PM: It's great to be here today at BAE Systems. I'm joined by the Premier of South Australia Jay Weatherill and by our local member Nick Champion the Member for Wakefield.
We're here today looking at some very advanced manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing that is happening right here and is so important to our Defence.
Looking at this place you can see that it's a world away from many people's image of manufacturing. It's the latest of technology doing the most sophisticated things. This part of South Australia is well known for its manufacturing whether it's here at BAE Systems or whether it's at Holden, this is a great manufacturing region.
As Prime Minister I'm very passionate about ensuring that Australia has a strong manufacturing sector for the future. To get that right we need to be working with great companies like this one and I thank everybody for making us so welcome here today.
We've got to be working with them as we go about our Defence contracting and working through our capability requirements and needs for the future, but we need to be doing more. We need to be making sure we've got the high skill settings that get the workers to this place with the skills that they need.
We need to be making sure that we've got the best of technology available, including the National Broadband Network. We've got to keep investing in infrastructure to get these important goods to market. We've got to be getting ready for a clean energy future because that's what the world will require.
So when I talk about creating the new economy of the future I'm talking about businesses like this one; great businesses employing people in high-skill, high-wage jobs where manufacturing has a clear future, as well as talking about the future of other industries in our economy.
We've, over the last few days, been very focused on Australian schools and that is part of this picture too, because we're only going to get the skilled workers we need for tomorrow if we've got a world class schooling system which is why, following the receipt of the Gonski Review, we will be continuing to work with schools and school communities on the future of Australian education.
We've already brought a lot of reforms, but there is more to do to ensure Australian kids are winning the education race and if we can win the education race then we'll win the economic race in the future, as they take their skills and capacities into businesses like this one.
So it's been great to be here today, thank you to everyone, thank you very much.
I'll hand over to the Premier for some comments and then to Nick.
PREMIER WEATHERILL: Thank you Prime Minister and Nick.
Just last week we unveiled our plan for the next two years and one of the key priorities we laid out for South Australia was the growth of our advanced manufacturing sector and we've always had an important manufacturing sector but the question for South Australia is how we can grow that, take those skills and capabilities and translate them into an advanced manufacturing sector.
Now a fantastic vehicle for that is the Defence industry and we're seeing here a fantastic example of what an advanced manufacturing industry looks like. Look at this factory, it's a very different factory from the sort of factory you might have imagined in the past. In the back room there are ICT technicians, there are a whole range of other professionals that perhaps are not traditionally associated with what we might understand to be the manufacturing process.
This is the manufacturing industry of the future and we believe we have to grow this if we are to sustain ourself as a state and indeed as a nation. We've invested very significantly here in this particular plant to give this business the capability of forming part of probably one of the largest and most important manufacturing projects in the world which is the Joint Strike Fighter.
They have the capacity to elaborately transform pieces of titanium into the struts that go into the Joint Strike Fighter. Recently I had the opportunity of inspecting the Lockheed Martin Plant in Dallas and see how this particular factory here fits into that global picture. And it's very exciting that this plant here is playing such a crucial role in what must be regarded as one of the most important manufacturing projects which is being undertaken in the world, certainly one of the largest.
So I want to acknowledge the skills and the capabilities of all the workers here and as the Prime Minister indicated, we need to lift the standards in our education sector if we're to provide the skills that are necessary to feed the factories of the future like this and that's why we in particular welcome the Gonski Review.
Can I just say something about the Gonski Review. I noted today that there's some criticism by some of the Liberal Premiers across Australia. I don't share those criticisms. I'm favourably disposed to the Gonski Review.
I think it is an incredibly important contribution to the future of education in our nation. It does a couple of very important things; the first thing it does is it shifts our education system to focus on the unique needs of every single child, making sure they have what they need to have the skills and capabilities to participate in both work and life.
The second thing it does and this is incredibly important and I can't understand any state Premier not wanting to be part of this: it for the first time, systematically calls for both the Commonwealth and the state government to be involved in the funding of public education.
