E&OE...............................................
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, a boost for Nowra?
PRIME MINISTER:
A huge boost for the whole Shoalhaven district. People have waited
decades for this announcement and the Federal Government has declared
it a road of national importance. It will be a huge boost to the tourist
industry. It's a massive infrastructure project for the whole
district. And it's just an example of our commitment to regional
Australia.
JOURNALIST:
How much money will it cost and when can you see it...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think the figures being kicked around at the moment are in
the order of
$60 million to $70 million. But we haven't precisely battened
that down. We'll get it started as soon as possible.
JOURNALIST:
You talked about carers today and how important the Government is
taking their role. What sort of priority will you make that in the
budget?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we do attach a very high priority to it and we are looking at
a range of options which could involve further assistance. And I guess
it's a case of, watch this space.
JOURNALIST:
Why is it so important to give this assistance?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, because they are people who are genuinely in need of help. You
often have cases of parents in their 60s, even 70s, who are looking
after, in very difficult circumstances, adult children who have profound
handicaps. They get a lot of help at the moment but not enough and
we're looking at ways of giving them some more help.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, there were some murmurs in there of disagreement when
you talked about Telstra. Do you think that there's a real concern
in the bush that perhaps they may be hard done by if you sell the
whole of Telstra?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, they won't be hard done by. You can't have 100 per
cent on anything but I can assure the bush that there'll be guarantees
galore to protect their position when the rest of Telstra is allowed
into Australian hands.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, how important is the seat of Gilmore to your re-election?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, the seat of Gilmore is very important but every seat is important.
Joanna Gash is an outstanding local member. And what has really impressed
itself upon me today, as I've gone around, is everybody thinks
she's doing a terrific job. She will hold the seat of Gilmore
and she'll hold it largely because of her own efforts, plus,
of course, the impact of the Government's policies.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, you're well over-schedule here today. Is this
the beginning of the election campaign?
PRIME MINISTER:
You never stop campaigning when you're a Prime Minister. You
never, ever stop campaigning and it goes on. And I guess this sort
of thing will go on for quite some time. I might, in passing, note
that I saw a very, in the context of campaigning, a very interesting
observation from Mr Beazley yesterday. He said that the Labor Party,
if it were to win the next election, was not necessarily committed
to reversing all of the cuts that we had made. Well, that's an
act of monumental hypocrisy. He's opposed everything we've
done. But what he's now saying is that he wants the luxury of
having it both ways. He wants the political kudos from interest groups
of opposing decisions we've taken but he doesn't want to
be bound to reversing those decisions. He should be consistent and
honest. And if he is not prepared to reverse decisions that we've
taken, then he shouldn't oppose them. For example, the higher
education charges - he opposed those tooth and nail. Is he going to
reverse those changes if he wins the election? He opposed the waiting
period for migrants. Is he going to reverse that if he wins the election?
I think the list goes on. He ought to be consistent. If he opposes
something, he ought to commit himself to reversing it in government.
If he's not prepared to reverse it in government, he shouldn't
be a hypocrite and oppose it. He's trying to have it both ways
and I think the Australian public will see through the sheer hypocrisy
of that.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, there's been quite a bit of talk in recent years about
the possibility of some of the facilities at Richmond closing down,
the RAAF facilities, and coming down here. Is that on the agenda?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it's not on the immediate agenda, no. I mean, you can never
emphatically rule anything out as far as the location of defence assets
is concerned. But it is not something that is immediately on the agenda.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, a very good response from the residents at the retirement
village today. How do you read that in terms of your aged care policies?
Are those people accepting of them...
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, yes...I was told today that there is very ready acceptance of
the accommodation charges. People see that as reasonable and fair
and equitable. They recognise that if people are in a position to
make a slightly larger contribution that previously then they should
do so. I think the changes are bedding down very well and people recognise
that we've tried to do the right thing and that's the reason
why we got a very warm reception.
JOURNALIST:
Does it reinforce your belief that you were right to make the tinkering
at the edges on that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, absolutely. I have no doubt that the decision that I took to get
rid of the bonds was the right decision. I've never been reluctant
to take the view that if you believe you've got to change a decision,
then you ought to be upfront, bold and make the change and get on
to the next thing. And I did that in relation to nursing homes and
I'm quite certain it was the right decision.
Thank you.
[Ends]