MARION SCRYMGOUR: Good morning. Look, we're here in Mparntwe on this beautiful day in Alice Springs. And it gives me great pleasure to have Minister Madeleine King, Minister for Northern Australia, as well as Minister for Resource, joining me here on this fantastic, beautiful day. Bit cold, but that's okay. It's certainly starting to warm up. But without further ado, I'll hand over to Minister King.

MADELEINE KING: Thanks so much, Marion. And it is wonderful to be here in Mparntwe, Alice Springs, with Marion Scrymgour, the member for Lingiari and also our Special Envoy for Remote Communities. 

We're here today to attend and speak to people at the Developing the Northern Australia Conference, a conference that is now in its 11th year and brings together people from right around Northern Australia here to the heart of the nation in Alice Springs. We'll be talking about a number of things, including how the Federal Government is supporting the North through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and the $3 billion worth of investment made right across the three jurisdictions, including the Northern Territory, of course, North Queensland and North Western Australia. 

So, it's going to be a great conference. We get to see a lot of people from right around the country, as I say, here in the heart of the nation. So, with that, I'm really happy to take some questions. 

JOURNALIST: Will the NT be exempt from the Commonwealth push for a 20 per cent gas reservation system?

MADELEINE KING: No, the Domestic Gas Reservation system announced in December of last year will go across the country. That is the notion of a national Domestic Gas Reservation system. And it will have allowances for infrastructure constraints because Northern Territory isn't connected by a pipeline to allow for that rate right now. So, that's why we're working on the design process. We've had a really extensive consultation with industry and others to make sure we get this right, and we're moving that further along. But the Northern Territory will most definitely be a part of the national Domestic Gas Reservation policy.

JOURNALIST: So, will the Federal Government back a major pipeline that transport Beetaloo gas to the East Coast?

MADELEINE KING: At the moment, what we've seen as a result of the announcement of the domestic supply obligation under this policy is a renewed interest in private investment in pipeline capacity. So, we'll let that play out. It's always better if private companies undertake that kind of infrastructure work. And there are a number of them around the country. 

We've seen extensive private investment in pipeline capacity in Western Australia, right across Queensland, and down the southern eastern states. So, we'll leave that to the private sector at the moment.

JOURNALIST: Fuel prices have risen across the nation, especially here in the northern half of Australia. What are you doing as Minister to try and ease the cost of living pressure for everyone in Northern Australia?

MADELEINE KING: We know it has been difficult with many things that affect cost of living. We know how that affects people living in the North, whether it be getting freight here in fresh food and so forth. So, we know those pressures are very, very real. We were very clear with the Australian public around the length of time the fuel excise would be in place, and now it has tapered off, and that's important too, because we don't want to drive inflation because that also adds to cost of living. 

So, things we are doing in other sectors include making sure people can access bulk billing in healthcare. They have access to urgent care clinics. They have tax cuts, which we know the Opposition, Liberal and National parties, all voted against. 

There are a number of ways in which the government is working to make sure people have more income to be able to deal with those cost of living pressures. And that also includes wage rises, which are very important as well.

JOURNALIST: Are there any other initiatives, such as freight subsidies for Northern Australia, which are being explored by the Federal Government as well?

MADELEINE KING: Not at this time. What we know is we reduce the payments that had to be made by heavy freight on the road user charges, and that's been an important initiative as well, to make sure truckies could keep going. We also emphasise the importance of paying truckies a fair wage as well, which, you know, they're part of the economy. But at the moment we're not looking at other subsidies in that fashion.

JOURNALIST: The Developing Northern Australia Conference goes over the next three days. What are some of the, I guess, hot-button issues you're most excited to tackle with this conference?

MADELEINE KING: Oh, well, in these conferences, and it's a really huge effort for a lot of people that attend this to get here. We know how difficult it can be to get around the north, and anyone who lives here in the Alice, but also say in Kununurra or in Gladstone or Mackay, they know those connections can be difficult with transport. So, I think that's a hot-button issue that always comes up. So, you know, we need to work with the aviation sector on that. 

What the government has done is, through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, provided low-risk and low-interest loans into upgrading a lot of those regional airports, which makes it easier for flights to come in and out in terms of the runways, but also the security side of things. 

We've each got to do our bit in making that work and that transport links work better, and that's private enterprise as well as government getting involved too.

JOURNALIST: The Trump administration's tariffs have forced Simcoa out of the US market. Are you concerned this could make it difficult for it to survive?

MADELEINE KING: We've been very consistent as a government around the tariffs implemented by the US Government. They ultimately harm the consumers of America because it becomes an extra tax on them as to imports. 

