97.
TRANSCRIPT OF COMMENTS AT COBURG, MELBOURNESATURDAY
14 FEBRUARY 1987-..
0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNAL-IST:.. Do--you-fee-1--comforted-that---ian-S-i-nc-l-a-i-r--and--S-i-r-Joh--
haven't been able-to resolve-their _ differences._ at a__ mee. ting
yesterday? PM: You may have noticed I haven't been spending much time or
talking about them. I am just getting on with the job of running
the country which is what people want me to do. And I am leaving
them to their own devices. It is quite clear that the nature of
the hatreds and differences between them within the Liberal Party,
within the National Party, between the National Party, between
the Liberal Party, are so profound that they are not going to go
away and I leave it to-
JOURNALIST: Is it good news for your Government though?
PM: The good news for our Government is that we are a good government
and we are going on with doing the job that the people of Australia
want. We had very difficult circumstances last year. We were
prepared to make the tough decisions. It got a little bit of
unpopularity at the time but people are realising that that is
what is required. They want stability in government and they want
a government that has policies and can make decisions and that
is what we are giving them.
JOURNALIST: Does it give you the chance to make more tough decisions
this year?
PM: I don't make tough decisions for the sake of making them and
saying ' look at my hairy chest, what a tough decision maker I am'.
I take the decisions which I believe are necessary. In 1987 the
economy is going to be in better shape than it was in ' 86. To
the extent that tough decisions are necessary, I will take them.
JOURNALIST: Joh attacked the Liberal tax policy aga'i today.-
What does that mean for their tax policy?
PM: What is very interesting is that. oward and Joh say that their
policies are very similar. Mr Howard there is virtually no difference
between my policies and Sir Joh's. And so when you realise just
how inept and irrelevant Sir Joh's policies-you realise-thatyou
are also making the same criticism of Mr Howard. I don't really
want to spend very much time on them. They are manifestly incompetent
They are incapable of formulating policies. As I said when I got
back from overseas, we have waited four years for the production
of a policy and what have we got. incentivation.
JOURNALIST: Sir Joh is making clearer sounds today that he will
form his own political party. Does that pose a greater threat
than him as part of the coalition forces?
2.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, have you been able to persuade Mr Scholes
to resign from the Ministry?
PM: I have got no comment about that there are some discussions
going on but that is an internal matter. I have got nothing to
say publicly about that.
-ENDS