E&OE..........
LYNEHAM:
Some republicans are saying you knobbled the referendum, that we didn't
really get the result that most Australians wanted.
PRIME MINISTER:
Paul, I didn't knobble the referendum. The Australian people said no. And
it's about time all of the participants in this debate accepted that we
live in a democracy. I mean the referendum lost on Saturday and I think
the first thing everybody should do is take a deep breath, accept the verdict
of their fellow Australians. Don't insult them by saying it was lost because
people didn't understand or they weren't bright enough, or insulting patronising
observations like that. Australians are very savvy. They had their own reasons
for voting no.
LYNEHAM:
A vote of 55% 'no' and 45% 'yes', obviously shows the community is divided
on the issue as you would expect. Are there implications though that, in
that that concern you? I mean some say we're now in a constitutional twilight
zone.
PRIME MINISTER:
Of course there are different views but that's what you have in a democracy.
But the idea that the country is riven and in deep constitutional crisis
because of this is nonsense. Look people have different views on it. I've
got to say there's not been a lot of passion beyond the very committed on
both sides, not much passion at all.
LYNEHAM:
Beyond where the Chardonnay gives way to the VB?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that is a colourful way of describing it, but the reality is that most
Australians, even though some of them may favour a republic, are hardly
arguing that the constitutional system we now have is in crisis. Most people
acknowledge that it works pretty well, even those who voted yes. And the
idea that we are deeply divided and a broken nation because of this result
is just absurd and it insults the intelligence of the democratic process.
LYNEHAM:
Kim Beazley says Labor will now go forward as the party of modernity by
proposing a plebiscite as the first of a three-stage process towards a republic.
Is that likely to give the ALP a sort of, bit of an edge over the Coalition?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think the first thing I'd say about that is that isn't it fascinating,
three-and-a-half years in Opposition, Kim Beazley hasn't got a policy on
education, health or taxation, but he's already had two policies on the
republic. I think he's got his priorities wrong and so do most Australians.
The other observation I'd make is that this is not a party political issue,
and if you want proof of that have a look at the results on Saturday.
LYNEHAM:
So he's wrong when he thinks it's a good opportunity, a political opportunity
for him, for Labor?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah I do, I do. I think he's missing the point. This is not something that
in my view is going to swing many votes either way at the next federal election.
I mean what people have got to understand is that there are some issues
that are standouts as far as the normal political divide are concerned and
this is one of them.
LYNEHAM:
Now, Cabinet meets in Canberra tomorrow. You'll be discussing how the Government
will be treating this issue further down the track. I would imagine a fair
bit behind all the bread and butter issues now.
PRIME MINISTER:
A long way behind as it should be. People will be able to continue to advocate
a particular approach around the Cabinet table, or within the party room
or the other councils of the party.
LYNEHAM:
But not in interviews like this though?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the Prime Minister can talk about anything on behalf of the Government.
That's the privilege of the office.
LYNEHAM:
But can Peter Reith come on this program tomorrow night and tell us why
he thinks a direct election.?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think you'll be having anybody coming on the program tomorrow night
Paul on this. I'm not putting a ban on anybody going on any program. I just
think most people want to give the thing a rest for a while and that particularly
includes the Australian public. I think they'd had it up to here on the
republic debate over the last few months, and frankly they'll be telling
us, all of us, give it a break fellas.
LYNEHAM:
Are you tempted now though to rethink your decision to open the Olympic
Games rather than invite the Queen or have the Governor-General do the job?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I think there is a reason for that decision, and I think it remains
a very strong one.
LYNEHAM:
Can you remind me of it briefly?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the reason very simply was that in a country like Australia the Prime
Minister holds the highest elected office and it seemed to me appropriate
and justifiable that he should open the Games, and I took that view when
Mr Keating was the Prime Minister and I wasn't within a bull's roar of the
Opposition Leadership let alone the Prime Ministership.
LYNEHAM:
And it's still your view?
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes.
LYNEHAM:
On the preamble, the poet Les Murray says he now regrets that he ever got
involved, and he claims that you and others used him.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well nobody used him. I mean the reality is, and I like Les a lot and I
like his poetry, but the first draft which was largely Les's work didn't
go down very well with the public I'm sorry to say, and there was a rewrite.
But in the end it didn't go down very well either. Now I accept that decision.
LYNEHAM:
It didn't go down too well with Les. He says it was turned into mush.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I understand that but I mean, this is the problem you have with these
things but I'm not whingeing and saying it's Les's fault or the voters'
fault. I accept that they voted no to it. I'm not blaming them or abusing
them or insulting them because of that decision. I'm accepting that the
Australian public didn't want that and I'm asking that those people who
wanted a republic accept the decision that was taken on Saturday in relation
to that as well and not abuse their fellow Australians or imply that in
some way they're not intelligent enough to grasp this brilliant proposition.
LYNEHAM:
Prime Minister thanks for your time.
[ends]