JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, the project this morning talks of its hopes for zero emissions, is there any time, what time do you think that is?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm not going to put a time on it. The important thing is this is a practical effort to do what everybody agrees ought to be done and that is reduce CO2 emissions from current methods of power generation, we're all agreed on that. But we must also recognise that this country is probably more dependent for its wealth on fossil fuel use than any developed country in the world and we have to be incredibly careful that we don't behave in a way that cripples natural advantages we've been given. Now, we are part of it, we have to shoulder our share of the burden, but we have to make sure that we do it in a way that preserves our natural advantages because future generations will not thank us for squandering a natural advantage providence has given us.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, yesterday you talked of using AP6 as a bridge to building a broader global...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well a bridge in many ways, but in particular as a practical demonstration of what can be done. I made the point this morning, Steve, that it's all very well to have the international meetings and the conferences and to try and reach treaty arrangements and everything, but what has made AP6 work is that we've put that aside and we've focussed on practical partnerships and that's why we've been able to reach agreement in just nine months on all of these projects and that is a great performance. I mean, nine months is a, that's sort of a blink of an eye when it comes to these international negotiations and the reason why we've had that success is that we haven't tried to tie the members of the Partnership down to targets and treaties and so forth. There's a place for that and the Nairobi conference will be that place, but I think what the AP6 will do is to demonstrate to other countries that practical collaboration is the most immediate way of getting dividends in reducing greenhouse gas emissions because people can relate to that, they see that and they understand, well this is going to clean up that dirty smoke that comes out of the generators and that's terrific.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, some overseas countries have called Australia an environmental renegade on this issue.
PRIME MINISTER:
Who are they?
JOURNALIST:
It's come out of India and a couple of environment groups overseas...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well environment groups often say rude things.
JOURNALIST:
Is there a place for symbolism for Australia to take a lead on this? I mean, you've stressed practicality but how important is the symbolism of Australia...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I'm more interested in practical ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Symbolism will not clean up the air. Symbolism will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Practical methods will and that is what I'm interested in.
JOURNALIST:
With the scale of the projects coming through now, Prime Minister, is there any room in the future for a dedicated ministry for climate change?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh look once again you're worried about process rather than practical initiatives. The thing that matters is doing things. Talk about, you know, hot air, I mean, there is an enormous amount of hot air on this issue. What we need are measures which actually achieve results and behind me you have something that's going to take the CO2 emissions out of all that dirty smoke that comes out of power generators, power stations, and you've got something that is going to perhaps take this great leading-edge solar technology to countries like India and South Korea. Now that's practical. I don't mind, there is a place for symbols, but I'm more preoccupied with practical things. Just as I was interested in practical reconciliation, I'm interested in practical measures to address climate change.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, you mentioned APEC during your speech, do you see that as a forum where perhaps the idea of a new Kyoto or a carbon trading scheme in the region can be further...
PRIME MINISTER:
I think we should just see it as a forum where this matter can be discussed. I will certainly discuss this matter with people like President Bush and President Hu Jintao of China and the new Japanese Prime Minister. The four of us are members of AP6 along with South Korea. The only non-APEC country that is in AP6 is India. But I think we have to understand that if you're ever to have an international emissions trading system it's got to be negotiated on a world wide basis and that has, to be fair, has got to involve the Europeans. But the more that we can use international forums to exchange ideas about bringing practical measures to the fore, and my preoccupation over the next 12 months is going to be in practical ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, that is the best contribution that I can make. I mean, we all can make speeches, but we really want, and the Australian public, want to see a bit of action.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think voter sentiment has shifted on climate change?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, I think people are interested in climate change, they're concerned about it, but they're also interested in jobs and they're interested in responses that don't destroy Australia's natural economic advantage and it's an important balancing act this. We have to be careful in what we do that we serve the interests of Australia. The interests of Europe and the interests of Australia are not the same on this, much and all as we respect their views and take a country like Britain, a country for which I have great affection, their interests in this are somewhat different from ours because they don't rely on fossil fuel for the generation of an enormous amount of wealth, and naturally they bring a different perspective. And the adjustment burden for a country like that would not be anywhere near as great, particularly as the starting point for Kyoto was 1990 after most of the, a lot of the coal mines in Britain had already closed down.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, how concerned are you about the possibility of a military coup in Fiji?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am very concerned about what is occurring in Fiji. I spoke yesterday afternoon to the Fijian Prime Minister and assured him of Australia's goodwill and support. We have initiated a number of contacts at a military to military level with the leader of the Fijian Defence Force encouraging him to respect the constitution of that country. I spoke last night to the New Zealand Prime Minister. She shares my concern and is very anxious that everything be done to drive home to the Fijian military the total rejection by the region of any attempt at military action to overturn the duly elected Government of that country. This is not just an Australian and New Zealand view, it's a regional view. But the issue is of concern and we are obviously taking some contingency measures.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, a White House Spokesman said the US would apply sanctions if there was another coup in Fiji. Is that something that Australia would consider as well?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I've got nothing to add to what I have said. The White House spokesman can say what he wants to say. I've stated the position of the Australian Government.
