TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTR, TME MON P J KEATINOG, MP
DOORSTOP, ST VINCENT DE PAUL, BANKSTOWN
27 NOVEMBER 1992
E& OE PROOF COPY
J; jobs not second hand olothes and structural
unemployment to the turn of the century?
PM: They want jobs that are going to last, not slick
solutions. Agencies like St Vincent De Paul look after
that segment of society which in one way or another slip
through the social security net. but could you imagine
these agencies with people tipped out of the
unemployment benefit as the Liberals want to do after
nine months. The tens or thousonds of Australians who
would nu lunger be supported by the social security
system would have to come to these places for basic
susteiarlue. It's more than St Vincent De Povl or the
Smith family or the Salvation Army can wear, they do a
marvellous community Job but they can't take the place
of the social security system, which iS what John Hewson
wonte them to do.
J: Mr Keating do you accept some responsibility for St
Vincent De Paul's claim that this will be the worst
Christmas since the Depoession7
PM; I hope it isn't, but the thing is the Labor Government
has got a social security safety net out there, I think
now second to none in the world, and part of thot i
accessand equity in health through Medicare, poor
families can bulk bill their doctor at no oos08t, John
Hewson wants to knock it right out of the way. People
on unemployment benefits, knock it right out of the way.
We have got to keep the primary national values of
Australia, community values, where we are looking after
thooe not well off and those who are poor and those who
are sick because I think as a society if we are at the
point where we are nutL looking after these people what
sort of society would we be. 2 iq v. 1 ; uo o U 6 r u I,.
C: Peter Cook says he doesn't support the national strike
that is planned, what is your view on ft?
PM: The Liberal Party of AuStralia are bent upon turning ten
years of induStrial peace into Industrial warfare. My
very, very strong Contention is that Australia can only
progress together. We can only get along, business and
labour that's 1 a b 0 u r in a compact of
Cooperation. But internecine battling reminiscent of
the ' 60s and ' 706 courtesy of Kennett and Hewoon will
always lead Australia into a low growth path and
industrial disputation, It is their fight it is time
they put It to bed.
J: Do you thik the High Court has over-stepped the mark?
PM; No. The High Court has got very clear imperatives under
the Constitution and the High Court is entitled to sit
in jyugement on all the matters brought before it and
make Judgements without Prime Ministers giving doorstop
commtnts about their work.
J: Will we have a referendum though, on -du8 oitizenship?
PM: I don't know, that is an issue but it has got to be
ranked with the other big issues of Australia.
Js Do you have a Comment on the September quarter trade
figures today?
PM; Well they show again this sort of enormous driver that
exports have become. The driving force of exports, if
you look through the statisticians release as I did you
will see the rural commodity is flat, non-rural
commodity Is bursting away earning for Australia In
exports. The question that the community has to ask Is
where would we be now it we were simply relying, as the
Liberals wanted us to rely, on rural commodities without
that burgeoning export sector now in manufactures and
servicea, which is out there paying Australia'& way in
the world.
J: Will the Government have to reviuo its growth figures
now?
PM: That's not to do with the balance of payments.
J: Do you think the Commission wants greater microeconomic
reform? Do you think we have had enough tPicroeconomic
reform?
PM: The Induvtry Conmassion is a ginger group. They are a
paid for, Government paid, ginger group. And what we
expect ginger groups to do is ginger things up, and
that's what they do.
TEL: 27. Nov. 92 16: 08 No. 006 P. 03
3.
J; Do you believe people should go on strike on Monday, yes
or no?
PM; Don't give me simple questions. The Liberal Party wants
a national conflagration on industrial relations, that's
what they are trying to give us and they are the only
people who can take it off,
J: do you agree with that7
PM: it is not a matter of my opinion on this, the
primary matter here Is the Liberal Perty of Australia.
Zt wants to turn ten years of industrial peace into
industrial warfare and it is for Mr Kennett and Dr
Hewson to reconsider their position,
J: Have you got a Christmas message for the unemployed?
PM: My message is that the only way Australia will deal with
unemployment is with a . growth strategy like the
Government ran right through the ' 80s. We're the only
Party in Australia committed to growing the Australian
economy and growing employment. And the quicker we can
get back to that, the quioker we will add to the 1.8
million jobs we created in the 19809.
ENDS