PRIME MINISTER:
Well ladies and gentlemen, Mr McGauran and I have called this news conference to announce a significant decision by the Government in relation to the drought. This is the first of what could be a number of decisions to be announced by the Government to respond to this terrible drought. What we are announcing today is the commitment of an additional estimated $350 million for Exceptional Circumstances drought assistance to support farmers during the ongoing dry conditions. All eligible producers, and this represents a significant policy change, no discrimination between irrigators, dry land farmers and dairy farmers, all eligible producers in 18 Exceptional Circumstances declared areas - and I'll provide a list - in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory will receive an extension to their income support and interest rate subsidies until the 31st of March 2008. Almost all of these producers, at the present time, were due to see the existing declarations expire by the end of this year and we've been able to give more advanced warning of the Government's decision. This decision is based on the recommendation of NRAC, the Government's advisory body. There will be other areas coming under consideration by the Government and announcements will be made in relation to those areas as the recommendations come forward from NRAC.
The two significant policy changes in today's announcement are, a, the longer period of the extension because of the exceptionally dry conditions and the belief that a longer period will be needed for recovery, and that is why it's a period of 18 months, through to March of 2008. The other change is that we're not discriminating in any way between various producers. There are other possible changes to our drought relief policy. Mr McGauran spoke of some of the options that the Government has under consideration when he was interviewed on radio this morning and those issues will be the subject to further consideration by the Government and by Senior Ministers over the next week. But this will provide a great deal of reassurance and relief to people in the affected areas. I don't need to repeat again how seriously the Government views this drought, how challenging it is, what a huge heartache it is for thousands of people on the land and those associated with them and I do hope in respect of the producers in these particular areas, today's announcement, which follows very quickly on the recommendations of NRAC, will provide some kind of reassurance about the future.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard there was a call on the weekend from the Nationals Conference to also include contractors and small businesses, why haven't you included them at this stage?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well this is, in a sense, an extension of existing relief with the policy enhancements of a longer period of time and dissolving of the differences between producers. Those broader issues will be considered but I thought the point that was made by the Minister on radio this morning in relation to that did express the views of the Government.
JOURNALIST:
So you can't offer any hope to contract harvesters who, because of the way in which the industry's now been restructured, do the jobs that farmers once did, that they might get relief?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think it's something that we will consider but I'm not going to on the run make any commitment to change in that area.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard the figure that the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned on the weekend was about $750 million, is this part one? And is that a figure you expect to be the total....
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm not going to tie myself to a figure but clearly this is an area where within reason the Government will commit the resources that are needed to help people. If ever a country in a strong financial position owed something to some of its citizens, this nation owes to the farmers of Australia the support they need to get through this terrible drought.
JOURNALIST:
How many farmers are currently getting Exceptional Circumstances?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know the precise figure.
JOURNALIST:
How many more will you expect to be captured by the new rules?
PRIME MINISTER:
My friend here will help you with that.
MINISTER MCGAURAN:
There are 65 regions in Exceptional Circumstance declaration and probably 25 per cent - one in four - farmers receives assistance. But that's not an entirely accurate guide because in measuring the total number of producers we take into account hobby farmers and small farmers. What we do know is that over the six years of the drought, 53,000 farmers and their families, therefore, have received assistance.
JOURNALIST:
So how many more would you expect to now be, be able to receive assistance?
MINISTER MCGAURAN:
I won't hazard a guess but a substantially increased number. But you would be talking in thousands rather than tens of thousands I would think. But as the drought worsens you can't be certain of the final figure.
JOURNALIST:
Minister, drought is a factor in our landscape, are you actually throwing money at people that shouldn't actually be farming land that should be set aside for not farming purposes because the land is just not capable?
PRIME MINISTER:
No I don't accept that because if you carry that to its logical conclusion you don't have any farmers at all in any drought affected area.
JOURNALIST:
You're saying that climate change is going to eventually bring a situation where we have no land that we can farm?
PRIME MINISTER:
Could I just finish the first question? If you carry that to its logical conclusion you will, you would not give any assistance to farmers in any drought affected area and I'm sure you're not recommending that. As to the broader issue of the relationship between drought and climate change, obviously you can't totally separate the two, but I think it's important that we don't overdo the link. This country has been afflicted by drought for a very long period of time, this is clearly worse than probably any we've had in the last century and there are many responses to the challenge of climate change and I had something to say about one of them last night.
