JULIA GILLARD: I am happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Unemployment figures out, figures slightly up in March. Are you worried about that?
JULIA GILLARD: The employment market is incredibly strong; it's near 33 year highs. We know employment is strong across the country. We know that skills are short and what we've got to do is make sure we are investing in skills and training. So the Government's agenda is to keep employment strong; we want Australians who want to work to have the opportunity to work. To increase people's work readiness we want to invest in skills and training that we know employers need and are crying out for. That's why we are investing in 450,000 new training places. But these are pleasing employment figures.
JOURNALIST: But if they are slightly up is there, do have any particular reason why that would happen, or any idea on why that would happen?
JULIA GILLARD: Clearly we've seen an interest rate increase; we inherited a high inflation environment from the previous government. A further interest rate increase has occurred; we know that that interest rate increase has obviously impacted on Australians. We know that the environment for many working families is very, very tight indeed. But we inherited a high inflation environment; the Government's economic policies are about fighting inflation. We want to put downwards pressure on inflation so we can put downwards pressure on interest rates. Amongst the important things to do to put downwards pressure on inflation and interest rates is invest in the skills of our community and we are doing that through the 450,000 training places. But the employment numbers today show that employment is still very, very strong.
JOURNALIST: Of those areas of social inclusion you've highlighted, which of those do you see as being priorities to look at first?
JULIA GILLARD: One of the things with this agenda, about social inclusion, is we need to recognise the interconnections. As I said in my speech, we need to look at issues like homelessness but we need to understand that homelessness is connected to lack of employment opportunities, to lack of family stability, perhaps for some drug and alcohol problems. So we need to be working on a whole range of fronts. That's why we are bringing together as a government the key portfolios that can make a practical difference to people's lives; health, housing, education, social welfare policies, employment policies, all of these work together to make a difference. We are bringing them together so our responses are coordinated and we are not just offering disadvantaged individuals' one disconnected program but offering them a real solution.
JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]
JULIA GILLARD: Well the Government has signalled an intention to invest in those areas where I think all Australians would be concerned. If you look at the area of homelessness; I do genuinely believe Australians would be disturbed to know that 22,000 teenagers' experiencing homelessness and I think Australians having heard that would want us to put a priority on it, and we have with an investment of $150 million. So we are prepared to make better choices with the Federal Budget about investing in areas of need and we want to see every dollar invested working as hard as it can. And that's about reviewing for effectiveness and performance in every program and redesigning programs as necessary to get the best possible results.
JOURNALIST: The IMF report came out saying that Australia should escape being dragged into the recession with America. How much credence does the Government put into that?
JULIA GILLARD: I think my colleague, the Treasurer, Wayne Swan has made the Government's response to the IMF report very clear. Clearly, there is uncertainty in global financial markets. One of the key reasons for the Prime Minister's trip has been to talk to world leaders about uncertainty in global financial markets. We live in a globalised economy, a globalised world and so uncertainty in financial markets globally does impact upon this country. But as the Treasurer has also made clear Australia is positioned to deal with these challenges and we are dealing with these challenges and particularly with the challenge of inflation.
JOURNALIST: One more. Ten has been approached by members of the Sydney discovery group and some families [inaudible] to your office about the Cole report and wondering whether the report will be able to access all articles, including secret articles being held by ASIO. Can you give that kind of guarantee?
JULIA GILLARD: For the inquiry that is being conducted by His Honour, Terrance Cole, this is the inquiry into the circumstances of the sinking of the HMAS Sydney. Terrance Cole is involved a scoping study to work out the powers and resources that will be needed to get this job done. So this is an area were we are awaiting Terrance Cole's advice. That scoping study is in progress now.
JOURNALIST: Well I suppose the concern is, it always happens with these things when you have got families involved, there's always talk of a cover up. I suppose people are wondering if the government will give a guarantee of sorts, there won't be a cover up 66 years down the line?
JULIA GILLARD: The fact that the Government has announced that Terrance Cole will lead a commission of inquiry into the circumstances of the sinking of the HMAS Sydney shows that this is a government that wants the full history, the full truth to be told. We want it to be discovered, we have got a man who is expert that discovery for us and we will take his advice on what powers and resources he needs to get the job done.
JOURNALIST: The Olympic Torch Relay has turned into a bit of a farce in San Francisco today. Do you think it should come here?
JULIA GILLARD: The Olympic Torch is due to come here; it will be met by the Minister for Sport, my colleague Kate Ellis. We of course will attend to security arrangements for the torch domestically.