JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, Hi. Can we ask you if you can continue to treat allegations of abuse against Mamdouh Habib as a grain of salt in light of the current... of the new allegations that have emerged today?
PRIME MINISTER:
I've said already that we're investigating the allegations and we'll do that and when that investigation has been completed we'll have something further to say.
JOURNALIST:
Are you going to (inaudible) the allegation?
PRIME MINISTER:
We'll I've been in touch, and indeed my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has been in touch again with our embassy in Washington and we are pursuing the issue further with the Pentagon. And until we get a response on that there is really nothing further I have to say. They are allegations and it is fair to say again that we didn't hear a lot about this issue from Hicks or Habib or their lawyers until the allegation surfaced regarding American behaviour in Baghdad. Now that doesn't alter the fact that we would regard any mistreatment as unacceptable and we are seeking advice and seeking further assurances. In the past, those assurances have been very freely given and we'll seek those assurances again. But until I've had a response, there is nothing more that I intend to say.
JOURNALIST:
What action will you take if it's found that they have been abused...?
PRIME MINISTER:
When I get further information I'll have something further to say.
JOURNALIST:
Also, there's speculation the election could be as early as August 7th.
PRIME MINISTER:
Next question.
JOURNALIST:
There's speculation this morning that you'll be spending a lot of money on a Medicare ad campaign released this weekend. Can you comment about that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we are certainly going to explain in detail the benefits of the new Medicare safety net, which provides an unrivalled guarantee for families in relation to out-of-pocket expenses. I mean, this new Medicare safety net is a very generous safety net for Australian families and we want them to be aware of it. It means that if you have expenses of more than $300 for most families, not all, but for most out-of-hospital, out-of-pocket expenses you'll get 80 per cent of them reimbursed. Now that's an unrivalled strengthening of Medicare. And, of course, we're going to explain it to the Australian public. It's no good having a benefit available to families unless they know about it. And advertising the availability of benefits through television and radio and print, providing that advertising contains no political comment, and this advertising has no political comment, it merely explains the new benefit, that's a perfectly legitimate thing for any government to do and we make no apology for explaining to the families of Australia the benefits of the new strengthened Medicare.
JOURNALIST:
Are you happy with the treatment, the assurances that you've received about the treatment of David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib so far?
PRIME MINISTER:
I've already said that I'll have a further comment to make when I have further information.
JOURNALIST:
When are you expecting further information?
PRIME MINISTER:
What's the next question?
JOURNALIST:
Does the ad campaign attempt to take away some of Mark Latham's thunder leading up to the next election?
PRIME MINISTER:
You got another question?
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, why are you meeting with Janice Reid today?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I'm in the area and we're going to talk about the announcement made in the budget about medical places for western Sydney. Pat has been somebody who's displayed a great interest in higher education facilities in this part of Sydney and it's only natural that I would want to talk to the Vice Chancellor. I have met her before and I look forward to discussing aspects of that announcement with her. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
(inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER:
It was a very pleasant evening. Thank you.
[ends]