JOURNALIST:
...I want to check on... there's reports that there's a split in the Cabinet on the issue of a nuclear waste dump in South Australia...
PRIME MINISTER:
No.
JOURNALIST:
Is that still your preferred option, South Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
There's no split and when we're in a position to announce our policy we will.
JOURNALIST:
What's your preferred option?
PRIME MINISTER:
Next question?
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, David Kemp's departure, is he a big loss?
PRIME MINISTER:
David has made a great contribution to the Liberal Party, stretching back to the time that he was on Mr Fraser's staff and then as director here in Victoria and later as the Member for Goldstein and a minister in my Government and I thank David for the contribution. I thank him for his work as Education Minister and more recently as Environment Minister. I wish him well. I understand fully why he wants to spend more time with his family and that's very understandable given the ages of his children and I wish he and his wife and family all the very best for the future.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, the change of policy on refugees, is your Government using them as an election issue?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I think we have sensibly adjusted a policy, everybody knows that we've been tough and effective on border protection. We've stopped the boats coming and that's the most important thing. We've turned all of that around and our policy has been totally vindicated. But now is the time to recognise that some adjustment in the handling of the temporary protection visa holders is desirable. There is a recognition in many regional communities that people who are holding down jobs and making a contribution to those communities ought to have the right to apply for a mainstream visa. And equally in relation to the people whose TPVs are coming to an end, they should be given more time to arrange their return. I think overall it's a very sensible package. It doesn't in any way detract from the strength of our border protection policy but it does recognise in a sensitive, fair and compassionate way current realities. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
Mark Latham's claimed that the policy's pinched from Labor.
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh, dear oh me, Mr Latham. Mr Latham's got too much on his plate in relation to Iraq to start pitching in on other policies. The man who's trying to walk both sides of the street on Iraq and who's cobbled something together to smooth things over for the election because he shot his mouth off without thinking things through a few months ago.
[ends]