PRIME MINISTER:
Well ladies and gentlemen having opened the M7 I wanted to call into the Exodus Foundation and to say on behalf of, I know, hundreds of thousands of people around Sydney and elsewhere what a fantastic job Bill Crews and the Exodus Foundation does. He explained to me that in the true spirit of Christmas they will feed some 3000 people here on Christmas Day, made possible by his inspirational leadership and Christian charity but also by the marvellous assistance of volunteers from all around Sydney, many of whom have now been doing this for years and years. I also had the opportunity of hearing something of his Schoolwise Programme, which seeks to bring about an increase in the literacy, the reading and numeracy skills of children. It has been a hugely successful programme, had its graduation ceremony yesterday and I am pleased on behalf of the Federal Education Minister to indicate that the Commonwealth Government will contribute a sum of $30,000 to assist the Schoolwise Programme. It's bringing literacy and numeracy skills at a grassroots level to children who can't even get on the bottom rung of the ladder because their literacy and numeracy skills are inadequate. It is the kind of practical program that Bills Crews is famous for.
I again extend to him, not only a warm good wish for Christmas and the New Year, but also to extend to him my unbounded admiration for his wonderful example of practical Christianity which he's carried out here at the Exodus Foundation, the Exodus Mission for many years now. He is great example and somebody I know who deserves all the help and support that he can have.
JOURNALIST:
Firstly, we have seen a stream of people coming here picking up food hampers, that kind of thing. Does it make you rethink any of the policies? You have been criticised by a number of social groups about some of the policies out there, Welfare-to-Work and the like. Does seeing it first-hand make any difference?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think what being here does is again to remind me, as we should all be reminded, who are fortunate at Christmas - and most of us are - that there are a lot of people who aren't and we should in different ways personally do what we can to help. The truth of course is that the stronger the economy the better the opportunity is for people to have jobs. The best way to help people is to give them a job. And if you have a strong economy you have more jobs, you have less poverty, you have fewer people unemployed. But there will always, sadly in society, no matter what political or economic system you have, there will always be some people who for a combination of reasons miss out. And we have got to make certain that we have a strong network and I don't think for example, you mentioned Welfare-to-Work, I don't think that is going to increase poverty. I think it is going to reduce it because there will be more people in work. A job is always better than welfare.
JOURNALIST:
The surplus is rather enormous. Do you think there is an argument now for tax cuts and tax reform?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think there is always an argument after you have provided for the necessaries, after you have provided for a balanced budget, provided additional resources for defence, health, welfare, roads, the things that people want. If there is anything left over then it should go back to the people who contributed and that is the taxpayers of Australia. As to what form that should be is not something I am going to give a statement on in an ad hoc news conference. Clearly the Government will give consideration to al of these matters as it puts together the Budget for next year.
JOURNALIST:
The Tax Department says that James Hardie is not entitled to a deduction for its asbestos compensation claim. Does that put the payout now in jeopardy?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that will be a matter for James Hardie and the trust. But, what the Tax Office has done is simply interpret the existing law.
JOURNALIST:
The Government though, James Hardie needs some kind of tax legislation otherwise there is going to be, this deal is off. The Treasurer said that he is not inclined to do that. Do you agree that there won't be special legislation for James Hardie to...
PRIME MINISTER:
The Treasurer has expressed the Government's position and James Hardie would have known the, presumably would have known, what the tax position was when the arrangement was made. But that is a matter that presumably the company will take up with the Treasurer.
JOURNALIST:
Bernie Banton and asbestos sufferers have been fighting this for months, for most for most of the year now. Shouldn't the Government step in to ensure that the payout is assured?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, this is a tax benefit that James Hardie is asking for it is not a tax benefit that the asbestos sufferers are asking for. The obligation is the company to the asbestos sufferers. It is not a matter of us assisting the asbestos sufferers. But it is a question of James Hardie wanting a special arrangement from the Government. Now that is a matter that they will have to pursue.
JOURNALIST:
But they have been pursuing it and the Treasurer has said he is not prepared to do it. Is it hard and fast, is there room for negotiation?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the Tax Office has given a ruling and I haven't even seen the details of that ruling so I am sure it is something that the company will pursue with the Treasurer.
JOURNALIST:
Just on another matter Prime Minister. It seems that Australia has lost its Christmas cheer. One of the text messages going around, circulating in Sydney's south and west is calling for people to pick up their arms basically. Are you fearful that our international reputation is at stake?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I am not fearful that our international reputation is at stake. There are, what, four-and-a-half million people in Sydney and the behaviour of a small number of lunatics is not going to dent the reputation, the compassionate reputation of this city or the compassionate reputation of this nation.
Could I just say one thing before we finish. And that is to say how encouraged, even inspired I am by the huge turnout which has apparently occurred in the election in Iraq. It looks as though the turnout could have been between 60 and 80 per cent. There has been a huge turnout of Sunnis which is very encouraging because they are the group that had felt excluded. They are the group that did not participate in the January election. If, as appears likely, this election is successful because it is widely supported then that will represent a real milestone in the progress towards developing an entrenched democracy in Iraq. You have to admire people who will risk their lives to vote. We don't have to risk our lives to vote in this country, we just take it for granted. Here you have got more than 10 million people risking the most fearful intimidation. They want democracy, they want a future, they want to make their own lives and they deserve our support and our help and they will continue to receive it. I am hugely encouraged by the turnout and it is a vindication of the efforts made to bring democracy to Iraq and a vindication of the Coalition's aims.
JOURNALIST:
Barnaby Joyce has been talking about perhaps going to the crossbench. What would you say to that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Nothing.
JOURNALIST:
The success of the Iraq election overnight. Does it lend its hand to the Cabinet perhaps considering an exit strategy from Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the order is that when Iraq is secure and can defend itself and look after its own security that is the time to begin withdrawing. So to the extent that the turnout leads to the establishment of a stable, popularly supported government then it is going to create the situation over time when Iraq can look after itself. We don't want to stay there any longer than necessary. But there is nothing to be achieved by a premature withdrawal. Even people who attacked the original involvement now support troops staying there until the job is completed. We are making progress, the election is huge progress but it will take some months, perhaps, before a government is formed and when the government is formed then that will be a huge, extra milestone along the path towards a democratic Iraq.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, David Hicks has spent more than four years in Guantanamo Bay, it looks like he is going to spend more time now with the British Government appealing his citizenship. Do you support that appeal?
PRIME MINISTER:
That is a matter for the British Government. I don't have any comment to make on the decisions of the British Government. David Hicks chose to seek British citizenship on the basis of his mother's British nationality and a court in that country has made a decision. What the British Government does is entirely a matter for the British Government. We would like to see him brought before the military commission as soon as possible but those proceedings are delayed because his own lawyers have appealed to higher United States courts against the constitutionality of the military commission. So the delay in David Hicks being tried at the moment is not the fault of the American Government or the fault of the Australian Government. It is a result of legal proceedings being taken by his own lawyers in the United States.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Hicks' lawyer says Australia hasn't done enough.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well you'd expect Mr Hicks' lawyer to say that. I don't take umbrage at that. He has to say that. He should say that because he thinks it's in the interests of his client. That's his job. But the reality is that we would like him brought before the military commission. It's not our fault that it's being delayed. Thank you.
[ends]