Blow the Truth

ScoMo: The first F-35A aircraft has been inducted into BAE Systems Australia’s (BAESA) maintenance depot as part of the next major milestone in the Joint Strike Fighter Program. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the F-35A fleet was now 33 strong and ready to deploy on operations. “This is about protecting and securing Australia’s interests but it’s also creating jobs and driving investment right here in the Hunter and across the country too,” the Prime Minister said. “This induction demonstrates the world-leading capability of our local defence industry here in Australia. “We want to give as many opportunities to Australian companies as possible which is why there’s already more than 50 local companies sharing in $2.7 billion worth of contracts as part of the F-35 Program. “As we recover from the COVID recession a key plank of our Economic Recovery Plan is our $270 billion investment in Defence capability over the next decade and our $65 billion commitment in air capabilities which in

PM Scott Morrison PM Scott Morrison, I had a very warm and engaging call with Joe Biden. And we appreciated the opportunity to have that conversation in an early phase, amongst the many nations that have been engaged with early on in that process. As he said to me again today, he sees the Australia - US relationship as providing the anchor for peace and security in our region. And that is true. We share that view. In terms of our relations between Australia and the United States, there's nothing to fix there, only things to build on, and we intend to do just that. We talked about the stewardship we share, A stewardship that has been held by prime ministers and presidents over a very long time, and particularly this year. Some 70 years of the ANZUS Alliance that we will celebrate in September of this year. I spoke to former prime minister Howard when we were at Doug Anthony's funeral the other day, and he reminded me that it was 20 years ago in September, when he was in the Uni

PM Scott Morrison Prime Minister:  Thank you very much, Laura, and to everybody who is here today. I, of course, begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people, their elders past, present and the future. Can I also acknowledge any veterans who are with us today, serving men and women of our Australian Defence Force and say to them thank you for your service. Can I also acknowledge today the beautiful Abdallah and Sakr families on this first national i4Give Day, as we remember their four beautiful angels - Antony, Angelique, Sienna and Veronique - who were taken from us this day a year ago. I also welcome the very many of my colleagues who are here today. Of course, led by the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. It is great to have you all here today and I acknowledge you all and the great job you have been doing and I know you will do over the course of this year. In 2020, I said we would not let this virus break our Australian spirit. It hasn’t, and it won’t. I said we always believed ourselves a

Prime Minister:  Well thank you very much Your Excellency the Governor General and Mrs Hurley. To the Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese who joins us here today, good to see you. To Danielle Roche the Chair of the National Australia Day Council, Karlie Brand the CEO. My Ministerial colleagues, Minister Colbeck and Assistant Minister Morton. To our Australians of the year, to Grace, to Isobel, to of course Rosemary and Miriam-Rose, you express Australia like none I can imagine and I am so proud of you being here with us today. But to Australians all, one and free. I start today by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people and I thank you for the welcome to country today. I pay my respects and of all Australians to elders past present and emerging for the future. And I acknowledge all those who have served and are serving today, our nation, in our defence forces and to say to you thank you for you service. As Australians, our fates have always been bound together. During this past year,

ScoMo: Next week I will hold important meetings with two of Australia’s closest friends in Tokyo on 17 – 18 November, and Port Moresby on 18 – 19 November. This will be my first meeting with the new Prime Minister of Japan, His Excellency Mr Suga Yoshihide. I’m honoured to be the first foreign leader to visit Japan to meet with Prime Minister Suga following his appointment. Our relationship with Japan over the past few years has gone from strength to strength. We are Special Strategic Partners, and we work closely together on trade, security, defence and technology issues. I look forward to continuing to deepen that partnership. Japan will play an important role in our economic recovery from COVID-19. I hope we can chart a course for the re-opening of travel, and discuss ways to deepen our trade ties worth $86 billion, including under the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement. On the way back to Australia I plan to take the opportunity to see my friend  the Hon James Marape MP

The Morrison Government will extend temporary support through the social security system, for those Australians seeking work, for a further three months as economic confidence and momentum builds. Both existing and new JobSeekers will be paid the Coronavirus Supplement at a rate of $150 per fortnight from 1 January 2021 through to 31 March 2021 on top of their base rate of payment and other supplements they are eligible to receive. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said JobSeekers would continue to be able to earn up to $300 per fortnight without their social security payments being reduced. “My number one priority is to get more Australians into work,” the Prime Minister said. “As the country is safely reopening and businesses starting to return to full steam, we need to connect those seeking work with available jobs,” the Prime Minister said. “When the global COVID-19 pandemic hit Australia, we acted decisively by boosting our health response and putting in place more than $257 billion o