PRIME MINISTER:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister of Niue and I have called this news conference to announce that Australia will contribute $4 million to the Niue Trust Fund. You will all know of the terrible impact on Niue, a small vulnerable country of the cyclone some months ago and of the lost of property and life and, obviously, this is a case where help is needed, not only the aftermath of that, but also more generally and I hope that the contribution Australia is making, which is very much in the spirit of Pacific co-operation, will be of assistance to the people of Niue and I'm delighted that the Prime Minister is with me today for this announcement.
JOURNALIST:
Premier Vivian, can you tell us what your reaction is to the contribution from Australia?
PREMIER VIVIAN:
I am absolutely delighted about the contribution Australia is giving my little country. And what it means to me is that it gives my people confidence that we will have a little nation in about 2000 years time. So the contribution is a new beginning for Niue, which means that Australia do care for us and also there are other people also who care for us, particularly at this particular meeting. So, John, I'm very thankful to your people and your government.
PRIME MINISTER:
Pleasure, thank you.
PREMIER VIVIAN:
... for this contribution. It's a very big contribution as far as Niue is concerned and it gives us hope and faith for the future.
JOURNALIST:
... about the viability, the ongoing viability of the Pacific Nations to you?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, it's a particular response to a particular problem that this country has. I'm not going to generalise. We're dealing with the particular circumstances of Niue. It is a small country, a very small country. It's been knocked around by a number of things, particularly the cyclone of which I spoke. But that's not the only challenge it has and we thought that this level of assistance was necessary and desirable and I'm very pleased that we're in a position to do it.
JOURNALIST:
What specifically will the money be used for?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, that is the matter for the Prime Minister. I'm sure it will be used wisely.
PREMIER VIVIAN:
Well, it's for the future. We keep it there, we use the interest in the future to help to supplement the budget.
JOURNALIST:
Premier Vivian, where else will you be looking for money for the Trust Fund?
PREMIER VIVIAN:
Well, I think people know by now that we need money for the Trust Fund. I will look anywhere and sound out people or institutions that are able to give money. I think European Union have expressed interest and that's very very encouraging. I hear from the back here, what about New Zealand. New Zealand has already given us $5 million for the Trust Fund. So total, I have $9 million or is it $10 million, I think he's giving it in Australian money.
JOURNALIST:
What's your relationship between Australia and other Pacific Island countries?
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon?
JOURNALIST:
What's your relationship between Australia and other Pacific...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Very good.
JOURNALIST:
Very good.
PRIME MINISTER:
It's a very good relationship, but we're here as a friend. We're not here to throw our weight around, we're just here as a friend. We have our views on things but it's a good forum and it's just heard a report from me and the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands about the RAMSI Intervention and everybody has spoken very positively of the success of that. But it's also agreed that having won the war, so to speak, we must be certain that we win the peace and that having stabilised the country and put back any possibility of insurgency, we make certain that the economic and governance reforms that are now so essential go ahead because if that does not occur then the intervention's value will be over time diminished.
JOURNALIST:
Will Australia and the other contributing countries have some sort of role in policing the trust fund to ensure that it's operating...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I am confident that the fund will be administered properly. We don't seek to have somebody on the board at the trust or anything like that. That implies a rather more paternalistic view than I would like to be associated with. We have every confidence that the Government of Niue and my good friend the Prime Minister will spend and husband the money very wisely. Thank you.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, the environment's always been a (inaudible) issue at the Pacific Island Forum. There are reports back home that you were perhaps reassessing your own view of the importance of the environment in the lead up to the election. Can you tell us a bit about...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I've always placed enormous importance on the environment. Eight and a half years ago I promised a National Heritage Trust, I had a salinity initiative, I presided over an historic COAG meeting that produced a national water initiative. What I said in that interview yesterday was that the environment would remain right at the centre of political debate and political activity in Australia and I'll obviously have more to say about it. But it's not some latter day conversion of mine. I've been talking about and doing things about the environment the whole time that I've been Prime Minister. Thank you. We must return.
[ends]