Zuccoli community, for this project, specifically. I know that he has been each and every moment taking the opportunity to express how important this particular project is going to be and we couldn't be more excited about the announcement that we're making today.

ATHINA PASCOE-BELL, CITY OF PALMERSTON MAYOR: I just want to thank Richard, Malarndirri and Luke for this announcement today. The City of Palmerston is the fastest growing region in the Northern Territory, and it's the social infrastructure that encourages families to set up in the Northern Territory and grow in the Northern Territory, which supports economic growth for our community. So this piece of very vital community infrastructure is essential to not only the Palmerston community, but also the surrounding rural areas, with Howard Springs just over the road there. And we know that a lot of families will enjoy this space, and we look forward to developing this site in conjunction with the Commonwealth Government. Thank you.

MARLES: Thank you Athina. Any questions?

JOURNALIST: It’s a fairly local announcement for a Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, are you in town for any other reason? And why do you think it's important to sort of stay in touch with these local communities on a smaller scale?

MARLES: Well, as Luke said, I've been in town today meeting the crew of the USS Minnesota. We've got other engagements later today. But local matters. I mean, we are really committed to local communities, and providing social infrastructure of this kind is so important to enable communities to function and to gather. I mean, we all know as local Members of Parliament how utterly critical hubs of this kind are. What we see around us, take a sort of vision in your mind now, because in a few years’ time, this is going to be a place of enormous community gathering and it will be a really important piece of social infrastructure, and one that we're really proud to partner with the City of Palmerston on.

JOURNALIST: Luke said, just a couple of weeks ago, there'd be more to say on the Port of Darwin issue. Should we expect some kind of announcement about whether a re-elected Albanese Government will return that port to Australian hands?

MARLES: Well, look, let me say up front, I mean, the Port of Darwin should never have been leased in this way, and that's been our position over a long period of time. It was our position in opposition. But ultimately, the Port of Darwin and its leasing is a matter between Landbridge and the Northern Territory Government. The Northern Territory Government is the owner. But we are working very closely with the Northern Territory Government about this, and we'll keep that engagement ongoing.

JOURNALIST: What does that work look like?

MARLES: Well, as I say, we are talking very closely with the Northern Territory Government in respect of the Port of Darwin. But ultimately, this is a matter between the Northern Territory government and Landbridge.

JOURNALIST: Do you have concerns about the way the port is operating at the moment and whether it's meeting the terms of its contract?

MARLES: Again, it's– I restate what I said earlier, I mean, the port should never have been leased in this way, and that's been our position from the get-go. That is ultimately a matter for the Northern Territory Government in terms of the way in which it's managing its lease with Landbridge but, but we keep engaging with the Northern Territory Government on this issue.

JOURNALIST: Is there any potential for a federal government to step in on national security grounds? I know that the Northern Territory Government would say there's a board contract, but could you use Defence powers to step in and undo that? And is there any willingness for you to do that?

MARLES: Again, I'm probably not going to be drawn further than what I've said. I am– we are working, the Commonwealth is working very closely with the Northern Territory Government in relation to this, as are our agencies, and we will continue to do so. I mean, the Port of Darwin is a really critical piece of infrastructure for the Territory, it's a really important piece of infrastructure for the nation, and so we will continue to engage very closely with the Northern Territory Government about it.

JOURNALIST: Have the concerns about the Chinese operation at the Port of Darwin been in any of your recent discussions with the Trump Administration?

MARLES: I'm not going to go into the details of all the conversations that I've had with my counterpart in the United States. I reiterate what I've said, I mean, the Port of Darwin should never have been leased in a way in which it has been, and we continue to work with the Northern Territory Government. Perhaps I would say that today, in relation to this specific visit of the USS Minnesota, along with the USS Emory, which is the tender ship, which is helping support the Minnesota, you know, with the additional security that's been provided by the Northern Territory Government, by ourselves, with the Americans own security, they were very complimentary about this specific visit and the way in which they have been handled. And so, you know, that's very important and we're very pleased, in that sense, that this visit is going off in the way that it is.

