PRIME MINISTER:
Rowan, Anne, Steven - it’s great to be here with you in South Australia, here in Port Lincoln at Tunarama and seeing the energy in this strong part of regional Australia.
We’ve obviously got some very big issues here that we’ve been talking about with some of your local business leaders here about energy reliability, or the lack of it. And Steven, this is a big issue for you to confront with Jay Weatherill. But it is vital that we ensure that right around Australia energy is secure, affordable and that we meet our emission reduction targets. We’ve got to achieve all three.
What’s happened in South Australia, and it’s had a very big impact here on the tuna industry is this massive increase in electricity costs, with the loss of power, requiring the businesses here to find their own back-up generation – a considerable expense. I had some very good discussions while we were watching the parade with some of the business leaders here about the measures that they are taking. But really, the failure of a sustainable, reliable, practical, ideology free energy policy has been a big issue here.
My commitment is to ensure that so far as we can at a federal level, energy is secure, affordable and that we meet our emissions reduction targets. Ideology is not a good guide to meeting those objectives.
This is an engineering issue, it’s a practical issue and that is the approach that we are taking.
I want to also say that I am looking forward to speaking with President Trump tomorrow. I have had a very good discussion with him shortly after the election when he was President-elect Trump. We have a great deal to discuss. We are very very close friends and very strong and trusted allies. The relationship between the United States and Australia gets stronger all the time and I have no doubt it will be stronger and deeper and more engaged during his Administration.
JOURNALIST:
Has the Trump Administration given you any reassurances on the refugee resettlement deal?
PRIME MINISTER:
You will have seen the Executive Order that has been published today and we are very confident and satisfied that the arrangement, the existing arrangements will continue.
JOURNALIST:
What gives you that confidence?
PRIME MINISTER:
You should read the Executive Order yourself. It is all there. It set out there. It is quite clear that the Administration has set out in the Order the ability to deal with existing arrangements such as the one that we have.
JOURNALIST:
Is the decision on the TPPP a blow? And will you be voicing that to President Trump?
PRIME MINISTER:
President Trump’s position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership was very well known. He campaigned on it so his decision not to proceed with the TPP came as no surprise to anyone. I know there has been some reporting suggesting the Government was surprised by it. It was probably one of the most well flagged policies that he had. However, our position remains the same – that we are committed to opening up more markets. And so we are committed to free trade here. President Trump and his Administration will make the judgements they choose to make - as indeed the previous Administrations have done. But from Australia’s point of view it is very clear that trade means jobs. Trade means better prospects for businesses, whether it is this business here in Port Lincoln or right across Australia. We need more markets, we need to open up new markets and we need to open wider access to existing markets. And that is my Government’s commitment. We will continue doing that because we know that is in Australia’s interest and it delivers jobs. More markets, more export opportunities, means more jobs.
Thanks a lot.
ENDS