Subject:
Solomon Islands tsunami; state politics.
E&OE...
JOURNALIST:
Just wanting to know, what's your understanding of the situation in the Solomons?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well there has been apparently some loss of life, and some damage, and Mr Downer will be announcing shortly an aid package from Australia. Our two offices have coordinated and all the resources of RAMSI are being made available, and they're very extensive, to help the local people. So we'll do all we possibly can, both through RAMSI and additionally, to help the people of the Solomon Islands.
JOURNALIST:
From what you know, are you happy with the way Australia responded to the threat and not the reality as it turns out?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes I am. I understand that beaches were closed as far down as Bondi. I spoke to the Queensland Premier from the BBJ between half past nine.....half past nine and 10 o'clock this morning. We were able to agree that our emergency services had already got together so that there was a very quick and quite impressive response by the Commonwealth and state emergency authorities. So although, fortunately, though the response could be stood down after a short period of time it did indicate that if it were the real thing we could respond very effectively.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, Peter Debnam resigned today, are you optimistic that this will be an end to troubles for the Liberal Party in New South Wales, are you disappointed to see him go?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that's his decision. I thank him for what he's done and as far as the future is concerned the Liberal Party in New South Wales and indeed all around Australia has got to start working seriously on telling a story and developing an argument for a change of government. You can't just turn up on polling day and expect the public to throw out the incumbent government because it's been a bad government, you've got to spend four years building a case for change and I just don't think that's happened in New South Wales, I don't think it's happened in any of the other states and that's why we're out of office in every state, that is my realistic assessment of the challenge that faces state parliamentary parties all around the nation.
JOURNALIST:
Is the poor performance of state parties around the nation damaging the federal brand, is that something that worries you at all?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't like it for what it represents because it means that you don't have good state governments. The New South Wales Government is a very bad government, it did deserve to be defeated, but I do think people always distinguish between federal and state governments and I think at the end of this year a lot of people are going to baulk at the idea that you have Labor governments everywhere without any checks and balances, particularly when those Labor governments are going to be bullied by the unions.
[ends]