JOURNALIST: We've heard in the States that there's a desire to lift defence expenditures to 3%, is that something that the Australian Government can match, or should match?

MARLES: Well, we're committed to increasing defence spending, which is what we've been doing. What you see from this Government over the last three years is an increase over the medium term, an increase in the forward estimates, an increase right now. So over the next 10 years, an increase of $57 billion. There's $10.6 billion of initial increased defence spending relative to what we inherited when we came to government over the next four years, over the forward estimates in the Budget. And in fact, if you look at what Defence has spent in the last financial year, 23-24 on procurement, it's the highest amount that's ever been spent by Defence, and this financial year is tracking to be higher than that. Now all of that is acknowledged in the United States, the really big steps that we've taken forward in terms of increased defence spending. This represents the biggest increase in defence spending in peacetime Australia since the end of the Second World War. And can I say none of it has been matched by the Liberals. What actually matters is that this be a bipartisan position in Australia, but what we heard on Thursday night from Peter Dutton was an announcement that he would be making an announcement in the future, which is so true to form in terms of the way in which the Liberals have gone about their business with defence. The gap between what they say and what they do is vast, and announcements don't prepare you for strategic capability. Announcements don’t do anything in the face of an adversary. You actually need action. Action is what this Government's been doing. And words and announcements, which has been the method of operation of the Liberals and of Peter Dutton just doesn't cover it.

JOURNALIST: The Chinese warships, the dust has sort of settled on them leaving our waters now, is there a chance to review that situation, and will any review findings be made public to Australia?

MARLES: I'm not going to comment about what will be made public or kept in a classified realm, because obviously there will be– inevitably, there will be a whole lot about that that we would want to maintain in a classified realm. But I think the point to make in respect of that is we were on top of this from the get-go, in terms of when the task group came within the vicinity of Australia, making sure that we were surveilling the task group closely throughout the entire period that it was in the vicinity of Australia. And it really stands in stark contrast to what happened three years ago when we had a Chinese Navy ship within our region, and there was none of that surveillance that was being undertaken by the former government. And again, it's a perfect example; we act. I mean, the Labor Government has been acting, actually doing things, not out there putting out press releases ad nauseum and talking a big game. We really stand by what we've done, and there is a massive contrast between what we did during the course of the last month or two, in respect of that, relative to what happened three years ago when the Liberals were in control.

JOURNALIST: Does that issue with the Chinese warship, does that elevate concerns about the Port of Darwin being in Chinese hands from the Federal Government's point of view, and does that make the need for action more pressing?

MARLES: I appreciate– it's such a good effort to have another go. We've not hidden the fact that the Port of Darwin should never have been leased in this way. I mean, we made that really clear at the time. This was a Liberal government which was leasing the Port of Darwin through a Chinese owned entity. Our concerns about that we made abundantly clear from the moment that it happened, and we couldn't be clearer in saying that shouldn't have occurred. You inherit the world as you find it, and so now we're in the situation of needing to manage it. It is fundamentally a lease arrangement between the Northern Territory Government and Landbridge. But you can be assured that we are deeply engaged with the Northern Territory Government about this, as are our agencies.

JOURNALIST: Canada's Prime Minister says the era of deep ties with the US is over. What work has the Defence Department done on assessing the implications of this move and its effect on the US’ stability overall?

MARLES: Look, we're focused on our bilateral relationship with the United States, we're focused on our Alliance with the United States, which remains at the cornerstone of both our foreign policy and our national security. And I was in the United States just over a month ago and had a really positive meeting with my counterpart, Secretary Pete Hegseth. I was the first of his foreign counterparts that he met with and that was not by accident. And you know, we feel very optimistic about our ability to work closely with the Trump Administration in terms of furthering the Alliance and furthering our key equities within the Alliance, and obviously that includes AUKUS.

