PM: Well, thank you very much, and I know many of you have probably got flights to get, so we'll keep this as brief as possible.
Can I say, obviously today I've attended the Asia-Europe Meeting, and it has concluded. Today has also afforded me the opportunity to continue some bilateral engagements. Specifically, I met with the Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Prime Minister of Greece.
Significantly, the outcomes of the Asia-Europe Meeting for Australia are as follows: leaders at the meeting recognised the impact of the economic crisis and acknowledged that well-coordinated economic stimulus had made a difference, but also acknowledged that there's still fragility in the world economy and that we need to continue to pursue fiscal consolidation and work together to promote economic growth.
This meeting, the Asia-Europe Meeting, has sent a clear signal to the G20 meeting, which I will also attend, that we do need to agree on IMF quota reform and we do need to focus on economic growth and strengthening our financial system, the global financial system, resilience and transparency.
Importantly, leaders also reiterated their resolve to conclude the Doha round of trade negotiations. As I've been saying, trade equals jobs, and for a great trading nation like Australia the conclusion of that Doha round is very important.
In addition, leaders did reiterate the importance of continued international support in Afghanistan and reaffirmed their commitment to preventing Afghanistan from becoming, once again, a base for international terrorist activity.
Leaders signalled their strong position on nuclear non-proliferation, and leaders expressed resolve in combating people smuggling and acknowledged the importance of consistent regional approaches to deter irregular migration and, as you would know, I am determined to pursue a regional approach in relation to irregular people movements in our own region.
So, the outcomes of the summit, I believe, have been very successful ones. It's been a great opportunity to be here and to be able to meet with so many world leaders in the once place at the one time.
So, I'm happy to take questions. Yes, Mark?
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) talked about irregular people movements. Did you speak to the conference about having (inaudible) say anything about what Australia has (inaudible)
PM: No, today I spoke to the conference about Afghanistan. That was my contribution. Obviously, officials have worked for the statements and communiqué that you would have seen.
There are two documents. There's a Brussels declaration on more effective global economic governance, and there's also the Chair's statement, which covers another series of matters.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, imposing an international levy on currency transactions was something that the Belgian Prime Minister said he was bringing to the summit. Did that get anywhere at the summit, and is Australia supportive of the proposal?
PM: Well, we're not supportive of putting extra taxes or levies on such transactions. That idea, obviously, has been discussed at a series of meetings and events and I anticipate it will probably be discussed again at the forthcoming G20, but it's not something that we're disposed towards.
Yes?
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) say about not really being all that comfortable, enjoying the scene too much. Could you just elaborate on that for us?
PM: Oh, I didn't say that. What I said was it's not foreign policy that brought me into politics. The thing that motivated me to first get involved actively in anything political was concern about education and about access to opportunity, so that's been my guiding passion throughout my political life, so I did say earlier today that given the choice I'd probably be in an Australian classroom, talking to a teacher and watching some kids learning to read, but obviously, as Prime Minister, I work across the full range of matters that are in our national interest, and it's in our national interest to engage in forums like this one.
JOURNALIST: So how did the small talk go in a room full of leaders who know you very well?
PM: It goes pretty easily. People are keen to have a chat, and that was my experience - all very keen to have a discussion.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) did you say to the Greek Prime Minister? Did you have a particular agenda in that discussion?
PM: Well, I certainly issued a very warm invitation to him to come and visit Australia. He would very much like to do that. Coming as I do from Melbourne - very strong Greek community in Melbourne and in Australia that I'm sure would welcome a visit. I think he would get a very, very enthusiastic reception if he was able to visit?
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) advice from the other female leaders? We understand you were among only 4 out of 49.
PM: Well, I did have the opportunity to chat to the other female leaders. I did, of course, meet with the Chancellor of Germany. I've had some discussions with the leader from Finland, who, interestingly, became Prime Minister, I think, two days before me, so we are of similar vintage.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the Opposition's accused you of playing politics, saying that you invited Tony Abbott to Afghanistan when you knew that he was already planning to go there and then leaked that information (inaudible) what's your reaction to that?
PM: Oh, well, look, I'd refer people to the things I've said consistently over the last few days. I've said Tony Abbott's travel plans are a matter for Tony Abbott. I made an invitation to him to join me on the trip to Afghanistan and obviously, you know, he organises his own travel arrangements.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, given what you said the other day about the need for bipartisanship when the Opposition's apparent change of policy emerged, how helpful is this, this kind of debate between you and Mr Abbott to the morale of the troops and the (inaudible) of proper, bipartisan approach to the war?
PM: Well, I mean, I'm not aware, I'd happily refer people to the exact words of everything I've said over the last few days. The only thing I've said about Mr Abbott's travel plans are they are a matter for Mr Abbott. I've never said anything else, and I certainly don't intend to.
On the question of bipartisanship, each and every time I've been asked I've said I genuinely believe bipartisanship will continue for the deployment in Afghanistan.
Now, clearly the Opposition spokesperson, at an earlier point in time, made some statements about the size of our deployment and the need for equipment. What I said at that time was this was an important matter and I thought it was so important that the Opposition leader should clarify the position of the Opposition on these questions.
JOURNALIST: But did you only invite him because you knew he would reject the invitation?
PM: Certainly not, no, and that's not the sequence of events. I invited Tony Abbott to travel with me to Afghanistan. I thought that would emphasize the bipartisan support for the deployment. He considered that. Obviously, his schedule didn't permit him to do that. He still wanted to visit Afghanistan and obviously at the appropriate point arrangements will be made for him to do that, so your suggestion that he had a fixed date to go when I issued the invitation to him is not correct - simply not correct.
JOURNALIST: Tony Abbott's expressed regret about the choice of language that he used, he used the word jet lag, and has apologised for any offence that occurred. Is that where the matter should rest?
PM: Well, all of this is a matter for Mr Abbott. I've said that each and every time I've been asked during the last few days, and I haven't got anything else to add to it.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, if you're not playing politics with this issue, why did you tell journalists that you had invited him along?
PM: Well, obviously, that information was made available. I don't recall directly being asked that myself, but obviously I extended an invitation to Tony Abbott to accompany me to Afghanistan. I thought that was a good way of indicating bipartisanship. He made different arrangements. The matter's become the subject of public controversy because of some statements Mr Abbott made, and at no time have I sought to add to that debate. In fact, time after time I've declined the invitation to do so in exactly the same terms I've declined it today - Mr Abbott's travel plans are a matter for Mr Abbott.
JOURNALIST: What's the single most important thing that you've got out of this conference, and how important are the personal (inaudible) you've made over the last couple of days for the future (inaudible)
PM: Well, I would say two things. I think, firstly, it was important for me as Prime Minister to come and sit at this table because it's the first time Australia's had the opportunity to do so, so having sought to become involved in the Asia-Europe Meeting because of its significance, I thought it was important that I came and represented the nation here at our first opportunity to participate in this meeting.
Then, apart from that formal participation in the meeting, it's obviously afforded me the opportunity to meet a large number of people in the same location in a time-effective way, and I think that will stand me in good stead, particularly as I continue to see many of the same leaders at the G20, at APEC, at the East Asia Summit - all before the end of this year.
OK, thank you very much.