PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT WEDNESDAY, 14 JULY 1982
DOORSTOP, PARLIAMENT HOUSE HMS INVINCIBLE
Question
What are the options now that the Invincible purchase is not on?
Prime Minister.
I will have to have a talk with Ian Sinclair when he gets back.
Question Are we likely to talk to the Americans about a replacement vessel--
Prime Minister
We will be seeking advice obviously from -the Department of
Defence and defence advisers, and we will have to see what the
options are.. It is not surprising that the British want to
keep Invincible. They have then three of a class. Before the
Falklands war they had only wanted to keep two of a class.
They will now have three ships similar to Invincible,
and I am not surprised at all. It really is a great misfortune
for Australia's defence forces.
Question Does the Government regret making the offer to the British
Government? Prime Minister
No. I think they would have wanted to keep the ship anyway.
And in all the circumstances of the Falklands war, and
having in mind the losses the British had suffered during that
war, the only decent thing to do was not to hold them to any
moral obligation. There wasn't any decent option, other than
that. Question Yesterday's vote by the Left in supporting Mr Hayden. Did it
surprise you at all?
Prime Minister
Not at all.
Fraser, Malcolm
Period of Service: 11/11/1975 - 11/03/1983
Find more information on Fraser, Malcolm on the:
Release Date:
14/07/1982
Release Type:
Interview
Transcript ID:
5861
Document:
00005861.pdf
1 Page(s)
Released by:
- Fraser, John Malcolm
DOORSTOP, PARLIAMENT HOUSE - HMS INVINCIBLE
5861