Press conference - Canberra

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning everyone. Australia welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza after 15 months of conflict and a devastating loss of civilian life. The Australian government has consistently been part of international calls for a ceasefire and for a release of hostages. This agreement is a constructive step to peace and stability in the region. Today must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people. We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance which is most necessary, and pursue self-determination. Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas's atrocities on the 7th of October and of the ideology that drives this terrorist organisation. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza. Any future Palestinian state must not be in a position to threaten Israel's security. We will continue to act in partnership with the international community to support the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.

Can I say that when Labor established the NDIS, we made a promise to people with disability, to families and to carers, not to leave you behind. We will keep that promise. We will build on the work that Bill Shorten has done, together with Jenny Macklin as the Minister responsible for the creation of the NDIS, to make the scheme stronger to deliver dignity and security for Australians with a disability. As a country, we still have a long way to go to take responsibility for ensuring that people with a disability are seen and treated equally in health, in education and in employment. The NDIS has changed so many lives, but there is much work still to do. Because the truth is under the former government the scheme did lose its way. This term, Bill Shorten has put people with disability back at the centre of the NDIS, as he committed to do, and set the scheme importantly on a sustainable footing. Cleaning up some of the mess that he inherited and cracking down on those taking advantage of people with disability but also having a lend of taxpayers. I will continue this work as will the new Ministers I am announcing today. Following the resignation of Bill Shorten as the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister for Government Services, today I am announcing updates to the Cabinet and the Ministry. These will formally be put in place at a swearing in ceremony on Monday morning. Put it in your diary - 9:30am at Government House with Her Excellency Sam Mostyn. I will recommend to Her Excellency the following changes to the Ministry. Amanda Rishworth to become, in addition to her current responsibilities, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Senator Katy Gallagher to become the Minister for Government Services. Dr. Anne Aly to become the Minister Assisting the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. All of these positions will be in addition to the Ministerial responsibilities already held by Ministers Rishworth, Gallagher and Aly. In addition, Anika Wells MP, the Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport, will be promoted to the Cabinet. Anika Wells has delivered the most significant reforms on aged care this century with the legislation that passed through both houses of Parliament at the end of last year and has delivered on the commitments that were made. There is now a nurse in a nursing home, as they used to be called, 99 per cent of the time. There are literally millions of hours of additional care being given to our older Australians who deserve to live their later years with dignity and with respect. My government has been determined to deliver just that, and Anika Wells has done an outstanding job as the Minister as well as in her sport portfolio. Of course, being the Sports Minister when Australia has had our most successful Olympic Games ever, of which the additional funding that the government was able to provide for Olympic based sport has been acknowledged by the Australian Olympic Committee and others. People like John Coates have personally said to me that that is something that made an enormous difference going forward and that is, as a sport loving country, that is something that lifted up all Australians during the Olympics and importantly as well during the Paralympics.

I once again conclude by paying tribute to Bill Shorten for his decades of service and the tangible positive difference, he's made to the lives of Australians all over the country and to the NDIS. And also of course, as the member for Maribyrnong. One of the things about Bill is that he was determined to make sure that his local electorate continues to be looked after, and at the end of last year, for example, we announced a new Headspace would take place, would be able to be there, located in that electorate. And I wish, as does every member of the Labor Party, I wish Bill well in his future career. We acknowledge his service, in particular six years of having the honour of leading the Australian Labor Party. But as an effective Minister, as an advocate throughout the Labor movement, not just the parliamentary wing, but also as a leader of the trade union movement through the Australian Workers Union. Happy to take a couple of questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the ceasefire deal announced today. What's your message to Australians for whom this conflict is so personal? And do you hope that this breakthrough will lower some of the tensions in the community?

PRIME MINISTER: I certainly hope and have consistently called for a lowering of the temperature here. Australians, I believe, wanted to see the hostages released. They want to see an end to conflict. They also don't want conflict brought here. And the Director-General of ASIO on this very stage in a number of media conferences called for a lowering of that temperature. But I think that this is an important breakthrough. I pay tribute to the US administration, both the Biden administration and incoming President Trump as well. I've had a number of discussions with Secretary Blinken, who's travelled personally to the Middle East on so many occasions trying to achieve a breakthrough. This is not the end, importantly, this is a really important breakthrough and step forward.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the ceasefire deal, would you personally reach out to Benjamin Netanyahu to try and start a new chapter in Australia-Israel relations?

PRIME MINISTER: We have, I have no issue with Australia-Israel relations. They remain, in my view, strong.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, if this ceasefire can hold, when are you going to recognise Palestinian statehood? Is that something you can see happening before the next election, or is it a commitment Labor will take to the next election?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I can't see any circumstance where that can happen before the election. We need as well, there hasn't been an election in Gaza or West Bank for almost two decades, and quite clearly the Palestinians need to have reform as well. Hamas can play no role in a future Palestinian state.

JOURNALIST: Can you just reflect on the tens of thousands of lives lost in Gaza? And I guess, in particular, since Australia has been calling other countries for a ceasefire, how that death toll has just continued to climb?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have been one of in excess of 150 countries, including our Five Eyes partners in the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, consistently calling for a ceasefire, consistently calling for the release of hostages, consistently calling for humanitarian aid to be allowed to get to Gaza as well. This has been an enormous tragedy. And in the first resolution that was carried with the support of all the major parties in Parliament, it referred very clearly to the loss of innocent life.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just on the incoming administration. Overnight we had Secretary of State Elect Marco Rubio making comments saying he was a strong supporter of AUKUS. Is that a relief to you or does that match the private conversations that your administration has been having with Trump officials?

PRIME MINISTER: It's not a relief, it's what I've been saying consistently. There is very broad support for AUKUS across the Congress, across the US Senate, and I have no doubt that there will be support for AUKUS from the incoming administration because it is something that is in the interests of both of our nations, but also importantly, in the interests of the international community.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, just back on the ceasefire. It's obviously going to take many years to rebuild Gaza, let alone re-establish civil society there. How many more thousands of Palestinian refugees is Australia prepared to take?

PRIME MINISTER: We are focused on what Palestinians want, which is they want to be able to live in Gaza and the West Bank, to be able to live with overwhelmingly with peace, security and prosperity. They have been, the people of Gaza, have been through an awful time. Hamas is the enemy of the Palestinian people, not just the enemy of the state of Israel. And I think that the first priority and part of this deal is an increase in humanitarian aid.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, to follow that question. There has been a lot of talk about international efforts to rebuild Ukraine in the wake of the conflict there. Would Australia contribute to or would you be supportive of Australia being part of efforts to rebuild Gaza?

PRIME MINISTER: Look we, today, I don't want to get ahead of where today's announcement is. The first priority is to get food and essentials to the people of Gaza. That's what the priority is of not just Australia, but the international community. And that is what this agreement has achieved.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you mentioned self-determination and yet you said that Hamas cannot play a role in a future, in Palestine's future. Are you therefore calling on Palestinians and supporters of Hamas to reconsider that support and indeed reject Hamas?

PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely. There is no role for Hamas and a terrorist ideology in a future Palestinian state. That's the Australian government's clear position and that's the position of the international community. I want Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security with prosperity - that is in the interests of both. And both Israelis and Palestinians have suffered since Hamas chose to engage in the atrocities of October 7. Thanks very much.

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