TIM MCMILLAN:
Back home the Government has condemned the attack in Paris calling it an unspeakable atrocity. Overnight thousands gathered in vigil across the country in a show of defiance and condemnation and to honour the fallen victims.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott joins us now this morning. Prime Minister, good morning to you. An absolutely horrific incident. Your thoughts, firstly, on what took place in Paris?
PRIME MINISTER:
It is an unspeakable atrocity. It is an attack on civilisation, it is an attack on one of our most precious values, namely our commitment to free speech which is at the very heart of Western civilisation, and is at the heart of all progress.
TIM MCMILLAN:
We are hearing some reports that these two brothers, still on the run, returned from the battle fields of Iraq or Syria having trained with terrorists there. We know there are people here on the streets of Australia who have done that very thing. What is the Government doing to ensure that a similar attack to the one we saw in Paris doesn't happen here in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
One of the reasons, Tim, why we are so determined to stop people going to Syria and Iraq, one of the reasons why we are so determined to arrest, prosecute and jail people who have been to Syria and Iraq is because people who have been brutalised and militarised in these battlefields are a much greater threat than people who have simply been radicalised on the internet. They learn the skills of warfare. They learn how to be killers over there and that's why it's so important that we take the strongest possible action at our borders, both to stop people going and to arrest people if they come back.
TIM MCMILLAN:
We had our own brush with terrorism of course in Sydney a few weeks ago with the Martin Place siege. Yesterday you warned that the world should be bracing for more terrorist attacks. By the world do you also mean here in Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
We have seen already two terrorist incidents. We had the Martin Place siege and earlier we had the attack on two policemen in Victoria. What we are seeing is a range of different terrorist operations. The attack in Paris was relatively sophisticated. The attacks in Australia have been relatively unsophisticated, but whether these are, if you like, grassroots terrorism or whether they are organisational terrorism, the fact is it is still a terrorist attack on us – on our way of life. The sad truth of the modern era is that there are people who hate us, not because of anything that we have done, but because of who we are and the way we live. They hate our tolerance, our pluralism, the welcome that we provide to all sorts of minorities. It's an essential part of Western civilisation and it's the thing about us that these people absolutely hate.
TIM MCMILLAN:
Can I ask you about the media organisation targeted in Paris, Charlie Hebdo, it’s well known for publishing controversial images. In your opinion, how far should Australian media outlets go when satirising religions or minority groups?
PRIME MINISTER:
Australian media organisations don't normally hold back, when for argument's sake, they are criticising Christianity, Catholicism comes in for a particular dose of scorn. It's very important, two things here; first of all we don't engage in self-censorship as a result of this kind of attack, second and even more important we should not stop being ourselves because of this kind of attack. If we do engage in self-censorship, if we do change the way we live and the way we think that gives terrorists a victory. The last thing we should do is give these evil fanatics any kind of victory.
TIM MCMILLAN:
When you recently visited Iraq, Prime Minister, you suggested you were open to boosting our commitment to, as you put it, knock off ISIL. Does this attack in Paris add weight to that argument to perhaps send more troops to the Middle East?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, what it demonstrates is that in an important sense the defence of Australia starts in places like Iraq and Syria because it's what is happening there which is the inspiration for these attacks in the west. What our soldiers in the Middle East are doing is defending our interests at home and abroad.
TIM MCMILLAN:
Can I ask you an another matter quickly, Prime Minister, yesterday we saw former Sydney man and drug smuggler Myuran Sukumaran he lost his, what appears to be his last appeal, appealing for some mercy from the Indonesian Government. He looks set now to face the firing squad there. Are you going to intervene on his behalf at all?
PRIME MINISTER:
We are making urgent representations to the Indonesian Government through the usual diplomatic channels. This is what we always do when Australians face the death penalty abroad. We oppose the death penalty for Australians, we oppose it at home – we oppose it abroad. But I do have to say that it is incumbent upon us to respect the systems that other countries have, and while I would absolutely deplore the carrying out of the death sentence we are an important partner of Indonesia, friendship with Indonesia is important for Australia, and I want that to continue.
TIM MCMILLAN:
All right, on a much, much lighter note, we saw you pop into the Channel Nine commentary box yesterday. Any chance we might see you join the commentary team when your time in politics is done?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm in no hurry to end my time in politics, Tim. I suspect that as a cricket commentator I make an excellent politician.
TIM MCMILLAN:
The Richie Benaud impersonators have been out in force this week, Prime Minister, any chance we could get you to do an impersonation yourself?
PRIME MINISTER:
Richie, even at the age of 84 has far more hair than I do. I don't think I'd be a very effective impersonator.
TIM MCMILLAN:
Come on, here is your chance, this is your audition?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, it's very good of you Tim to extend this opportunity to me, but I think I'd better decline with as much grace as I can muster.
TIM MCMILLAN:
We'll leave it there Prime Minister. Thank you for your time this morning.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]