PM: I've just come from the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which I think went fantastically well and we've just had the first session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the first executive session.
In that session we heard the President of Rwanda because that is the nation that has just joined the Commonwealth, joined since the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
We had a brief discussion around the theme of this Commonwealth, about building resilience. We also received the reports of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, firstly a report on its general work where they particularly noted their focus on Fiji and I expect the circumstances in Fiji to be debated and discussed by leaders when the leaders retreat happens over the next two days.
We also received the report of the Foreign Minister meeting from the Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd who has acted as chair of that meeting. We received a Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group report on strengthening the role of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. This report is about reform of the Commonwealth. It has been discussed too by Foreign Ministers. It contains 35 reform proposals and I'm very pleased to be able to report that all of the reform proposals recommended by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group have been accepted by leaders.
The purpose of these reform proposals is to enable the Commonwealth to act when a country is veering off course in terms of democratic values and the rule of law, rather than waiting until a country has gone to a grossly unacceptable stage and leaders only having options of suspension or expulsion in front of them.
So already this Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting has dealt with some major reform proposals for the future working of the Commonwealth.
This afternoon we will receive further reports including the report of the eminent persons group and the report from the global sustainability panel. Unfortunately, my time is very brief, but I'm happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Mr Abbott is saying that you should somehow intervene in the Qantas dispute. Will you be doing that and what difference could you make anyway?
PM: I am maintaining regular briefings with the relevant ministers about the Qantas dispute so I'm making sure that I am continuously informed about it. I believe Australians expect the parties to this dispute to get it resolved and get it fixed.
Yes.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible) The expanded role of CMAG (inaudible)?
PM: Leaders are yet to receive the eminent persons group report, that will happen this afternoon but this is an important set of reform proposals emanating from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group about strengthening their own role and giving them the ability to get involved when a country is veering off course rather than waiting for a country to have gone over the cliff.
JOURNALISTS: (Inaudible)
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister does the CMAG reforms lead (inaudible)?
PM: I think it's very important to just get our sequence right here. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group has provided a report about strengthening the Commonwealth for the future. That report and all of its reform proposals and recommendations have been adopted. I think that that is good news because it means that this meeting has already acted to embrace reform and strengthening of the Commonwealth.
We still have the eminent persons report to come. I will be in a position this afternoon when I conduct a press conference with the Commonwealth Secretary General to provide further details of what the reform agenda of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group means.
JOURNALIST: Will you decide on the eminent persons report this afternoon?
PM: No, the eminent persons group will provide its report to leaders this afternoon, it will then be subject of discussion during the leaders retreat.
This is the last question.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible) if countries like Australia (inaudible)
PM: Well, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is a body of nine ministers drawn - foreign ministers, drawn from across the Commonwealth representing all regions of the Commonwealth and they are seeking - sought from leaders the agreement to strengthen their role to become involved if a country was going off the rails and leaders have given them that new mandate.
Thank you very much.