PM Transcripts

TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP, HYATT HOTEL, 8 AUGUST 1989
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Prime minister, are you pleased to hear that
Michael Lynagh has rejected an invitation to play rugby in
South Africa?
PM: ( inaudible) that they all make the decision that I
believe is the right one and that includes Michael.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, it seems that the rugby tour
might fall in a heap. would you be happy if something like
that happened?
PM: Well, it's not happiness in the sense of the rugby tour
falling in a heap. My happiness is, if that happens, that
further pressure has been put upon the regime in South
Africa to bring it to the bargaining table. As I've said,
there's no form of sanction which I get any pleasure out of
as such. I don't want to see people hurt over there by
sporting opportunities or trade sanctions being imposed just
for the sake of doing that, but also it is as an instrument
to make the regime of South Africa understand that it is not
acceptable in the international community. Anything that's
done to bring that realisation home to them is something
that is worthwhile. What we hope is that they will come to
the understanding that they're not acceptable in the
international community while they adhere to this abhorrent
regime of apartheid, I say come to the table and that we do
get emerging in South Africa a country in which people are
accepted irrespective of the basis of the colour of their
skin. When you have a multi-racial society like that there
would be no-one who'd be doing more than I would be doing
and this Government would be doing to try and see that all
the people of South Africa have the opportunity of being
fully integrated into the world community. To the extent
that decisions are being made now by sportsmen which are
part of that thrust, I welcome it.
ends