Subjects: CHOGM; election; terrorist attacks; airport security
E&OE................................
MILLAR:
Prime Minister was there any option but to postpone CHOGM?
PRIME MINISTER:
No there wasn't really. Once the Secretary-General told me that Tony Blair wasn't coming, the Canadian Prime Minister wasn't coming and the Indian Prime Minister wasn't coming, it really wasn't worth having without those people, with all due respects to everybody else. Far better to postpone it with a hope of having it early next year with everybody there. Tony Blair rang me last night just after I arrived in Brisbane and we had a very long conversation about the state of the world following the terrorist attack and a number of other things and then he just simply said to me, John I just can't come at the present time, I hope you understand why. And I said to him well look I did understand his domestic political considerations but the withdrawal of the British Prime Minister alone from a Commonwealth Prime Minister's conference would itself raise questions about whether it can still go ahead and then of course his withdrawal was joined by the indications given by the Indian and Canadian Prime Ministers so, and I talked earlier in the day to Jean ChrŠtien from Canada so reluctantly and very regrettably I had to accept the Secretary-General's advice. I mean it was the decision of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth to postpone, it's not really in my power to postpone it. I'm important because I'm the host Prime Minister but really I had no alternative and I think the Secretary-General had no alternative.
MILLAR:
Just over a week ago you said that if CHOGM was postponed it would be a sign that terrorism was winning. Now that CHOGM's off, what message is it sending?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think it is unfortunate that it's happened but I have to deal with reality. We were ready and able and anxious and the domestic security advice that I received earlier in the week from everybody including the Queensland Police service was very positive.
MILLAR:
And you were confident with that advice?
PRIME MINISTER:
I was very confident. I was quite satisfied that there was no domestic security reasons. And CHOGM has not been postponed for security reasons, CHOGM has been postponed because three major players for reasons related to the state of the world after the terrorist attack feel they cannot leave their own countries. You must understand that India is next to Pakistan and Pakistan is next to Afghanistan and the pressure on Afghanistan and therefore the pressure on Pakistan and indirectly on India of course is enormous.
MILLAR:
Have you been given any guarantees that it will be rescheduled to be held in Brisbane next year?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well certainly if it's reconvened next year it will be in Australia.
MILLAR:
Will it be in Brisbane?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh I can assure you it will be in Brisbane. I can't think of a better spot. I want it to be in Brisbane. I spoke to the Queensland Premier twice today before I made my own statement and I told him that I wanted it held in Brisbane. He fully understood the reasons for the cancellation. I think we're both upset that it's happened but we are realists. The conference would have been a second eleven, if I can put it that way, conference without those three major players and who knows others could have followed them and I could have been faced with a situation where I had many of the major players represented at a Foreign or even Finance Minister level - now no disrespect to them but that's not a Commonwealth Prime Minister's conference and it's far better to put it off. But it's not being put off because I felt it was unsafe to have it, I want to make that very plain, there was no security reason why it couldn't go ahead. It's been put off because the Secretary-General judged without Blair and Chretien and Vajpayee, perhaps others it really was not worth having.
MILLAR:
Any idea of the economic cost to Queensland with the postponement?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well there will be some cost unfortunately.
MILLAR:
Who picks that up?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I guess some people will have to carry it, I'm very sorry about that. Obviously the Commonwealth Government will look to any responsibilities which it ought to bear. We're not sort of going to be asking other countries to do that, it's Australia's responsibility. When you agree to host an international conference you naturally have to accept the good with the bad. I mean if it ultimately goes ahead next year it will be a huge injection of money into the Queensland economy and there are some aspects - the Youth Forum and a couple other things that are still going to go ahead. So there has been some boost but obviously it's a set back, I'm sorry about that but it's happened through circumstances beyond my control, the Commonwealth will be fair and reasonable with people who have particular claims.
MILLAR:
Well it's certainly given you more control over election timing. Will you go to the polls now?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm going to the polls yes.
MILLAR:
This weekend?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can't have an election this weekend, I've got to allow 33 days.
MILLAR:
Will you call an election this weekend Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm going to the football this weekend. I think it's almost sacrilegious to call an election while there are a couple of football Grand Finals on. I don't think the Australian people would thank me for that.
MILLAR:
What about Monday?
PRIME MINISTER:
Monday, look I don't want to get engaged in any speculation about the precise date. It's self-evident Lisa that there will be an election called quite soon. The Government's term is up. I said all along we weren't going to have an early election, we haven't and at some time in the next few days or weeks I won't be more precise than that, I'll go to Yarralumla and I'll advise the Governor General to dissolve the Parliament. Now, we really will waste an enormous amount of time if people keep questioning me because I'm not going tilt my hand until I've finally made up my mind.
