PRIME MINISTER:
It’s a real thrill and an honour to be here on the HMAS Anzac close to Anzac Cove on the eve of the centenary of Anzac.
I want to thank Commander Belinda Wood and all the ship’s company for the welcome they have given to me and my party today. I want to thank them for their service. They represent the modern Anzacs. They represent our service men and women who stand in the tradition of the original Anzacs, who do such a magnificent job for us, in our name, wearing our uniform.
Yes, this is a special time for our country as we remember the service and sacrifice of our mighty forebears and as we recommit ourselves to the ideals of duty and service that they held so dear.
I would like to say to every Australian: If you have never been to an Anzac Day service – please attend one this year. It's a marvellous way of showing your support for our country, our values and our armed forces.
It's good to go every year but it would be particularly good to go in this, the centenary year of the original ANZAC landing.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, what's your judgment on the strength of the Anzac tradition one hundred years on? It has waxed and waned over the years. How do you judge it in terms of its health today?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it's in very good health. Obviously it's some years now since we lost the last of the original Anzacs. For many decades the Anzac tradition tended to belong to those who were there. Now, as Anzac has passed from memory into history, Anzac can belong to all of us. I think the Anzac tradition is at least as strong today as it has been and I hope that, as time goes by, it will become stronger and stronger.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, you have urged people to attend Anzac ceremonies. Is this part of a defiance to the threats that Australians have received?
PRIME MINISTER:
We did have a most unfortunate potential terrorist incident which was in advanced stages of preparation which was, quite properly, interrupted by our police and security agencies a few days ago, but it's the only one that we're aware of. The vast majority of Australians, of every background, every religion, every disposition, support the Anzac tradition, respect our country and want to honour the memory of those great Australians who fought and in all too many cases died here 100 years ago.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, so what can you tell Australians about the state of the security around Anzac and the security threat to Anzac?
PRIME MINISTER:
These days, all public events are very well policed. There will be a full police presence at Anzac events in Australia and there'll obviously be a very comprehensive security presence organised by the Turkish Government but, obviously, with a lot of input from Australia.
These commemorations will not only be solemn and dignified occasions but they will be as safe and as secure as the commitment and the professionalism of all our agencies can make them.
QUESTION:
What lesson can we take from the visit here to Turkey which is an Islamic nation? What response have you had in light of that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Two comments, Dennis. First, Turkey is every bit as committed to defeating terrorism as we are. Turkey is a partner in the campaign to disrupt, degrade and ultimately destroy the Daesh death cult. Turkey is just as concerned about Islamist extremism as we are because the first targets of the Daesh fanatics are the local leaders. They are the first people who are slated for death should Daesh prevail. That's the first point I make.
The second point I make is that anyone who is inclined to think ill of Islam, anyone who is inclined to generalise about Muslim countries should visit Turkey because this is a remarkably successful society. It's a remarkably prosperous economy. It is very much a first world country.
I was mightily impressed, I have to say, at the infrastructure, at the organisation and anyone visiting Turkey will find a country which is peaceful, prosperous and reasonably pluralist. This is why Turkey has, for so long, thanks in large measure to the Ataturk legacy, been such a beacon to the Islamic World.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, there were reports yesterday that two Australians had been detained in Turkey potentially trying to enter Syria to join Islamic State fighters. Can you confirm those reports and when did those detentions happen?
PRIME MINISTER:
I can confirm that from time to time Australians have been detained here in Turkey. I'm not going to go beyond that because we don't make a habit of discussing operational matters. Except for this, to say there is already strong security and intelligence cooperation between Australia and Turkey and, as a result in part of this visit, I'm confident that that cooperation will get stronger and stronger in the days and weeks and months ahead.
QUESTION:
Is the likelihood of the arrest of Australians who are potential threats greater now given the new agreements that Turkey and Australia have signed?
PRIME MINISTER:
Obviously, it helps the Turkish authorities if they are provided with information by the countries from which potential terrorists are coming. But, as well as relying on information that has been provided by other countries, Turkey now has its own protocols in place for looking at arrivals to try to tell who might be inclined to get up to mischief, who might be potentially up to no good and they are talking to those people on arrival, quite significant numbers of people have ultimately been detained and deported because the Turks now have protocols in place to be ever-vigilant at their borders.
QUESTION:
Prime Minister, you will obviously be a key figure at tomorrow's Dawn Service, I know this casts forward a little bit and requires a bit of imagination, I guess, but could you give us a sense of how you expect to be feeling as you stand on Anzac Cove tomorrow at the time that the Australians and New Zealanders landed there?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, Tim, it's not about me. It's about our country, our people, our past, our present and our future. That's what it's about. Plainly it is a great honour to be here on this occasion as the Australian Prime Minister but my job is not to speak for myself. My job is to speak for our country and that's what I'll be doing my best to do.
[ends]