PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF NEW CONFrENOL, AUSTRALIAN SUBMARINg
CORPORATION, ADELAIDE, 16 NOVEIBER 1989
9 & 0EH-PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister what would you rate the chances
of going ahead with the other two suibmarines?
PM: I can' t ake a statement on that now. I need to get
briefing from Kim Beazley and the Departments. I hope of
course, looking to the future that the excellence of the
product that has a ome out of here will enable us to be
attractive to a number of other countries.
JOURNALIST: On national issues Prime Minister, what in the
purpose of the special Cabinet meeting?
PM: The speaial Cabinet meeting?
JOURNALIST: The special Cabinet meeting that's been called
for-
PM: I notice reading the paper today there'. some story
that there's some special Cabinet inee ting. Essentially what
is happening is that I am going to be repeating what I often
do and particularly as you come up towards, you know. soae
election period, you know not too far' out. But we always
have a political discussion about Just how things are going
and the general considerations that need to be taken into
account and that'sa what's going to be done. There ' s nothing
JOURNALIST: You don't think it'll be setting the agenda
for next year?
PM: No. We don't suddenly set agendas like that. The agenda
for 1990 will be a continuation of seeking the goals that
we have been for many years. that is a stronger economy.
a fairer society, a country which is enmeshed with this region
and a nation which in a proud meber of the international
counity. Those are our basic goals. basic agenda and Youa
don't change those basic objective. just by s ome whim of
an election.
JOURNALIST: Sir Ran Brierley's saying that big business
is concerned that the Labor Government might be in disarray,
there's no firm economic leadership.
PM: I would suggest that Sir Ron, for whom I have
considerable respect and particularly I admire his love of
Cricket I might say, but you know he should concentrate on
the affairs that he's involved in. I would simply suggest
that the economic leadership that we have provided has done
these things out of which the business cmunity has been
the beneficiary. Just remember them. When we came to office
the profit share at it. historically lowest debt point, some
1 1%.
JOURNALIST: inaudible
PHM: Weit a minute. Lot me finish please.
JOURNALIST: You just paused, that's all.
PM: Well yos, everyone's entitled to a pause.
S JOURNALIST: We're Just anxious, that's all.
PM: The profit share has under this Government gone from
that low point now to over 16%. It's gone that way with
the co-operation of the trade union movement. As a result
of that you've had a move to profit, a move to investmnt
with invesment being at it. highest level since statistics
have beon recorded and with employment creation at its highest
rate. Now those are the things which have benefitted business
and the economy-and the couizmity generally. If you want
to compare that with the mesa we inherited and the mess that'.
necessarily involved in the alternative., well and good.
JOURNALIST: Has Mr Bannon spoken to you personally about
high interest rates?
PM: Mr Bannon has spoken to me on a number of occasions
over the years about the economy general ly and what' s
happening In South Australia. We have quite regular
conversations. We've been having them for years. nothing
special now.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, during this election campaign
the Premier, Mr Bannon, has offered great incentives for
mortgage relief. Are you going to take that on board
yourself? PM: Now wehat we'vye had to say at the Federal level about
this now a State Premier is able to look at these issues
in term of his own affairs and what we have in South
Australia is a State economy which has boon very, very well
managed, you have the lowest level of debt of any State and
within that framework Mr Bannon feel. that he would be able
to make these decisions to direct assistance to those most
in need. That's appropriate for him to do that if he wishes.
"" I" hL. TST: A lot of people in Australia are saying that
there is a lot more than those ink South Australia. would
You see then that there are more people in this country that
would need more mortgage relief?
PM: I've made my comments and the Governmaent's made its
decision in this area.
JOURNALIST: High interest rates has become an election issue
in South Austral ia. Are you concerned that that haG became
an election issue?
PM: Well you're simply asserting that. I'm saying that
as far as the State election is concerned this is an election
about* State issues and a decision as to whether they are
going to have John Bannon as Premier or Mr Olsen, that's
the essential issue and we'll be having a Federal election
next year and it's at that election that people will be able
to make their Judgements as between the two groups that can
do anything or offer policies about the Australian situation.
That in the Australian Labor Party federally and the mismatch
you can hardly call it a marriage but this alliance of
the Liberals and the National Party in Canberra, that's where
those issues will be decided at that federal election some
time next year. Here the simple issue is South Australians
need to make up their minds whether they want John Bannon
and the good government he's provided or Olsen and that's
as simple as it is.
JOURNALIST: It is unusual for you to be in South Australia
for only three and a half hours during a State election.
PM: No, not at all
JOURNALIST: Are you coming back?
4.
PM: I wonder if I've got the opportunity of having a
question, of even starting to answer it could I do that
please? Thanks. Since I've been Prime Minister live made
it clear that the involvement that I will have in State
elections is a matter which should be judged by the States
in term of how they see the issues and positions, and I
have done that here. I've happily agreed to be over here at
this time its had to be a rushed trip. I've got
comitments in Melbourne tonight, I had commitment. in
Canberra yesterday and last night, but I warn happy to come
over here and to be associated with my friend and colleague,
John Bannon, and that'. it.
JOURNALIST: Will you be coming back before the election?
PH: I wouldn't think sa, Parliament's sitting next week.
JOURNALIST: Just one more. Mr Olsen has talked about
having a bill of ethics, or a code of ethics what do you
think about that? He's talking about no infidelity, no
messing around outside of marriages?
PM: It's interesting isn't it? Two things are interesting
about that. Piratly, if you haven't got much sensible to
may about real issues of how you'd run an economy and things
like that, you'll always try and get a diversion. I mean,
the classic example of that at the moment in Australian
politics is up in the State of Queensland* The most
corrupt administration that we've had in the history of
Australian politics. So what are they doing, they're
talking about moral matters the great diversions. And the
second thing that'. interesting,, if you look at politics in
this country and over. a., I give you a'warning -where you
have people getting up on the moral bandwagqon, just start
sniffing around a bit because its very remarkable how often
you find the great hypocrisy amongst the moralists. Those
who preach it, the sort of people they're with, they don't
have the greatest record
JOURNALIST: Can you tell me about John Olsen. record?
PH: I'm not saying anything about him personally, I don't
mean that. I mean it. the people that I don't make a
practice of getting into my opponents, political opponents,
on personal terms. That'. what they do. I don't do it.
sizply maying that people who take up those arta of
issues when its made an issue you find groups who are
associated with that are the ones that often have a lot to
answer for. The most important thing to understand is that
as far as this election campaign is concerned and what the
election is about in the end, is about do you want John
Bannon and a proven team and a proven Government running the
State or do they want to put John Olson in, who wants to
talk about these moral issues. I'm not going to get into
those questions of people's personal habits, because I don't
believe its relevant. I've never got into that sort of
caper of trying to attack my opponents on the basis of their
behaviour because I believe that its improper to do so, and
in the end, may Z say, I think its also counter-productive.
I don't think the people of South Australia vill buy that
crap.
JOURNALIST: Do you agree with Brian Loton that we need an
economic crisis to shake Australia out of its complacency?
Pli I've got nothing to say about what Mr Loton had to may.
JOURNALIST: Are you aware of a decision that was made by
the Defence Force Development Committee last Wednesday on
whether it thouqht we needed the extra two submarines?
PM: I'm not aware of it. Mr Beazley will be talking to me
about these things at the appropriate time.
Ends