MCKEW:
Prime Minister, I have to say ten out of ten for keeping a lid on this one.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you, Maxine. I don't think I've ever had ten out of ten from a journalist in my life.
MAXINE MCKEW:
Well, you get it on this one. What of Heather Ewart's final comment there, Prime Minister, that the buzz in Melbourne today that Jeff Kennett could fill a casual Senate vacancy if Richard Alston quits at Christmas time?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I haven't heard that. It's a free country and anybody is entitled to nominate.
MCKEW:
Would you welcome the former premier into the party room?
PRIME MINISTER:
I will welcome whoever is chosen by the Victorian Liberal Party.
MCKEW:
What has driven the reshuffle, why now and why so extensive?
PRIME MINISTER:
A combination of reasons. Obviously when I knew that Richard was going, I had to factor that in. I think you, at various stages in the life of a government, you have to take opportunities for renewal and some generational change and to reinforce your goals. I've got three goals for Australia: national security, economic strength and social stability. And I think by putting Tony Abbott, for example, into health, Tony is an excellent communicator and a highly intelligent man. This stereotype of him as a head-kicker couldn't be further from the truth. I think he will be a sound thinker in an area that not only requires great thought and policy innovation, but also requires extensive communications skills. And I think he'll make a very good fist of that.
MCKEW:
Well, Premier Beattie said today that a head-kicker in health might be just what is needed?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I will have a very careful look at what Peter Beattie had to stay, but I think Tony will bring a lot of intellectual rigour and energy. He brings commitment and passion to everything he does. We are very strongly committed, not only to the protection of Medicare, but also its strengthening. The other thing we're committed to is the maintenance in full of the private health insurance rebate, unlike the Labor Party, which refuses to guarantee the continuation of the private health insurance rebate if Labor were to win the next election.
MCKEW:
Yes, but all of those goals, Prime Minister, were being articulated by Kay Patterson. If you're not in strife on this issue, why move her out of a job she hasn't been in for even two years?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, there are a whole lot of changes and shifting Kay from health into family and community services is hardly sideways or downwards. Indeed, family and community services in size is an even bigger portfolio than health. What you have to do in politics when you have the responsibilities I do, is to ensure that the talents of the people available are deployed in the best way and I think the particular talents that Tony has will be best employed in health, as I believe the policy detail talent that Kay has will be very well employed in family and community services.
MCKEW:
Tony Abbott's move into this job comes only a few days after you faced the conclusions of many health professionals across the country, many health consumers across the country, on Channel Nine's A Current Affair. The conclusion from that program from all of the people they talked to was that, in fact, the health system in Australia is close to becoming dysfunctional. My question is, Prime Minister, is there a connection between those two events?
PRIME MINISTER:
No. None whatsoever. I remember that program. I think our health system has flaws, but I don't think it's in crisis. I think people who say it's in crisis are going over the top. The Federal Government's responsibilities in health are in the area of Medicare and private health insurance. We will protect Medicare. We, in fact, will strengthen Medicare. That is absolute and has been our policy for seven and a half years. But unlike Labor, we will also protect private health insurance. Having a strong private sector means you take the load off the public hospitals. Over the last few years, we've generated 3,000 more beds in private hospital, while the states have cut 3,600 beds or more out of the public hospital system. So we have our responsibilities and I intend to see that those responsibilities are met through the absolute maintenance of Medicare and its strengthening, but also strengthening the private health insurance system because that's crucial. 45 per cent of Australians have private health insurance. Labor will take an axe to the private health insurance rebate if they win. We will protect it.
MCKEW:
Alright, to some other changes. Philip Ruddock becomes attorney-general. Is this to take him out of the firing line on questions relating to visa approvals?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, it's not. It's to recognise that after seven and half years, a person is entitled to some change of portfolio. He will bring a particularly strong focus to the security aspects of that portfolio. He articulates policy very well. He can argue a case with great force and conviction and I think you do need, even if somebody has been incredibly successful in a ministry, which Philip has in immigration, a move and a change, and I needed of course, a new communications minister, and I think the quiet, thoughtful approach that Daryl Williams brings to his tasks is probably the right person now in the communications portfolio.
MCKEW:
Well, he's up against very noisy network chiefs in people like David Leckie and David Gyngell and perhaps the more quiet and thoughtful Donald McDonald at the ABC. How do you think he will he go against that trio?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think he'll handle himself very well, he'll convey the Government's policies, and I think they're pretty well understood. I think he's got a particular style that people will like. Not that I thought they disliked Richard's style. I think Richard was a successful ministry in that portfolio but we have a vacancy and I had to find a new minister.
MCKEW:
How do you judge Richard Alston's success? He certainly didn't make any mark in terms of digital television.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, you've got to remember he was dealing with a very hostile Senate. Just about every single thing we tried to get through on communications was voted against by the Labor Party and the Australian Democrats. It's very easy to say of a bloke, "You didn't get this through," but if you have a hostile Senate that's totally negative most of the time...
MCKEW:
Sorry, I asked about digital television. That's been a question of take-up. No-one is buying the things.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, but I'm talking generally. You singled out one aspect of his responsibilities. I'm talking generally about his success. I think he's been a very good minister. I'm sorry to lose Richard. I am very sorry indeed. He's not only been a good minister, but he's been a very good contributor as a member of the leadership group and a very good contributor around the Cabinet table and of course, his service to the Liberal Party goes back years before he entered the Senate when he was the president of the Victorian division and I want to thank Richard very warmly and very publicly for what he's done for the Liberal Party and the Government.
MCKEW:
Just briefly Prime Minister, an election-ready team, but election when? Later rather than sooner?
PRIME MINISTER:
My position has not changed, Maxine. The election is due some time towards the end of next year. Any election after the middle of next year could not be regarded as an early election. Absent of some dramatic intervening event, that's how it will pan out. As to whether it will be a double dissolution or a House of Reps plus half the Senate, we'll have to wait and see. I haven't made up my mind about that yet.
MCKEW:
Prime Minister, thanks very much for joining us tonight.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]