Subjects: Victorian state election; Telstra; Bali; defence expenditure; water; Melbourne Cup.
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard the Victorian election, how do you see the Opposition down there going?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh the Bracks Government starts as the favourite. Robert Doyle is clearly the underdog and it is going to be a very tough fight but I will give him all the help he asks for. There';s a good case to be made that the Victorian Government is pushed around by the unions and that over time that will hurt the Victorian economy.
JOURNALIST:
The Telstra allegations as well Prime Minister, the Opposition is calling for a Royal Commission into those. Will there be one?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oppositions always call for Royal Commissions when they read a story but the thing is being handled by Telstra. I understand they will be talking about it later today. They have denied the allegations and at this stage there is no case for a Royal Commission.
JOURNALIST:
Are you ruling one out down the track?
PRIME MINISTER:
There is no case for a Royal Commission on the information that has been made available which is being denied.
JOURNALIST:
Do you have any concerns at all that this might upset plans to privatise Telstra?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I don';t believe it should or it will.
JOURNALIST:
Do you have any concerns at all about the allegations?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, Senator Alston is across the detail of it but in any event it is a matter for Telstra to respond to. You can';t expect the Minister to know the ins and outs of things, particularly when many of them are way back in 1993. It is matter for Telstra to answer and I am quite sure the company will turn its mind to doing just that.
JOURNALIST:
Do you have any concerns about Senator Alston';s role in the investigations?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no, certainly not.
JOURNALIST:
JI, Prime Minister, that group has been ruled out as having any links to the three main suspects in the Bali bombings. Is JI still our chief suspect?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I don';t make comments on operational matters. I said at the beginning that I wasn';t going to give a running commentary on the police investigation. That is a question that should be directed to the Australian Federal Police. It is never helpful for political leaders to give commentary on operational police matters and I don';t intend to do that in this instance.
JOURNALIST:
The review of spending on defence and security then, how much extra do you think could be spent?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am not putting any figure on it. What I said this morning was in the wake of what had happened in Bali and other things. A review of security and defence commitments was necessary, it has already begun. I indicated it might be necessary to spend more money. I don';t know at this stage how much. It may not be an enormous additional amount but I feel it in my bones that we will have to make more provision but it is too early at this stage to even speculate about a figure and I am not going to do it.
JOURNALIST:
Should people be bracing for Federal Government spending cutbacks, like Local Governments for example?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, all of that is just empty scare talk and I am not going to endorse it.
JOURNALIST:
More money is also being requested to spend on water and infrastructure to help that problem along. Do you (inaudible).
PRIME MINISTER:
Well once again, once again it is too early to start talking about figures and the answer to the water problem is not necessarily only to be found in infrastructure. Market practices in relation to water and the way in which water is used and the regulation of that, that';s all part of the challenge and it would be foolish to start putting figures on that at this preliminary stage.
JOURNALIST:
How long do you think it will be before we could see some sort of plan about how to handle the problem?
PRIME MINISTER:
It will be a little while yet. We are having this meeting in Brisbane tomorrow and we are already engaged in quite a number of areas. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
Have you got a tip for the Melbourne Cup Mr Howard?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well my turf advisers and I have met and I think Rain Gauge is very interesting and I think it sort of strikes an optimistic note which we can all do with. There is one Media Puzzle, well Media Puzzle is also I think in there with a good show, in fact, quite a sentimental favourite Media Puzzle, but I think I would give an edge to Rain Gauge. Now that';s relying very heavily on my turf advisers. I don';t have knowledge right at the fingertips as I do of other sports so be it on their head if my tip is no good.
JOURNALIST:
Thank you.
[ends]