4 August 1999
E&OE………………………………………………………………………………………
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Good try. We’ll have a look at the committee’s report on Monday. What you want in a question is something that is factual and truthfully represents what the people are being asked to support. But you are not going to get me into any sort of speculation about speculation about possible recommendations. We’ll have a look at it. The words we put in before were pretty straightforward and honest but we’ll have a look at what the committee had to say. I can assure the Australian public that the question they’ll be asked to vote on will truthfully reflect the change which is being put to them.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Costello thinks [inaudible]…
PRIME MINISTER:
Good try.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible] What do you think the democrats will….
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look, I am not going to start speculating about that. Look, people know I’m not going to speculate on that.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
The Government will see to it that the question that is put truthfully represents the change which the people are being asked to embrace. The question should not contain argument, it should be a simply factual statement of the change contemplated. But I am not going to in advance of Cabinet having a look at this, I am not going to start getting into debate on this or that or alternative propositions.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible] also seemed to suggest that Peter Reith…[inaudible]..
PRIME MINISTER:
Another question.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, the discussions were very good. He gave me a detailed run down on what is in the report. We will now at a Cabinet level have a look at it and decide how we are going to handle it. We want to get on with the job of responding to the report quickly. It’s the next big step. The Treasurer and I will be having a number of discussions over the next week to work out between ourselves how we handle it, we will then be going to Cabinet. I can inform the business community that we will respond quickly to Mr Ralph’s recommendations. We do want to change the tax system. There will be changes made to the capital gains tax system, for example, we will be endeavouring to make our whole tax system less complicated and more competitive to encourage greater investment in Australia. And we don’t want to unduly delay the process of responding. One more question then I better go.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, [inaudible]…referendum question on the preamble?
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s still under discussion Michael. Thank you.
[ends]