Subjects: tariffs; opinion polls, comments by Senator Alston, Andrew Thomson.
E&OE................................
PRIME MINISTER:
You all ready? Okay away you go. Who's going to give me the heart starter?
JOURNALIST:
Why has the Australian Government agreed to give the US another two weeks for lamb tariffs?
PRIME MINISTER:
Because it allows for a resolution with the American industry without prejudicing the Australian industry's rights of arbitration. In other words it's a win-win way of handling the situation.
JOURNALIST:
(inaudible) dealt before you go to Washington to get it resolved?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the important thing is to get it resolved in favour of Australian lamb producers and that will happen because if it is not resolved within the two weeks by the American administration we will go to arbitration and by today's decision and by the today's decision we won't have lost any time because that arbitration will still need to be completed by the end of September.
JOURNALIST:
By giving them an extra two weeks do you think that it will help the cause for a free trade agreement?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I don't think you should invest the decision with as much meaning as that. It's just a sensible way of handling something. We don't lose anything by doing it and we allow them to resolve the matter without resort to arbitration. If they fail to do that well we invoke arbitration without any loss.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think Bush is going to have a different approach to free trade then Clinton did?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I don't want to at this doorstop sort of give a philosophical dissertation on free trade protectionism except to say that our objective as always will be to advance Australia's interests and our desire to seek a discussion on a free trade agreement with the United States is based on a very strong and direct assessment of Australia's self interest and that always drives me in relation to negotiations with other countries - is there an advantage for Australia and I believe there is an advantage for Australia if we can get the right conditions and if we can get everything on the table. But we have to keep our expectations realistic and I'm sure the subject will get discussed when I go to the United States but I think we have to be realistic about the pace, the difficulties for the United States and the expectations of an outcome.
JOURNALIST:
What's your reaction to Bob McMullan's comments that the tax cut debate is secondary to health and education funding?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think, aren't those rolling away from rollback? It changes each day. One minute rollback was number one, they have a look at an opinion poll and say gee we better put health and education at the top of the list. I don't know where they stand. I mean our position is clear, we've already invested very heavily in things like health and education. If there is an available surplus then the priority should be to give income tax cuts. The Labor Party's bobbing around, changing its position every day, one day it's rollback, the next day it's health and education, the next day it will be something else. No wonder people have but a vague idea of what Mr Beazley stands for.
JOURNALIST:
What's your top priority over health, education and the rollover?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we don't favour rollover or rollback.
JOURNALIST:
Do you support giving Foxtel an "access holiday"?
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon?
JOURNALIST:
Do you support Senator Alston's comments on Foxtel?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm not aware of precisely what Senator Alston says and until I am I'm not going to
comment on that.
JOURNALIST:
Do you plan to speak to Andrew Thomson about his comments that he's a private member of the Liberal Party..?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I haven't seen those comments. He is a private members of the Liberal Party as are all members of the Liberal Party who aren't Cabinet Ministers. As previously he has obligations until he ceases to be a member and I'm sure he'll carry them out.
Thank you.
[ends]