Subjects: Scoresby Freeway, terrorism, Victorian election
E&OE...........
PRIME MINISTER:
I have come here this morning with Robert and many of our State and Federal parliamentary colleagues to just say in very simple terms strongly and unconditionally the Federal Government is committed to the construction of the Scoresby Freeway. We made a pledge on that before the last Federal election. We signed a memorandum of understanding with the Victorian Government on it last year. The Victorian Government has unilaterally broken that memorandum of understanding we adhere to. We want work to start on the freeway as soon as possible and only by both governments adhering to the memorandum of understanding will it possible for construction of the freeway to start at the earliest possible date. As you know the constructing authority in these things is a State Government authority. The Federal Government in Roads of National Importance contributes half the money, the State Government does the constructing. I simply call on the Victorian Government to honour the memorandum of understanding negotiated by the Deputy Prime Minister with the Victorian Government and if that happens everybody will be looked after and work on the freeway can commence without any undue delay.
ROBERT DOYLE:
We are very heartened by the Prime Minister';s presence here today. There is a very simple message I have for the people of the east and outer east. If you want the Scoresby Freeway to commence you must vote Liberal. The Labor Government unilaterally have broken the memorandum of understanding. We will honour that memorandum. The Labor Government have joined two projects together, the Eastern Freeway Extension and the Scoresby. They should not be joined. If we separate those two projects there is no reason, given the memorandum and the Federal Government';s support that the Scoresby should not commence immediately. And that is what should happen. What we';ve had unfortunately though is chaos from the Labor Government. We';ve had no communication with the Federal Government who have put their funding on the table. We';ve had no communication with the Federal Government about putting together these two projects. But more importantly delaying them for two years. Does anyone seriously believe in projects of this size that you can delay construction for two years and bring it in on time and on budget? Of course you can';t. If the residents and the people of the east and the outer east want the Scoresby Freeway then they must vote Liberal. We are committed to the Scoresby Freeway. We are ready to work with our Federal colleagues and construction can commence immediately. The delay, and indeed the threat to this project, is entirely due to Labor Party incompetence.
JOURNALIST:
The National Party say the Scoresby should be put on hold in favour of infrastructure projects for the bush. What happens if the Coalition has to be reached after the election?
DOYLE:
There is a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth. I';m in the business of honouring those memoranda. That';s what you need to do for certainty for our whole society. You do not strike these agreements, these contractual agreements and then walk away from them. We will honour the memorandum and we will be delighted to do so. This project must commence immediately
JOURNALIST:
Are the National Party wrong for saying the project should be put on hold?
DOYLE:
Well I';m not a political commentator on the National Party. I';m here to say we are absolutely 100 per cent committed to the Scoresby. We are ready to work with the Federal Government. We are ready to commence work immediately. And that is what we would do. But the only way that that could happen is for the people of the east and outer east is to understand for the Scoresby to commence we must have a Liberal Government after November 30.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, do you regret your comments about Dr Dean yesterday.
PRIME MINISTER:
I don';t regret anything I';ve said but that';s yesterday';s story. It';s yesterday';s story. Today';s story is the commitment with the Liberal Government federally and the Liberal Opposition at a State level in Victoria to the construction of the Scoresby Freeway.
JOURNALIST:
Dr Dean [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
I';ve made comments. I don';t retract them. It';s yesterday';s story. You move on from these things and today you have the two parties at a Federal and State level making a very important commitment to the people of Melbourne in this part of the city. It';s the number one issue for people who live in this area. It';s been a dominant transport issue, both Federal and State, now for several years. And you';ve had a clear and unambiguous message delivered this morning.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think it was unwise [inaudible] as a result of trying to have an IVF baby?
PRIME MINISTER:
Can I have another question?
JOURNALIST:
It';s an issue [inaudible] something that';s come to life.
PRIME MINISTER
Next question.
JOURNALIST:
There are questions this morning in relation to the Bali bombing? There are reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that a western diplomat specifically warned that there would be a bombing on the day of the Afghan war starting. Did we receive any of those warnings.
