Subjects: Chaudhry visit; ALP conference, John Della Bosca; Cathy Freeman
E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, the first thing I’d like to say this morning is that the elected, but unfortunately deposed, Prime Minister of Fiji, Mr Mahendra Chaudhry, is arriving in Australia around lunchtime today. He is coming as a guest of the Australian Government. While he is here he will have a series of medical check-ups and I will meet him in Sydney tomorrow morning. It will give me an opportunity to be brought up to date on what is happening in Fiji. It will give me an opportunity to convey to him again our concern and distress about what has happened in Fiji and our determination to do what we reasonably can to encourage the people of Fiji, and those in authority in Fiji, to bring about the restoration of full parliamentary democracy and to turn away from any suggestion of a new constitution which discriminates against Fijians of Indian heritage. I know Mr Chaudhry. I have met him on two previous occasions. I feel for what has happened and I know that he has gone through a very difficult time and I look forward to the opportunity of talking to him tomorrow morning, to be briefed directly on what is now happening in Fiji.
JOURNALIST:
Has this been made possible by recent events, specifically locking up the rebels? Has it made it more possible for his to come here?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don’t think that has had any particular impact on him coming. While he was still in detention I gave instructions to our High Commission in Suva that there should be an offer made that if he needed any medical help that would be available. And he is coming, as I say, at our invitation and as our guest.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister what is the state of our relationship with the de facto authorities. I know we recognise states not governments but how are we actually dealing with what’s happened here?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, Peter, there has only just been a new de facto government installed. We will take a pragmatic approach. You can’t ignore the day to day realities of having exchanges with those who wield authority and we will try side by side with that to continue to demonstrate our distaste for what has occurred. We have announced a number of measures. We have also said that some other measures will come into effect if there is not a restoration of democracy and that does remain our position. We welcome the fact that George Speight has been acted against. We see what has occurred in relation to Speight as being something of a return to the assertion of constitutional authority and the rule of law. It’s a re-embrace, if you like, of the rule of law and that’s a very welcome development.
JOURNALIST:
Would you encourage Mr Chaudhry or support any moves to set up a government in exile?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I’ll wait and hear what he has got to say. We have to deal in a careful way. We have an interest in a number of things in Fiji. We want democracy restored. We don’t, of course, want to do anything that will encourage further division in that community. We want the community to come together. We want it to come together on a non-racial basis. We certainly don’t want to encourage a fragmentation. It is already a very small country. It already has division and we don’t want to encourage further division. But we do want to send a message that we utterly condemn and repudiate the abrogation of democracy and the possible embrace of a racially-based approach to the choosing of political leadership in that country. That is wholly to be regretted.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, on a purely domestic matters, Labor’s national conference is about to kick off. Mr Beazley was on the Sunday program this morning outlining ..(inaudible) …depending on your point of view, their policies. What thoughts to you have….?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I watched the interview. I didn’t see any glimmer of hope that the Labor Party stands for anything. Not a glimmer of hope. I see that Mr Della Bosca is going on to the national executive. Well, I would encourage Mr Della Bosca to continue to tell the truth about taxation. What Mr Della Bosca should do on the national executive is to argue against roll back, to argue that the Labor Party should accept the verdict of the Australian people. The Australian people voted for tax reform and they are now experiencing tax reform. If the Labor Party is to be relevant it should be move on, accept defeat on this issue and start articulating some decent policy.
JOURNALIST:
Should you debate at the next election a panel of potential prime ministers after you retire as Kim Beazley proposed?
PRIME MINISTER:
I thought he sounded as though he wanted me to stay for ever.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, Cathy Freeman made it pretty plain she’s considering at some stage in the future a career in politics. Would you like her on board?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don’t know what her politics are and that’s a matter for her. I wouldn’t particularly at this time seek to know. All Australians want Cathy Freeman to represent them magnificently at the Olympic Games and along with other Australians I will be cheering her on, whatever her views are on anything I don’t really care. That’s a matter for her. She has got a right, as any Australian, to have her views and to hold them passionately and I respect her for that very much. But I think party politics should be put aside at a time like this. I just want Australians to win a lot of medals at the Olympic Games, Cathy Freeman included.
JOURNALIST:
Still, putting the politics aside though, do you think she could make a contribution to national political life, no matter where?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, that is a matter for her. I think she is a very talented person.
[ends]