PRIME MINISTER:
Well ladies and gentlemen I don't know that I have anything to add to what I said in my remarks at the gathering except to, for the benefit of the local media here, to underline again the extension of the EC Declaration. These things are always difficult. We as a Commonwealth, who make the declarations, rely on advice provided by state governments and other agencies, and that advice having been assessed, we are extending it. And we will, of course, review the situation again as we move through the winter months into the spring. We all hope that there will be some drought-breaking change in the weather, but we can't be certain of that and of course these areas have been subject to EC Declarations now for a period, I think, of over two years.
MINISTER NAIRN:
Two's coming up shortly.
PRIME MINISTER:
Two years coming up shortly. So it is one of a number of areas around that have been very badly affected by drought. It's worth recalling the figure of more than a billion dollars in the last five years has been provided by the Commonwealth for drought assistance, for EC, and of course money is being provided in other programmes. But if there are any other questions you want to ask me, please go ahead.
JOURNALIST:
On water Prime Minister, earlier this week you talked about water restrictions being driven by states generating profits from their utilities rather than the need to preserve water. Do you think the states are putting enough money into our water infrastructure?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think that there is a general tendency of state-owned water utilities to see them as money making exercises, and as a result, there's been insufficient reinvestment.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, there's been a number of concerns from people around Cooma, especially with Snowy Hydro. Can you confirm that it is 100 per cent off the Federal Government's agenda?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I not only can confirm that, but I can confidently predict that no New South Wales or Victorian Government will be game to raise the issue in the future.
JOURNALIST:
One thing people have hoped is that maybe the Federal Government would consider buying it off?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we're not going to buy the states' shares, but let me say that having gone through what everybody went through and having experienced the strength of public opinion, and having acknowledged as I did this morning that we made a mistake, and I am not trying to blame anybody else, but we of course, by our decision ended the privatisation bandwagon, we won't be revisiting it and my prediction is that neither will any New South Wales or Victorian Government. But naturally I can't give undertakings on their behalf.
JOURNALIST:
There's been criticism that the EC criteria's too tough and local mayors have said that over half the farmers in this region aren't able to qualify for the payment even though they need it.
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think that criticism is fair. We loosened the EC criteria less than a year ago and we did that in very close consultation with the National Farmers' Federation and the general view at that time was that we had gone as far, and in some cases, further than people had expected. And there was, of course, the reintroduction last week of the additional $10,000 exemption for off-farm income, which took that total figure to $44,000. I don't think that criticism is justified.
JOURNALIST:
On Lebanon Mr Howard.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think anymore can be done to speed up the evacuation of Australians and have you had any direct conversations with representatives of the Israeli Government to try to ensure safe passage? And also, have you had any discussions with President Bush about the overall crisis?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the answer to the first question is that we, on my advice; and bear in mind that the arrangements have to be made on the ground, in the area by our diplomatic people; the advice I have is that we are in a very difficult situation doing all that can be done. I understand why people are anxious. I understand why people are desperate with worry about their loved ones. My counsel and my response to them is that we are doing all we can, but we are in a war zone, and when you get into a war zone, particularly when you are an innocent third party, it's very difficult.
Now as far as contact is concerned, Mr Downer has spoken to the Israeli Foreign Minister and if it's appropriate for me at some time to speak to the Israeli Prime Minister I will do so. I don't at this stage think that's necessary. I think the contact between the two Foreign Ministers is right. I haven't specifically spoken to President Bush on this issue. His views are well known, our views are well known. They are, whilst not identical, they are not dissimilar.
It remains the very strong view of the Australian Government that this current turmoil and this current outbreak of war was a direct result of the absolutely irresponsible and provocative action of Hezbollah, of going into Israeli territory and capturing Israeli soldiers. Doing that on top of what had happened with the capture of the Israeli soldier by Hamas was calculated to cause a response from Israel. Israel has a right to defend herself. It should be remembered that Israel has been subjected to this kind of attack now for years and years.
I thought we were moving ever so slowly towards some kind of detente. When Sharon took on the hard right in his own country and began to dismantle the settlements in the Gaza, that represented a very significant change in Israeli policy. It resulted in Mr Sharon leaving his own party and forming a new party. And I thought that might have brought forth a more conciliatory response. Unfortunately in the case of Hezbollah it hasn't and we share the view of many that the hand of Iran and Syria, the hands, rather, of Iran and Syria are very much in evidence.
JOURNALIST:
The Australian Ambassador says it may be very difficult to extract Australians in southern Lebanon without a ceasefire. Will Australia strengthen its appeal for a ceasefire?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'll be talking to Mr Downer later in the day about this. I heard the interview with the Ambassador. Look, we would all like a ceasefire. I mean, nobody wants war, nobody wants anybody killed. I don't want soldiers killed, I don't want civilians killed. I'm appalled at the loss of life and once a conflict like this starts, innocent civilians become the victims and I feel also for the soldiers who are killed as well, let's not ignore that. But you have to, amidst all of this, understand how it started and the difficulty faced by Israel is that in the past there have been situations where the conditions for ceasefires have resulted in a heavy disadvantage for Israel's defensive position.
JOURNALIST:
Is this now a proportionate response still by Israel?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I think it's very hard for people to pontificate about whether the response is proportionate. If you are attacked, you retaliate and you retaliate with the resources at your disposal. The criticism and the questioning should be on those who attacked Israel, rather than Israel being attacked for defending herself.
JOURNALIST:
Has DFAT done enough to assist our people there? They started out with the embassy closed.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that claim was untrue. The embassy was not closed for the period alleged. You have to understand that it is a chaotic situation and it's easy to criticise a limited number of foreign affairs personnel who are operating in very stressful circumstances. And the other point I would make is that we prefer not to give a running commentary on what might happen in the evacuation of people. We prefer rather to actually make arrangements and have people out or on the way out before talking about it. Anything else?
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, I trust you enjoyed your trip to Cooma today...
PRIME MINISTER:
I think Cooma's a great place. I used to come here a lot as I said earlier, on the way through to the snowfields and it's great to be back and it's terrific to be in Eden-Monaro with your fabulous member Gary Nairn.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, on uranium, has Australia progressed its domestic uranium enrichment programme?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well one of the things that the Switkowski inquiry is looking at, is that. We haven't made any decision to do that, but it seems logical to me that if we're looking at the whole nuclear issue, we should look at the question of whether we enrich uranium. It's self evident that's one of the issues to be talked about. We have taken no decision on that. It's part of the terms of reference.
JOURNALIST:
Are you worried about the US Global Energy Partnership?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I'm not worried about it, but we ought to keep an eye on how it develops and what it means.
JOURNALIST:
Will you be talking to the US President?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't need to talk to the US President everyday about everything that crops up. I mean he's running his own country and I'm the Prime Minister of Australia and we sort of go our separate ways. We don't talk to each other every day, that's ridiculous.
JOURNALIST:
Can we ask Mr Nairn...
PRIME MINISTER:
Mr who?
JOURNALIST:
Mr Nairn, whether he wants you as the leader in the next election campaign by his side?
MINISTER NAIRN:
Well I'm very much on the public record of saying that the Prime Minister's doing a great job and I think I probably reiterated that here today and the Treasurer's doing a great job as Treasurer. I mean they're a fantastic team and I'm very privileged to be part of a successful team. So...
JOURNALIST:
So who'll be down here October-November next year, helping him?
MINISTER NAIRN:
...I think the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister for some time.
[ends]