E&OE................................................................................................
PRIME MINISTER:
This is a very important day for the lower Hunter region, particularly
with the announcement that the early warning aircraft under the banner
of No. 2 Squadron, one of the great battle squadrons of the RAAF,
will be located here in Williamtown. That's another $50 million
of infrastructure, another 200 RAAF personnel, another 80 local contractors.
When you add that to the huge investment of several hundred million
dollars represented by the Hawk Lead-in Fighter Project it does represent
a massive injection of jobs, of money and commitment to the lower
Hunter region. And it's an indication of the practical commitment
of the Coalition Government to the future of Newcastle and to the
future of the lower Hunter region. The best way to help the region
is to bring it lasting jobs, to bring it investment, to bring it resources
and we have done that and we've done it very significantly.
JOURNALIST:
Upgrading the base like this, does that put pressure on the airport
here to [inaudible]...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look, that's something that belongs to question and answer
at a later time. We're waiting on the outcome of the EIS in relation
to Badgery's Creek and until I get that I'm not going to
answer questions about hypothetical alternatives.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, [inaudible] reference this morning to risk in defence
projects. Was that particular reference to submarines or is there
something else?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don't remember using the word risk' in my
entire speech.
JOURNALIST:
With this being such a significant region so many car plants here,
do you think that the Carr Government should come clean on their policy
about what they plan to do with electricity in this State?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, that's a fairly old argument but I made a predication a
couple of weeks ago that some time in the life of the re-elected Labor
government in New South Wales it would get around to privatising electricity.
It should because it's a sensible long-term policy but I don't
think it will happen for a few months.
JOURNALIST:
When do you expect it to happen?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I predict it will happen some time in the next four years.
JOURNALIST:
On Kosovo a Yugoslav foreign ministry official on radio this
morning was saying it might help Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace if
Australia began to speak out against a NATO campaign. Is that something
that you'd consider at all?
PRIME MINISTER:
You've got to remember who they are. You've got to remember
what they were doing in Kosovo. They weren't soldiers. They were
humanitarian workers. They were looking after people irrespective
of their race. They weren't engaged in racial persecution. They
were engaged in humanitarian work. And their entitlement to release
and their right to proper treatment derives from who they are and
what they were doing, not on the basis of a political posture taken
by the government of their home country. The obligation that the Yugoslav
Government has to treat these men well and to let them go derives
from that, who they are, what they were doing. They weren't soldiers.
They weren't fighting anybody. They were helping people. And
in those circumstances it is quite outrageous that conditions be imposed,
political conditions, be imposed on their release.
JOURNALIST:
How would you describe the Yugoslav's official comments this
morning?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think I've answered the question appropriately. It's
important in these circumstances to speak carefully but firmly, to
understand the sensitivities, to respect, as I do, the personal anguish
and trauma of the families associated with the two men, to keep reminding
the Australian public and the Yugoslav Government that they weren't
soldiers. They weren't trying to hurt anybody. They were only
trying to help people. And it seems quite inhumane that people who
are there to do a mercy mission, so to speak, should be treated unfairly.
JOURNALIST:
Do you have a response to Jeff Kennett's republican preamble?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, my pulse rate remains stable.
JOURNALIST:
And the absence of God' in the preamble, what do you think
on that?
PRIME MINISTER:
My pulse rate remains stable.
JOURNALIST:
On the GST, you've even Stan Wallis calling for an increase in
the compensation package. Does that influence you at all [inaudible]...?
PRIME MINISTER:
I heard Stan this morning. I thought Stan was on all fore's with
the Government. And he says that it would be crazy and a huge mistake
to take out food. He said that some fine-tuning, that was the expression
he used, I actually recall him using that on numerous occasions.
JOURNALIST:
Would you agree with fine-tuning [inaudible]...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, no that's putting words into my mouth, Rafael. We have always
said that if some fine-tuning were needed we'd be willing to
do it. And along the pathway already there's been a bit of fine-tuning.
The Treasurer's made a number of announcements. But you're
not going to get me, sort of, looking at crystal balls over the next
couple of months. We have a package. It's been endorsed by the
Australian people. And I notice this morning, and Mr Beazley has,
in effect, said that they will try and stop it but if it gets through
they'll then look at what changes they need to make. You can
deconstruct that. And you hear Mr Beazley saying, well, we don't
have the guts to reform the tax system but if somebody else does,
we're happy to get the benefit and we'll just do a bit nipping
and tucking at the edges.
JOURNALIST:
Is that any different to their stand through the campaign?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, equally lacking in, what do they call it, something or other.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, the consumer [inaudible] figures yesterday had economists
saying that the surplus could rise to $8 billion and the economic
forecast could also increase...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I'm not going to start speculating about what the surplus
will be. That will be announced by the Treasurer on budget night.
The economy is doing well. It's doing well because we've
run it well and because the Australian people have responded to our
policies. The economic strength Australia enjoys at the present time
more than anything is due to the commitment of the Australian people,
of Australian employees, of Australian companies, of Australian businessmen
and women. They have responded to the good economic conditions provided
by government policies. But you can have good policies but if your
people don't respond you don't get the benefit. And I believe
the first prize ought to go to the Australian people, to workers,
to businessmen and women alike for the commitment they've made
to the economic growth of Australia over the last three years.
JOURNALIST:
Could we get a comment, perhaps, on Malaysia and Anwar's [inaudible]...?
PRIME MINISTER:
They only comment I would make is that plainly this has been no ordinary
trial. Plainly the world was disturbed that Anwar has been treated
in a particular fashion because of a political dispute. And I say
as Prime Minister of a country that is very friendly towards Malaysia,
the eyes of the world are on Malaysia, the appeal process must be
utterly transparent and it must appear to be utterly transparent.
I don't pretend to put myself in the place of the judicial tribunals
of that country but I do know that this is no ordinary situation and
the people have every reason to be concerned about the lurch towards
authoritarianism in that country. I am concerned about Malaysia because
it's a close ally. It's part of the Asian-Pacific region.
We have very good links with Malaysia. We've educated tens of
thousands of citizens of Malaysia and we want to continue that association.
Anwar is the number two political figure in that country. I just hope
that the trial is conducted in an utterly transparent fashion.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think that trial will be utterly transparent?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven't been there and it's very difficult for me
to sit in judgement and I wouldn't normally comment on the outcome
of a trial of a person in another the country. The fact that I and
the fact that you're asking me these questions indicates that
it's been no ordinary situation and it would be unrealistic for
me to determine that it were an ordinary situation and to hide behind
this sort of no comment' wall. I just say that it's
in Malaysia's interests for the world to be completely satisfied
that the appeal is transparent and importantly that it appears transparent.
Now, I can't and won't say any more than that.
JOURNALIST:
What about the ASEAN, most of the ASEAN nations accept that the Philippines
have had a no comment approach. Would the region be better off that
they said....?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don't pitch my comments, as you know, in relation to
Malaysia or my attitudes according to what other countries do.
JOURNALIST:
Would it be better for the region if they said something?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, the region can do what it wants to do. Australia will, as always,
condition its responses according to Australia's interests and
the principles that we see involved. We are an open, democratic society.
We value the rule of law and the transparency that is involved in
the operation of the rule of law and that's a very important
consideration for Australia. Thank you.
[ends]