HOST: Our Prime Minister Julia Gillard joining us on air this morning. She was in town for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We're going to get to that is a sec, first though we need to see if she's okay after sandwich-gate yesterday at Marsden State High.
Morning Ms Gillard, how are you?
PM: Good morning and I'm very well indeed.
And I had a great visit to Marsden State High; very excited kids. One little bit of naughtiness, but really a great visit and the school did a wonderful thing in greeting me, and we had the world's biggest morning tea there.
So we were actually making a point about cancer, raising awareness, and raising some money.
HOST: Yeah absolutely, that's a good cause. But we just were concerned because we obviously saw the vegemite sandwich that was thrown.
HOST: From a grassy knoll Julia! A grassy knoll!
PM: Well I didn't see it at all except that there was half a sandwich on the ground as I walked past.
What was really in my eye-line was lots of screaming, over-excited kids wanting photos, and being absolutely lovely.
HOST: Well the kid apparently that threw the sandwich - Kyle Thomson - is 16 and he's been suspended from school for 15 days. He is actually joining us on the air this morning.
Hello Kyle?
KYLE: Hello?
HOST: You are on the air with the Prime Minister. What would you like to say to her?
KYLE: I'd like to say I'm sorry I punked her, but I'm innocent and I did not throw it.
HOST: So you think you're innocent and you didn't throw the sandwich?
KYLE: Yes.
HOST: Ms Julia Gillard, right of reply.
PM: Well I think Kyle needs to have really a chat with the school principal because it's not my job to be saying anything different to a very good school principal, named Alan Jones would you believe it.
But he has led that school so that it is now an Australia-wide leader in getting kids through into vocational education and training.
So good school, good visit.
HOST: I think this is a deeper issue and what Kyle is saying is that he is a patsy that's been set up by the Government! And there was a second gunman - a second sandwich guy - in the book depository, your comments ma'am?
PM: [Laughs] I think we might all be getting a little bit carried away.
HOST: I hear Oliver Stone's up to direct, so I'm really looking forward to it!
Can I just quickly, finally on sandwich-gate, I know with your job comes a certain amount of power. Would there be any way you could do some sort of parliamentary pardon for his suspension?
HOST: He's on 15 days suspension he's got.
PM: Well, I do sympathise because it was just a little act of hijinks by whoever it was carried out by.
But I think as Prime Minister, what I've got to say is school principals are wonderful people and it's really for the school principal at Marsden.
HOST: Kyle, we tried buddy.
KYLE: Yeah it's alright.
HOST: Kyle's like, don't get me the 15 days back! I'm happy!
Well we can put to bed sandwich-gate.
PM: We can.
HOST: I suppose more importantly, big job for you yesterday. You were here for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
HOST: You and Newman actually shaking hands and smiling together?
PM: Absolutely right. So it was a huge day yesterday, an historic day for Queensland, indeed for all Australia because with Queensland signing on to DisabilityCare it means we've now got agreements for almost 90 per cent of the Australian population.
And no state needs DisabilityCare more than Queensland.
Actually at the moment Queensland spends less per capita on people with disabilities than anywhere else in the country, so there is a big journey of change that needs to be gone through here to make sure that we're properly supporting people with disabilities.
And this is about people who have got disabilities now, almost 100,000 of them will benefit from the scheme.
But realistically, life is full of chances and you never know when that could be you or a family member you really care about, so it's good news for everyone.
HOST: Look, in the lead up to the election I know we've pointed out before; my ultimate hero moment I've always wanted to do is be a bodyguard. If you need-
HOST: Please don't say yes.
HOST: I will take a vegemite sandwich for you. If you need me, I am here.
PM: Okay, I will keep that in mind. So those days when there is something to be anxious about, I'll know who to call.
HOST: Yeah, call Labby that would be a great name for a bodyguard.
HOST: The fact Ms Gillard is that more people want to shoot him than you!
PM: Maybe I could be his body guard!
HOST: That would be great. Thank you so much for coming on, we appreciate it.
HOST: Good on you PM, thanks for your time.
PM: Thank you.