HOST: The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, joins us now from Kirribilli House. Prime Minister, the pictures coming out of New South Wales over the last few days have been nothing short of extraordinary, devastating. How was it on the ground today?
PM: It was a pretty amazing experience and I'm glad I was able to go and see it for myself. We are talking about a fire that burned with incredible intensity, so the land's just blackened, the trees, taken out.
I saw some homes that have been burnt to the ground, got to talk to some people who have lost their homes, and also saw what had happened with the observatory, with the fire racing up to the top of the hill on all sides, but the observatory is still there.
HOST: Given that these things are so devastating, that the fire conditions are so widespread, there's fires burning in every state around the country, and it feels as though this is happening more and more frequently.
What's the advice you're getting about that? Is this just the new normal? Do we have to prepare for this every summer now?
PM: Well I don't think you can ever look at one weather event and say, that weather event is climate change. What we know about what's happened to our country over the past few weeks is we had this incredible mass of hot air in the centre of the country that then came to more populated areas. And we've seen fires as a result.
So we have seen this incredible pocket of hot air. You can never say though that one event is climate change, but we can conclude from what climate change is doing to our country we're going to see more weather events that are extreme more frequently, that's what the scientists are telling us.
And that's why it's really important we combat climate change, and we're reducing the amount of carbon pollution we're putting up there.
HOST: Prime Minister, a change of topic now but a significant issue none the less. You have announced a crackdown on gun crime in wake of Sydney shootings. Sydney shootings aren't new though, and some people are calling this a stunt on the back of Barack Obama's announcements. What's your take on that?
PM: I'm very serious about this because I just think people should be able to live in Sydney's west or anywhere around the country in safety and not worry as they go about their daily business and all of the things you do to make your life work.
Going to work, having a job, earning a pay packet, getting the kids to school, all of the things people have to do, that you don't have to worry while you're doing that about gun crime and personal safety.
HOST: Prime Minister I've never been one to shy away from the big questions, so I'm going to ask you, Guns N' Roses are touring, have you got tickets and are you more of a Use Your Illusion fan or Appetite For Destruction?
PM: Ah I'm probably going to have to pass on most of those questions and certainly say no I don't have tickets.
HOST: Okay, we can organise that.
PM: You may be able to organise the ticket, it's organising me the night off that would prove the impossible thing. I really don't think - as powerful as The Project panel is - that you are going to be able to do that for me.
HOST: Well it's great to have you with us again Prime Minister, and we'll talk again as the election year pans out ahead of us.
PM: Thank you very much and I may get to sneak to Bruce Springsteen. That might be my one big night out for the year.
HOST: You and Swanny!
PM: I might even do it with Swanny!
HOST: Cheers, thank you very much Prime Minister.
PM: Thank you.