Doorstop, Parliament House

SUBJECTS: Prime Minister’s National Address; Middle East Conflict; ANAO.

JOURNALIST: Thanks so much, Deputy Prime Minister. So if I could just get your reaction to the Prime Minister's address last night. There's been some mixed reaction in the Australian public. Do you think it struck the right tone?

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: I absolutely think it struck the right tone. I mean, Australians are feeling understandably anxious right now. We're seeing the biggest shock to petrol and diesel prices ever. There is uncertainty about what the future holds, and in that moment, it's really important and appropriate that the Prime Minister is speaking directly to the Australian people about what we're experiencing, what's coming, but also what the Government is doing and what Australians themselves can do. And that's really what was at the heart of the Prime Minister's address last night. 

JOURNALIST: Speaking of which, coming up the US President Donald Trump is due to do his national address. What are you expecting? I mean, it's so hard to predict, but is there anything that you're expecting?

MARLES: Look, I'm not going to speculate on what we see from the President in the coming hours, but obviously we will be following that very closely. But I think a couple of points to make. You know, whatever we see from the President, Australia will act in its own national interest in terms of our engagement in the Middle East, and you've seen that in terms of the decisions that we've made. And, you know, we are providing a significant platform in the E-7 Wedgetail to help in the support of the countries of the Gulf, in particular the UAE. And back home, we will be doing everything we can to ensure the supply of fuel to the country, the distribution to where it's needed, but also managing questions of price. 

JOURNALIST: Will Australians hear about the plans that are discussed today in the virtual meeting that Penny Wong is attending with 35 other nations? When are we going to hear about some of the plans that might be discussed to restore that navigation?

MARLES: Well, we have an interest, clearly, in seeing the Straits of Hormuz open. That's why we signed on to the UK‑led statement more than a week ago. We are talking with countries like the United Kingdom and France about what role Australia can usefully play. That will be the subject of the conversation in the virtual meeting in the next 24 hours. I'm not going to speculate about what that might be, other than to point out the presence of our E-7 Wedgetail in the region, which is doing important work in support of the defence of the states of the Gulf. 

JOURNALIST: Just another question on another matter from my colleague Tom Lowrey, will the Australian National Audit Office's major project report be continued after Senate votes yesterday to overturn dumping it?

MARLES: Well, ultimately it’s a matter for the ANAO, and it will do its work and clearly Defence will continue to work with the ANAO. I mean, there are issues around information being supplied in the current environment. We need to take that into account in terms of our national security. But having said that, you know, we want to be as transparent as we can be, and that’s what our record has shown in defence, and in fact, across the Government. 

JOURNALIST: Was dumping the report the right decision, in your view?

MARLES: Well, again, I mean, there are issues in respect of putting information in the public domain based on what our national security needs are. That's what's driven the positions that Labor’s taken. But ultimately, of course, we work with the ANAO.

JOURNALIST: And could I just quickly confirm, no further requests from the White House in relation to support from Australia in the Middle East? 

MARLES: No, that's right.

ENDS