Television Interview, Weekend Sunrise

SUBJECTS: PM’s visit to the UK; AUKUS; US Tariffs; AFL Grand Final (Go Cats!).

DAVID WOIWOD, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with centre‑left leaders at a summit in London overnight, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

MONIQUE WRIGHT, HOST: Now for more, we're joined by Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles, who is live this morning for us in Melbourne. Happy Grand Final day to you, Deputy PM. We’ll be chatting about your beloved Cats in just a tick, but first off, let's chat about what's happening overseas. Anthony Albanese has taken aim at the rise of populism and the far right. Of course, we know he's about to have that much anticipated meeting with Donald Trump next month, the leader of the MAGA movement. Any concerns that it'll put Trump offside side before the meetings even happened?

RICHARD MARLES, ACTING PRIME MINISTER: Oh, no. I think Anthony is making it clear that it's really important that as we engage in democracies, it's important that we are doing so from a place of correct information and facts. It's as much, if anything, about the challenges that we face on social media at the moment. But the Prime Minister is in the UK right now and meeting with his counterpart, Keir Starmer, and that in itself is a really important meeting. And between the US, the UK and Australia, obviously our three countries work very closely together on a range of international matters and AUKUS is very central to that.

WOIWOD: Yes, we know that AUKUS, the agreement there is top of the discussions in London, as you point out there, Minister. Can you tell us what assurances is Keir Starmer, the UK PM, being given by Donald Trump that AUKUS will in fact continue?

MARLES: Well, the Prime Minister of Britain and the President met, I think in the last couple of weeks when the President had his state visit to the UK. AUKUS was part of that conversation, as I understand it. I mean, all three countries are working very closely together to see AUKUS move ahead at a pace and that's what's happening. And in terms of all the milestones that we've set ourselves, we are meeting them. I mean, yes, the US is doing a review. We've welcomed that. It is important to look at how we can do AUKUS better and it's a very similar review to what the UK undertook when they came to government, what we did when we came to government back in 2022. So, it's a pretty natural step. But we're all committed to AUKUS. It's something which is underpinned by a trilateral treaty between our three countries and AUKUS is very much happening.

WRIGHT: Yeah, okay. To other issues, Donald Trump slapped a 100 per cent tariff on Australia's pharmaceutical exports. Of course you and your government have said the PBS is untouchable. So, is this ultimately going to impact all of us taxpayers if the government has to subsidise it?

MARLES: Oh, I mean, we've made really clear how important the PBS is in terms of our health system. And as you say, we are utterly committed to that and none of that is going to change. I mean, we will continue to advocate to the US around the question of tariffs. Ultimately, we see that a tariff free environment in respect of the way in which we trade is what's most efficient, what's best for consumers. That's the case that we'll continue to make. But you know, we will absolutely remain committed to the PBS and ensuring that Australians get access to cheap medicines.

WOIWOD: That is the ideal scenario, that the tariffs don't go ahead, but if they do, like the President has said, it's going to be taxpayers that are going to be having to shovel in even more money into the PBS to subsidise those essential medicines.

MARLES: Well, I mean, as I say, we've made it really clear that the PBS is not going to change. We are utterly committed to ensuring that Australians have access to medicines, to cheap medicines through the PBS, that's a really important part of our social fabric. That will continue and it will continue unchanged.

WRIGHT: Okay. All right, got to ask you about Grand Final day of course. Couldn't help but notice you're a bit of a Cats supporter. Bit is of course an understatement. Few years now since the boys have made the Grand Final. Talk us through what the Acting Prime Minister– how does the Acting Prime Minister see in Grand Final day? How are you going to be watching the game and who with?

MARLES: Well, firstly the Acting Prime Minister has slept very badly overnight because I am increasingly edgy about this game. I'm here in Melbourne now, going to the North Melbourne breakfast this morning. I'll drop in on the Cats Grand Final brunch which is at the Melbourne Town Hall and then head down to the MCG around 11 o'clock. But I mean, look, this is– in my view, this is the great day in the Australian sporting calendar, whoever's playing. But it's really exciting when your own team's in it. And from a Geelong point of view, the whole town goes off when Geelong is playing. So, it is covered in blue and white. We are all really excited. As I say, I'm increasingly nervous, so I'm making less and less sense, but that's okay. We're really looking forward to this afternoon.

WRIGHT: You wouldn’t be alone.

WOIWOD: Hopefully for you, Minister, you can jump on a V/Line later this afternoon and go party the night away down at Kardinia Park tonight.

MARLES: I’m looking forward to that.

WOIWOD: All right, thanks for your time.

WRIGHT: Best of luck. Thanks so much, Richard. All the best.

MARLES: No worries.

ENDS