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PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP, JOHN CURTIN HOUSE, 8 DECEMBER
1989
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JOURNALIST: Is there a need of better quality candidates
not only in New South Wales, but federally?
PM: Well, I think that all parties always ought to
strive for the best quality candidates they can get. I
think that the Labor Party in a strange, mysterious,
unco-ordinated way over the years has thrown up some
very, very good members on that. I was particularly
fortunate when I became Prime minister to have a Ministry
there available with tremendous talent, but I think you
can always do better and I think that's true of all
parties. JOURNALIST: Is it a matter for the National Executive
though or for the New South Wales Branch do you think?
PM: Well, I'm not going to get into that discussion
here. That's a matter for discussion within the Party
and I'm running late.
JOURNALIST: Are you pleased with the success of
yesterday's meeting between the environmental groups and
O the industry?
PM: Yes, it was good. The spirit was good, I mean, it
would be silly to deny that there weren't, you know,
different positions. I mean, obviously there are, but
there was a willingness to attempt to work together to
get some common-acceptance of what we mean by sustainable
development and we will now, as they've agreed, prepare e
discussion paper which will be circulated and that will
be the beginning. I hope, then of a series of working
groups in various sectors of Australian industry. I hope
that in this way, as we go into 1990 and towards the end
of it, we will be able to get a basis on which we can
agreeably achieve the twin goals of development and also
discharging our responsibility for the protection of the
environment. As I've said, they are not to be seen as
either/ ors. We've got to, as a community, if we are
going to discharge our obligations, have both economic
development and we must discharge our responsibility to
the future generations.
JOURNALIST: Mr Peacock has said that voters will
all aspects of your Government as wanting.
PM: Well, I would think if I were Mr Peacock at the
moment, at the end of the year, when all the
analyses are that he has failed utterly in his coup to
provide the Liberal Party with appropriate leadership.
If I were Andrew I'd say, mate, just spend the Christmas
holidays examining yourself.
JOURNALIST: Should the Liberals have stuck with John
Howard? PM: who's to know?
JOURNALIST: Happy Birthday, Mr Hawke.
PM: Thank you very much indeed.
ends
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