E&OE....................................................................................................
BARTLETT:
Prime Minister, we know you're on a very tight schedule and we
appreciate your time.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I've had an opportunity of seeing the extent of the devastation.
It is a miracle that nobody lost their life or was seriously injured.
And the spirit the people are displaying is typical of the way Australians
respond in difficult situations. The Premier and I have announced
today a special trust fund of $10 million to which each government
is contributing half, over and above the normal arrangements that
operate in natural disaster situations. Furthermore, the Federal Government
is going to give, on an ex-gratia basis, $1000 per adult in a household
that's been either, had its home destroyed or severely damaged,
and $200 for each child. Now, these announcements are in addition
to the normal arrangements that apply and we'll continue to monitor
and assess the situation. I'm filled with admiration for the
work of the special State emergency services and the police and the
defence forces that have been flying people in and out and bringing
in fresh water and bringing in power generators. So they all really
worked together quite magnificently.
BARTLETT:
Now, it's a bit hard to estimate what the final damage bill will
be, Prime Minister, but some people are talking in terms of $50 million.
PRIME MINISTER:
You can't estimate it at this stage. I just don't know and
it will be some weeks before we know. And, of course, many of the
losses will be covered by private insurance. And I've urged the
insurance companies to be generous and I also expect, and the Federal
Government expects, the banks to be reasonable and fair and accommodating
particularly to small businesses who've lost their capacity to
operate and lost their cashflow and, therefore, their capacity to
service loans.
BARTLETT:
No guarantee they will be so forthcoming though, is there?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think there is a community expectation and I'm not suggesting
they won't be but I want to make it very clear that the Government
expects them to be.
BARTLETT:
All right. Now, is it time that we started thinking about a natural
disasters fund so that in actual fact we had a pool of money for when
these dreadful natural disasters take place?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we do. We have one now. We have a standing arrangement which
comes into operation immediately. And adding something called a natural
disaster fund wouldn't make anything any easier or any better.
In fact, the present arrangements, because they are in a sense ad
hoc, they're better because you can adjust them according to
the circumstances of each situation.
BARTLETT:
We've had some people suggesting that maybe we should have natural
disaster lotteries from time to time to build up a bank, if you like,
so that this money can be distributed when it's needed.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well look, the real test is whether when something happens, is the
necessary assistance and help available. Now, clearly in this case
there's been an immediate response from both governments and
that will continue to be the attitude of the Federal Government. And
I know the State government joins these situations. So the important
thing is is whether present arrangements work and present arrangements
do work because they're flexible and they're instantaneous.
BARTLETT:
All right, just getting on to another topic quickly before we let
you go Kosovo. You've now backed the NATO air strikes
that began this morning. Is that unreserved support, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, of course it's unreserved support for what they're
doing because they've tried very hard to persuade Milosevic to
adopt a more reasonable stance and I don't think the NATO countries
had any alternative. There aren't any Australian forces involved
or likely, for that matter, to be involved, indeed, they won't
be because it's a NATO operation. But there is no alternative
and history has taught us that if you don't behave in these circumstances
in the way NATO has behaved you pay a fairly heavy price later on.
BARTLETT:
If there was ever a request made would you be prepared to deploy Australian
troops?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, there has been no request made. There is not likely to be a
request made and, therefore, that is a completely hypothetical question.
BARTLETT:
All right. And just finally, the preamble is continuing to draw comment
today, Prime Minister. Now we see your colleague, Jeff Kennett, questioning
the need for the preamble saying it could divert attention away from
the republic issue.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven't seen Mr Kennett's comments. I've been
travelling about Exmouth and responding to the difficulties of people
here is far more important to me today than the preamble, important
though that may be.
BARTLETT:
Indeed it is but when your fellow Liberal colleagues start to criticise
it, doesn't it cause you some concern?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I'm not really focussing on that issue today.
BARTLETT:
Okay. You are prepared to make some minor changes to the preamble,
though, we understand.
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm about to get on a helicopter. I'll see you later.
BARTLETT:
Thank you, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Bye bye.
[ends]