PRIME-MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP
ON ARRIVAL AT SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM
BRISBANE AIRPORT
SUNDAY 31 JUILY, 1994
J: Prime Minister, how do you think this forum will make a difference to the
economic and environmental problems facing South Pacific nations?
PM: Well, I hope it does. I think, this is probably, in some cases, in some
places in the Pacific one of the last opportunities we'll have to do
something about forestry. I think we might be able to, we'll certainly be
able to talk about fisheries resources, about development of human
capital and tourism things which are of material assistance to the
community of the pacific. So, the South Pacific Forum has been a
useful forum in the past for discuissing these issues. I hope,
particularly with it In Australia on this, its 25th meeting, that we can do
something useful again, for the welfare of the Pacific Island
community.
J: But there's been a lot of talk in the past and not much has resulted,
how can you actually improve things this time?
PM: Well, I wouldn't say that I don't agree with that. I think we've made
progress on particular issues. The theme of this is managing
resources. This is the theme which has been generally promoted by
Australia and accepted by the leaders of the Forum countries. And, I
think, under the theme of managing resources be it in fisheries,
forestry, tourism, human development this, I think, is an apposite
and appropriate theme for now.
J: Why aren't you spending more time on Bougainville? Why has
Bougainville got such a low profile?
PM: Because it is a matter for Papua New Guinea. It Is not on the agenda
any more than aboriginal reconciliation in Australia Is on the agenda.
J: You've called for an urgent need for something to be done about the
environment in the South Pacific. How do you think youre going to be able
to convince the South Pacific that they should take some urgent action-now?
PM: I'e already had a number of bilateral discu ssions with leaders and
prime ministers of some South Pacific countries about this subject
And, Australia has a lot to offer, I think, in terms of assistance we might
be able to advance in terms of management of resources and that will
be one of the things we'll be, certainly, suggesting.
J: Prime Minister, Pacific countries have criticised Australia for saying
that the South Pacific has to pick up its socks, are you concerned
about that kind of criticism?
PM: Well, I've never heard any serious criticism about that I think that
Australia has had to adjust itself in the last decade, of course it has,
enormously. This is a totally different country than it was ten years
ago. It is now an outward, competitive, confident place where before it
wasn't So, the adj * ustment task is one which Australia has worn and
Australians have worn and succeeded in. Arnd, it is a similar message,
I think for countries who we are giving substantial support to.
J: How willing are you to give them more aid, give them more of the
means to combat the. environmental degradation?
PM: Well, we already provide a lot of aid and I think it is a case of countries
have got to, themselves, articulate a program to manage their
resources on a sustainable basis.
J: How do you justify to the Australian taxpayer that we spend some thirty
per cent of our foreign aid budget just on the fifteen nations of the
forum given that population-wise, they don't really amount to a very
large number of people?
PM: Well, they are part of our responsibility, I think, as a developed country
in this part of the worid, in terms of aid and, particularly with Papua
New Guinea, with the former trust arrangements which we had for most
of this century. And, thats where that responsibility comes from and
by and large we seek to administer it sensibly, creatively. Other
developed countries, of course, have other priorities. Look at Africa,
for instance. France, for instance, has a substantial foreign aid budget
in the African region. We happen to live in the Asia-Pacific and it is in
this area that most of our attention is turned.
J: You are asking for a fair bit from these countries. Do you think that
they do have the resources to come up with. the solutions without...?
PM: Well, I don't think it is asking countries much than to keep an eye on
the sustainablity of their own resources. I mean, to not make that point
is to say, well, let resources get to the point where they are
unsustainable and then where do they go then?
ends.