E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………
MALONE:
So I suppose Merry Christmas to all Australians. What would be your wish for all Australians over the Christmas break?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that they can spend as much time as they can with the people who mean most to them. Christmas is a time for being with your family and your loved ones. It’s a time of spiritual significance to many millions of Australians and often the two of those things are very properly mixed. But whatever people’s feelings are I just hope that they have the opportunity of spending as much time with their families and enjoying the company that that brings them and enjoying the opportunity of reflecting perhaps just for a moment on the extraordinary good fortune of most Australians.
I hope they also remember that there are a lot of Australians that are doing it tough. I hope in different ways we’ve tried to make it easier for them both personally and financially. And I want to extend a special thanks to all of those many people who work hard on Christmas Day to make it happier for people who are less fortunate than most of us. Those who provide Christmas lunches for people who are under privileged, those who work in hospitals, the people who because they’ve got public duties like police can’t be at home with their families, they deserve a special thanks.
MALONE:
How important is Christmas and the family unit to the Australian way of life?
PRIME MINISTER:
It’s right at the centre. We are essentially a community that for all of our existence has placed an enormous store on the importance of family life.
MALONE:
And we live in such a lucky country as well don’t we?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we certainly do. I mean most people still derive most of their emotional support and happiness from their families. And no matter what form those families take that still remains the centrepiece of their lives. I think it’s also important on Christmas to think about the Australians who are overseas looking after our interests, our forces in Bougainville and East Timor and elsewhere who are doing a fantastic job, won’t be at home with their families. They need a very special word of thanks.
MALONE:
And will we be hearing any more about the possible replacement for Governor General over Christmas at all?
PRIME MINISTER:
I never talk about those things.
MALONE:
Okay Mr Howard. Merry Christmas to you and all the family over Christmas.
PRIME MINISTER:
Okay Tom. Thank you.
MALONE:
Thanks for a great year as well.
PRIME MINISTER:
Okay.
[ends]