LIEBMANN:
Dean Jones and Prime Minister Howard, good morning to you.
JONES:
Good morning.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good morning. How are you, Steve?
LIEBMANN:
Good thank you. Dean, we';ll make the Prime Minister wait a moment. What';s been the toughest part of the walk so far and what';s been the highlight?
JONES:
The toughest part of the walk was around the Sydney Cricket Ground. As you know, it was raining cats and dogs that day, so. Coming into Goulburn a little bit, I must admit was very very hot, about 42 degrees, 40 degrees off the road there. And even the great Allan Border struggled that day a little bit and a few blisters. But, gee, we';ve got some rain fortunately. We';ve just noticed how dry it';s been right throughout that whole area. So hopefully the rain we';ve had overnight and today will help some of the farmers.
LIEBMANN:
Alright, Prime Minister, talking of journeys, do you think you might be about to begin a new one as Mark Latham becomes Labor';s new leader? If he starts to get traction, might the Government start to lose its grip?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it goes without saying. If the Government gets into trouble, its grip gets affected. But my job and that of my colleagues is to see that we keep doing the good things we';ve done over the last seven and a half years. I never take opponents easily. I never treat the Leader of the Opposition with indifference. I';ve learnt over the years that you can never assume any outcome in politics, you always have to keep doing your best and keep the goal of strengthening Australia, both from a security point of view and an economic point of view and keeping the national stable as your main objective. But I will be watching my opponent. I';ll be saying what needs to be said. I';ll be pointing out that the Labor Party now is less fit to govern than it';s been at any time in the past seven and a half years.
LIEBMANN:
Prime Minister, in light of yesterday';s events, are you still committed to an election in the second half of next year? Or does a new Labor Leader change things?
PRIME MINISTER:
It doesn';t change anything. The normal time to have an election would be in the second half of next year and it remains the case that unless there';s some special event requiring an election earlier than that in the national interest, it will be in the second half of next year, that';s when the three years will be up and any time after the middle of next year would be a normal time to have an election.
LIEBMANN:
Dean Jones, as you';ve walked from Sydney to Canberra, how have you found the generosity of Australians? How much have you raised so far for leukaemia research?
JONES:
Oh we';ve made plenty of money along the way, Steve, for the Bone Marrow Donor Institute. It';s been as typical, the Australians have been so generous at times. In just one particular spot my little girl Phoebe walked in to a homeless area, people trying to get some food and she had the tin out not knowing what… how they stand in life, and they actually put their last 20 cents they put into the tins. And that';s typical Australians and that';s what it';s all about and that will serve in my memory for a long, long time.
LIEBMANN:
Have you put the squeeze on the Prime Minister for a little extra funding for leukaemia research?
JONES:
We are just absolutely ecstatic for John to have us along to walk the walk with him today. It';s been absolutely grand, he';s such a busy man and anything that I';ve personally have asked him to it';s been done and I';m just absolutely… really happy that John';s walked the walk for us today.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, Steve, he doesn';t really need to. I';m very happy to announce that we will, the Federal Government will contribute $30,000 to Dean';s walk against leukaemia and it';s a tremendous cause. I';ve always admired Deano as a sportsman, as a bloke, and to be able to do this walk with he and Jane this morning… he';s a great Australian character as well as having been a great cricketer. But he';s now turning that popularity and influence to a good cause, as so many of his sporting colleagues, like Allan Border and just so many others. I mean, it';s a very admirable thing that people who achieve notoriety and respect and a lot of public acclaim in sport because of their talent, and then so many of them are then willing to put something back, and some more so than others, and Deano is one of those who do it more so than others.
LIEBMANN:
Alright, well Deano we';ve just got you another 30 grand, enjoy the walk and enjoy the talk.
JONES:
Absolutely, thanks very much, thanks very much Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good on you, see you Steve.
LIEBMANN:
Thanks Prime Minister, thanks Dean.
[ends]