JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what's the latest information you've had from India?
PM: Well, this is still an unfolding situation. We've got grave concerns for families who are concerned about their loved ones and this is a terrible time.
The Australian Government has established that there have been some 70-odd Australians in the area at the time. What we're seeking to do is to work our way through that list and to confirm the whereabouts of those individuals.
We are still seeking to confirm contact with some 36 people and we are working our way through that. It is a difficult situation, it is very fluid. We, through our consular staff, however, are doing everything possible to establish the whereabouts of those 36.
JOURNALIST: And a second death overnight confirmed?
PM: We have one confirmed death. As for a second reported death, the family of another person have issued a statement to that effect. The government has to go through certain procedures separately to confirm that that is the case.
JOURNALIST: And needless to say, it's a reminder, this terrorist attack, that the fight continues?
PM: Well, this is a horrible reminder for Australians that terrorism continues as a real threat to Australians and that at any given time with a million Australians offshore that this is a constant concern for us all. That's why I'd urge all Australians as they travel please, please, please read the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website travel advisories, because it contains the best information available on terrorist threats and other security threats in various parts of the world.
JOURNALIST: Just lastly, the reports that have appeared that another two Australians have been killed - you're not able to provide or shed any further light on that?
PM: As I've said, what the Government is seeking to do now through our team of officials on the ground in Mumbai is to establish contact with 36 Australians. Now this is a precautionary measure against the information that we have.
In terms of fatalities, we can confirm one, and there have been reports of a second, which has been the subject of a separate statement by the family.
As for the other reports that you just referred to, we are not in a position to confirm those numbers.
JOURNALIST: Is there any other information you'd like to add?
PM: For the Australian Government, support services that we are seeking to provide affected Australians in this terrible set of circumstances are for those Australians seeking to exit the country, if they contact the Australian consulate general in Mumbai, as much practical information as possible will be provided on exit arrangements.
The other thing we are seeking to do is to dispatch an emergency response team to Singapore so that if people transit Singapore, they are given help at the airport, and support, including counselling services, because many Australians will be traumatised by these events.
And finally, on return to Australia we have other support and referral services if people need other practical help escaping from what has been a real hell hole for people.
JOURNALIST: Just lastly, how grave are your own personal fears that the number of casualties above the one confirmed dead may rise?
PM: I'm deeply concerned for the wellbeing of our fellow Australians who we can't track down yet. As I said in parliament, I fear these numbers may rise. But, we are doing everything we can to confirm the whereabouts of these 36, and we will continue to do so.
JOURNALIST: Thank you for your time.