Malcolm’s flying visit

By Geoff Vivian

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull made a quick three-hour visit to Albany on Wednesday morning, but still found time to take a selfie with Albany Senior High School students.

The Prime Minister was invited to visit Albany by member for O’Connor, Rick Wilson, during a week-long trip to WA.

Mr Turnbull’s first stop was at Albany Senior High School, where he met the principal, school board chair and student leaders, before visiting the visual arts classroom.

He then travelled to the National Anzac Centre to meet Mayor Dennis Wellington, City of Albany CEO Andrew Sharpe and RSL representatives.

Mr Turnbull toured the facility before taking questions from local and national media. He reflected on the Anzac centre.

“We must remember not only the service of those who kept us free, but the service of the men and women who are keeping us free today,” he said.

“That is why the relentless focus of my government, my top priority, is to keep Australians safe,” he said, referring to the current Sydney terror plot investigations.

Reporters asked about school funding, the progress of the Sydney terror plot investigations, his position on a same-sex marriage postal plebescite and improving WA’s GST share.
The Weekender then asked the Prime Minister if his government planned to fund an experimental wave energy generator to feed into the region’s electricity grid that already had a commitment of $16 million from the State government.

Mr Turnbull said the Commonwealth had a history of funding clean energy projects. “Innovation is at the absolute heart of my government, innovation in technology and energy is vitally important and we welcome it,” he said.

He said companies tendering for the Albany Wave Energy project could apply to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), which are both Commonwealth funding agencies.

Mr Turnbull’s final destination was a civic reception at the new Centennial Stadium.