PRIME MINISTER:
Well, thanks everyone for being here.
It’s good to be here on Australia Day in our nation’s capital. I can’t think of a better place to be than on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin with our national parliament in the background.
So, good to be here. For 364 days of the year we can strive to make our country better but for this one day of the year we can celebrate everything that we have achieved and it is great to be doing that today.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, aren’t there any Australians more appropriate to receive Australia's top honour on Australia Day than Prince Philip?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I am really pleased that the Queen has seen fit to award knighthoods in the Order of Australia to Prince Philip for his very long life of duty and service and also to Sir Angus Houston who has been someone who has, at every point in his life, called it for Australia.
So, I think they're two eminently suitable recipients of these knighthoods in the Order of Australia. That's what these knighthoods recognise – lives of pre-eminent and extraordinary service and I think that sums up the lives of those two individuals.
QUESTION:
But it’s Australia’s top honour, the Queen is Australia's monarch but not Australian. This is Australia's top honour as reinstated by you. Were there no Australians more appropriate to receive it?
PRIME MINISTER:
Every year up to four Australians will receive knighthoods in the Order of Australia. We have already had Dame Quentin Bryce, Sir Peter Cosgrove, Dame Marie Bashir. Today, we've had Prince Philip who joins Prince Charles as a Knight in the Order of Australia. And we've got Sir Angus Houston and I look forward to more Knights and Dames in the Order of Australia in the years to come.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, did you misjudge because social media is just full of ridicule about this decision today.
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I will leave social media to its own devices. Social media is kind of like electronic graffiti and I think that in the media, you make a big mistake to pay too much attention to social media. You wouldn't report what's sprayed up on the walls of buildings and look, as I said, social media has its place, but it's anonymous. It's often very abusive and in a sense, it has about as much authority and credibility as graffiti that happens to be put forward by means of IT.
QUESTION:
You stand by the decision?
PRIME MINISTER:
Absolutely right. Look, the Monarchy has been an important part of Australia's life since 1788. Prince Philip has been a great servant of Australia, he's been a great servant of all the countries of the Commonwealth. Here in this country, he's the patron of hundreds of organisations. He's the inspiration and wellspring of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards which have provided leadership training for tens if not hundreds of thousands of Australians over the years and I'm just really pleased that in his 90s, towards the end of a life of service and duty, we in this country are able to properly acknowledge what he's done for us.
QUESTION:
[Inaudible] did you take on this Prime Minister? How widely did you consult before you made the decision?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, as you would expect, I consulted with the Chairman of the Order of Australia, and I consulted with the Governor-General. That's what you would expect.
QUESTION:
None of your Parliamentary colleagues though? This is a Captain’s pick?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I am not going to dispute your characterisation. I think we've had a good thrash of this one. Are there any other subjects that you would like to ask me about?
QUESTION:
Has the Prince called you to thank you for the honour?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't expect gratitude. I'm just very happy that someone who has given long and dutiful service to this country has received this award at our hands.
QUESTION:
What have you been asking or talking to backbenchers about when you have been ringing them during the summer period?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, obviously this is the start of the New Year. Every year is important but this year is particularly important.
Today, we celebrate our country’s strengths but we have got to acknowledge that we can always strive to do better and to be better. At an individual level, at a corporate level, at a national level and it's important that the Government build on the achievements of 2014. It's important that the Government learn the lessons of 2014, and that's what I've been talking to my colleagues about, as you would expect.
The one thing that is absolutely crystal clear is that we have to get Labor's debt and deficit problem under control. If we don't, we are storing up billions of dollars in debt for our children and our children to repay. If we aren't capable of making tough decisions, this country, even this great country, could succumb to the European disease and the point I've been making is that without tough decisions, the risk is that we will become a second-rate country, living on our luck.
Now, I don't believe any Australian wants that to be the legacy of this generation to the future.
QUESTION:
What have they been saying to you, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look, many of them have raised electoral issues. Many of them have been very satisfied with the work we did as a government in 2014, the boats have stopped, the carbon tax has gone, the mining tax has gone, three free trade agreements have been signed, a lot of red tape has been cut for small business. So a lot of good has been done, but obviously there's unfinished business and we’re going to crack on with that.
QUESTION:
Have some of them been dissatisfied?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, as you would expect, I have pretty candid conversations with my colleagues. This isn't supposed to be just a yes sir, yes sir, three bags full exercise. Obviously, we've had some pretty candid conversations about all sorts of subjects.
QUESTION:
And what have you taken from those conversations?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, if I reflect on 2014, I have enormous pride in the achievements of the Abbott Government. I think our country is the stronger for the work we've done in 2014. But you can always do better, and a couple of the things that obviously we need to do better is we probably need to be a more consultative and collegial Government in the 12 months ahead.
I think we need to be more conscious of the realities in the Parliament, in the 12 months ahead. As I look back over the last 12 months, unlike our predecessors, we haven't wasted billions, we haven't jeopardised relations with our neighbours, we haven't put people's lives at risk. That's good. But we haven't always been able to get all of our legislation through the opposition-dominated Senate. Now, that's a pity.
QUESTION:
Mr Abbott, why was Sir Peter Cosgrove chosen to represent Australia in Saudi Arabia considering he is missing his first Australia Day as the Governor General.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I'm sure that's a disappointment to him. But it is the practice for Australia to be represented at head of state level for the funerals of the heads of state of friendly countries. When a head of state dies in office, it's appropriate that Australia be represented at head of state level and that's why Sir Peter is, with regret I know, missing today but he's going to do a fine job of representing our country abroad.
Thank you.
[ends]