PM: Thank you very much, I don't have much time available as I am due upstairs for the final session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. I just wanted to make a few statements about the Qantas dispute.
Yesterday the Government stepped in to see this dispute resolved. We made application to Fair Work Australia to have our industrial umpire deal with this dispute. Our industrial umpire commenced to deal with this dispute late last night. Our industrial umpire adjourned proceedings until today and those proceedings are in train as we speak.
The Government in this matter is seeking to bring industrial action to an end and to have the dispute resolved so that we can proceed with certainty with our iconic airline Qantas proceeding properly and with circumstances where employees and Qantas know what the future holds for them.
As I made clear yesterday we took this action when the dispute escalated. We did it because we were concerned about damage to the national economy. So the hearings at Fair Work Australia are in train as we speak as a result of the Government's action.
Can I say again to Qantas and to the trade unions involved in this dispute: I believe Australians want to see this dispute settled, I want to see it settled and wehavetaken the appropriate action before Fair Work Australia to bring the matter before the industrial umpire.
I'll take a few questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, does the Government support a suspension or a termination?
PM: The Government is arguing for an end to industrial action before the Commission and for the Fair Work Australia to then be seized with resolving the dispute and the legislation enables after the end of industrial action for there to be conciliation processes and if they do not work for there ultimately to be a determination process to end the substantive matters in dispute. So we are seeking an end to the industrial action.
Yes.
JOURNALIST: If the Commission, if Fair Work Australia rules a suspension this afternoon are you prepared to use, I think, is it section 431 to order a termination, is that-
PM: I'm not going to speculate about matters beyond the proper hearing by Fair Work Australia.
JOURNALIST: Can you just clarify is that termination that the Government is arguing for in Fair Work Australia?
PM: Yep, we're seeking an end to the industrial action.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible) how the leaders that have been stranded by Qantas are going to be able to leave Perth, any arrangements?
PM: We've been working with leaders on this matter. Our CHOGM Taskforce has through our liaison officers been offering assistance, so we're continuing to work with leaders on alternate flight plans. I understand most leaders have found alternate arrangements but we are continuing to work with leaders to ensure that everyone can get where they need to go next.
JOURNALIST: Senator Xenophon's called for an independent judicial inquiry, the powers of the Royal Commission to look at the books of Qantas. He's got support from the major union groups to do that, do you support that?
PM: Look my interest here as Prime Minister is to see this industrial disputation resolved and for us to know that Qantas is functioning and that employees are being properly dealt with within Qantas that's why I took the action that I did yesterday.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister are you angry at Qantas for taking this action in this manner without informing the Government first?
PM: Well Minister Albanese dealt with the question of notifications in his press conference yesterday.
Thanks very much.