HOST: Prime Minister, you came to Central Queensland this week to view the Reef damage by the Chinese tanker. How does the Government propose to prevent something like this happening again?
PM: Well I'm in Queensland this week to talk about health and hospitals reform, but given the event on the Great Barrier Reef I thought it was important to go out and see what was happening with that Chinese vessel. Two or three quick things about that, by the way, the Pacific Responder I understand it has arrived on the site overnight, it begins the operations in terms of quarantining the amount of oil which has already been spilled through the laying out of booms. And secondly, it makes preparations now for the removal of remaining oil from the Chinese vessel. But your question is, how did this happen, and how can we prevent it from happening again?
There's a full Transport Safety Bureau investigation underway as to how this vessel ended up where it did. I think most Australians are feeling pretty outraged by that, as am I. On the future, we'll also be looking at any recommendations which come forward for the extension of the existing pilotage system which operates in the Northern Barrier Reef, and also what is called the vessel transit system- vessel traffic system or tracking system which applies in the Northern Reef as well. These are the two specific measures which I'm sure the authorities will look at, and whether they apply elsewhere on the Reef as well.
HOST: Should there be insurance covering the possibility of events like this in the future, as well?
PM: Well, under the provisions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Act, I'm advised that not only are there penalties which apply for violations of the provisions of the Act, $5.5 million fines I'm advised, as well as jail sentences for any Master of any vessel found to have violated the provisions which are laid down, of course, subject to investigation in the normal judicial processes. But also there's provision in the Act for what's called restitution costs. That is that if any vessel is found to have acted irresponsibly, then under the Act there is provisions to obtain restitution costs for damage which is caused. So let us wait until all the facts are established, but the key thing is to make sure that those responsible for this are brought to account, and any further measures for the long-term protection of the Reef are put in place.
HOST: Prime Minister, why do you think we're having this discussion now, given that so many vessels have used this path over the years?
PM: Well let's wait to see what the authorities determine on that. There are conflicting accounts in terms of the actual route which has been used here, and the extent to which it received any prior notification or not. That's why there is a proper investigation underway. I think all your listeners, and I've got to say, myself as Prime Minister, am deeply, deeply engaged with how did this happen, why did it happen, and how do we prevent anything like this from happening again.
HOST: Prime Minister, while we've got you, on a local level there's been local people coming out saying they've had visits regarding the insulation bungle that's occurred with the Federal Government, and the electricians have come through to inspect their premises, and they've been then asked to sign a document. Now, within that document is the clause that actually releases the Government from any further liability. What's your response to this?
PM: Well first of all, I think the - obviously the local circumstances here, I'm not familiar with. What I will have, however, is Minister Combet, who's the Minister responsible for dealing with the problems which have arisen with the implementation of this program get on to your program in the days ahead and go through the detailed matters which you raise.
We have to deal with each practical circumstance of each household as it arises. We intend to do that. Mr Combet's getting on with the job. But I will get him on your program very soon to answer that specifically.
HOST: While we're still on the insulation topic, the Financial Review this morning reported that the minutes of a Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet meeting in February last year show there were explicit written warnings about problems regarding installers and the accident risks with the insulation scheme. Did you see these written warnings?
PM: I simply refer you to the statements that I've made in Parliament on this matter. Secondly, can I also say that in terms of industry consultations, I'd refer you also to the initial statement by the then Minister Mr Garrett on this, where he referred to in that Parliamentary statement way back on the 11th of February this year to the fact of industry consultations occurring on the 18th of February last year.
The Department of the Environment was handed responsibility for the implementation of the program. The various Departments of Government, including the Office of the Coordinator-General were participating in the policy development process for the Home Insulation Program, and then the implementation of it lay with that Department. So the meeting that you refer to, certainly, was referenced in Minister Garrett's statement to Parliament, as I said, on the 11th of February this year.
HOST: 17 minutes away from 9 now, you're listening to ABC Tropical North with Kim Kleidon. I'm speaking with the Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd. While we're on reports, the Lowy Institute poll- and this is another topic that's very much in the minds of Australians- found 72% of people surveyed agreed with a larger population, but 69% of Australians don't want the population to reach 36 million, as forecast by the federal Treasury. How will these results influence your forward planning for Australia?
PM: Well, one of the reasons we have appointed a Minister for Population, Tony Burke, is to examine future possible population levels for Australia, and secondly, how any such population levels would be sustainable against the impact on urban congestion, on the provision of infrastructure, on regional development and regional planning, on the long-term provision of government services like health and education, as well as the availability of affordable housing - these are all the factors which need to be taken into account.
