Subjects: Australian swim team; greenhouse gas emissions; economy; Australian Army.
E&OE................................
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, can I just start by asking you about the VIP Jet fleet? There was an incident this morning on a flight from Perth to Karratha, there was an incident last week. Are you concerned about the safety of those aircraft?
PRIME MINISTER:
No. I have unlimited confidence in the Royal Australian Airforce.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister you've written to Michael Klim offering your support. How convinced are you that the Australian swim team is clean?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I believe they are and I believe at a time like this they're a great crowd of young men and women and they deserve and need and should get the support of the Prime Minister. Speaking as I do, I know, on behalf of millions of Australians. We admire that team, they've done us proud, they compete well, they carry themselves with a great deal of style and dignity and I believe in them. And I've told them so.
JOURNALIST:
You wanted some answers though didn't you? Why did you write the letter?
PRIME MINISTER:
To express my support for the Australian team.
JOURNALIST:
Dr Nitschke says he wants to establish a vessel offshore to practice voluntary euthanasia following the Dutch decision.
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think we can have any control over it. You can do what you like in international waters.
JOURNALIST:
So he will get what he wants?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I'm not saying he'll get what he wants, what I'm saying is that we don't control what people do in international waters.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister would David Johnston be welcome on your senate team?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm not going to start talking about who ought to be on the senate team, that's a matter for the pre-selection committee. There are three hard working senators there, David's a hard working person. I'll leave it to the pre-selection committee to take a decision.
JOURNALIST:
Some are blaming him for the results of the state election here in Western Australia, do you think it's fair of them to blame him for the results?
PRIME MINISTER:
I've worked well with David, but I'm not going to get into the area that could be construed as expressing a view about what the pre-selection committee should do. These things are always tricky areas for leaders. I work with people, I've got valued colleagues, but pre-selectors have got their rights and I'll leave it to them to take a decision. I'm not going to wander into giving an answer that will then be misrepresented by somebody as expressing support for one candidate versus others.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard on tax schemes Mr Beazley has suggested that it should be investigated as to whether the tax office recommended or endorsed any of these schemes people found themselves in these situation. Would you support that?
PRIME MINISTER:
It's already happening.
JOURNALIST:
Kim Beazley said this morning you are running scared with this so called election campaign. How would you counter that?
PRIME MINISTER:
He would say that wouldn't he.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard by 2008 Australia wants to get its gas emissions down to 8%, given that the rates for the economy is slowing, the growth is slowing, do you think we'll be able to meet that ?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we remain committed to the goals we set ourselves after the Kyoto gathering. It is important that the world continue to work together, including the developing countries, in trying to curb the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. We are very much in favour of maintaining the domestic measures that we announced after Kyoto because we are committed to achieving reductions over time. But the international protocol has to respect the position of Australia. Australia is a net exporter of energy and therefore it's a lot more difficult for us than it is for some of the European countries who stand as it were on the sidelines and deliver lectures to us and countries like the United States.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister there's been a slight rebound in consumer confidence but housing finance is down again. Does this indicate that overall confidence is still in the doldrums.
PRIME MINISTER:
No those housing figures are ancient history. Since those figures were compiled, or the period subject of the figures elapsed, you've had two interest rate cuts, and you had the announcement of the super-dooper $7000 premium for new homebuyers. So they're very old news, very ancient history indeed. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
What about the report into the army.
PRIME MINISTER:
I will say something about that. You're a bit slow. Would you mind asking me that question.
JOURNALIST:
The report of the committee says there's no systematic abuse in the Army, 3RAR. Do you think that will restore faith in the Army in the public's eye?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I had never lost faith in the Army and I don't think many Australians had lost faith in the Army. I'm delighted that the committee has brought in that finding, it's what I thought it would do. The Australian Army is a fine body of men and women, they have my total confidence and support and I'm delighted for them and their families that that finding has been made.
JOURNALIST:
One more question into the report about bastardisation. The report apparently says there's no systematic abuse within the Army, within the 3RAR. Do you think that will restore faith in the Army in the public's eye.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well you will always get some unacceptable behaviour in a large organisation, no matter what it is. But the suggestion that there was some systematic culture was always wrong in my view and I'm just very pleased for the men and women of the ADF that that finding has been made.
Thank you.
[ends]