PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE, PERRY LAKES, PERTH
26 January 1986
0 E Proof only
JOURNALIST: aboriginal land rights and the fact that
the Federal Government will introduce land rights legislation
after the State election. What is your response to that?
PM: The Liberals are held in such contempt in Western Australia,
as they are in tile rest of Australia, because they are engaged
in disinformation, fear and misrepresentation and people
are increasingly saying we don't take any notice of them.
And this is a typical example and justification for the
attitude of the people of Western Australia not trusting
the Liberals. On this particular issue I have made it clear,
and I simply repeat, that we will be talking with Mr Burke
who will be the Premier after the 8th of February. And we
won't be doing anything in any way without full discussion
and consultation and cooperation with Mr Burke. We will
be recognising the rights of Western Australia in this matter.
JOURNALIST: But hasn't he said that he will refuse to-cooperate
PM: He has not said he will refuse to talk with us. We
will talk with him and I have no doubts at all that there
will be a way of going through this which will meet his
requirements, that is that the rights of Western Australia
will be paramount in this issue. They will be. You can
ask 75,000 questions bilt you will not get anything more
than that. We are not engaged in a debate. I have answered
the question. And I have said that when Mr Burke is reelected
as Premier we will have full discussions and consultations
with him as we will with other states. We have made it
quite clear in the Federal Parliament and outside it that
on this matter we would much prefer to see that States handle
this issue in their ways which will meet the problem and
the issue as it exists in each . state. And I am sure that
Mr Burke will do that.
JOURNALIST: On interest rates. There has been a call from
the Pastor alists arnd Graziers Association for you to scrap
the high interest rates policy because of the impact on
on the rural community. What is your response to that?
PM: Let me say these things. When you talk about economic
policy you just can't pick out one element like interest
rates. What this Government has done since we have been
in office is to set the whole range of the elements that
go to make up the whole of macro-economic policy to ensure
that there will be growth, solid growth in the economy.
And particularly rapid growth in employment. Now we have
been successful in doing that. We have got now in Australia
the highest rate of employment growth than it has ever had
in its history. We have got a half a million new jobs that
I promised back in March of ' 83. We have got a half a million
new jobs five months ahead of schedule. We have got that
with containable levels of inflation which we have brought
down from the rate that we inherited. Now we have done
those things because we have got all the elements of economic
policy right. ' You just can't pick out one and say look
we will cut-that, lift that, and say' it is not going to
have effect elsewhere. Now if wedAnot to have protected
the exchange rate in the way that did then what we would
have had was, in the longer term, even higher interest rates.
I will be talking again with the representatives of the
farmers. I am going to talk with the West Australian farmers'
representatives tomorrow. I am looking forward to meeting
with them. Mr Kerin is going to bringing a detailed submissions
to us in Cabinet before long. After further consultation
with the representatives of the farmers to see what sort
of further things we can do to meet the very real problems
that the farmers have got. And those basic problems of
course arise from the fact that the international markets
have been corrupted by the practices of the Europeans.
And now it has been made somewhat worse by the fact that
the Americans are reacting against the Europeans.
JOURNALIST: Mr Burke said this morning that interest rates
have peaked and that they have to go down after January.
What are your views on that Mr Hawke?
PM: I don't' want to say anything more about interest rates.
I think the facts are there to speak for themselves. I
have made clear that we are going to pursue policies, including
interest rates, which are going to produce the best results.
And as to how interest rates will move, we will see in
the near future what will happen. But I am not here to
contradict Mr Burke on that.
JOURNALIST: Have you given Mr Burke any assurances as far
as interest rates go?
PM: No. I can't give assurances because the Government,
other than in regard to housing interest rates, we have
made it quite clear we are not 4oing to be lifting that
ceiling. May I jus~ oybefore going on to finish the answer
I am sure the people of Western Australia must be fascinated
by the difference between Mr Howard and Mr Hassell. Mr
H-assell says he is not in favour of lifting the interest
rate ceiling on housing. And of course, Mr Howard is in
favour of it. So the people of Western Australia wouldn't
know what to think when it comes to the Liberal Party.
Our position is quite clear. We are not going to lift that
housing rate. And we support what Mr Burke has done to
~~ 1 3.
PM cont: protect tv,. ople here in this State. They obviously
are going to do very very much better in this whole interest
rate area under a (. cmbination of Labor Governments than
by going towards thle Liberals who can't even agree with
one another.
JOURNALIST: Hartley expulsion..
PM: No, I am not intending nor do I think I am required
to be there. They are handling that quite adequately.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, are you personally concerned that
the Burke Government has repudiated federal policy on land
rights. And secondly in response to Mr Burke's request
to an extension of the gold tax enquiry are you sympathetic
to that?
PM: I have said all that needs to be said in regard to
aboriginal land rights in my previous answer. I would simply
add this to it though. When you are talking about the things
that need to be done to help aboriginal people, there are
things that go beyond and have nothing to do with land rights.
And we and Mr Burke will be ensuring that those things
that has made it quite clear that he intends to do
things in the area of housing and health and education.
And those things are important. I have no problems in
living with Mr Burke's position on this matter. Now the
second question was about gold. The position there is that
I understand, that Mr Gudman would be prepared to have an
extension of the time of the hearing which could mean an
extension of the time for the lodging of submissions. And
I know that he has indicated that he would be prepared to
do that. And I have confidence that he will make the
additional time available which will be necessary to ensure
that the West Australian gold industry and the West Australian
Government will have the full opportunity to prepare and
present their material. And I support them having the time
that is necessary to do that. The actual decision as to
the period of extension is properly to be made by Mr Gudman
who is an independent chairman in this matter.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, given Mr Bueke's repeated threats
about going to the High Court on the land rights issue.
Do you think you will get to the High Court with him.
PM: That is so hypothetical and irrelevant that I just
refuse to go to it. I have said before that this matter
will be resolved in a way which will be satisfactory to
the people and the Government of Western Australia.
ends