JOURNALIST:
Where do you draw the line though, Prime Minister, between a sustainable farm and an unsustainable one, what role does the Government have in determining where you stop?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't think a government can sit down and micro-manage every individual decision. Plainly no government is going to say well we will keep every single person on his or her farm no matter how unviable it may be, we're not doing that, but I have said before and I'll say it again, it is part of the psyche of this country, it is part of the essence of Australia to have a rural community, to have a rural sector and not only would we lose massively from an economic point of view, we would lose something of our character, we would lose something of our identification as Australians if we ever allow the number of farmers in our nation to fall below a critical mass.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister would it be your...
MINISTER McGAURAN:
If I could just add to that, it's a crucial point obviously. We strongly encourage farmers to face the reality of the situation they find themselves in. We provide access to rural financial counsellors, we work with the farm organisations and we've got a policy of contacting every farmer and, but our starting point is to support them and to see them through this. Now an individual farm enterprise has to make its own decisions about its longevity, but we're not going to get in the business of proscribing what areas can be farmed and what can't in Australia. So, and remember, this is the sixth year of drought for farmers, almost all, if not indeed all of them will have sought advice from their banks or accessed our rural financial counselling service and begun to face up to the problems that are unavoidable for them. So give the farmers the credit. They're not burying their head in the sand, how could they after all these years and what lies ahead and they will make their own decisions.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister do you believe that we could have a nuclear industry in Australia by 2015 as a world export, expert rather, says it's quite feasible?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'd like to get some more expert advice on that, but I do believe this: that nuclear power is part of the solution to the problem of global warming and those who say they're in favour of doing something about global warming but turn their faces against considering nuclear power are unreal. It is part of the solution, I'm not saying it's the only solution, there are many things that are solutions to the challenge of global warming but the reason why I wanted the nuclear option put on the table and examined by Mr Switkowski's committee is that I believe very strongly that nuclear power is part of the response to global warming, it is clean green, it is something in relation to which many rabid environmentalists have changed their views over recent years. I look forward to seeing Mr Switkowski's report, but if you're really serious about doing something about global warming you have got to look at all of the ramifications of nuclear power and as to when, as I say I'd like a bit more advice on that, but, and I'll get it, but I guess that will vary a bit from expert and will vary according to the technology and there's been a tremendous amount of progress in this area and I just think if we're serious about having a debate about global warming we, particularly as the holder of some of the largest uranium reserves in the world, have got to be willing to consider a nuclear power option.
JOURNALIST:
Are you changing your mind on carbon trading? Do you think that should also be part of the solution?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well my position on carbon trading has been one of opposition because it didn't include all of the polluters. If you had all of the world's polluters and it was a level playing field, to borrow a description from a broader economic debate, well you'd be in a different situation. But I've always opposed the arguments that have been put forward in relation to carbon trading in the past because they haven't included everybody and I'm not going to stand by and allow a regime where it becomes more attractive to invest in China because of the dictates of the Kyoto protocols and therefore see jobs and investment leave this country.
JOURNALIST:
Mr McIver, the Queensland National President I think has spoken to you about amending the, or reviewing the Native Title Act. Are you inclined to do this?
PRIME MINISTER:
I did speak to, who did you say spoke to me?
JOURNALIST:
Mr McIver.
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh yeah the Queensland, the Queensland Party, yes he did. He just asked me what the Government's position was and I said the Government's position was that we were going to appeal and we didn't have any current intention of amending the Native Title Act.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, do you have any thoughts on the decision to ban non...
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes I do. I want to announce to all of you, I want to announce to all of you that everybody will continue to be entitled to attend my press conferences, irrespective of whether you are on an AWA, a collective agreement, a common law contract or a non-union collective agreement. I think it's an outrageous attack on free speech. I find it astonishing that we've had lectures galore from current and former Labor leaders about concentration of media power, yet they offer nary a criticism of the concentration of union power involved in that decision. I mean how humiliating. The alternative Prime Minister of Australia has to hold his press conference in a car park, in a car park because of a stupid, narrow minded, old fashioned, outdated requirement by the Australian Labor Party that you've got to belong to a union.
