JOURNALIST: Prime Minister 8,000 Falun Gong have apparently been detained in the lead up to the Olympics, what will you say to the Chinese leadership on human rights?
PM: As I've said before with our friends in Beijing, we will always raise our human rights concerns with them. I've done that in the past, I've done it privately, I've done it publicly and I'll be doing that again.
JOURNALIST: What about the suggestions that the Russians are cheating in the lead up to the games. Are you worried that Australian athletes are going to be competing against cheats?
PM: The International Olympic Committee has a responsibility to ensure that we have a fair games and that means a proper and rigorous approach to testing so that everyone has a fair chance, everyone has a fair go and that our athletes are on the same level playing field literally as everyone else.
So the IOC's got a big responsibility on its hands to make sure that these games are as drug free as possible.
JOURNALIST: Can you guarantee grocery prices will come down under your watch?
PM: We have a plan of action to increase competition within the grocery sector. After 12 years in office the Liberal party offers a plan of inaction and doing nothing. That's the difference.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister as a long term observer of Chinese affairs, what credence do you give to the claims that 8,000 Falun Gong have been detained in the lead up to the Olympics and what's your response to it?
PM: Well on the detail of that I have not received reports yet from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, not from our embassy in Beijing. Obviously we've raised concerns to the Chinese in the past about human rights in general and about Falun Gong in particular. I'll continue to do so.
That's part of a mature, responsible relationship with the Chinese Government. I've done it in the past and I'll continue to do it in the future.
JOURNALIST: Do you promise to do it with the Chinese leadership when you meet them in Beijing?
PM: I've already said in an interview the other day that on human rights concerns in general, that it's been a feature of my discussions with the Chinese leadership in the past and will be in the future, including in this visit.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible)
PM: I'm sure the Treasurer will have something further to say about our overall framework for tax reform when he speaks to the media later today.
JOURNALIST: Are you concerned that you're looking at replacing mining royalties with a rental resource tax?
PM: Can I say that we've said early this year in response to the 2020 Summit that we would be having the biggest most comprehensive review of the taxation system at least in the last quarter century and probably longer. And guess what we're delivering on that.
You know why, the business community of Australia are sick and tired of one of the most complex tax systems in the world. That's why we've decided to do this comprehensively and the Treasurer will have further to say about the spectrum of that review later today.