E&OE................................................................................................
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
It is time the Democrats stopped fudging on these issues and faced
up to their responsibilities on the floor of the Senate when we come
to that critical vote on tax reform later this year.
SARA:
Can Jeff Kennett play a useful role as a provocateur in reform debates
like health, and the GST?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
I'm too busy to dwell on the roles of State Premiers. I agree
with his comments that the $300 break through private health insurance
incentive is a great step forward which is being taken up by hundreds
of people already in this first week of January. And that in its own
way is going to further help the hospital and health system right
across Australia.
SARA:
Mr Fischer, there were reports this morning that top public service
chiefs will be receiving a 40% pay rise. If that's true, how
can it be justified?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
I note that in one of those reports if they were to get the full rise
indicated they would still be behind those of New South Wales and
Victorian equivalent top public servants. That means Australia is
paying our federal senior public servants, who have to perform to
contracts, less than State governments are paying their senior public
servants. Those same State government public servants who seem to
think nothing of maintaining a credit card system for senior ministers
and senior State public servants, that has been used and abused for
years and ought to have been straightened out by them by now, and
yet they still get more pay. I will defend the federal government
having a remuneration level which will enable us to attract the competent,
cut through administrators we must have in the governance of this
country.
SARA:
So if there were a rise of around 40% to take the Commonwealth public
service chiefs up to the level of some of their State counterparts,
that would be justified in principle in your view?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
I think unfortunately we have no choice in the matter if we are to
have the level of capability and competence and maintain that. The
challenge that is put to these senior federal public servants is quite
onerous and they deserve remuneration.
SARA:
Mr Fischer, on a separate issue, fresh allegations were raised last
night on an SBS television programme of torture and killing of civilians
by Indonesians troops in East Timor. What will Australia do to investigate
these claims?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
The federal Government will evaluate any fresh evidence. It's
something that I'll be asking Foreign Affairs and Trade to look
into this day. Obviously there needs to be every effort made to ascertain
the extent of any massacre that occurred last year as opposed to previously
in East Timor and the Australian Government would view that with the
greatest concern.
SARA:
The Indonesian Government has denied the claims. Isn't that assurance
good enough for the Australian Government?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm not in a position to answer that right at this time.
I have not seen the detail of the fresh allegations.
SARA:
On a separate foreign affairs issue, the United Nations Secretary
General, Kofi Annan, has reportedly raised concerns that UNSCOM may
have helped the United States spy on the Iraqis. Do you have any information
regarding those claims.
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
Richard Butler is of course not employed by the Australian Government.
But Richard Butler has fully denied those claims. I make note of that
but I don't comment in detail on matters which relate to security.
But I do note that Butler himself has said there is no truth in those
claims.
SARA:
Could this undermine further though the position of the United States
the fact that these allegations have been raised?
ACTING PRIME MINISTER:
It's too early to say that but these are matters which have been
denied by someone who should know after all, and that is head of UNSCOM,
Richard Butler.