PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MiINISTEIF,, TH7E HON P. J. KEATING MP,
DOORSTOP, LE MERIDIEN HOTEL, MONDAY, 25 OCTOBER 1993
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Prime Minister, how did the meeting with ViWr Gob go?
PM: It was exceptionally warm and we had 1Ti. any things in common the trade
between Australia and Singapore which is growing now inexorably, all the time;
the co-operative things we are doing, not just in Australia and Singapore, but
with third countries particularly in south-east Asia and also our mutual interest
in APEC which, of course, Prine Minist er Goh will be attending the APEC
leaders summit in Seattle next month and wve were talking about that too.
J: Does he share your view of APEC becomaing an economic community at this
leaders summidt?
PM: I think Singapore is verny strong about APEC's prospects and the verny nice
coincidence of events which have brought it about and the fact that we the two
largest economies in the world verny interested and verny keen to develop a multilateral
structure that is, of course, the US and Japan so he is quite excited
about APEC as I am.
J: Prime Minister, why did th6 Commonwealth squib the issue of human rights?
PM: I don't follow your ' squib' comment.
J: Well, they didn't issue the Paphos Declaration, it seems to be a verny watered
down statement.
PM: I see, you mean the humanitarian statement. Because, I think, basically that it
was not possible to draft something whichi saw the Commonwealth taking on
some crisis management, dispute settling rc'le which is what some of the drafting
had anticipated. That is not the Commronwealth's strength, it is not the
Commonwealth's role. Some of us said that a day or so ago, I said it to you
yesterday and I think that is the reason why it will be reflected though in the
communique, but in more appropriate terns.
J: What was the thinking behind maintaining residual sanctions against South
Africa until there is a democratically elected government in place?
PM: I think there has been a consistency on ihe Commonwealth's part about these
things, but again, we are very up beat about the prospects of the election of a
democratically elected non-racially select,. d government and I indicated in this
morning's session that Australia would. be contributing financially, to the
monitoring effort on the part of the Commonwealth.
J: With the personnel that we would be expected, the election observers or
whatever, that we would be expected to pirovide as well, is that in addition or in
exchange for involvement in any United Nations forces?
PM: No, that would be in addition to. I also said we would be inviting some of our
staff to participate in the monitoring, tha: is some of our electoral staff, as well
as the financial commitment by Australia, which was very well received.
J: Prime Minister, how hard a job do you think it is going to be to get the situation
in South Africa after the election sorted out, how long realistically do you think
it is going to take, how long will Australia be involved?
PM: I don't think I could say Peter ( Harvey) exactly how long that would take. It
depends on how much good will there is on the part of the South Afican
community in general after the election;, but it will be a watershed for that
country and watersheds to produce a change of sentiments, so it may well be
that things run there as they did in Zimbabwe.
J: Mr Keating, can you see Australia and -he Commonwealth reaching the point
where they might impose sanctions on Turkey over Cyprus?
PM: Cyprus is essentially in the charge of th,. United Nations and I think what the
communique will express today is a recitation of the Commonwealth's support
for the UN resolutions which have been passed on this in 1974 and 1984, but I
don't think the Commonwealth sees for itself a role in taking primary carriage
of the matter. It is properly with the UN, but we think it is a useful thing to
support the UN's efforts.
J: Do you think sanctions would work againist Turkey?
PM: I don't know, but that begs the question about who manages the dispute and it
won't be the Commonwealth managing it.
J: What have you really achieved here after five days?
PM: I think getting a very firm statement of support for the conclusion of the GATT
Round is a particularly important thing at this critical junction. I mean, the
Commonwealth's meetings have been held coincidently as it turns out with quite
important epochs in the history of countries and communities most particularly
obvious was Rhodesia and South Afica. It happens also to be true this year for
the GATT and getting such a firm statement of support and a delegation to visit
the key players in the GATT Round at this key time would be a very useful
thing. If this meeting succeeded in doing ihat and that only it would have been
well worth having and beyond that, of counse, it has done other things.
J: Why do you feel it necessary to issue a statement in relation to Dr Hewson and
Mabo?