We, and through our great Trade Minister Don Farrell and Minister Penny Wong, our Foreign Minister, and the Prime Minister, are always talking with the Trump administration about how to tell Australia's story and our participation in the US economy. We're one of the highest investors in the US economy. We don't believe those tariffs should be applied at any rate, let alone as they have been increased, and we'll continue to make that case. 

Because there is no doubt it will damage, it will damage some imports into the US. What companies are doing, and we help them to do through our trade envoys, is to diversify where they put those products into, and that will include the company you've mentioned.

JOURNALIST: Does this undermine our cooperation with the US?

MADELEINE KING: No. We have to keep on all tracks with the US, a very important partner to us, certainly in terms of our defence, but also the development of other parts of our economy, in particular in critical minerals and rare earths, which I'm responsible for. 

They are driving large investment into projects here in Australia, and that's very important. We deal with the tariffs issue on its own because we have to. We do need to keep those other relationships going, because they're vitally important to our national prosperity but also, of course, our national security.

JOURNALIST: Just on widow tax. Why did the government not foreshadow the so-called widow tax when it's rushed its tax reform through Parliament earlier this year?

MADELEINE KING: The Treasurer, the Treasurer's office, and Treasury are looking at a number of the Budget announcements, and they've been working on this for some time. What we do as a government is listen to people, and if adjustments need to be made, they can be made. 

But that's something Treasury is working through right now.

JOURNALIST: Another question is about Luke Gosling. Why should he keep his special envoy role while his matter's before the courts? Is it appropriate?

MADELEINE KING: Luke Gosling is a hard-working local member, Member for Solomon, he works really hard in the interests of the people of Palmerston and Darwin, and also representing interests in Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia. 

As you say, the matter is before court, so I leave it at that.

JOURNALIST: Luke's obviously billed to speak later this afternoon. Is there a reason he's not here with you this morning?

MADELEINE KING: I think it's his schedule, and it's, as I said before, it's sometimes difficult to get flights in. I don't think he's actually landed here in Alice Springs from Darwin, but that's just a matter of his schedule. 

We all arrive at different times. I arrived Monday, someone, many people arrived yesterday. So, you know, that's just transport. Nothing more, nothing less.

JOURNALIST: Minister, you just raised an interesting point there about the difficulty of getting flights into Alice Springs. While you're here, are you looking at giving any answers as to how Alice Springs can be better served by aviation given that Qantas have just abandoned Alice Springs with a direct flight to Melbourne ending in November?

MADELEINE KING: Yeah, it's really difficult. I found it difficult from Perth coming to Alice Springs this week. There's not regular flights, and I know I've spoken to a number of people attending this conference. The fares are really extremely high to get here for this conference.

JOURNALIST: That's no surprise.

MADELEINE KING: Oh yeah, it wouldn't be to locals, right.

JOURNALIST: Yeah, we're aware of that. You know, we don't need Ministers telling us.

MADELEINE KING: I'm sure you don't.

JOURNALIST: It's expensive to fly into Alice Springs. What's the Federal Government looking at doing to improve that?

MADELEINE KING: We don't run airline companies, but you're right, that's a good question, what can we do? We are investing in airports to make it more attractive to airlines. What we've seen in one of our major carriers is a lot of support from government during the COVID years. And you know, I think, personally, it's disappointing that that investment hasn't been in any way reciprocated by Qantas in making sure it does get its airlines and its planes into places like Alice Springs more often. 

I wasn't aware of them cancelling the Melbourne flight, but that, like you, doesn't surprise me. I know they don't do the flight from Perth. They've subbed that out to Airnorth, who do a great job. But I personally think Qantas should step up and do better for the Australian people right around the country, right around the north. 

I'm more than happy to press that with Qantas. I'm not sure if they've got representatives here today. I wish they did because I'd happily raise that.

JOURNALIST: My understanding is that the Regional Manager for Northern Territory, SA, WA, will be here.

MADELEINE KING: If I manage to talk to them, I mean, if I see them, I'd be happy to. And if I don't, I'll make sure I make an appointment to see them. Maybe if they come to Canberra sometime. But they'll find, as you know, find it difficult to get there.

SPEAKER: Alright, thanks, guys. We've got to get inside for the speech. Any last one?

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] migration, if that's okay? Why was Tony Burke's address to the National Press Club cancelled?

MADELEINE KING: Oh, look, my understanding is there's just been a clash of commitments and that's all there is to it. And this does happen. He holds a very important portfolio which, because of its security nature, can be disrupted, his schedule can be disrupted at any given moment. So, I think that's all there is to it. But I might have to direct that question more to him as well.

JOURNALIST: Thank you.

MADELEINE KING: Okay, thanks. Thank you.