PM: Well, look, can I start by saying I've obviously had a long but very productive day here in Brussels. I've attended the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting.
I've also had the opportunity to speak today to the Secretary General of NATO, to meet with the Japanese Prime Minister, to meet with the Korean President, to meet with both the European Union Commission President and the European Union Council President, to meet with President Sarkozy of France and to meet with Chancellor Merkel of Germany.
I've had the opportunity to talk briefly with Chinese Premier Wen, and I look forward to meeting him at the East Asia Summit.
Across all of these discussions there have been two continuing themes. Obviously, many of the discussions have gone to the question of Afghanistan, of what our forces are doing there, of the efforts in Afghanistan to bring security, of the training of the Afghan National Army, and of course discussions leading up to the meeting in Lisbon for the continuing strategy in Afghanistan, the NATO meeting.
The other continuing theme of my discussions has been about global financial crisis and the economic recovery, and across those discussions there has been one uniform reaction, and that is to the strength of the Australian economy. People are looking at what has been achieved in our economy with a great degree of awe. They understand that compared with nations around the world our economy is very strong.
We have therefore talked about the opportunity that that gives Australia, the issues that the globe now has to work through as we strengthen our economy and we seek to strengthen the global economy. Those issues of course include reform of the IMF, continuing work together on the global economic framework, and also renewed efforts to free up trade, and particularly to conclude the Doha trade negotiations.
In my intervention at the Asia-Europe Meeting I stressed each of these economic points and the need for us to have international cooperation on the human capital agenda, on investing in our people and seeing investments in the skills and the capacities of people around the world.
So, I'm very happy to take your questions.
JOURNALIST: Ms Gillard, you outlined, obviously, a very busy agenda today. You went to Afghanistan on the way here and had a very busy day there.
PM: You're only saying that because you were with me.
JOURNALIST: Indeed. Do you believe that your performance here today has been compromised in anyway - jet lag or any of those sort of things?
PM: No, I slept very well last night.
JOURNALIST: Because Mr Abbott's arrived in Birmingham and he's said that he didn't go to Afghanistan because he wanted to arrive there fresh for the Tory conference. What's your comment on that?
PM: Well, I'll let Mr Abbott work out his own sleeping patterns. For myself, obviously, as you know, I went to Afghanistan, then to Zurich, then came here and did manage to get 8 hours' sleep last night, and that prepared me for a very long day.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you said you had a brief conversation with Premier Wen. Can you tell us what you talked about with the Chinese Premier?
PM: Oh, look, it really was a greeting. I have spoken to him by phone. He had offered congratulations to me following the election, so given that telephone call we greeted each other in person and I'm looking forward to meeting him at the East Asia Summit.
JOURNALIST: You met with Nick Clegg today.
PM: Yes, I did.
JOURNALIST: And you talk about economic governance and changes to the financial architecture around the world. One of the things the Liberal Democrats in the UK are very strong on is breaking up the banks, of splitting them up into their retail and investment arms. Is that something Australia supports?
PM: Well, we are in a very different system, very different state with our banking system, so I'm not surprised that in London there are issues such as that under discussion, but for Australia, obviously we've had a well-regulated banking system. It was stable. We did not have the kind of sub-prime and regulatory failures that we saw in other parts of the world.
JOURNALIST: On banks, Prime Minister, there's talk they may raise interest rates by 0.4% regardless of whether there's any (inaudible) in two hours' time. What would be your message to them if they were considering doing that?
PM: Well, just firstly I'd say I'm back to the old conventions of not taking domestic policy questions whilst I'm overseas, but I am aware from the media reports that the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer has fully dealt with that question locally.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what do you make of reports on Four Corners last night suggesting there was some Labor MPs trying to undermine your chances of forming a minority government with the independents?
PM: Well, once again, not really taking domestic questions, but I have seen that report and I'd say that's not to my knowledge.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) why won't you take domestic questions-
PM: -Well, I think we're back to the old conventions. I thought they had merit.
JOURNALIST: Did you get a bit of a buzz out that, Prime Minister? It's obviously all very, but it is a bit of an historic moment. Did you enjoy it?
PM: Look, I did enjoy it and I did enjoy the discussions that I had. It's obviously a very special opportunity to get to speak to people and the great benefit of coming here, of this Asia-Europe Meeting being so early in my Prime Ministership, is that it's enabled me to see a wide range of people in the one location.
JOURNALIST: Did you discuss minority governments with Nick Clegg?
PM: I've had a few jokes about minority governments as the day has gone on, including with Nick Clegg.
JOURNALIST: Now, you did address today, at the dinner, you did address this idea of economic governance becoming a much more significant focus for this group and the G20. What is it exactly that you're wanting world leaders to do?
PM: Well, three things. Through the G20 agenda, firstly, we are committed to the global economic framework and to putting further details into that framework. That will be a key focus.
JOURNALIST: What framework are talking about?
PM: This is the G20 economic framework that was agreed at the height of the global financial crisis, which was about coordinated economic stimulus around the world which now is moving to other issues but is about the coordination of macroeconomic policy around the world so that we best have balanced growth globally-
JOURNALIST: -And they're now talking about withdrawing the stimulus.
PM: Yes, and the focus, obviously, of that work is fiscal consolidation, where we are in front of much of the world, bringing the budget back to surplus in 2012-13.
Secondly, that economic agenda is about global economic institutions and, in particular, the reform of the IMF so developing, growing economies get a fairer share of the voting entitlements at the IMF, a fairer share of the decision making.
And, thirdly, it's about finally agreeing the financial sector reforms that have come together because of the global financial crisis and the need to respond to what were major regulatory failures.
JOURNALIST: Why do we need a treaty with Europe?
PM: Well, in the elegant words of our ambassador, if I can adopt them, we have had a strong partnership with the European Union, but to quote Brendan Nelson, it's been like being engaged. Now we're looking to get married.
Thank you.