JOURNALIST:
Mr Prime Minister is indigenous homeownership something that's likely to happen in the next ten years, or do you think it's more a long term issue?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I hope that certainly within that timeframe it becomes a reality for a number of indigenous people, it will obviously take quite a while for it to spread through the whole community because people need the money to buy the homes. But we have made a great advance, the concept is now being debated and it has growing support. It's all part of self-improvement, self-reliance and economic independence. (inaudible) know what home ownership means to family and community stability. And I want that family and community stability extended to our fellow Australians who are indigenous.
JOURNALIST:
Is it a positive sign that the local councils are asking for it themselves - I mean the community on Palm Island has rejected the idea (inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER:
I certainly find it very encouraging the number of people within the indigenous community who support it - not all of them do, but that's the nature with any concept that is unusual, different, contrary to what's happened in the past. But I'm encouraged that many aboriginal leaders support it and community support is important, and I will go on advocating it. We have the support of the Northern Territory Chief Minister, Clare Martin. I'm sure there'll be State leaders in other parts of the country who will have similar ideas.
JOURNALIST:
Could I just ask you about the 25 year old in Singapore who is about to be hanged. (inaudible) more should be done.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we have already done everything that's possible. We've spoken to and petitioned the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister of Singapore, I've done that, Mr Downer's done that, the Governor General delivered a clemency petition. If there is any further information that has not previously been made available to us, the man's lawyers - which is relevant to the question of whether there should be a sentence remission - then we should be given that information straight away. But my knowledge to date has been that everything that was relevant was already known and was before the Singaporean authorities. I am desperately sorry about this. I feel for the man's family. He did it to help his brother. It was wrong, it was serious crime - he would've known that, he did it to help his brother. Now I feel for him as a human being. I don't believe in capital punishment. But this is another country. We don't control Singapore. Singapore controls its own affairs. And people have to understand that when you go to another country and commit a crime against the laws of that country, you're punished according to the laws of that country. I am desperately sorry. If there is anything new then we will put that forward to the authorities. But if there's nothing new, I don't want to raise false expectations. They have looked at it very closely.
JOURNALIST:
Have you had any progress speaking to Premiers about terror legislation?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh that matter is still being examined inside the Government and when I've got something further to say I will. I still believe that the legislation will go through.
JOURNALIST:
There's been talk that the IR legislation will go through as early as next week and....
PRIME MINISTER:
No that's not right. The Industrial Relations legislation will be introduced into Parliament next week, but it certainly won't go through next week. There will be some weeks of debate on the legislation before the final votes are taken.
JOURNALIST:
And the... Moresby Forum. Hopeful of a positive outcomes there?
PRIME MINISTER:
I believe so, there's a new mood in the Pacific. Once again self-help, self-reliance is assuming a greater significance. But we want to help and we understand our responsibilities. But we want measured improvements in governance and also a sensible use of resources as a condition of our aid.
[ends]