00:02We're expecting to see the Prime Minister stand up at the National Press Club around
00:0612.30 today and he's due to announce a $1 billion economic resilience program that's
00:12targeted at truckies, freight industry and indeed fuel and fertiliser producers that
00:18have been negatively impacted by the ongoing oil crisis.
00:22Now we understand that this support will be in the form of interest-free loans that will
00:27be available in the next fortnight and the money from this particular program comes from
00:33the existing $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund.
00:37Of course this comes not 24 hours after the Prime Minister's address to the nation last
00:44night.
00:44It lasted around three minutes and saw the Prime Minister encourage Australians to proceed with
00:50their Easter plans and carry on as normal, while also encouraging them to save fuel for
00:57people where possible and also take public transport if indeed they can.
01:02It also came with a warning that challenging times lie ahead.
01:07The months ahead may not be easy.
01:10I want to be upfront about that.
01:13No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing.
01:17I can promise we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it.
01:25Prime Minister Anthony Albanese there, and during this address he also pointed out some of the
01:30measures that the government has taken in response to the fuel crisis.
01:33Of course, the temporary halving of the fuel excise for petrol and diesel, which is now in
01:38place.
01:39And we're already starting to see some of the benefits of that flow on.
01:43The national average for indeed diesel and unleaded is down across the nation according
01:48to the NRMA.
01:50And so Lexi, how has the opposition responded?
01:52Well, quickly after the Prime Minister's address last night, Angus Taylor fronted the media saying
01:58that the Prime Minister's address lacked clarity and detail, and that line of criticism has
02:04continued this morning.
02:05We've also seen Nationals leader Matt Canavan criticise the address.
02:11In response to this, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Miles was asked whether or not he thought
02:17the Prime Minister's address struck the right tone.
02:19Take a listen to how he responded.
02:21There is uncertainty about what the future holds, and in that moment it's really important and
02:27appropriate that the Prime Minister is speaking directly to the Australian people about what
02:33we're experiencing, what's coming, but also what the government is doing and what Australians
02:37themselves can do.
02:38And that's really what was at the heart of the Prime Minister's address last night.
02:42And Lexi, Richard Miles has also confirmed that Australia will attend a UK-led talks on
02:48the Strait of Hormuz.
02:49That's correct, Kath.
02:51So Richard Miles, who also of course is the Minister of Defence, has confirmed that Australia
02:55will be among the 34 countries that attend this meeting.
03:01It's all focused on trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which of course is a vital shipping
03:06route, but has been effectively closed by Iran for around five weeks.
03:11So he's confirmed that Foreign Minister Penny Wong will attend virtually.
03:17Take a listen to Richard Miles confirming this.
03:20We have an interest, clearly, in seeing the Strait of Hormuz open.
03:25That's why we signed on to the UK-led statement more than a week ago.
03:29We are talking with countries like the United Kingdom and France about what role Australia
03:36can usefully play.
03:37That will be the subject of the conversation in the virtual meeting in the next 24 hours.
03:45I'm not going to speculate about what that might be, other than to point out the presence
03:51of our E7 which tail in the region, which is doing important work in support of the defence
03:55of the states of the Gulf.
03:57Richard Miles there.
03:59And he also mentioned that the Federal Government will be watching US President Donald Trump's
04:04address closely.
04:05That's due to go to air around midday Eastern Daylight Time.
04:11He says no matter what President Trump says, the Federal Government will continue to act
04:17in Australia's national interest.
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