PM: Because I think his position is becoming appalling, that is why. Dr Hewson is in
a position now where Mr Court has called on his support and what Mr Court
is saying he wants to extinguish, he want tc actually abolish native title, he wants
to wipe out the thing the High Court said Australia indigenes have. Now, where
does Dr Hewson stand? For how long can he hide from these vital questions
particularly at a time when Mr Reith is saying that the High Court is usurping
the role of Parliament, that it needs to be reformed, to use his word, that a
Coalition government would need to reform it, whatever that means, whatever
threat that implies for the High Court and while there is great division in the
Liberal party between the likes of Mr Woolridge Mr Reith and between other
Liberals and Mr Court. And the implied threat that Western Australian
parliamentary liberals who are supporting Dr Hewson's leadership won't support
him if he doesn't toe Mr Court's line. I think it is time that Dr Hewson stood up
on Mabo and said on this matter of great principle where he stands.
J: Prime Minister, is there anything in the legislation that we don't know about that
might spring a surprise and cause great concern to some elements of the
community like pastoralists?
PM: No, I don't think so. Let's not be trying to give Dr Hewson any outs this is a
very simple matter. The High Court has siid that there is a native tite flowing
from Aboriginal tradition and custom in th common law of Australia does he
support that or does he support Richard Ccurt and if he supports that he should
put his shoulder to the wheel and support tlis legislation.
J: Who do you think is going to win the split then between the two factions in the
party who do you think will come to the ascendancy?
PM: The Liberal party on this key question is very divided and given the fact that
since the election Dr Hewson has done noihing but play a spoiling role on the
Budget and more laterally on Mabo, then I think it is time on a matter which is
going to extend way beyond this Parliament. A matter that goes back to the
actual genesis of our settlement to have a resolution of this is a matter of high
policy in Australian public life. And for him to be ducking and weaving, or
worse, conniving in any attempt by Richard Court to actually abolish native title
would leave the Liberal party without any credibility on this key matter.
J: Prime Minister, what are hoping to achieve now in Indonesia with your talks
with President Soeharto?
PM: Well, it is eighteen months since I have seen President Soeharto and I think
given the fact that I have got to overfly or fly through Indonesian air space, it
was a reasonable time to actually call in and say hello and just recap on the
eighteen months of events which have taken place and take the opportunity to
have a talk about APEC which is now a month away the Seattle meeting
what we see for APEC; how he is seeing the APEC matter unfolding and so we
can compare notes ahead of the meeting.
J: Do you have any specific goals out of that meeting at all?
PM: No, I just think routine visits by neighbours should be more of the rule rather
than the exception.
J: Are you expecting clear support from President Soeharto as opposed to Dr
Mahathir's opposition to some aspects of APEC?
PM: Indonesia has had a very careful, but nevertheless pragmatic approach about the
great opportunity which APEC opens. I mean, APEC opens the opportunity of
seeing in a multi-lateral context the trading interests of the first and second
largest economies in the world, along with those of the Asia-Pacific community.
It is a great opportunity and, I think, Indonesia understand that and has seized
upon that.
J: In your meeting with Mr Goh, you said that you talked about trade with third
countries, the sort of joint venture trade into other areas, is there anything
specifically that the two governments can do to promote that or is that going to
happen within a wider context of APEC?
PM: It is happening now, it is happening at a ferocious speed now. There are so
many joint ventures being entered between Australian companies and
Singaporean companies for business, not just in Singapore, but for other
countries of the region. I think that the collaboration between Singapore and
Australia will just continue to grow and grow.
J: Prime Minister, Mr Howe has said that a jobs levy on higher income earners
will be considered by the Government, is it a possible goer?
PM: We won't be anticipating any of that until I receive the report on employment
which will be handed down in a month from now, so we will see what the
Commidttee recommends and then we'll take a position about it.
J: Is there growing support for the idea in the Government?
PM: It is a fashionable idea at the moment, but whether the fashion will give up the
solidity I think it would require will depend on what comes from the Report.
ends