E&OE................................................................................................
I'm happy to answer any questions, perhaps I'll just say
on matters health, I note with particular interest the comments of
the Premier on AM this morning, Jeff Kennett, and his praise of the
$300 private health insurance initiative. We are off to a flying start
with that initiative. The private health insurance funds are receiving
new applications. It's a major breakthrough. It will enhance
choice and ultimately enhance service and it is good and correct policy.
The Federal Government is delighted with the rate of early take-up
and we encourage people to avail themselves by the various methods
of the $300 breakthrough in every $1,000 of premium which is now in
place, and as Michael Wooldridge has pointed out is going to be pushed
very strongly over this next few weeks period.
JOURNALIST:
But Mr Kennett says that that is just tinkering at the edges. Should
Medicare be dismantled?
FISCHER:
I refer you to all that he said in AM this morning. I am not going
to dwell on that matter. It is something which there can always be
consideration of ways of improving things. That's what a vigorous
democracy is about. We promised the $300 breakthrough, we have delivered
that private health insurance breakthrough. What will help improve
things is to further expand the take-up rate. So I urge people as
they get a chance to think about things post-New Year and Christmas
break to look again and take up the private health insurance incentive.
JOURNALIST:
Sounds like you are not ruling out dismantling Medicare. Can you give
an assurance.....
FISCHER:
Medicare stays absolutely. No qualification on that whatsoever. That
was creative thinking on your behalf on a very hot day here in Canberra.
JOURNALIST:
Are you too scared, as Mr Kennett said, to dismantle Medicare?
FISCHER:
I say that the Government's policy is that Medicare stays, absolutely,
and I am not going to do other than get on with the task of encouraging
the next best thing as we enter this new year and that is the take-up
rate on private health insurance.
I note there's one other thing floating around this morning on
the opening of the Olympics. A country does not change the timing
of its constitutional change to fit into the programme and timetable
of a particular, albeit very major sporting event, the Olympics. It
is well known that it was back in 1994 that John Howard expressed
the view, the Government's view of this day, that the Prime Minister
of the day whoever he or she might be should carry out that opening.
But there's a second element to this which I just want to highlight.
If the referendum is carried in a majority of States and in the nation
overall and there's no certainty of that. I think it's a
close call but we are many months out of people having to think about
the actual changes and vote on those changes, then it was also the
understanding that that would take effect from 1 January 2001. All
other things being equal the Government is not of a mind to change
that aspect of the timetable. And this is all within the spirit of
the Constitutional Convention 12 months ago where these matters were
discussed in some detail. We are honouring our commitment to provide
that referendum in the second half of this year. There will be further
talks at the joint party meeting later in the next...during this
quarter. And the question of who opens, well, it should be the Prime
Minster of the day.
JOURNALIST:
Why not the head of State? Why should the Prime Minister open the
games?
FISCHER:
It is a situation where the criticism that this is giving it to a
partisan person I actually reject. The Prime Minister of the country
is, in this sense, the equivalent of, for example, the President of
the USA. And Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton - both very partisan - one
republican, one democrat opened their respective Olympics and I have
nothing against the strong contribution to cohesion provided by the
various occupants of the Office of the Governor-General. But it is
quite properly the role of the Prime Minister and we should not get
tangled up with the timing of important constitutional change should
that be the wish of the people, that's yet to be established.
The National Party will be supporting the existing constitutional
arrangements. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
What about the situation in Iraq?
FISCHER:
That's always a matter for ongoing concern, but there's
a job to be done there.
[ends]