"TONY JONES: Alright, now president Ramos Horta told us last night that he'd want assistance for asylum seekers to get temporary jobs so that they wouldn't sit idly in a centre as prisoners. Is that something Australia is prepared to help them with?
JULIA GILLARD: Well certainly we're prepared to have discussions about all aspects of this regional processing centre. I'm someone who's got a big belief, Tony, as a life time belief in the benefits and dignity of work. I think that's true in Australia, I would say, that well truly here to the Australian people that ...
TONY JONES: But do you know what the unemployment rate in East Timor is? It's 40 per cent, 20 per cent in the urban areas. I mean how are the East Timorese going to feel about Australians providing jobs to asylum seekers in their country?
JULIA GILLARD: Well, Tony, you're putting to me something that the president of East Timor said to you. So he obviously believes it has benefits. Do I believe that, you know, work has benefits for people? Well, of course I do, in our own country of Australia, I would say one of my greatest obligations as Prime Minister is to keep the economy strong so it can offer people the benefit of jobs and work with the pay packet that comes and the self-dignity that comes.
TONY JONES: You're talking about Australia now and we were talking about jobs for asylum seekers in East Timor.
JULIA GILLARD: So I think....(blah, blah, blah..)"
Has this woman has lost the plot or am I missing something?
