SPARGO:
The Prime Minister John Howard joins us on the line this morning, good morning Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good morning Joanne.
SPARGO:
What announcements will you be making while you're in Gippsland today?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'll be making some announcements of support for some local projects under the Government's sustainable regions programme and the details of those I'll be revealing, but they are of assistance to four particular projects in the region and I'll be making announcements about that later on this morning. But they will help two companies and the East Gippsland Shire Council and also one other activity I think will have a lot of support in the community.
SPARGO:
The La Trobe Valley is the energy hub of Victoria, why haven't we seen a Prime Minister in the area for 15 years?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I've been to the La Trobe Valley before.
SPARGO:
On an official capacity?
PRIME MINISTER:
When you say on an official capacity, well look I don't carry my diary around in my head but I'm certainly very familiar with the La Trobe Valley and of course I'd point out I haven't been Prime Minister for 15 years.
SPARGO:
No, but we haven't seen you here since you have been Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm not sure about that, I'd object, I don't have my diary with me, I've been in the job for eight years, I don't remember every single visit.
SPARGO:
Why the interest in the Valley today?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I have a long standing invitation from Peter McGauran to visit the area and I went through it a few weeks ago and stopped and he said I wanted you to come back again and I have.
SPARGO:
What do you hope to get out of your visit?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I always find that these visits are valuable in that they put you in contact with local concerns, I'm not only visiting the RAAF base but also I'm visiting a local timber company which will give me an insight into some of the concerns the timber industry has about the decisions of the Victorian Government which have had an adverse economic effect on that industry. I'll also meet dairy farmers and I'll be taking part in a major fundraising function to organise, to encourage support for cancer research, it's a fundraising lunch for the Gippsland cancer care unit which is being held...
SPARGO:
At the Century Inn.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, and a centrepiece of my visit.
SPARGO:
Will the RAAF base expansions still go ahead if member for Gippsland, Peter McGauran, loses his seat of Gippsland?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can only speak for what my Government will do and the promises that we've made in that area will continue irrespective of who the Member for Gippsland is, if we are the Government.
SPARGO:
And just on another matter, we have heard on the ABC news today that the new Spanish Prime Minister [tape break] withdrawing troops from Iraq, how does this affect Australia's involvement?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it's a bad decision, it's a decision I regret, it will encourage the insurgency, it will not encourage more peaceful activity in Iraq, it's likely to encourage those who are opposed to the coalition to believe that if they can cause more bloodshed and trouble then more will pull out. It will not alter the Australian Government's position one iota. Our personnel will remain in and around Iraq until the tasks they have been given have been completed, the Spanish decision will have no impact at all on my Government's approach.
SPARGO:
Thank you so much Prime Minister John Howard for your time this morning, we really appreciate you talking to us this morning and enjoy your time in Gippsland today.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]