Australia's never had a Population Minister before, so for the first time in history, we have done so. He is now hard at work to develop, for the first time in this country's history, a long-term population strategy, so the key thing is examining future possible levels of population against what's sustainable and he'll be doing that over the course of the year ahead.
HOST: Well, distribution is one of the words being thrown around in relation to this, and the states are talking about regionalisation, but how are we supposed to cope with infrastructure demands given we're not coping at the moment in regions with the population influx we've seen here?
PM: I think as Minister Burke, the Minister for Population, has said, different regions have different demands for growth and different capacities to sustain growth, and that varies right across the country. Also, if you look at particular regions, there's a high demand for skills and that may mean that there is a high demand, therefore, for more population to service the needs of the local economy. In other parts of the country that may be less the case.
Therefore, when the Population Minister is working his way through this to obtain a balanced population outcome for the future, obviously it will be a larger population, but one which is balanced against the future infrastructure constraints of the country and what we need to do to plan better for that infrastructure. We've got to make sure that the different circumstances of the regions are taken into account.
So, it's a vast country, vastly different needs across this country, vastly different needs within the state of Queensland, so that's why we are doing this in a systematic, considered way through this minister.
HOST: Speaking of infrastructure, you're here to announce more than $1 million in funding for training at the Mater Hospital in Mackay today. Why has it take so long to actually have the State Government, sorry, has the State Government got it wrong?
PM: Well, of the question of Mackay region's health and hospital needs, I'd see these as part of a picture which emerges right across the country. There are about 764 public hospitals in Australia, and you will probably not be surprised to know that in most of them I hear a similar story, which is not enough beds, not enough doctors, not enough nurses, and problems at emergency departments, etcetera. So, what we're doing through our new, proposed National Health and Hospitals Network is a new system which will be funded nationally by the Australian Government, but run locally through local hospital networks to make sure that more of the funding from the Australian Government gets through to those who deliver these services on the ground, and for training, the key thing is this - so many people here in Mackay tell me that one of the big challenges is getting doctors to the region, including specialists, and keeping them here.
So, what we have done and will be doing through this announcement out at the Mater Hospital today is investing in the construction fit out of a new clinical training facility capable of supporting nearly 100 additional placements for medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy and physiotherapy students because if you have them trained here, locally, they're also more likely to stay here locally, as well, and that's part and parcel of making sure that you have a proper medical workforce for the future.
HOST: There's local governments calling on the abolishment of the states. Is this maybe the first step for the Federal Government to take over some of the states' responsibilities?
PM: You know something? I'm from Queensland, and I'm a federalist, which is I think it's important that we've got different voices within the federation, because this is a vast country, and there are vastly different needs across this country.
Sure, there is a much bigger role for the voice of regions. I think that is true, and when I come to regions, dynamic regions like the Mackay region, it's very important that they speak increasingly with a strong voice themselves, but that's why we've been seeking to respond to that, as well - practical projects in this region, for example, like the wastewater treatment plant for Mackay. We co-invested $45 million with the Mackay regional council in that - good project for the local area. We'll be doing more of that in the future as the Australian Government, but I think the states will be around for a while yet.
HOST: Prime Minister, just before we let you get onto your next engagement, the Federal Government announced a cancer centre for Ballarat yesterday. Why don't we get one here given we're so far away from capital cities where these are provided?
PM: Well, when it comes to the provision of integrated cancer care centres, we believe that it's important to have a much wider distribution of regional cancer care across the nation. For example, here in North Queensland, you will find that so many, many people have to travel to Brisbane for basic oncology services. What we've done most recently, in fact, only 24 hours ago in Townsville, is announce the funding for a new PET scanner. That means that people in North Queensland, rather than having to travel all the way to Brisbane, have more of an opportunity in this part of the world to be serviced by that.
In all of Sydney there are only six of these machines, for example, which provide the most comprehensive diagnostic analysis of people with various forms of cancer. Now, North Queensland is going to be one as well. We're going to expand these services in regional and rural Australia and part of the announcement I put out yesterday in Townsville has, of course, further support services for oncology treatment in this part of the world as well, in Mackay, and that was part of a half-billion dollar national announcement to establish integrated cancer care services outside of Australia's capital cities.
HOST: Prime Minister, thank you and enjoy your brief stay in our beautiful region.
PM: Good to be back, and it's a beautiful part of the world. Thanks very much.