STEFANOVIC: Well Kevin Rudd is preparing to board a plane this morning bound for the Beijing Olympic Games. Our mandarin speaking PM has vowed to raise human rights issues during his visit to the Olympic city and he joins us now from Darwin. Good morning Prime Minister.
PM: Morning Karl, how are you?
STEFANOVIC: I am very well thank you. Just on that issue, are you really going to raise those human rights issues and perhaps more importantly, do you think Beijing will listen?
PM: Well Karl I've always in my previous meetings with Chinese leaders done that and I don't intend to change on this occasion, I'll continue to do so in the future.
On the second part of your question which is, will that have any effect in terms of overall Chinese human rights policy, I think its useful noting that when the international community, including myself, reacted to some of the decisions taken about a week ago on the censorship of internet sites, that some changes were made to that. Not a perfect response by any means.
But I believe the responsibility of the international community is still to speak with a strong united voice on these questions, while recognising that over time some progress has been made in China. Remember it was not all that long ago they were in the middle of the Cultural Revolution where people were being put up against a wall and basically knocked off.
STEFANOVIC: You don't expect any serious resolution to ongoing commitments in Tibet?
PM: Well, when I was last in Beijing you might recall Karl I gave a speech at Peking University where I raised the Tibet question. Since that time the Chinese have recommenced a form of dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama. I don't wish to pretend that any major breakthroughs have been achieved through that at all. But I think it's still important for us all to encourage a peaceful dialogue to produce a better outcome for the people of Tibet and that's what I'll continue to do.
But let's not overstate it. You're not going to turn the events of centuries around in the matter of a few days but what you can do is continue to apply the appropriate level of scrutiny to these things and I intend to do that while still building on what I think is a very important relationship for China. This also is Australia's largest trading partner.
STEFANOVIC: Okay, now closer to home, your grocery website is copping an absolute pasting as you would know only too well. The prices seem to be out of date, that seems to be a major criticism and just a general guide. It's really not going to do much for working families is it?
PM: Well I think working Australians and pensioners and carers are under real financial pressure at the moment because of rents, because of petrol, because of grocery prices, that's the fact.
What we undertook prior to the election is to do what we could to increase competition power for consumers. And what we've done through this competition watchdog inquiry is come forward with some practical but modest measures to assist that.
One of them is what's called unit pricing and that is that the possible labelling of goods in supermarkets so that you know exactly what quantity your getting for what price, that's one thing.
Another is possible action in relation to what's called creeping acquisition to push competitors out. And the third modest measure is to ensure that consumers over time, through the competition watchdog, have access to a database which says - look over time, a basket of goods at this type of supermarket is going to be better value for you then a basket of goods at that supermarket. And that's the ACCC's first fist at this yesterday and as they have said and as Chris Bowen the Minister has said, all responses to it will be taken into account and I'm sure refinements will be made over time.
STEFANOVIC: Because those refinements need to happen at the moment it's ineffective, completely ineffective for families when you consider that it doesn't take into account daily specials. There's no way that Australians are going to be able to save money looking at this website is there realistically?
PM: One thing though Karl I'd just say is this, that Choice Magazine for example or Choice the consumer group, what they have said, as I understand it, is that the advantage that can be delivered through this sort of website is to indicate what a basket of goods at a particular supermarket in your region may cost at that supermarket relative to another supermarket.
And as I understand it from the first sampling of this yesterday, nationwide you had something like 56 Coles supermarkets across the country coming out better than their competitors on an overall basket. Aldi coming out some 20 percent better as I understand it on a basket of staple goods.
Now that doesn't go down to as you quite rightly said product specific information which can be had today and accessed tomorrow. But the intention from the competition watchdog is to provide consumers with that choice or information over time about one supermarket chain verses another or one supermarket in their area versus another against a basket of goods.
But we will continue to refine this over time
STEFANOVIC: It probably needs a fair bit of refining I would suggest.
PM: I'm sure it does Karl but remember this, if I could just say this, when it comes to providing consumers with any power whatsoever, our predecessors had 12 years to act and did nothing. This is a modest step in the positive direction, there's more to be done.
