Prime Minister:
Ladies and gentleman, I will take a couple of questions but just so that I have over the last hour and a half not only talking to the management of the employees of Bickford's been reminded again of the enormous value of Australian Workplace Agreements. The message I received from the staff was that they found workplace agreements terrific and having talked for just under an hour with the small and medium sized business operators here in Adelaide, courtesy of the South Australian Chamber of Commerce, they all told me how valuable AWA's were and just under half of them recounted stories of how debilitating the existing unfair dismissal laws are. And now this is the workplace agreements that Mr Beazley would like to strangle. These are the workplace agreements that we will not only maintain but we will expand the opportunities to have under our new workplace relations system and this experience today is yet another on the ground reminder of how the reforms we propose are sensible further steps, they are not extreme, they are not radical they are sensible further steeps that will strengthen the economy and generate more jobs and ensure that the prosperity that workers have enjoyed over the last nine and half years will continue.
Journalist:
Prime Minister you must be relieved that Barnaby Joyce now appears to support the Telstra sale?
Prime Minister:
Well I welcome what Senator Joyce said this morning. He has consulted his party colleagues in Queensland and that's as he should have done. People should talk to people before making up their minds. But I am encouraged by what he's had to say, the legislation will reflect the government's policy decision, I can give that assurance and I hope that when the legislation is presented to the parliament when we return, it will secure the support of both Houses.
Journalist:
Prime Minister will that legislation have strengthened universal service obligations [inaudible] Senator Joyce?
Prime Minister:
I am sure that the legislation will meet any concerns he might have in that area.
Journalist:
Is that a guarantee?
Prime Minister:
Look let's just take it a day at a time, will you? He's made a statement, I welcome it, I am sure that the legislation will meet his concerns. Anything else?
Journalist:
Will the proceeds of such a sale Peter Costello is talking about will be available as a Christmas present next year?
Prime Minister:
Well I don't think we are locked into any particular time, we need the authority of parliament to sell and once we have received that authority, the time at which we sell the bundles of shares with which we complete the sale will be determined by market conditions and the government is not committed to any particular time. We have an obligation to get the best value for the Australian shareholders, the Australian public and that is what we will do. We have a commitment to spend, subject to the sale, $1.2 billion on various upgrading and we also have the commitment to the fund, the $2 billion and out of the dividends and earnings of that fund we will meet any gaps that might be reported in the future but as to the precise timing of the sale, I am not getting into any prediction on that, that will depend on market circumstances.
The best Christmas present we can give the Australian people is to continue to run the economy effectively and to look after their security. I would like Australians at Christmas time to feel that we have a strong economy, they have good wages, they have secure jobs and they have a secure country.
Journalist:
Prime Minister [inaudible] guarantee [inaudible]?
Prime Minister:
We never take parliament for granted. In the years I have been in parliament, I have learnt to treat it with respect. We have a ... secure the approval of the party room and Senator Joyce has made a statement today, I appreciate that statement, I appreciate the work of Bruce Scott, the President of the Queensland branch of the National Party, we will return to parliament in a little under two weeks and the legislation will be presented and we will all follow that with interest.
Journalist:
Prime Minister before you go...
Prime Minister:
One more, I better go.
Journalist:
It is reported today the High Court Judge [inaudible] Schapelle Corby's sentence?
Prime Minister:
Sorry could you repeat the question?
Journalist:
It is reported that...
Prime Minister:
It is reported?
Journalist:
[inaudible].
Prime Minister:
Well I am not going to comment on speculation, that's my answer.
[ends]