I PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP, RAAF BASE FAIRBAIRN, 24 AUGUST 1989
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, what do you think of the , pilots
resigning?
PM: Well, it's a tactic that they're using. All I am
saying is that we will continue in cooperation with airlines
to do everything we can to provide the best available
service while this matter is resolved.
JOURNALIST: And that's got to be a considerable payout by
the airlines, do you think that will create an economic
problem for them?
PM: Well, it may create some problems, but there are going
to be, as a result of the action of the pilots, a lot of
problems for a lot of people. But the important thing is
there would be infinitely greater and longer lasting
problems if we were to succumb to this absolutely untenable
demand by the pilots. So when you are confronted with a
situation of an unacceptable demand which would create, as I
say, longterm and unsustainable difficulties for the
Australian economy then you have to take action which, in
turn, will involve some--difficulties but not of such a long
lasting nature. It's as simple as that.
JOURNALIST: Did you expect this to happen?
PM: Well, we have contemplated it as a possibility, yes.
JOURNALIST: should Qantas be carrying more domestic
passengers? PM: They are going to be carrying a great number of
passengers, passengers that would normally be carried by the
domestic airliners interlining passengers coming in from
overseas or about to go overseas from other ports,
passengers in that category, I understand, will be carried
by Qantas.
JOURNALIST: The pilots say that they'll be looking for work
overseas. Would you be sanctioning pilots coming in from
overseas to work on our planes?
-2-
PM: If these Australian pilots have such a commitment to
their country that they want to leave their country, that's
their decision. In those circumstances, if we could get
pilots from overseas it would be appropriate if that could
be done. But you've got to understand that we haven't gone
into this thinking that it was some simple issue, easily
resolved. The simple and undisputable fact is that if
Australia was to cop a 30 percent increase to pilots, then
the whole wage system would break down and the economy would
be fractured and I believe irreparably. I'm not going to
allow that to happen.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, the Opposition says
PM: Who says?
JOURNALIST: The Opposition says
PM: Which part of the Opposition because, you see
JOURNALIST: Mr Blunt
PM: Mr Blunt says, but what you've got to understand on
this issue as in just about everything on which they open
their respective mouths, there are different Opposition
positions. One says we've inflamed it, one says we should
have drastic legislation to almost incarcerate them. So I'm
afraid when we're talking about the Opposition, as on most
things, you're talking about an uncoordinated collection of
people who just can't make up their mind, a unified position
about anything. Now this country would be in a mess if it
took notice of the ravings of the Opposition about anything
and they would be on this.
ends