PRIME MINISTER:
I saw that report and I am not aware of any warnings of a general kind or specific kind received other than what I have already mentioned in the Parliament some weeks ago. There was no specific warning regarding the Bali bombing and I don';t know the basis of that report. It is certainly not in accordance with any information that is in my possession. But I will naturally have some further inquiries made about it. But it doesn';t accord with the very detailed advice that I received after the 12th of October.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, the FBI';s launched an alert in America. Are there similar grounds for an alert in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I have heard that report in the overnight news. I';m seeking some more information on it. As I speak as of now, at a quarter to ten Saturday morning, the answer to that question is no. Clearly , we are living in an environment where from time to time there will be warnings given. We are just living in an entirely different environment. It';s very difficult. Although the level of threat in Australia is not as high as it is in the United States, it is much higher than it was before the 12th of October. I think it is likely to remain so for an indefinite period of time because the war against terrorism goes on, it has not yet been won. But we will be part of it until it is won because we are vulnerable as all other western countries are. This is a campaign of terror against our civilisation and against the kind of open society that we have. That is what Al-Qaeda despises. That is what the terrorists despise. Because we are part of an open society and we are free people, then we are naturally going to be targets.
JOURNALIST:
Does it disturb you there may have been such an explicit warning that either [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don';t deal in hypotheticals. To say does it disturb me that there may have been, there is no evidence in my possession that there was.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Doyle, as a personal friend of Mr Dean, were you aware of he and his wife';s situation?
DOYLE:
I am not going to comment on someone else';s personal life. Robert Dean is a friend of mine but we have moved on from that situation.
JOURNALIST:
Dr Dean has cited IVF as the reason for not filling out the change of address card and enrolling on the electoral roll. Do you give that as an adequate reason?
DOYLE:
I am not going to commentate on a friend';s personal life. And I think it is not an appropriate line of inquiry I must say. The matter is now closed and we move on.
JOURNALIST:
Would it effect the travel allowance claims?
DOYLE:
No as I say, these matters are being investigated by the Electoral Commissioner, on my request. I wrote to the Electoral Commissioner as you know asking him to investigate the full details of Dr Dean';s situation. The Electoral Commissioner has written back to me to say he will indeed do that. As far as I am concerned the matter is now closed.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, If Labor is re-elected here is there anything you can do to apply pressure to them for this project to commence faster.
PRIME MINISTER:
I am focussing on helping to bring about a change in government. You will have to address that question to me again if circumstances after the 30th of November warrant it. Our policy is not going to change. Our policy is to contribute our fair share towards construction of the Scoresby Freeway. We want it to start as soon as possible. It can only start as soon as possible if the memorandum of understanding is honoured. The only two shows in town at the moment from a State and Federal perspective that are prepared to honour it are the Liberal parties.
JOURNALIST:
The Bracks Government in the past has rejected Federal funding for the MCG development, citing all kinds of industrial chaos if that was to go ahead.
PRIME MINISTER:
No, they have rejected the funding because the unions won';t let them take it on the conditions we laid down. That';s why they rejected the funding.
JOURNALIST:
Would there be industrial chaos?
PRIME MINISTER:
Of course there won';t be industrial chaos. You have seen the cover blown on the industrial relations grip that the unions have on this state by Mr Grollo. Mr Grollo has said what we have been saying for some time. And that is the unions have go too much influence on the Bracks Government. And that is one of the big differences between a Labor Government in this State and Labor governments in other states. I have my differences with Labor Governments in every state but I have to say of all the state Labor Government';s none is more subjected to union influence and control than the Victorian one. It';s quite different in the other states.
JOURNALIST:
Is there anything to be saved from starting the Scoresby now.
DOYLE:
I think there is a lot to be saved. This is a critical project for not just this part of Melbourne, not just for residents here, but for business and for all of Melbourne. To delay it for two years is really an opportunity lost. And that is the problem with this Government. They not only can';t make decisions, they can';t seem to be able to get on with projects. Well if you don';t get on with projects like this then you lose opportunities, you lose investment, you lose jobs. It is critical that projects like these proceed immediately. We are the only party that can guarantee that that will happen. We will obey all of the necessary planning [inaudible] but we will follow the memorandum of understanding and work with our federal colleagues to deliver this project on time, on budget as promised.
JOURNALIST:
Given the Liberals are so strong at Commonwealth level [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I am a political leader, I am not a political science commentator. I leave all of these sort off erudite assessments to people who talk on the radio and write in the newspapers. I am here to support Robert. I am here to recommit the Federal Government to the construction of the Scoresby Freeway. I am here to identify the industrial relations influence of unions exert on this State Labor Government. I leave the political science to other people. Thank you.
[Ends]