Now of course the Commonwealth Government recently has been a massive contributor to public education through a series of national partnerships. What this review proposes is the Commonwealth will be involved in a systematic way and in an ongoing way.
Now if you care about public education, then it simply does not make sense to have state governments funding public education and the Commonwealth Governments fundamentally funding private education. The truth is the relative capacities of those two systems to fund will mean that one system will over time become a less well supported system.
What we need is both Commonwealth and state governments supporting the needs of every child in whatever system they happen to be in whether it's public or private. That's why we fundamentally support the principles underpinning the Gonski Review.
There's a lot of detailed work that needs to be done to land that review, there are a lot of discussions about the relative financial burden of how the system would work. I don't think it threatens the state's autonomy - their public education systems. I think you can have state autonomy over your public education and still accept the nature of the review proposed by Mr Gonski.
Thank you.
CHAMPION: Well, thanks. Well it's terrific to have the Prime Minister and the Premier out here to see the future of manufacturing in the north and I'm particularly inspired by the fact that when we talk to the workers here they tell a story of starting out doing apprenticeships in toolmaking, ending up working on highly computerised machinery and doing more on the technical side and then ending up doing more study in higher education.
That's a story I want to see replicated in the local area for kids coming out of Fremont High School or coming out of St Patrick's Technical College or coming out of the multitude of high schools that I've got in my electorate.
It's a very important story to tell. I hope you all focus on it because it's about the transformation of our manufacturing sector away from what people imagine in their minds of dark and dingy factories, towards highly technical, highly skilled, highly modern jobs for the future and when people think about jobs for the future they should think about the workers here at BAE.
Thank you.
PM: Thank you very much, we're happy to take your questions and at the conclusion I'll make some remarks about Christchurch and the anniversary today.
Yes?JOURNALIST: On the topic of manufacturing (inaudible).
PM: We're continuing to work hard with Holden on the future of Holden in this region. I understand how important Holden is here in South Australia, it's important to the nation overall and so we'll continue to work with them.
We have to do intensive work because we are looking to secure a future here. It won't be the same as the past has been, but we want it to be a strong future for Holden. So I'm not in a position to make an announcement today, but I can assure you that we are doing everything with Holden to secure them for the future.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) suspect within a couple of weeks they'll have a more certain future?
PM: Well we're working hard on bringing to conclusion what we're able to say about co-investment with Holden and about those jobs in the future.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the Premier wants to talk to you later today about the River Murray, which is an important issue. Can you give a guarantee that under the Murray Darling Basin Plan you will ensure that South Australia's interests are protected?
PM: Well the Premier has already raised with me the question of the River Murray so he hasn't let a minute go by which is understandable.
As someone who grew up in this state I understand the importance of the River Murray to South Australians and I understand the frustration that has come over years and years, decades and decades, because of the inability of our nation to get a national plan and the sense here in South Australia that being at the end of the river you are hostage to what happens further up the river. I can understand that sense of frustration.
I certainly want to assure South Australians of this: I want to see for the future the River Murray being a healthy river, the river communities being vibrant communities and us seeing sustainable food production. I want to make sure that in the future South Australian families can take their kids to the mouth of the Murray and they can see water flowing.
Now there's always going to be droughts and there's always going to be times of stress, but we need to get this right for the long term and for the future. That's what we've been working on with our independent authority, the Murray Darling Basin Authority. It has put out a plan for consultation and that should be the subject of vigorous debate and it is being the subject of vigorous debate.
But as that debate happens, certainly as Prime Minister, I'm not going to forget what I learnt as a child here in South Australia about the importance of the River Murray. Our Federal members here are constant advocates on behalf of the South Australia about the future of the river, as is the Premier.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, how do you respond to news that Simon Crean could be making a tilt at the leadership?
PM: Look I answered a wide range of these questions yesterday and I know I'm going to disappoint you but I really don't have much to add.
I'm here getting on with the job, and the job is about focussing on the future of our economy. Where are today's young people going to work? What are they going to do? What are their jobs going to look like? I want jobs to be in advanced manufacturing for our young people and I want them to go to the best schools possible so that's my focus.
