P. M.' s PRESS OFFICE CANH TEL: 61-062-732923 2,18 55 o05P0
It-AUSTRAL A
PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP,
JANUARY 1989
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST; M-came out today# last
month and .6f over the past three months. Are you happy
with that?
PK': Well I wouldn't say I'm in a state of euphoria. I'm
reasonably neutral about the figures in the sense they don't
of themselves suggest an excessive level of demand but then
the economy is running strongly and the indicators are a
little bit inconsistent in that respect. I mean for
instance if you look at motor vehicle sales they are high
and as housing activity is still high, the retail sales
figures are consistent with an economy which is operating at
a reasonably acceptable level of activity where as in fact
we're running a bit too strong.
JOURNALIST; Is there any need to
any further?
PK: No I am content at this stage with the way in which
it's playing its role in the management of the economy. I
mean the most important set of statistics that's on the
horizon now is the CPI figures for the December quarter,
which will be coming out at the end of the month, they'll be
very important. But I just want to repeat what I've said
consistently. That whenever any particular set of
statistics come out and people say, " oh you're to do
something in particular now". I simply say look we've been
in office for nearly six years and our record shows that we
watch and monitor the economy and we make the decisions that
are necessary to keep up responsible economic management.
Nothing's going to change on that. We will continue to
watch and do those things that are necessary to keep the
economy moving at the level which is consistent with
handling the major problem of the Australian economy which
is the external account. We can't have the Australian
economy operating at too high a level of activity which is
going to be sucking in imparts at too high a level and
imposing further strains on the external account. That's
the major task that we've got. 25,01,89 15: 51 No. 015 P. 01
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2.
JOURNALIST: On the I P front, are iou at
all concerned with the position adopted by
in respect of the new Commission.
P14: Well I don't want to really comment on that. I mean I
can understand Mr justice Staples' position. It's'been a
problem though for successive governments of both political
persuasions and so I can understand his concern but it's
been a problem there that has been recognised by all
governments and I don't want to say anything more about
that. JOURNALIST: But would you support his inclusion in the new
Industrial Relations commission or not?,
PM: Well we've made the decision on that haven't we. We
didn't include him.
JOURNALIST: He's going?
PK; Well that's the decision, yes.
ends 25,01,89 15: 51 No. 015 P. 02