TEL I6 . Jun 2KSN. 1 Wu
PRIME MINISTER
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
DOORSTOP AT INVERESK RAILYARD, LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, 16
JUNE 1995
E& OE PROOF COPY
PMV: I'll just take questions, I think that's the best way isn't it?
J: Mr Keating, what's your reaction to the Democrat's decision that they
are going to block the building industry sales tax from the Budget?
PMV: I wasn't sure that they had made a decision about it. Well, it's a
sensible extension of the base of the wholesale sales tax system, and
it's a thing that Government's do, and the Government announced this
In the Budget. And again, I think this is where the Senate needs to
think about its position, and not overplay its hand to maintain its
position as a House of review, but not to be there trying to knock out
bits and pieces of the Government of the days Budget, which is not its
function. The money function of the Commonwealth is with the House
of Representatives and the Cabinet, and that's as it should be. That's
the sensible measure, and I think that upon reflection, they will think
it's sensible too.
J: What impact will it have on the Budget if they go ahead with this?
PMV: I'm not sure of the numbers we have there I think it's of the order of a
couple of 100 million [ dollars], from memory. In year 1
J: Will it affect your surplus?
PMVI No. Well, it will affect it to some extent, but it won't affect the fact that
there is a surplus, no,
J: Can the Government afford to miss out on that revenue?
PMV: The Government is there to support its Budget, and to get it through.
J: If it's not passed by July 1, will you still collect the money?
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PM; Well, I just haven't had any briefing about it, and I am not anticipating
the fact that at this stage, that the Democrats will vote against the
measure in the Senate.
J: They have said today they will.
PM: They have said today they will?
J: Yes.
PM: Well, if they do, it would be a very inadvisable thing to do. I have
made these points about the Senate before It's continually overplaying
Its hand irresponsibly and unreasonably. This sort of measure
is just a bit of sort of populism at the expense of the national
management of the country, and populists won't be rewarded, I don't
believe,
J: How can the Government make up the revenue?
PM: We'll see what the impact of it is how the Senate debate goes first,
before we think about that.
J: The French Ambassador held a press conference this morning and
said that despite the delegation going, they won't change their minds
is it a pointless exercise?
PM: I don't think so. I think that there is a very clear point to it, that is, to
express our anger at all of this, the fact that we and the other the
nations of the Pacific feel it ( nuclear testing] is unnecessary, that it
advances nobody's interests, and the best way of conveying that is
directly. And, of course, the Foreign Minister will be with that
delegation in Paris on Monday.
J Is It an arrogant attitude they have, though?
PM: I think so absolutely.
J: Mr Keating, some Caucus members are reportedly preparing to put a
motion on Tuesday that the Government' broaden its response to the
French decision and to do things like recall the Australian Ambassador
In Parls and expel the Ambassador from here...
PM: I don't know that anyone is proposing measures such as that. We can
see, and we have these sorts of debates.. . we had a debate about
nuclear testing in the Pacific for many years in the Caucus. But I think
that by and large, the Caucus will do that which is rational and
sensible.
J: What about the protest action last night that saw a truckload of manure
dumped at the French Embassy?
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PM: I mean, people do these things, and it's an indication, I think, of the
objection that the people of this region of the world take to a decision
which is made, and is not really fundamental to the security of the
French nation, but something which is at the whim and caprice of
French defence planners, which have obviously got the agreement of
the French Government and President. And, you know, taking an
objection there's going to be many more of them, I am sure, around
the world, and you can see that with the reaction which President
Chirac has had in the United States.
J: You don't have a problem with that sort of protest?
P M. I'm not here to endorse each particular action or not. Do I encourage
people to be dropping loads of manure around? No, I don't. But, by
the same token, I can understand where this feeling has come from.
J: When will the delegation be going to Paris?
PM: Monday.
J: Will New Zealand be part of the delegation?
PM: The delegation is not settled yet the composition.
J: Would you like to see New Zealand be a part?
PM: It's not settled I said that to you.
J: The French Ambassador also this morning said that the French
Polynesia, where they are testing, is part of France, so therefore they
are doing it in their own backyard, and they have every right to do it?
PM: Well, as they say tell it to the Marines. Tell that one to the Marines.
