E&OE...................................................................................................
[Tape begins] Well the election result is due overwhelmingly to a
decision made about State political issues. I congratulate Mr Carr.
I will work constructively with him as Prime Minister and Premier
over the next few years. I commiserate with Mrs Chikarovski. I think
over the four-year period the Australian public, the New South Wales'
public made a judgement that the Labor Party ought to be returned.
And I do agree with Mr Carr that this campaign was fought overwhelmingly
on State political issues.
JOURNALIST:
Do you agree with Mr Kennett that (inaudible) Mrs Chikarovski should
resign?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven't heard that he said that. And can I say that in
the wake of an election result it's always necessary that people
take a deep breath and they seriously examine why certain results
occur. I think the reality is that oppositions have got to develop
policies over a period of years. You can't just conjure them
up in the last few weeks.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think the Coalition would have done better under Peter Collins'
leadership?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think you can assert that at all. But they decided to
change leaders so it's a hypothetical question.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Nogarotto should be sacked in the opinion of Mr Kennett, do you
share that view?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, six months ago people hailed the Coalition result in New South
Wales as being the main reason why my Government was returned. I think
it's very important that we don't blame the organisation.
I don't think it's the fault of the Liberal Party organisation
that we lost; I think collective responsibility lies with the parliamentary
party here in New South Wales a collective responsibility,
and I'm sure that they understand that and I'm sure they're
going to set about to do something to change things but, they have
to do that over a period of four years. You can't do a little
over a few years and then imagine in the last few weeks you can turn
things around. Politics is not like that.
JOURNALIST:
Were there too many gaffes, were there too many....?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm not going to give a running commentary on the style of the
campaign.
JOURNALIST:
Were you happy with the way the campaign went?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think that is a matter for others to comment on. All I can say to
the NSW organisation is that it performed magnificently and I agree
with what Mr Carr said there were areas of Sydney like Menai
and Penrith that voted overwhelmingly for the Liberal Party six months
ago in the federal election and they voted with equal strength for
the Labor Party yesterday, and what that indicates very clearly is
that this was an election fought on State issues, and on entirely
different issues and you cannot blame the organisation....[inaudible]....
[ends]