I# TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BALLARAT
January 25 1986
0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, I was wondering COcl I ask
you yesterday the ALP decided to put off the whole Hartley
saga for another ten days. Does that damage the ALP in
the interim?
PM: No, not at all. YOu have got to realise that that
Executive is composed of very busy people with important
commitments. For instance, the President, Neville Wran,
the Premier of New South Wales. And he just can't day
after day, and they have got to ensure that the situation
is handled fairly. And that adjournment is quite appropriate.
JOURNALIST: Ten days. that is a lot of time?
PM: Let me assure you, in moving around Australia, I know
what the feeling is on this matter. It is not doing the
ALP any harm at all. If you are worrying about factionalism
don't look at the ALP. Look at the other mob.
JOURNALIST: Sir, that is the point. there is factionalism
in the Liberal Party. But it would appear that you could
make a great deal of mileage out of this one if you wanted
to be a critic of the ALP.
PM: I wouldn't have thought so. What we are about is dealing
with a situation of a person who has made statements which
are seen not to be in the interests of the Party And so
regarded. Now a judgement is in the process of being made
as to whether continued membership of the Party is
appropriate. It is reasonable in those circumstances that
the Party not rush the judgement, that they should treat
it fairly. And far from this being a negative course for
the Party and for the Government the opposite is true.
It is seen to be dealing with-this issue seriously and
fairly and giving all opportunities that need to be given
to the person concerned. That is the way it should be done.
JOURNALIST: It is a case of copping the damage in the short
term
PM: NO damage. The contrary is the case -that an important
issue should be dealt with fairly. All opportunity should
be given. That is being done. NOw, this is not stopping
us from getting on with the business of not just policy
formulation, but Policy implementation. We are governing
the country, we know what we are about. We know our purposes,
we know our policies. If you look at the Liberals, well
of course, I suppose from mirth really, they haven't got
a policy about anything on which they are not wracked with
division. Doesn't matter whether you look at tax or wages
or privatisation, if I can mention that dreadful word.
They don't know where they are.
JOURNALIST: But the Liberals would have chopped Hartley qA(& ktq.
PM: NO. The Liberals are different the way they handle
things. Of course they do expel people. YOu ask Mr Francis
in Victoria. They get rid of people. But there they isolate
them. Mr Howard doesn't like a particular group. Well
then he dumps them from the front bench. And now in that
si'tuation they go off and form their little groups to undermine
Mr Howard. It is a very interesting little kettle of fish
the Liberal Party in Australia at the moment. No wonder
they haven't won an election in mainland Australia since
1980.
PM: Why wouldn't the Labor Party chop a person like Hartley
as quickly?
PM: When you are going to say we are considering whether
a person is not going to be any longer a member of a party,
a person who has been there for a period of time. It is
fair and it is proper that the processes are taken through
so that the person in question can have all the opportunity.
If he has got witnesses he says he wants to present, okay,
they should be presented, should be listened to. And that
is what is happening.
JOURNALIST: Prime MInister, on another important issue
cricket. Greg Chappell has criticised the planned appointment
of Olive Lloyd he says it is a political stunt.
PM: Of course, Mr Chappell is known to have no involvement
or interest in politics. Like hell. You talk about politics
he is a political figure. And that is good, I am glad
ex-cricketers get involved in politics. But don't let Mr
Chappell stand up and let it be said that he is a non-political
person making a simply sporting statement. That is not
true. And I say to Greg, good on you, get into politics.
But don't try and delude people that you are not in politics
as well. Now on the issue itself. This is a matter for
decision by the Institute of Sport. We fund the Institute.
We have an interest in promoting sport in Australia. But
I am not going to be saying what their decision is if
their decision is to appoint Clive Lloyd, and I make it
quite clear that there have be~ n discussions in which my
opinion has been sought. Not in terms of saying that this
is what happens. But I have respect for Olive Lloyd
as do 99.999 per cent of Australians. If it is the case
that they appoint Mr Lloyd, then I am sure he will do a
brilliant job. And certainly the cricketers and the young
cricketers of Australia would be very well served. But
I repeat the main point is the decision on this matter is
not mine, it is not the Government's, it is the Institute's.
3.
JOURNALIST: But wouldn't you personally prefer a great
Australian cricketer to take up the post?
PM: I am a person who, I guess there is no-one in Australia
who has greater pride in his country than I have. I talk
consistently and with conviction about Australia's achievements
and I do that in this country and outside. But I am not
only an Australian. I am a person who, I hope, has a capacity
to look beyond our own borders and I am not punning there
when I am talking about cricket but we must do as Australians,
whether it is in sport or in other fields of endeavour,
is to draw upon the best resources that are available.
This is not an isolated world in which you put a barrier
up around you. And say here we are, we have got the best
of everything. If there are others who can help us whether
it is in cricket or in art, industry, commerce, if we can
draw on other resources we should do it.
JOURNALIST: Have you made any personal representatiora
in favour of Lloyd.
PM: I have been engaged in some discussions not really
in a sense as Prime Minister, although that is part of it,
but as a passionate cricket follower. I have had the opportunity
of talking with Mr Bennett. And this issue has been canvassed.
NOt just the name of Olive Lloyd, others. But what I believe
is that Australia needs to develop its resources in cricket
perhaps in a more criticism of what has happened to
them. But I think we can do more. And so you draw upon
wh ' atever resources are available to do that great deal
of confidence in the future of Australian cricket. We went
through a trough. I think we have hit the bottom and we
are very much on the way up. We have got some very, very
talented young Australians emerging now that are in the
team or on the edge of the team. And I think what we have
got to do now is plan for the future to make'sure that we
keep those young people coming up.
JOURNALIST: won't win the current one day series?
PM: Well, there is always a chance in sport that you won't
win but you have got to be confident and you have also got
to study form. And on disclosed form we deserve to be,
as we are, favourites.