JOURNALIST: President Trump's expropriation of Ukraine's natural resources was reported today. Is this the sort of deal that your government was envisaging when it offered the US our critical minerals recently?

MARLES: I wouldn't quite agree with the way in which you've asserted that question. Look, again I'm not about to give a running commentary on what the United States is doing elsewhere. Our rare earths, our critical minerals are a really important asset. They're an important asset first and foremost for the Australian people, and we will see them developed in a way which benefits the Australian people, but they represent a really important opportunity for our friends and allies around the world, and we've been talking with the United States now for some time about how we can make the most of that opportunity, and that's what we have expressed in terms of the way in which we see the possibilities in the future.

JOURNALIST: The Country Liberal Party's messaging around the federal election that they put out yesterday was largely around crime and law and order, which is a Territory government issue. Is Labor concerned that state and territory government issues in the Northern Territory and even in your home state of Victoria are going to impact the way that people vote at a federal poll?

MARLES: Well, I think we're focused on, obviously, the business of the Federal Government, and the way in which we engage with people right around the country. And history says that when people come to vote, they do understand the tier of government that they are voting for. And in that respect, what we see as being the critical issue that people are engaging with us about is cost of living, and that's where we have been really focused in terms of our policies over the last three years, and what we're putting to the Australian people in the context of this election. It's why you saw in the Budget on Tuesday night additional tax cuts for everyone, which means that, in combination with the tax cuts that we've already announced over the last couple of years, for an average income earner, they're paying– they will be paying $50 less in tax as a result of what we're doing. That's why we announced the biggest investment in Medicare in the 40-year history of Medicare, which we'll see nine out of 10 Australians, including those in the Territory, including people here in Zuccoli, going to a doctor and doing so bulk billed, so there's no gap fee. These are the steps that we have taken to deal with the question of cost of living. That's the way in which people are first and foremost engaging with us about what this election means. And can I just say, in respect of all of that, there is a vast contrast between us and the Liberals who have barely thought about the issue of the cost of living. Indeed, they are desperate, breaking glass, you saw that on Thursday night in terms of the various measures that they're putting forward. But they really have not done the work in respect of how they can assist Australians with cost of living challenges. And the reason why they haven't done that work is because the last three years they've spent opposing every step we have taken. And I think voters here in Zuccoli, in the Territory, around the country know that had the Liberals had their way over the last three years, they’d be more than $7,000 worse off. I mean, that is the amount that has been opposed by the Liberals in terms of cost of living relief. This is the issue that people are talking to us about, and this is what we're focused on in this election.

JOURNALIST: A large fuel tank facility for the US military on Darwin harbour has been delayed for over 18 months because of construction delays and failures. Do you have any idea when that's expected to be up and running?

MARLES: Well, we work closely with the the US in relation to all of their force posture initiatives, and including infrastructure of that kind. I mean, broadly across all of that sort of infrastructure, which we're seeing at Darwin Airport, we're seeing a Tindal, and indeed we’re seeing in Australia's north, we’re happy with the progress that's being made, broadly. I mean, in respect to specific projects, there will always be challenges, but we're confident about working that through and I know that the United States are very pleased in terms of the way in which they are establishing their force posture here.

JOURNALIST: Can I ask Malarndirri, the NT Government had a good crack at the Federal Government during the week over the Federal Budget and in their words, lack of funding for the Northern Territory. Do you think it's fair that we're seeing $7.2 billion for instance, on the Bruce Highway when our infrastructure is in such a poor state, particularly in remote parts of the territory?

MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Well, we have actually billions coming into the Northern Territory, Matt and the Northern Territory Government knows that. In respect to the Stuart Highway, in terms of the $200 million, we're still waiting for the Northern Territory Government to co-partner with that. I think it's incredibly irresponsible with the Northern Territory Government to point to one particular area of the Budget when we actually invest over $8 billion into the Northern Territory. In fact, 88% of the Northern Territories revenue is Commonwealth.