PRIME MINISTER:
Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Macdonald and I have made this announcement. Are there any questions you want to ask either of us about this, or I';ll take questions about anything else you like, within reason.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, the funding in the initial two years for this patrol boat';s operation. Is that extra money?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, it';s extra money. Extra money – 40 to 50 million dollars more. It';s a new facility, it';s an armed capacity. We will over the two-year period have that capacity and then we';ll develop a longer-term program. But what this will do is to add a new additional capacity to Customs, assisted by other agencies to deal with illegal fishing. It';s a very important additional capacity and one that will be funded by new money.
JOURNALIST:
Are we plugging a hole here or…
PRIME MINISTER:
No, we';re responding to a need. The whole idea of effective border protection is that as you get stretched you respond, and protecting this country';s fishing resources from illegal incursions is very much part of protecting our national sovereignty. And we';ve done a good job up to date, but what we';ve decided is that we need a new capacity and we';re going to give it to Customs because Customs are the experts at this. They';re very good at it. They';ve demonstrated that in the past, and that';s why we';re giving them this new capacity.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister are you pleased that the ALP [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
They haven';t. I checked with the Attorney-General';s office this morning and I have been told that the discussions and negotiations referred to in The Australian this morning in fact started before Mr Latham became the leader, and as of now there has been no indication from the Labor Party it will accept our basic request. And our basic request is that if the Attorney-General is satisfied on proper advice that an organisation should be proscribed, he should be able to do that without having to have a special act of parliament for each organisation. And if the Senate is unhappy with his decision, the Senate can disallow the proscription. Now that';s the sort of power that attorneys-general in like countries to Australia have, that';s what we want. Last month Senator Faulkner said he was shocked at the proposal. He said it was playing politics. Now if there has been a change, if Mr Latham is going to change the Crean position, I will welcome that. But there is no evidence yet that he will change the Crean position. But he';s now got the opportunity to say yes, I will give support to the Australian Attorney-General having that power. Now if he is willing to say that today, I will welcome that and I will see it is a sign of bipartisanship. But so far he has not been willing to do that. And while he is at it, while he is in the mood, if he is, why doesn';t he withdraw the Labor Party';s objection to the excision of all those islands from the migration zone? Because if we';re able to excise them, we will add to the armoury of protection we already have against illegal immigration.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, what is your view then on Mark Latham [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
I pay on results, pay on results. I haven';t seen any results yet. I mean it';s talk, talk, talk. He can say I am tougher than Crean but I pay on results. And the results I want are firstly, unambiguous support for the right of the Attorney-General to proscribe an organisation subject to Senate disallowance – number one. Number two – reverse your opposition to the excision of those islands. Now if he does that, does both of those things, then there will be some sign of a change. So far we';ve had plenty of talk. Let';s see whether he';s prepared to put his money so to speak where his mouth is.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, on the medical indemnity issue – has cabinet been able to settle on a position that will stem the flow of specialists from hospitals?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we have settled on a very fair position. The question of what the doctors do is a matter now for them. But we are providing unprecedented levels of support because of the particular circumstances of this issue. Mr Abbott is talking to the medical profession today. I encourage the medical profession to accept the Government';s offer – it';s generous. It';s a fair balance between the legitimate needs of the doctors and the interests of the taxpayer and also the precedent that would be set if we were to say to the medical profession, well, we';re going to take it over completely. If we do that to the medical profession other people will say, “gee – why can';t we be treated in the same way?” I mean there';s got to be a balance. We';ve tried to fair and reasonable, we';ve erred on the side of generosity with the doctors and I would urge them very much to accept what Mr Abbott will put to them today.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think they';ll be satisfied?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I think it';s important that Mr Abbott have his discussion, the medical profession think about it without my trying to run ahead of that.
Thank you.
[ends]