Subjects: bushfires.
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible].
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I';ll leave the precise threat predictions to the experts but I think everybody knows it';s very serious. I want to say that the emergency services have done a fantastic job, I want to congratulate the New South Wales Government, its response has been effective. I think all Australians are filled with admiration for the job that Phil Koperberg and his men and women have done, the police and everybody. It';s just one of those occasions where we can';t sing their praises too loudly. I spoke to the Premier last night and made it very plain that if there are any further resources that the Commonwealth can provide we will make them available to help. This is a combined community effort. Obviously the management of it is one that the State Government has and they';re doing it magnificently but if there';s any help that we can provide at a federal level we';re only too happy to do it. We can all keep our fingers crossed, pray for rain and that those early afternoon westerly';s don';t turn too nasty.
JOURNALIST:
When you';re talking about giving help to the State Government, obviously one of the most urgently needed thing is a couple of those Elvis helicopters.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes well I';m going to make some inquiries about whether we can get some more of those. I in fact think it would be a very good idea given it has been a very effective experience as to whether the Commonwealth might try and get several of them on behalf of the emergency services around the country. The Commonwealth';s contribution to future firefighting efforts and perhaps locate one in Sydney, one in the West, and one in Victoria, well there is one in Victoria now. When there';s an emergency everybody comes together and shifts the assets around. But I';m going to make some further inquiries about that. The Premier can speak for the needs of the emergency services of New South Wales. I can only say again I think what they have done is just wonderful and they';ve obviously learnt a lot from the experiences of 1994. To think that we';ve not lost a house since last Friday it is an extraordinary achievement and everybody ought to be damn proud of that.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, is there any role the Federal Government can play in getting tough on arsonists (inaudible)?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can only join the Premier in condemning it and supporting any moves the states take. I mean it is something for the states, if there';s anything that I';m not aware of that I can do to help well I would be only too glad to do so. But my understanding is that it is a matter for the criminal law of the various states and I think everybody is pretty hostile to say the least and I don';t think you';ll have any weak responses from any states on the question of arsonists.
JOURNALIST:
… getting let off?
PREMIER CARR:
I made it very clear that I think a custodial sentence is the only option when it comes to people who in these circumstances go into the bush and light fires. And I said yesterday after my Minister Richard Face and the Mayor of Cessnock apprehended someone, a juvenile, running along a rail line setting fire to grass that a custodial sentence is what the state would seek. We';ve got a taskforce set up, we';ve commanded John Laycock in charge of it, that';s got an input from the firefighters, it';s pursuing lines of detection. We think in some areas we know who the arsonists are. It';s a matter of getting the evidence and making it stick and putting them away for a very long time.
JOURNALIST:
What do you know about the Pennant Hills fires? Who started that? Do you know anything?
PREMIER CARR:
I';m not in a position to comment on that. I have had a chance this morning to talk to the police.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, recently we helped out the US with their bushfire problem by sending out a personnel. Will we be asking them to return the favour?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well if it were needed I would not be the least bit reluctant to do so. But as things stand at the moment, and I';ve talked to the Premier about it again this morning, things are being very effectively covered and let me make it very clear if there';s any further the Commonwealth can do it will. If there';s anything more we can request on behalf of the New South Wales authorities from anywhere in the world we';ll do it immediately. But as things stand at the moment my understanding is that';s not needed but we clearly stand ready to do so.
JOURNALIST:
(inaudible) if we were looking at getting another Elvis, what sort of time frame would we be looking at – would it be as soon as possible?
PREMIER CARR:
Let me make it clear it has… these fires have been an opportunity to trial this new technology and yesterday they suggested it was trialing very well. I';ll take the advice of the experts. If the experts tell me they want one then I';ll sign the cheque. It';s as simple as that.
[ends]