TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP, SOUTH PACIFIC TYRES, SOMERTON,
MELBOURNE, 2 NOVEMBER 1990
E & O0E PROFONLY
JOURNALIST: -Mr Hawke, would you like to comment
specifically on moves by Mr Booker, the one who's being
invited I understand he's still considering it but he
has been officially invited. Is that not a good thing?
PM: The first thing I'd like to say is it would be a
pity that Mr Booker couldn't get his facts right. I mean
I was appalled in listening as I was travelling in the
car this morning to Mr Booker's comments that we had put
Australia's ships, under United States command. Now that
is a falsity and if he doesn't know the facts of
Australia's p~ resence in the Gulf it raises very serious
questions about what he should be doing going there. The
facts are these, that Australian ships are under
Australian national command. In specific operations that
arise in conducting the blockade there is a rotation of
operational control. Now on certain occasions it could
be under the United States control, other occasions under
Australian control. For this man to be getting up and
saying that Australia sent its ships there and put them
under United States control shows that in regard to the
fundamental cluestion of the nature of Australia's
presence in t: he Gulf he either doesn't know the facts or
deliberately chooses to misrepresent the facts, which
gives you an indication of the concern that I and
governments have about private individuals going in. I
mean what sort of confidence do you have about a man who,
as I say, either doesn't know the basic facts about our
presence or deliberately misrepresents them. It's one or
the other.
JOURNALIST: So are you saying he shouldn't go
PM: Well I'm saying that if he does go, if he does go,
it would be a good idea first of all that he gets his
knowledge of the facts right. That would be a good
thing. And I repeat what I said before. I share the
judgement of the European governments who are very much
involved in this, that the intervention of private
individuals can be somewhat destabilising of the unity of
purpose against Saddam Hussein. Now having said that,
obviously having the concern that we do for the interests
of our hostages which we are, as I say, on a daily
basis pursuing-through our official representatives if,
however, whether it's Mr Booker or someone else, they go
I
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there and if they were to have some success in getting
some out then obviously we'd welcome that. But I say
whether it's Mr Booker or anyone else, it would be a
damned good idea if they got their facts right.
ends