E&OE...
TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
RADIO INTERVIEW WITH STAN ZEMANEK, 2GB
Subjects: CDMA; rural visit; GST local government
E&OE .............................................................................................
ZEMANEK:
John Howard, Mr Howard hello.
PRIME MINISTER:
How are you Stan?
ZEMANEK:
Not too bad mate.
PRIME MINISTER:
Now I'm ringing you from the back of Bourke. Remember last week?
ZEMANEK:
Yes I do.
PRIME MINISTER:
I said I'd give you a ring. Well the mobile phone reception out here as you can hear is pretty good. They've had digital out here for a while and it's operating okay, and no problems right here. Can't say it's perfect everywhere in the country but from the back of Bourke it's A1.
ZEMANEK:
Now you've got a CDMA mobile, is that right?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no, they don't have any, they've never had that here because they've had digital.
ZEMANEK:
Righto so you've got digital and as far your concerned it's working okay.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well you can hear.
ZEMANEK:
Well absolutely you're coming through loud and clear.
PRIME MINISTER:
The listeners can judge for themselves. But well I'll keep checking it as I'm going to Nyngan later today and I'll have a check of it there and then I'll just keep checking it as I go around. But like any digital phone this'll go in and out a bit that can happen in the middle of the city as you know, there are dead spots in the city, but generally speaking the digital reception here is pretty good.
ZEMANEK:
Well look it sounds pretty good but I must admit that we had a lot of people actually calling us from down in the Tumut and down in Nowra and down in the highlands area as well and they said they heard your conversation on last week and what have you and I put them in contact with your office.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good.
ZEMANEK:
So no doubt they'll sort of try and help them out.
PRIME MINISTER:
We'll pursue that. Anyway Stan..
ZEMANEK:
Well listen mate..
PRIME MINISTER:
The back of Bourke's fine, it sends its regards to your listeners and we'll be in touch.
ZEMANEK:
Well that is terrific, you've just announced a new package for all the rural people haven't you, are you going to look after the rural people.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we're very keen to make sure there are no more services taken out and we want to put some services back - our rural transaction centres and a number of other things. And I can understand that if you live out here and you can't get a doctor, or can't get enough doctors and basic services you're entitled to be cranky and they're the sort of things we should focus on.
ZEMANEK:
Absolutely. Now if I can just take up for 30 seconds, according to the front page of todays Telegraph there's supposedly a secret list of state and local government....
PRIME MINISTER:
Nothings, nothings secret about that list. Peter Costello sent all the details to the States on Friday and undoubtedly one of them has obligingly leaked it despite a confidentiality agreement and he's having a news conference I think at midday today and it's all going on the internet. The general principle is that rates are not subject to the GST where a fee is charged for a service that of course is a part of the GST as it is with other people. But Peter's supplying, making all the details public. He previously communicated them to the states so you can draw your own conclusions as to where that "secret list" in the Daily Telegraph came from.
ZEMANEK:
All right there was another question last night what I saw on television people sort of renting in caravans, apparently they're going to be subject to the GST where people who are renting units are not.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yeah well the principle Peter will be dealing with that at lunchtime today. I'm just arriving at another function.
ZEMANEK:
All right.
PRIME MINISTER:
At Orchard, the cars just pulling up and I'll have to get out.
ZEMANEK:
All right mate well listen thank you very much for that I do appreciate it.
PRIME MINISTER:
Righto then.
ZEMANEK:
Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER:
Cheers.
ZEMANEK:
Bye. There he is the Prime Minister of Australia Mr John Howard, true to his word he said he would give us a call and let us know how the digital phones were going and he's at the back of Bourke so it works pretty well out there at the back of Bourke. So that is fantastic very nice of him to give us a call.
[ends]
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