I mean this is unbelievable. This is the alternative government of Australia on display. Greg Combet was closer to the truth than many people imagined when he said it was about time we resumed running the country. He said that in Adelaide and this happened in Adelaide. And all I can say is that it's just a reminder that the unions still run the Labor Party and it would be back to basics as far as the unions were concerned if Labor got back into power.
JOURNALIST:
Could we add a clause to our contract with you that we have press conferences more frequently?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have regular press conferences. I am the most available Prime Minister since Federation. And if you don't believe that, ask the moderator of the Insiders programme.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, how far is your Government prepared to go to force Pacific nations like PNG and the Solomons to behave properly?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we're not trying to force people to behave properly, as you put it. We are legitimately supporting the operation of the laws of Australia. That's what's happening at the moment in relation to Mr Moti. This is a prosecution, it's being handled by the police, and we will continue to uphold the law. It would be wrong of the Government to interfere in a police prosecution and we will not interfere in the police prosecution. In relation to the issue more generally, we have every right to attach conditions to the provision of our aid and we will continue to do that. We will continue to say if you want Australian aid, you've got to reduce corruption. If you want Australian aid, you've got to improve governance. If you want Australian aid, you've got to have a better approach to economic management. It's not a question of forcing countries to do things; it's a question of defending the operation of the rule of law in Australia.
JOURNALIST:
Is it over the top to ban the Prime Minister of PNG from coming to Australia? I mean he initiated an inquiry last week?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think anything that's been said or done is over the top. I will await with interest the results of the inquiry in Papua New Guinea.
JOURNALIST:
Will you be raising this issue at the Pacific Islands Forum next week about Australian aid and what Australia expects in return?
PRIME MINISTER:
I won't specifically be doing that, but if it comes up in context of course I will restate what I've just said. RAMSI will undoubtedly be discussed. RAMSI has very strong support from the people of the Solomon Islands and the Government of the Solomon Islands, if it is faithful to the interests of the people of the Solomon Islands, will want to continue to support RAMSI.
JOURNALIST:
Do you expect to have separate meetings with the leaders of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands next week in Fiji?
PRIME MINISTER:
I haven't had any requests for bilaterals from either, but if those requests are made, I naturally will accommodate them. But the character of those meetings is quite informal and I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity for chat.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, have you been briefed on the changes to the ABC editorial guidelines which are to be announced, I think, formally tonight by Mark Scott.
PRIME MINISTER:
Have I been briefed?
JOURNALIST:
Have you been briefed about them and...
PRIME MINISTER:
No I've not been briefed on them, no.
JOURNALIST:
Irrespective of that, do you see a need for a change in the guidelines as outlined?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I'm not going to tell the management of the ABC how to run its operations. The ABC is independent. It's funded by the Government. I support the ABC, I support the ABC. I don't believe in privatising the ABC. I think we should have a public broadcaster. From time to time I have expressed concerns about certain things relating to the ABC and I reserve the right to do so in the future. But I'm not going to start giving any public advice to the ABC at the moment regarding this.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister a group of your backbenchers, including Warren Entsch and also Malcolm Turnbull, are keen to address the issue of legal discrimination against same sex couples. One of the issues they've raised is the Medicare Safety Net and the fact that same sex couples don't qualify for the couples' rate. Is that an issue that you might look at as you got through the legislation as you've pledged to do and remove areas of discrimination?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am open to requests properly and fairly based, but I look at them on the merits and each has got to be looked at on the merits.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, Mark Vaile at the weekend spoke strongly in favour of the Melbourne to Brisbane inland railway, which has got a price tag of about $3.5 billion. What's your attitude towards that proposal.
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it's a great idea if it could happen, but like all of these things, it's a question of what would it cost? Who would pay the money? Would it have enough freight and so forth? But I know Everald Compton very well. He's shown an indefatigable commitment to this project over a long period of time and let's just see what comes out of it.
JOURNALIST:
Would it be justifiable for the Government to look at subsidies or meeting some of the costs....
