TOM ELLIOTT:
Joining us now on the line from Canberra, the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Turnbull, good afternoon.
PRIME MINISTER:
Hey, good afternoon Tom.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Okay the deal with the American Administration now led by Donald Trump to resettle all of Australia’s refugees on Manus and Nauru. Is that deal going to go ahead?
PRIME MINISTER:
Let’s just be clear about this. The deal that was entered into with President Obama was for the Americans to process and consider for acceptance of refugees. So it wasn’t a commitment to take everybody sight unseen or anything like that. It was always premised on their very rigorous processing. So the position is, I spoke to President Trump on Sunday morning our time. The President in the course of that conversation committed to honour the refugee resettlement deal that had been entered into by President Obama.
On Wednesday morning our time, the President’s spokesman, Sean Spicer, who is his official spokesman, confirmed in the White House briefing room, that the President had given that commitment and the arrangements would go forward. Today, in Canberra, the United States Embassy stated that President Trump’s decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed and spokesman Spicer’s comments stand. They add that this was reconfirmed by the State Department from the White House and also the Embassy at 1.15pm Canberra time.
So that is the basis, that is the communications that we’ve had; a commitment made by the President on Sunday, confirmed by his spokesman, official spokesman on Wednesday and confirmed by his Embassy in Canberra today.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Okay, but you say that last confirmation was received at 1.15pm today Canberra time. An hour and 15 minutes ago at five to three, Donald Trump via Twitter - where he loves to announce things - said this:
“Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal.”
Now those words do not sound like a deal that is still being done.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we have a clear commitment. I have a clear commitment from the President. As I said, it has been confirmed by his spokesman. It has confirmed by his Embassy acting on the authority of the White House. We expect the deal, that the commitment will continue, and it is certainly clear, the commitment has been made and we expect it to continue.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Is there a plan ‘B’ if it doesn’t go ahead?
PRIME MINISTER:
Our expectation naturally, given the commitments that have been made, is that it will go ahead but we are always seeking to find resettlement options for the people on Nauru and Manus. The only option that isn’t available to them, is bringing them to Australia for the obvious reasons that that would provide a signal to the people smugglers to get back into business.
TOM ELLIOTT:
But is there a plan ‘B’? Have you, for example, spoken to, I don’t know, New Zealand or Malaysia or some other country?
PRIME MINISTER:
We are always looking at resettlement options, but we don’t comment on them until such time as agreements are made.
TOM ELLIOTT:
The nature of your phone call with President Trump. It has been widely reported in the media that he shouted at you and hung up on you. Is that true?
PRIME MINISTER:
The call. Firstly, let me say I am very disappointed about the leak in Washington of what purports to be details about the call. But I can confirm to you that the report that the President hung up on me is not correct.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Not correct?
PRIME MINISTER:
That is not correct. The call ended courteously.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Was it cut short?
PRIME MINISTER:
The call ended courteously, that’s all I want to say about that. It was 25-minute call. It covered a number of issues, but the bulk of the time was spent on the refugee resettlement deal.
TOM ELLIOTT:
So your position is - and you believe this - that the deal is still going ahead with America, with the Trump Administration?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we have, literally a couple of hours ago, it was confirmed by the Embassy in Canberra. Obviously the commitment was made to me by the President himself in a phone call on Sunday. And it was confirmed by his official spokesman on Wednesday and we expect the officials on both sides will work to ensure the deal goes ahead.
But can I just make this clear? The suggestion in some, you know, parts of the media that - and I make no criticism here - this may just be a misunderstanding, the suggestion that this involves taking refugees sight unseen, is wrong. It has always been based on the premise that the United States Homeland Security officials would undertake the very, very rigorous screening and vetting procedures that they do with any applicants for refugee status, to go to the United States.
TOM ELLIOTT:
So conceivably, let’s say the deal does go ahead. They could look at the 1250 odd refugees and maybe agree to take half of them, but the other half would still be left on Manus and/or Nauru?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well it is possible that they could take a smaller number or a larger number. Naturally in an agreement like this, the parties would act in good faith. But that will depend of the assessments being made by the American officials. You’ve got to remember what we’re seeking to do here, Tom, these are people – there are several thousand refugees, most of whom have been given refugee status – on Nauru and Manus, they’re there because the Labor Party put them there. Because the Labor Party could not keep our borders secure. Those people were put there by Kevin Rudd for the most part, and we have been working hard to find resettlement options for them. They’ve obviously got an option in Cambodia, actually they can stay on a 20-year visa in Nauru, they can resettle in PNG if they’re in Manus. But we’ve also been seeking other options for them and that’s why we sought, and obtained, the agreement from the United States Government last year.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Do you find Donald Trump personally difficult to deal with?
PRIME MINISTER:
Again, as Australia’s Prime Minister it’s my job to stand up for Australia, to advance Australia’s national interests. I’ve dealt with many people over the years and I’ve found I’ve enjoyed my dealings with President Trump. We’ve had very frank, very forthright discussions in which each of us have expressed our views frankly, as good friends should, and I always stand up for Australia’s interests, that’s my job. My job is to defend Australia’s national interest. It’s not to indulge in commentary. It is to defend and advance Australia’s interests.
TOM ELLIOTT:
But one of our big interests, of course, is the maintenance of the US-Australian Alliance which has been around since World War Two. Do you think that’s in good hands right now? Is it still strong?
PRIME MINISTER:
The Alliance is absolutely rock solid. It is so strong and it is based on 65 years of history, in terms of the Alliance in a formal sense. But you know, ever since World War One, Australians have fought side by side in Americans in every major conflict. Our Alliance is built on commitments, on service, on courage, on partnership of millions of Australians and Americans going back generations. It will continue and strengthen during my time as Prime Minister and, I’m sure, during President Trump’s time as President. It will continue for many generations after that.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Malcolm Turnbull, thank you for your time, the Prime Minister.
[ENDS]