JOURNALIST:
In the discussions between the Australian military and the Fiji military, can you characterise what they were?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, what I have asked be done and has been done is the communication of a view that the military should observe the constitution which is a fairly obvious thing. The military in a democracy is answerable to the duly elected civilian government and that's a cornerstone of our system, it's a cornerstone of the Fijian system. It is fundamental to the operation of a democracy and the idea that there could be some extra constitutional overthrow of the Government is quite unacceptable.
JOURNALIST:
Did Prime Minister Qarase ask for any assistance from Australia or the Australian military in your discussions with him last night?
PRIME MINISTER:
We had a good discussion and I've put out a statement this morning which encapsulates all I intend to say.
JOURNALIST:
So you're not ruling out that he did ask you for some assistance or that Australia might...
PRIME MINISTER:
Steve, I've put out a statement this morning which encapsulates all I intend to say.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, do you think Kim Beazley has shifted on Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
Again?
JOURNALIST:
He made some comments this morning about not wanting to inconvenience Australia's allies.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well he will if he cuts and runs. If we pull out Australian troops, which is his policy, there is no way that that won't be inconvenient to the United States and the United Kingdom. He can't have it both ways. He can't pretend that you can, in a non-inconvenient way, or in a convenient way, pull out your troops. I mean we were an original member of the coalition and in that way we have a special place, and therefore diplomatically, as well as in a practical sense, our precipitate withdrawal would certainly be more than inconvenient to our close friends and allies, the United States and Great Britain. And that is one of the reasons why we don't intend to precipitately withdraw. It's not the only reason, but I've made the point before and I make it again that whatever views you may have held about the original operation, the idea that a withdrawal now would be costless in terms of our alliance, I'm not saying it would destroy the alliance, I'm not saying that for a moment, but it would have an impact. It would be seen by our allies as more than just inconvenient. It would be seen, I think, with a deep sense of disappointment.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, Peter Costello has warned that the resources boom which has underpinned the economy for the last half decade at least is coming to an end, that the high prices that Australian resources companies have received, particularly from China, will be on the way down. That seems to be a warning shot across the bows of your Ministers as you begin budget preparations for next year. Do you agree with...
PRIME MINISTER:
Poor old Treasurers, they always get accused of firing warning shots and everything. I think you should be a little kinder to Treasurers than that. They have a very, very difficult job to do. I think what Peter was stating was the obvious and that is that the rise in commodity prices has flattened out and there's been a little bit of a retreat, not a big one. And he was just stating the obvious and I think that's a very sensible thing for him to do. He's said this before, and I agree with him, that we've done wonderfully well and there's no reason why the resource sector shouldn't continue to make a very big contribution. But we have to understand that there has been a bit of a dip and that's important.
JOURNALIST:
Given the inflationary pressures on the economy and given the prospects of one, possibly two further rate increases, does it make the prospect of a further tax cut in the budget next year less likely?
PRIME MINISTER:
Steve, forget it, forget it, forget it. I'm not getting into that.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, your reaction to the death of former South African Premier Botha?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm sorry, I didn't know it had happened.
JOURNALIST:
What do you think his legacy is?
PRIME MINISTER:
You mean P.W? Well I think his legacy will be less impressive than that of F.W. de Klerk, who, of all the white regime leaders prior to 1994, displayed the greatest amount of courage because he did what's the hardest thing to do in politics, to tell your own constituency it's losing a privileged position. Thank you.
[ends]