Prime Minister Tony Abbott has faced a wide range of questions from The Australian's Paul Kelly and Greg Sheridan in an exclusive interview for Sky News.
On the issue of funding for tertiary education, the PM says he's committed to the government's university reform package and expects the Senate to see sense on the issue.
Mr Abbott said this was very important to universities which needed to be liberated if they wanted to be amongst the best in the world.
He said failure of this reform would seriously impede the universities.'This is a reform which has already been adjusted somewhat in the process of bringing it thus far.
But the reform as adjusted is one we stand by,' he said.'I am expecting that the Senate will see sense because just about every vice-chancellor is campaigning for this.
'The government plans to press ahead with its universities reform package in the Senate next week. It's now stalled in the face of strong opposition from Labor and the Greens.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne is still seeking to persuade crossbench senators.
The plan would deregulate university fees, which Labor says will lead to $100,000 degreesMr Abbott said just one Australian university was now ranked in the world's top 50.
'Why not try to get two in the top 20.
Unless we take the dead hand of Canberra away that is going to be extremely difficult,' he said.The wide-ranging interview also touched on the government's attempts to reform pension indexation, with the prime minister again conveying his commitment to the policy.
He said pensions would still rise twice a year and over the long term the rate of pension growth was expected to be lower. 'We have put a proposition on the table. It's a tough proposition but I believe it's a necessary proposition,' Mr Abbott said.
The PM said in order to keep paying pensions the system had to be sustainable.'At the moment there are about five working age people for every retirement age person,' he said.
By 2055, there would be less than three working people age people for every retirement age person.
That was unless changes were made, including raising the pension age and changing pension indexation.
On the impending execution of Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Mr Abbott claims that the less said on the subject right now, the better the prospects for a reprieve.
The prime minister said there was always hope that Indonesian president Joko Widodo would change his mind the death sentence.
But he said he shouldn't speculate on how strong that hope was.
'I am inclined to think that after everything that has been said in recent weeks, probably now the less said the better if we want the best possible outcome for these two Australians,' he told Sky News.
Mr Abbott said the two appeared to be as rehabilitated and repentant as serious drug criminals could be.
'It would be a real pity if these executions did go ahead,' he said.Mr Abbott said there would be a real issue for Indonesia if it proceeded with death sentences on those on death row, which includes at least 40 foreigners
http://www.theshovel.com.au/2014/11/04/i-occasionally-eat-coal-admits-abbott/