JOURNALIST: The leadership issue isn't going away, Simon Crean (inaudible) the circuit breaker that's needed to make this dispute (inaudible)?
PM: Well, I've answered a wide variety of these questions and my focus is on getting on with the things that are vital for our nation's future - managing the economy today in the interests of working people as we build the new economy of tomorrow. And that's what we're talking about here.
JOURNALIST: You say you're just getting on with the job, wouldn't it be easier just to call for a spill and have it all out and then finished with?
PM: Well, once again I know I'm going to disappoint you, but I've answered these questions yesterday and the day before and I really don't have anything to add.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the comments from Doug Cameron last night on Sky News, where he was talking about ministers thrashing each other in public. What are your thoughts? What do you think of ministers criticising each other in public?
PM: I have answered these questions over the last few days. I really don't have anything to add. My focus is on getting on with the job that I need to do as Prime Minister for the nation.
JOURNALIST: Are you concerned about Colin Barnett's comments about Gonski?
PM: Look, I am concerned that Premier Barnett would somehow take a message from this major review on school funding - that it's about who controls schools - it's not about who controls schools.
States will continue to manage and run state schools. The independent schools will run themselves as they do now. The catholic education system will manage catholic schools, and overwhelmingly as we look around the nation, states, the catholic school system, independent schools are doing a great job. But we need to keep getting better. We need to keep getting better for the future.
And so it's not about taking over the management of schools. Premier Barnett in Western Australia would continue to be the leader of what happens in public education there, but it's about governments working together to get this right for the future.
JOURNALIST: Just on the River Murray, do you stand by your pledge to bring in legislation (inaudible) in this term of government?
PM: Look, we are determined to get a plan, and get it done, get it operational. That's certainly our determination.
We're at the stage now in the process where there is a plan out for consultation. That is working through until late April, and then we will be in the endgame of getting the final plan done.
So this is an important time in the development of the plan for people to have their voices heard. Certainly there are very strong South Australian voices. I'm surrounded by two of those very strong South Australian voices, and they will be continuing to put the message on behalf of South Australia, and I understand that message.
I grew up here, knowing what it was like when the River Murray was in drought; knowing what it meant for communities in the Riverland as well as for the community of Adelaide itself. I understand what it meant for all of South Australia.
JOURNALIST: Are you confident that the plan will be an environmental solution rather than a political solution?
PM: The plan - the aims here and they are threefold - we want a plan that will give us a healthy river, we want a plan that will ensure we've got vibrant river communities, and we want a plan that enables us to have sustainable food production.
JOURNALIST: Do you think the plan as it stands (inaudible) are in the best interests of getting agreement on the plan?
PM: I'll turn to the Premier who might want to make some comments, and I'll say something afterwards. Thank you.
WEATHERILL: What I've always said is that we're not ruling out any of the rights that we may have. I've also said at the same time we're participating in a process that is going to lead to the establishment of a plan, so we're not yet at the end of that process, we're participating in that process in good faith.
I was asked whether I ruled out taking a challenge to the High Court, and I said I don't and I said that we believe that we have rights in relation to the waters that come from the upstream states downstream. A pretty fundamental proposition is that if you're upstream you can't deplete the water such that people downstream can't enjoy the benefits of the waters and enjoy a healthy environment.
So that's been our position. It's consistently our position but we're working in good faith through the process and will continue to strongly advocate South Australia's position.
JOURNALIST: Premier, you've said you'd like to see the Federal Labor leadership issue sorted out, and given you've got the Prime Minister here, what would your advice be to the Prime Minister?
WEATHERILL: I'm not going to be distracted by these questions; I've got many more important things to talk about than media speculation about the Federal Labor leadership.
We've been talking about advanced manufacturing, about the river, we have a whole range of very important decisions in relation to the Defence industry, in particular the new submarine project that is of vital importance to South Australia so they're the things that I'm interested in and they're the things I'll be speaking to the Prime Minister about.
JOURNALIST: But do you think the current Labor leadership crisis is distracting from those issues at the moment?