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look I'm not going to, in a news conference called to talk about drought, start, you know, going down that track.
JOURNALIST:
On an issue Prime Minister that brings both drought and nation building together, the very ambitious proposals put forward by Bill Heffernan in your party room last week about moving...
PRIME MINISTER:
I thought he put them on your programme Jim.
JOURNALIST:
He did, too. How seriously are you prepared to look at some of those ideas that he's putting forward about trying to encourage more growth and agricultural production in the north?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I think Bill is, apart from being a great bloke, Bill gives a lot of thought to these issues and, as with so many broad, very forward looking ideas like that there's an element of truth and validity in what he says. I mean, I would like to see all that water in northern Australia somehow or other got down to the parched areas, but every expert I speak to tells me that the cost of that is absolutely prohibitive, quite apart from all the complications regarding, you know, acquisition and corridors and all that sort of thing. And therefore there's obviously some truth in the proposition that if people went to the north and they went to the water rather than expecting the water to come to them, of course some people would do that. And perhaps some people will do that. Whether it's something that can be done on such a sweeping scale and how long it would take; are people really, who've lived, and their families have lived for five generations in the Mallee or lived in western New South Wales for generation after generation, are they going to up stumps and go to the north. Well maybe some will, but I just think it's very good when you're dealing with an issue that we're dealing with at the present time that you have that kind of thinking and that kind of contribution from somebody who is a true man of the land, who loves the country and loves the bush and is trying to help.
JOURNALIST:
(inaudible) in the north would require a change to the state's land clearing laws though. How would that fit in with...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that's one of the issues. I mean it's not possible to give a blanket yes or no answer to something like that and I'm not trying to do that.
JOURNALIST:
What about a structural adjustment fund, Prime Minister, for farmers that have endured five years of drought in the south to move their businesses to the north?
PRIME MINISTER:
We don't have anything like that under consideration but in circumstances in which we live, people are going to put forward suggestions.
JOURNALIST:
Have you received any advice that your ministers will not face any charges or DFAT officials will not face any charges under the Cole inquiry?
PRIME MINISTER:
Dennis, it would not be proper of me to comment on the procedures of the Cole commission. The Cole commission will report on the 24th November. I will, however, repeat what I have said before, and that is that I have not done anything wrong, nor have any my ministers.
JOURNALIST:
Have you decided your position on the stem cell legislation?
PRIME MINISTER:
Me, personally?
JOURNALIST:
Yes.
PRIME MINISTER:
I am still considering the arguments. I think it's quite a challenging issue. Of all the views that I have read on it from people I respect, I thought Bishop Tom Frame, the Anglican Bishop to the ADF, put things very well when he listed the conflicting arguments. I mean, I am cautious in these matters, cautious, but have I finally decided, no.
JOURNALIST:
But you did have a position of course when the Cabinet considered it.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well of course, but the thing is now free. I support the Cabinet. The Cabinet supports me, I mean you know...
JOURNALIST:
Now you are all free.
PRIME MINISTER:
We've now got a free vote. Don't you love free votes?
JOURNALIST:
Does North Korea...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Just as you should of course have an AWA if you want to, do you? Do you have an AWA? They're good.
JOURNALIST:
On North Korea, we've now had a resolution in the Security Council you've mentioned Australia's involvement in the PSI late last week that that naturally draws us in. What can you now tell us about Australia's (inaudible) involvement in any sanctions?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no, you should have a look at what I've said on the Neil Mitchell programme, I was quite cautious. I said it would not be unreasonable for a request to be made etcetera and we would consider it, but I mean let's just take these things one at a time.
JOURNALIST:
Have we had any requests yet?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no, not to my knowledge and these things normally come to me, no. But we will consider it, and I think it's a bit too early, but plainly as a participant in the, in it, and we are obviously, possibly like to get a request, but it could be down the track.
JOURNALIST:
And pre-disposed to agree?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think we will just leave it where I left it on Friday.
JOURNALIST:
Was Willie Mason being disrespectful to the New Zealanders and the Kiwi heritage with his actions on Saturday night Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think I'll, I think I will, I normally am willing to comment on just about everything, but I think I will give that one a pass, thank you.
[ends]