Anthony Albanese says there was a national interest responsibility behind a decision to hold a federal cabinet meeting in central Queensland.
The cabinet met in Gladstone on Wednesday as part of the Prime Minister’s first visit to Queensland since winning last month’s election.
Mr. Albanian said he looked forward to fulfilling his promise to rule the entire country.
“Not only do we have meetings in Gladstone, but also people traveling through the region yesterday, today, and for the rest of this week,” Mr. Albanian told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
“Because (the cabinet) will listen to what people say, informing our decisions before parliament resumes in July.”
Gladstone is retained by the coalition despite a swing at Labour in Flynn’s Queensland seat.
Although Labor won no new seats in the Sunshine State, the Prime Minister said Queensland remains important.
“A lot of people came back to us in central Queensland, but we need to better in the future,” he said.
“I want to represent people, no matter how they voted. I want a government that works for all Australians wherever they live.”
Former politicians, including Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Queensland Prime Minister Peter Beattie, have previously used regional cabinet meetings to take ministers out of their city comfort zones and engage directly with voters.
“We have not been given two ears and one mouth for nothing; we have to listen to the people on the ground,” said the prime minister.
The meeting, in a seat with a large energy industry presence, comes as the government seeks solutions to rising electricity prices, considers short-term controls on the gas market, and rolls out a more ambitious carbon emissions target than the coalition.
The prime minister highlighted regional jobs as part of a pitch to move to more renewable energy and zero emissions by 2050.
Mr. Albanese said several commitments made to regional Australia during the campaign will be fulfilled in the October budget.
“We know that the cost of housing, for example, is a big pressure in the regions … (rising) higher than for people in the cities,” he said.
“We also know that the infrastructure has to go along and have made several commitments.
“One of the reasons we are putting forward a budget in October is to make it very clear that… we will stand (our commitments).”
Meanwhile, opposition leader Peter Dutton has chaired his first shadow cabinet meeting and brought his team to Perth.
“It allows us to hear the messages because obviously we were disappointed with the results here in WA in the last election, so there is a lot for us to rebuild,” he said at the opening of the meeting.
“But this is the chance for us to start that rebuilding, listen to the messages, and understand the priorities for Western Australians.”
Labor took four extra seats in WA, where the Liberals already have a tiny presence in the state parliament after the party’s break-up by Labor Prime Minister Mark McGowan.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said the new shadow ministry provided an opportunity for generational change and renewal but also leveraged the experience of parliamentarian veterans.
“I am proud to be part of this formidable coalition that will hold this government to account and recapture those who voted against us last time because we will put forward compelling, sensible arguments,” he said.
