PENNY WONG, ACTING LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Can I first start by saying something to the workers at Holden where we have just seen an announcement today, giving the date for the ceasing of production here in Adelaide.
This must be a very difficult day for the - some thousand workers who will stay on until the end. That is obviously on top of those who have already lost their jobs. We are thinking of you. We know that this is a tough day. And certainly Federal Labor will do all we can to work with the State Government and the Federal Government to ensure a decent transition for you and your families. We want jobs here in South Australia. That's why we stood up so strongly for the submarines.
It is a reminder, of course, and every South Australian remembers Joe Hockey standing on the floor of the House of Representatives, goading Holden to leave. And no South Australian will ever forget that.
I will just finish and then I will go to questions.
I will now turn to the Prime Minister's announcement today.
Well, just two weeks in to 2017 and Malcolm Turnbull's already lost a minister. And Sussan Ley's done what she should have done a week ago and she's done what Malcolm Turnbull was too weak to get her to do a weak ago. And yet again, we see today Mr Turnbull's weakness. He wouldn't even tell the Australian people what the findings were of the very investigation he commissioned.
Now remember that on Monday, he stood up and he told everybody he had this strong investigation, this investigation into his minister's conduct.Well, he now won't even tell you what that investigation
found. He doesn't want to answer any questions about it. I think the question Mr Turnbull was very anxious to avoid today was what's changed? What's changed between Monday and Friday? Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Will you still push ahead with a Federal anti-corruption watchdog?
WONG: Look, I want to say first about the Prime Minister's announcement today. Labor's up for reform of Parliamentarians' work expenses. We've made that clear.
We do note the Prime Minister's been sitting on the report, the Conde review, which did recommended some very substantial changes to these expenses for some 300 days, but in principle, we welcome his proposals today and we're happy to work with him on reform of workplace - of work expenses for politicians.I think the country and the people clearly expect it.
On a commission against corruption, an anti-corruption body, what we've said is we are prepared to look at it. We're prepared to have a very thorough look at the existing bodies, that deal with corruption federally, and to look whether or not there are any gaps which need to be filled. And we're keen to see the Senate inquiry reconvened on that.
JOURNALIST: Bill Shorten said that Labor was looking at similar kind of measures. What kind of organisation specifically are you looking at?
WONG: Well look, the Prime Minister's made an announcement about an independent body. In addition to implementing the recommendations of the review that we have been calling for, what I'm - I will say as acting leader is we give in principle support to the Prime Minister's announcement. We will work with him to get a strong and effective set of reforms for Parliamentarians' expenses.
JOURNALIST: Who would you want to head up that?
WONG: Well, I think that is a matter that needs some discussion. I note that the Prime Minister has made some announcements about the sorts of people who should be included but let's say this - I think Australians do want wholesale reform of this area, and they certainly will want this body overseen by someone they have trust in.
JOURNALIST: How dire is this situation with Holden's closure? Obviously we knew it was coming but the announcement today - just how dire is that for our state?
WONG: Look, what we have to focus on is two things; we have to focus on ensuring that those workers get the best opportunity to get other jobs, that they get supported for training, for employment services to get into other work. And we have to focus on making sure that the submarines and our shipbuilding yards are full. It is regrettable that the Government chose to send a couple of supply ship contracts offshore - that's had consequences for work here in Adelaide and we have got to keep working as an opposition to stand - as we will - to stand up for South Australian jobs.
JOURNALIST: In the Northern Suburbs, unemployment is particularly an issue (inaudible). What can be done in light of the announcement today?
WONG: As I said, we have got to first look after those workers, make sure they get the best chance of getting other jobs, getting employment services, retraining if required. We've also got to focus on making sure that our advanced manufacturing sector, centred around our defence industries, grows and is healthy. And again, it was extremely disappointing for all South Australians that the Government chose to send a couple of supply ship contracts out of Australia.
JOURNALIST: Can I just ask another question on a tribunal?
WONG: Sure.
JOURNALIST: Why did the former Labor Government not pursue such an idea?
WONG: Well, we did engage in a number of reforms, including in relation to transparency of politicians' work expenses, but I think what the recent events have shown is that more needs to be done and we're happy to work with the Government on doing more.
JOURNALIST: Sussan Ley posted on Twitter only 20 minutes ago, a letter to the Prime Minister still insisting that she has done nothing wrong. What do you have to say about that?
WONG: That's inconsistent with what the Prime Minister and Ms Ley said on Monday, where I think both of them had agreed that her conduct was not consistent with the high standards expected of a minister and I think that is the judgement of the Australian people.
But if Ms Ley is saying that, then the question for the Prime Minister is, 'well, your minister says she has done nothing wrong, so explain to us on what basis, therefore, she has resigned?'. Which really comes back to the point I was making - he ought to release the findings of his own secretary's investigation, the one that he commissioned just a few days ago.
Anything else? Thanks, all.