WEATHERILL: It's not distracting me.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, how was the dinner last night?
PM: I enjoyed it.
JOURNALIST: There was no meat on the menu?
PM: No, well there was fish on the menu, so people ate fish. People ate vegetables, we obviously responded to requests about particular dietary needs as people put them in.
JOURNALIST: Has it impacted on your opposition at all to same-sex marriage.
PM: Look my position's clear, and we will in the Labor Party, have a conscience vote on this issue as we determined to do at National Conference.
JOURNALIST: So just on the issue of the legal challenge, do you think it is helpful for reaching an agreement on the Murray Darling Basin Plan?
PM: I think the Premier's just dealt with that issue. We are working to get a plan that will meet all of the objectives that we know we need to meet for the future of the Murray and for the best interest of our nation.
We've had the Murray Darling Basin Authority working independently of government and that's appropriate. Guided by science and that's appropriate. Now people can have their views heard because there is this period of consultation.
But we do want to get to an outcome here that sees us have a healthy river. That's what South Australians want to see, a healthy River Murray and what they want to see is a national plan so that there is an understanding about conduct up and down the river rather than South Australians just bearing the brunt of conduct that happens upstream over which they have no influence.
JOURNALIST: Do you support the possibility of legal action or not?
PM: Well I think the Premier's just made it clear that he's taken an approach of not ruling that out, but clearly still taking that approach of working to get an outcome - a plan that meets the needs of South Australia and the nation overall.
JOURNALIST: Do you promise that there will be a plan in this term of government?
PM: That's right, we are delivering as we said we would.
Yes there have been some times here that we've needed to get extra time in for consultation and so you're seeing that play out now, and then the next stages will come to fruition exactly as we've always said they would. There will be a final plan and then we will move to the stage of legislation.
JOURNALIST: Do you think as it stands the plan is unfair to South Australian interests?
PM: Look, I think the best thing is for people to have their voices heard. If I am seen to prejudge this debate I don't think that's fair to anyone. We will go through the process with the independent authority as we said we would.
JOURNALIST: On a daily basis there are calls from your colleagues to resolve this leadership problem. I know that you've said you've responded to this, but is it the case that you're sticking your head in the sand and not dealing with this?
PM: Look, the case is that I have responded to it and I'm here talking about the future of our economy and also the future of schools.
JOURNALIST: Peter Beattie says it's another day, another leadership challenge. What are the problems with the Labor caucus? That's what he's asking, what are the problems with the Labor caucus.
PM: Well I'll refer you to all of my other answers. So if that's the end of questions, I'll just make a statement about Christchurch.
It's a year since our New Zealand friends had to live through the shattering devastation that we saw in Christchurch.
185 people lost their lives. I think we all remember seeing those images come through our television screens and the scenes of devastation in Christchurch, particularly in its CBD.
I've had the opportunity to go to Christchurch since - I was there for a memorial service. I met with some of the Australian Emergency Services personnel and police who went to help. I met with some of the local community, and I toured a very eerie CBD. It had been cordoned off, it wasn't safe for people to go into, and buildings had been marked for demolition. Some of them already rubble, some of them so structurally unsound they were going to have to be demolished.
It's hard in words to convey what that picture was like, a CBD with no one working in it. A CBD with no one on the streets; a CBD full of damaged buildings with more marked for demolition.
It was a very, very tough time for our New Zealand family.
As is the Aussie way, in that tough time we extended to them all of our support, and I think today Australians will want to mark this one year by thinking about our New Zealand family and how far they've come during this twelve months, but how much more needs to happen.
The people of Christchurch have suffered ten thousand aftershocks since this major earthquake; it's pretty hard to imagine that too. Having lived through such a major earthquake, then day after day feeling the tremors again with all of the stresses and strain that comes with that.
So, our thoughts are with New Zealanders today, with the people of Christchurch, as they mark this very solemn anniversary and as they dedicate themselves to the rest of the rebuilding that needs to be done in that very beautiful city.
Thank you very much.