STEFANOVIC: All right. It was vintage Paul Keating last night as I am sure you are aware, I'm sure you were watching. He said of Peter Costello “he's a slow acting dope”. He accused you of running at the behest of little press secretaries and you don't have a clear message. What would you say to Paul Keating?
PM: Oh Paul's sometimes not an entirely happy chappy and I think you see a bit of evidence of that last night. So look you know you just cop it on the chin and sort of keep wondering through. We take all criticism. We reflect on it.
STEFANOVIC: Alright. Do you agree with him though on his thoughts on Peter Costello?
PM: Look I'm not into the name calling part of politics. I don't actually think that helps at all. What I know is this, after 12 years of inaction on the key challenges facing Australia's future including how do you deal with the problem of 16 year high inflation, interest rate rises - 10 rises in a row under our predecessors producing the second highest interest rates in the western world - dealing with education long term, dealing with health long term, dealing with climate change long term, we have a clear cut strategy for action and that's what we're doing.
STEFANOVIC: I know that you're not going to name call but what do you think of Peter Costello?
PM: Oh look for the Liberal party, Karl, it's a matter for those guys to turn their current soap opera into something else. But beyond that...
STEFANOVIC: Peter Costello
PM: Beyond that it's not a question of personalities, it's a question of policies. Peter Costello, Brendan Nelson and Turnbull all stand for WorkChoices, they stand for climate change denial and they stand for having left Australia with the second highest interest rates in the developed world.
STEFANOVIC: Come on Prime Minister, I know that you would have personal thoughts on Peter Costello. You ran the gauntlet, you took on Kim Beazley a year out from the last election, you had blood on your hands, you became PM, you think he's soft right?
PM: Well what I would just say Karl on all that is that in the business of politics which is a hard business, I think you know that you've been observing this business for a long time.
Nothing is ever handed to you on a platter, nothing is ever handed to you on a platter. You've got to go out there and work hard for it and be absolutely convinced on your plan for the country's future.
We have that plan, that's what we are embarking on with a clear course of action despite the perfect storm of global economic circumstances which are affecting Australia at the moment with the global financial crisis as well as the global oil shock. We have a clear cut plan of action through that.
I say to the Liberals again, its not a question of personalities it's a question of having a set of policies for the future. Rather than being anchored in climate change denial, staying with WorkChoices and bringing back AWA's, which is their current policy, and no policy to deal with the high interest rates they left us only 6 months ago.
STEFANOVIC: All right, your not going to talk about Peter Costello, what about Paris Hilton...
PM: I did say nothing is ever handed to you on a platter, nothing is ever handed to you on a platter
STEFANOVIC: All right I'll take it because at least we might get some press out of that. Now Paris Hilton, she's running for President in the US as you know only too well...
PM: Is that my job for you Karl is it?
STEFANOVIC: Well I don't mind every now and then, you could just shake it down a little bit, mix it up a bit for people at home. Tell them what you really think deep inside Prime Minister. It think it will stand you in good stead.
PM: I said I didn't think Paul was an entirely happy chappy do there you go.
STEFANOVIC: Now I just want to get your thoughts on Paris Hilton, I seriously do because she is running for President of the United States. I wonder how this will affect the ANZUS alliance or trans-pacific relations in general?
PM: I reckon if Paris put up her hand. Think about this Paris Hilton suddenly with a big engagement on international relations. I think suddenly you would have a surge of enrolments in our universities as students suddenly regarded this as sort of the place to be.
I'm not sure Paris is going to do hugely well though.
STEFANOVIC: All right and her campaign slogan?
PM: Campaign slogan. I don't think there is any slogan which is going to get Paris across the line. I hate to be a pessimist about this but I'd go back to the think tanks.
STEFANOVIC: All right we'll leave Paris, we'll leave Peter Costello. Your heading over to Beijing would you like to wish our athletes all the best?
PM: Absolutely Karl. The reason for going to Beijing is to cheer on the Australian team. Its going to be really tough competition. Really tough, but all Australian's, all Australian's, are out there basically giving of their best in supporting this team doing their best for Australia.
So lets urge them on but understand how much pressure these kids are under as well. It a lot of pressure but I'm proud of the fact that they are wearing the Australian uniform.
STEFANOVIC: All right, well we are too. Thanks for your time today Prime Minister and Ni hao
PM: Thanks very much Karl