STEL: 25. Rug. 92 17: 42 No. 016 P. 01/(
3 7
PRIME MINISTER
PARTIAL TfRANSCR1PT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J.
KEATING, MP DOORSTOP INTERVIEW, POWERHOUSE MUSEUM, SYDNEY,
AUGUST 1992
Q: We're having a bit of problems here trying to understand
how Chineae boat people are getting into AuStrala and it
Seems Auutralian journalists have a better Intelligence
service then Foreign Affairs and the Indons. Can you explain
that a bit more?
PM: Well I don't know. I think obviously we have a widely
spread news service that is going to pick up information in
other countries and that may reach here before local
Surveillanco produces these things.
Q: Mr Keating, are you concerned about the level of the
Australian dollar?
PM; I'm not out here for a comment about that, one of you
saold something about the Liberal's immigration policy.
Q: Are you happy with the immigration level or would you
like to see a out?
PM: We think that the immigration program's important. We
think that in reducing the level in recent years to around
80,000 we have taken account of economic circumstances and
we've appropriately taken account. But I'm very very
ooncerned about the attitude the Liberal Porty has taken. I
think Mr Howard's hijacking of the immigration polloies of
the coalition that is pushing Mr Ruddock to one side and
demanding that the intake be cut is I think confirming the
general contempt that Dr newson holds for the ethnic
communities In this country. That is he says
multioulturaleim is a mistake. He thinks, Mr Howard thinks
that the intake should bo out dramatically. Wlhat they're
saying, not even subtly, Is that they don't believe in the
migration program, they think multioulturalism is a mistake,
and they basically have nothing but disregard for the ethnic
communitiee.
Q; Why don't you want to talk about the dollar or the
finoncial markets?
PM; ecause I just don't talk to doorstops about the
exchange rate ever, and at doorstops in particular.
TEL: 2
Q: Prime Minister, on the interest Withholding-tax, is that
definitely on the agenda or Is this Just a toing and froing
because there's a problem with your Budget, Belling it?
PM; Well what is on the agenda is that John Hewson's got a
billion tax hike. That's over half the existing income
tax revenue. Revenue raised is $ 49 billion; he wants to
raise nearly $ 30 billion from a consumption tax. We'll give
the Australian people a thirty per cent tax rate without a
consumption tax, and we'll do It from a strong fiscal
policy. The things we announoed last week are basically to
keep the tone on fiscal policy. Now he's got exactly the
same problem. You understand if fiscal policy in 95-6 is
difficult for us, It would be similarly, were he to be in
office, difficult for him. So it We've got to 90y where
we're goiig to raise two billion, so to must he. He must
voy how he would make fiscal policy more receptive to the
tax cuts, that is more able to carry the tax cuts. Aud so
the responsibility is for him not to keep secret his 9genda
for tightening fiscal policy in 95-6, but most particularly
to tell us how in the hell ho' going to fund $ 13 billion
worth of tax outs when all the consumption tax money's spent
on payroll tox and petrol.
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