PRIME MINISTER:
Well ladies and gentlemen, today is World Water Day and it's also the first meeting of the National Water Commission, which is a joint Commonwealth-State body; four people nominated by the Commonwealth, three by the states - seven outstanding Australians who have a great background in this area. They have two tasks, two primary tasks. One of them is to assess the performance of the states in relation to water matters under the National Competition Policy principles. The other is to make recommendations to the Federal Government about the disbursement of the $2 billion water fund that I announced during the election campaign. I am delighted that the states have reaffirmed, with the exception of Tasmania -who I believe will follow suit - reaffirmed their commitment to the National Water Fund. I welcome that. This is an area where the Commonwealth and the states have cooperated very closely in the past, and I believe they will do so in the future. We can only achieve good outcomes in this area if we work closely together, and I believe that is the commitment of all of the state premiers, and it's certainly my commitment.
You will remember, ladies and gentlemen, that part of the policy I announced in the election campaign in relation to water was the creation of a pool of $200 million for small community water grants, and this was designed to encourage local communities to develop ways and means, locally, of preserving water, and of developing water smart communities. And today, in recognition of World Water Day and the fact that we're meeting the Water Commission for the first time, I'm in a position to announce 7 of the first group of 27 projects under the Community Water Grants section, which amount in all to $1 million for those 27 projects. I have with me the Mayor of Cooma, Councillor Norton, and Mr Gary Nairn, the Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, because one of the seven projects is the Nimmitabel Water Supply Efficiency and Re-use Program. Now this particular program, which is, as you might gather, located in the Eden-Monaro electorate and in the Nimmitabel Shire, this particular project will ensure that the town of Nimmitabel, which has a population of 250, will be able to meet domestic needs without carting water from Cooma. Now that is a very important thing for the local community, and this community wide project is expected to achieve a 24 per cent reduction in current water use - a saving equivalent to more than 100 semitrailer tanker loads or 4,120,000 litres of water a year. Now that is a lot of water for $45,000. I think that's a very sound investment and it's an example of the sort of project that will be funded around the country, and the savings will be achieved by providing an effluent re-use system at the town's wastewater facility; water tank connections to public facilities; a water audit of water use in households; and subsidising the installation of rainwater tanks on residences, and retrofit of dual flush toilets and water efficient shower roses. Now, all of that is very practical action, and all of that for $45,000 investment. And all of that will assist the people of Nimmitabel, and it will be an example of projects all around the country that are going to funded at the local level out of this $200 million.
We've had a lot of projects submitted. The others I'm announcing today are: Bridge to Bridge: the Bremer River Community and Business Partnerships in Queensland; the Abbotsford Convent Foundation Storm Water Recycling Project in Victoria; the Recycling of Town and Farm Effluent for Reed Irrigation, Roseworthy, in South Australia, and the InnovativeWatertable Recharge and Recyling program in Geraldton in Western Australia. I'll be making available a news release that describes all of these projects in more detail, and they are an example.
Now, can I conclude my remarks by thanking, again, the members of the National Water Commission, chaired by Mr Ken Matthews, for accepting the invitation of the Federal Government and the state governments to join that body. They have a very important responsibility. They are composed of Australians with great expertise in this area and great understanding of the challenges that lie ahead of us, and recognise very fully that scarcity of water is the great conservation challenge of our age.
Do you have any questions?
JOURNALIST:
Do you have particular water saving measures, Mr Howard, at the Lodge?
PRIME MINISTER:
We are following the restrictions that are laid down by the ACT Government and the NSW Government, and ever since those water restrictions have been brought into force I've insisted that they be followed meticulously, and if there are any other proposals that can further conserve the use of water at those official residences, they will be followed.
JOURNALIST:
No water tanks?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think there is some storage capacity in one of the official residences, but it's not one that I occupy.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, did the Cabinet come to a view on changes to detention policy today and what were they?
PRIME MINISTER:
We did consider that matter further and Senator Vanstone will in the not too distant future be saying something about it.
JOURNALIST:
Have you had a chance to speak to Tony Abbott about [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't have anything further to say about Tony Abbott's issues relating to Tony Abbott beyond what I said last night, I think enough has been said.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
No well look I am sorry I said last night, having made a comment about his handling of the matter, my personal regard for him and the warm esteem in which he is held by me and by my colleagues. I respect very much the way Tony has conducted himself in this situation but it really is nobody's business now. I don't intend to say anything about it, and frankly I don't think you should either.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I can't speak for how my colleagues will react. You will have to ask them when it occurs but what we have been looking at is a situation where a person has been judged not to be a refugee. In other words, all of the avenues of examination and adjudication have been exhausted, yet for practical purposes that person can't be sent back to the country from whence he came, and that it's not in those circumstances, while that situation continues, it is not reasonable that he or she continue to be in detention and the desire is that that person be led out into the community on the understanding that when the impracticability about the person's return has been removed and that person will be returned to the country from whence he or she came because at no stage has it been judged that that person is a refugee. If the person were judged to be a refugee well the circumstance would be different. We are looking at a way in which to give effect to that desire in relation to that very limited number of people.
JOURNALIST:
How soon could they be released from detention centres?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that is something that Senator Vanstone will have to deal with. We've talked about the thing. We think it's a sensible way of dealing with this limited number of cases. We have no intention of altering the policy and the policy of offshore processing of turning back boats, although we haven't had any boats for a long time and the policy of mandatory detention. That policy has worked extremely well and we remain very strongly committed, but quite consistent with that, it makes sense to deal as I have described with this very limited number of cases.
JOURNALIST:
When you say very limited numbers, what is the rough estimate of that?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't want to get into it, but it is a small number. Really that is something that Senator Vanstone can help you with more.
JOURNALIST:
Well [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
I can't tell you that, I am not sufficiently across the detail.
JOURNALIST:
Has Cabinet made a decision on possible changes to the way the Government reimburses chemists under the PBS Scheme?
PRIME MINISTER:
No we haven't done that. That is an issue that's in front of the Government but we haven't made a final decision on that. There does need to be a negotiation of a new community pharmacy agreement and in negotiating that, we will have regard to two factors. We'll have regard to the cost of maintaining the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the tremendous drain that it does impose on the exchequer and we'll also have regard to the fact that pharmacists are very good small business operators and they are part of, an important part of the community and they are an important part of, how shall I put it, giving effect our health care system.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard what will be the Federal Government's message in the Treasurer's meeting, State Treasurer's meeting?
PRIME MINISTER:
That the federal finances and the federal Budget are strong, that the states are flusher with GST revenue than even they dare dream and that they should abolish all of those taxes that they are now in a position to abolish.
JOURNALIST:
Did you finish industrial relations [inaudible] and if so when will you be announcing them?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't have any announcement to make on industrial relations Michelle, and I don't think I will be making any announcement on industrial relations for at least another couple of weeks. It is an important issue, we are, to use a legal expression, we are part-heard on industrial relations but we are making progress and it'll be an important and interesting announcement but there's one thing that won't come out of the decision we take - we won't be adopting policies that will lead to a reduction in the real level of wages in Australia. In fact we are very proud of the fact that under my Government real wages have gone up.
JOURNALIST:
What about skilled migration, have you dealt with that?
PRIME MINISTER:
No didn't deal with that today Michelle.
JOURNALIST:
Did that still come up?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well if it wasn't dealt with today, by definition, it will be dealt with on another occasion...
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I'm not going to tell you when Michelle, you do well enough on that score. You actually did quite well at the weekend.
Okay. Thank you.
[ends]