MILLAR:
You've not made up your mind?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm not going to tilt my hand.
MILLAR:
Isn't that the danger though that you'll be swamped by speculation between now and when you call the election?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think that's unavoidable no matter what I do, isn't it?
MILLAR:
The Governor General is the Lions number one fan. You'll be crossing paths with him this weekend.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes I'll be seeing him I hope the AFL Grand Final in Melbourne.
MILLAR:
Few would argue that you've moved from underdog status to front runner just over the last month. You'd have to agree you're in a much better position now.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the Government was in a very bad position six months ago. We are in a better position but we're in a position where it's still going to be very hard to win. I really mean that because we're going for a third term and there's always a tendency for people to think well two terms is maybe enough. I think it's going to be very difficult and a lot can happen in an election campaign. We need to win a majority of seats and many of those seats the contests become really individual by-elections in particular constituencies and I would counsel Liberal and National Party supporters though out Australia not to get carried away with a couple of opinion polls. Opinion polls are very volatile and I will be fighting every minute of every day of the campaign because I am determined to win and I think it's important that we have a strong experienced Government that knows it's own mind in these more difficult times. Not a Government that flips and flops from one side to the other according to pressure applied by lobby groups.
MILLAR:
Well both yourself and the Opposition Leader have been in Queensland today. Is this state going to be the key to the election?
PRIME MINISTER:
It's very important Lisa, a lot of seats in Queensland.
MILLAR:
And five marginal seats.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, yes. We have a big fight ahead to hold those five marginals. We like to think we might have some prospects in one or two marginal seats held by the Labor Party but if we can hold our Queensland seats that is a tremendous base from which to hang on and it is a very important state.
MILLAR:
Given that the mood has changed, could you envisage being returned with an even greater majority?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look I would be content to be returned with a majority of two.
MILLAR:
Prime Minister, Cabinet's meeting on Tuesday, I understand. Is that meeting still going ahead?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, yes. We're having a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
MILLAR:
To talk about domestic security issues?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, domestic security issues and I made an announcement earlier this afternoon to, in effect, duplicate the controls on financial activities of terrorists announced by President Bush. We are going to change our laws, we're going to ask the Reserve Bank to exercise some of it's powers under the Foreign Exchange regulations to really reinforce the directive that the President gave a few days ago about cracking down on the financial activities and the financial flows to terrorists and terrorist organisations. We want to do everything we can to back up what the Americans have done in this area.
MILLAR:
Will you be following the lead of the American's then in their approach to airport security?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well our airport security is already very tough. Some would argue that aspects of our airport security in the past have been tougher than the Americans and if there are other areas where it can be made tougher then we will. Now that could involve over time some additional delays and inconvenience but I think the public is willing to accept it. But we actually have had very tough and rigorous airport security measures for a very long time.
MILLAR:
Well what other issues then will you be raising as far as security goes at Cabinet on Tuesday?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well one normally doesn't go, certainly not in advance, into too much detail about security. But I've asked for a number of things to be examined and I'll be getting reactions to those things and we'll be looking at them on Tuesday. I know that one thing we are looking at is whether there needs to be change to the law to give the federal authorities just a little more power in relation to questioning people who may be involved in undesirable activity.
MILLAR:
You feel that there needs to movement in that regard?
PRIME MINISTER:
We're looking at what might be done, consistent with the proper protections of the liberty of the subject that our sort of society requires. But we wants to get the right balance. And the public is entitled to have the maximum protection at a time like this. We can't assume that it can't happen here, I really mean that. It is very important that people don't run away with that idea.
MILLAR:
You've indicated in caretaker mode that you'll consult the Opposition during the election campaign. How does that work in practice?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh well if was some decision that had to be taken that involved.
MILLAR:
Like sending troops.
PRIME MINISTER:
Of course I would. Well I would in fact talk to the leader of the opposition about that, whether we were in caretaker mode or not.
MILLAR:
Before you make a decision or after?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm talking about, I mean in normal circumstances I would discuss something like that but I wouldn't expect on that issue there'd be any difference but then you can't be certain, the Labor Party has said up to date that it's supporting our response to the attack on the United States and I welcome that and I think it's important that Australia speak with one voice to the rest of the world. But I will observe the caretaker convention scrupulously.
MILLAR:
Prime Minister thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER:
It's a pleasure.
[ends]