J: Mr Howard has been critical of the Government's response he has
accused Senator Evans of being an " old pussycat"?
PM: Hasn't he become an old tart, John Howard, these days. Isn't he a
dreadful old tart? I mean, two days ago he was saying that the
Government's response is entirely appropriate, and after Mr Downer
has emerged from the bathtub with his battleships, he is now saying
that the Government needs to be tougher and stronger. This is
somebody who believes that we should have the Queen of Great
Britain as our Head of State who still believes in all those Colonial
vestiges. Who is now telling us today that we should stand up to this
power, France. This is someone who will be so obsequious in the
presence of the French Minister, or a French President. I mean, he
has been told this by his advertising agency. He's a shocking old tart.
J: With the green issue being very important to the Bass electorate, so
you think you have lost your seat already?
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PM: Cut it out I have got such strength beside me here. No. I think -as
always I mean, I was talking a moment ago about imagination, about
support for regions who's supporting regions in this country? Who is
supporting regional development? Who's rehabilitating the inner-cities
of this country urban renewal? Only the Federal Labor Government.
And also in the labour market programs support for those less
advantaged. I made a point yesterday take the Commonwealth
programs out of Tasmania, and Tasmanian employment has actually
shrunk. So, on that basis, why would we believe that any of the seats
that we hold are at risk? They're not, I'm sure.
J: Would you say that this is a tough seat?
PM: They are all tough, so what?
J: Bass is only held by 42 or 43 votes it's quite likely to go the other
way?
PM: Well, after Sylvia's incumbency here, we will hold it by a bigger margin
at the next election.
J: How will your visit here today impact on the next allocation of Better
Cities funding?
PM; You get a minds eye picture of things when you move around
Australia. I mean, I have been to most of the Better Cities programs
seen them and then, I mean, as these things are actually discussed
in the Cabinet room, as we talk about allocations, you see where the
energy is, you know, where the imagination is, and you get a chance to
make subsequent decisions. And often the things you think are going
to be the goers are not, and the ones that may not, become the ones
that work, for this reason. So, I think the job of Ministers and the Prime
Minister particularly In these sort of things are to get around, see
them, talk to people, get an idea of what is happening, and then you
can make a better decision the next time around.
J: But will there necessarily be any additional funding for this area?
PM: Well, I have just announced some dollars today for Northern
Tasmania, and you know, I think this will develop much the same way
the others have. Look at Darling Harbour in Sydney the amount of
private commitment to that now, is profound, but it wasn't true when it
started. But then as it gets to critical mass, people fell that something
is happening, and they are prepared to do more.
J: Prime Minister, back to Paris who will the delegation be seeing?
PM: That Is yet to be determined, but certainly the Foreign Minister
certainly the Foreign Minister. Probably the Prime Minister.
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J: Carrying a message from you?
PM:, No. It will be a message from the delegation, obviously.
J: The international condemnation of the decision to resume the testing
do you see it strengthening with that protest here at all?
P M: You mean here in Australia?
J: Yes.
PM: I think so. I think that has happened already, and it is happening in
these other countries, too.
J, Just on a local issue, there is a billion dollar pulp mill proposal that the
developers are saying won't go ahead until the Federal Government
releases its pulp mill guidelines those were apparently going to be
released when the Wesley Vale was up. They were going to be this
month, but it has apparently been delayed what is happening with
those?
PM: They will be released I don't know exactly when they will be released,
but they will be released because the Government does want to see
the logical development of a forest products industry, and that means a
concentration on regrowth and plantations, and to see the valueadding.
I mean, our objection to woodchipplng Is that there is not the
value adding, so the policy Is about value adding, and therefore we
won't be value adding without these mills, and we won't have the milli
without the guidelines. So the guidelines will be there.
J: Given this proposal could be In doubt because the guidelines have
been delayed, would you be moving on it?
PM: Journalists say " the project's in doubt" you are not entitled to say
things like that, because I am somebody who has heard all those sorts
of claims over the years from journalists, and I know that they are
empty.
J: Do we know when these guidelines are going to be released?
PM: We probably do, I I had any notice of the question. But I haven't, but
let me say that I will take it on notice.
ends. A