Subjects: republic referendum; Olympic-ticketing.
E&OE..........
JOURNALIST:
The latest republic poll, is it a set back for the monarchists?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look I'm not going to respond to every poll. The people will decide this.
JOURNALIST:
It's showing more decisively though that people are leaning towards yes
don't you think?
PRIME MINISTER:
The contributions that I make to this debate will not be by way of response
to polls whichever direction they go.
JOURNALIST:
If the referendum gets up, will the President or Prime Minister be opening
the Olympics?
PRIME MINISTER:
That's already been resolved. In any event if the republic is carried it
won't start till the 1st of January 2001.
JOURNALIST:
Should there be an inquiry of some sorts into the Olympic-ticketing situation?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I guess the Australian public will be waiting to hear from SOCOG this
morning with some explanation for what on the surface of it does seem to
be an extraordinary thing, an absolutely extraordinary thing, and I can
understand the anger of the community. And I think we ought to wait and
see what the explanation is and presumably the public will react in a very
predictable fashion.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think that this has come about because it's become a bit too political,
that there are too many from the one side in running SOCOG at this moment?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well let's wait and see what the explanation is. I have tried from the very
beginning, and I continue to try to keep politics out of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are meant for the whole community. They're not Labor games
or Liberal games, they're the Australian Olympic Games and I want them to
be as accessible, as open, as available, and as widely watched by as many
Australians as possible. And please keep politics out of it. Let's just
have them as Games that will showcase our country to the world, will showcase
the beautiful city of Sydney, but most importantly the spirit and the mood
and attitudes of the Australian people to the rest of the world.
JOURNALIST:
Well would you like to be SOCOG having to explain this to...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well look, let's hear the explanation.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think the Australian public has been duped in the ballot process?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well on the face of it they appear to have been misled, to say the least.
And I can understand their anger and I think they're entitled to an explanation.
These things should have been put on display, should have been revealed
at the beginning. That's the concern that people naturally have.
JOURNALIST:
Should SOCOG now make more tickets available?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I've given you a reaction. I'm not going to give you a running commentary.
JOURNALIST:
Is Tony Abbott right in saying that a 'yes' vote to the republic would reflect
on you personally?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don't know that he said that. But we have a free vote and as far
as I'm concerned members of the Liberal Party, Parliamentary Party, have
a free and open capacity to advocate whatever side of the debate they wish
to and each of them should do it free of any concern about any impact on
them or any impact on me. As far as I'm concerned I will accept the result.
I have a view and I'll be saying something more about my view closer to
the vote. But I do want to make it clear that members of the Liberal Party
are free to advocate either side of the argument. I made that clear at the
beginning of last year because it's one of those issues that really shouldn't
be the subject of a party line or a party whip. It's a pity the Labor Party
doesn't allow a free vote to its Parliamentary members. We have a free vote.
We have a range of views. I respect the views of my colleagues who support
a republic, and they respect the views of people like me who think we should
stay with a system that works so well. So as far as I'm concerned I will
accept the result and the Government will go on, I will go on, and the people
will have resolved the issue. But people should not think for a moment that
as they debate this issue that it's a question of one vote being for or
against me or anybody else because we're allowing a free vote. But I'll
certainly be giving the reasons why I support a 'no' vote and why I wouldn't
change the present system which is so workable and stable.
[ends]