)( 03
PRIME MINISTER
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J
KEATING MP, INTERVIEW WITH DEBBIE SPILLANE AND IAN
ROGERSON, TRIPLE J, 6 DECEMBER 1994
E& OE PROOF COPY
IR: It is about 10 minutes past 5 and we are coming to you live from the
beautiful mezzanine area here at the Parliament House complex, and
we are joined by a special guest now, Deb?
OS: Yes, we have the Prime Minister Paul Keating we were calling him Mr
Keating off-air, but on-air we are going to be incredibly familar and just
call him Paul. After all, we are on first name terms with Slim Dusty,
you know.
PM: Well, why not?
DS: We know all the legends on this program. Now Paul firstly, we have
been listening to all your talk about Triple J, and the expansion we
know what is in it for us what is in it for you guys?
PM: Well I think what is in it for us is that the nation's young people get a
network a broadcast network they wouldn't have otherwise had, they
get the chance of innovation, to hear people put their views, to hear
new music that's enough I think.
IR: It's not part of the deal that we have to have Parliamentary Question
Time at any stage, is it?
PM: No. Well that's a sort of area of light entertainment that you are not
required to have. There's enough coverage of that we have got a
whole bunch of junkies in this building that cover that.
IR: Now, of course that has been going on all day today, and it will go this
evening, won't it?
PM: The real show is only on Mondays and Thursdays that's my show.
But you are welcome to tune in and pick the highlights. You can ask
Mr Laurie Oakes he will tell you what the highlights are. Or Mr
Lyneham, he will know.
DS: I must admit that we are pretty relieved at Triple J today that the
Coalition didn't do anything about the leadership today, because we
didn't want our announcement swamped, and so they have been very
polite.
PM: Yes, I thought this this morning there is a great danger that if they
actually dump Alexander today he'll blot you right out.
DS: Were you worried about Triple J not getting enough publicity?
PM: I was. And I wanted to make sure that at least he made it through until
tomorrow. And it looks like he is going to make it.
DS: How much longer, do you think?
PM: Well, he will get to tomorrow.
IR: You were mentioning the fact that you were white hot just a day or so
ago....
PM: That is for Mr Howard. I have a special attachment, not to Mr Howard,
for Mr Howard, and...
DS: Where will you be putting the attachment in?
PM: Well, there are a few obvious places. But the thing is he does bring
out the best in me, I have got to say, and when he bobbed up in 1986
and 1987, I made sure that I didn't miss him. And I will just give him a
cheerio call to let him know that I am still there.
DS: Give him something to look forward to, that is what I reckon...
PM: I am. Give him some encouragement... let's bring him out...
IR: It's a bit like Avon calling..
PM: Absolutely. Ding dong it's Avon calling.
ends.