; T1/
PRIME MII3TER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP
DOORSTOP RAAF FAIRBAIRN, 20 OCTOBER, 1993
E& OE PROOF COPY
J: Mr Keating, are you leaving on a good note?
PM: Yes, I think so. I think we will see the Bucget to bed this week, largely,
in terms of its aggregates, intact which will be good for now and good
for the next few years as the recovery whi,. h is now coming through,
strongly comes through. That's when wewant the Budget deficit
coming down, and that's why the Budget i: 3 going to be good for the
place. And I think the nation is entitled to feel good about Mabo. I
think it proves that even diverse interests can be handled well, and
that the country is capable of doing good things.
J: Prime Minister, do you think you will have to do some more deals with
the Greens to get Mabo legislation through the Senate?
PM: I don't think so. I think they are very supportive of the general thrust of
Mabo.
J: Have you got anything to say to Mr Court today? I believe a
breakthrough didn't eventuate in Melbourne today.
PM: We weren't hoping for one. He was only, I think, coming to tell us what
he thought his points of objection were. Eut again, he has got to
consider his position, I think; that is: how does he handle now the
reality of Mabo, particularly when other co'nservative States are sort of
endorsing the general principles in the Co'mmonwealth's draft
legislation.
J: What do you see as the key issues of the Cyprus meeting?
PM: Well, I think, it's that there will always be generally attention to
international events and I expect that we will also have a perspective
on things in the African continent from th, 3 African members,
particularly South Africa, but it is a very mixed agenda.
J: Do you foresee any comment at all regarding a republic over there, or
have you already said your piece on that?
PM: No, I don't. But I will have a chance to see Prime Minister John Major
and Prime Minister Mahathir, of Malaysia, and some other leaders as
well.
J: How much will you be pressing Dr Mahal: hir on the APEC issue?
PM: It is not a matter of pressing him. I think we all have common interests
and it is just a matter of understanding what each person, or each
country's position is.
Thank you.