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PRIME MINISTER
26 March 1997 TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW DARWIN
E& OE
PRIME MINISTER:
They're trying to destroy the work-for-the-dole legislation. The very earliest on my
advice that the legislation can be debated is the 23rd of June, which is the last sitting
week before the winter recess. We now face the possibility of months and months of
deliberate obstruction and delay, the Labor party has revealed its true colours on the
work for the dole legislation. It was a very simple Bill. Are you for or against work
for the dole. The Labor party is clearly against it. The Australian people want this
measure. It's one of the elements of our attack on the problem of youth
unemployment. The Labor party and the Democrats are delaying the government's
attempts to tackle the problem of youth unemployment. It is a disgracefuzl delaying
tactic. Kim Beazley said he was in favour of it. What he's doing is allowing or
perhaps being overwhelm~ ed by his colleagues in the Senate to commit a course of
action which is delaying and obstructing this is not a complicated measure, It's a
simple measure. We simply proposed that the restriction on compulsion now in the
Social Security legislation be taken out. And the Labor party is trying to delay,
obstruct and frustrate that. I condemn them and the Australian people will condemn
them. JOURNALIST: You were hoping to; get the pilot projects going I think by September. How much of a
dely wil this mean?
PRiM MINISTER:
Well if it's not dealt with before the winter recess, we won't get them in September.
And our attempt to reduce youth unemiployment will be stymied, obstructed, and
sabotaged by the combined efforts of the Australian Labor Party and the Australian
Democrats. I mean they've got to say yes or no. Are the for this or against it. Clearly
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they're pretending they're for it, yet they are by their legislative actions trying to
sabotage and undermine it.
JOURINALIST:
Do you think you'll get it through though eventually?
PRIE MINISTER:
Well we don't control the Senate, despite what some people say. We don't. And if
this measure doesn't go through it will strike a body blow at the prospects we have of
reducing youth unemployment. It's one of the elements of our attack on youth
unemployment. It has widespread community support. We want to get the pilots
going by September. We'll make the additional money available, and the Labor Party
and the Democrats are playing explosive politics with an attempt by the Federal
Government to tackle youth unemployment. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
JOURNALISTPrime Minister the opposition parties have said from the beginning thought that there
are concerns about the open-endedness, or the permanency of the compulsion clause
which is what it's all about. They've also said there were questions about training.
They might want to move some amendments. I mean, isn't this just the democratic
process at work?
PRME MINISTER:
No, this is obstruction. I mean you're either for or against this. It's a very simple
principle. It's not complicated. We're simply saying that in 1997 it is reasonable for
the community to say of people who are guaranteed a safety net that they should at
award rates be prepared to do something in return for that guaranteed safety net. Now
it's a good, sound, fair go principle. Are you for it or against it? We are for it. The
Australian Labor Party and the Democrats are against it.
ends 12