PM: Now this has been a very successful weekend at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Port of Spain. We have built real momentum towards a better outcome at the Copenhagen conference on climate change, and hopefully, a robust outcome in a Copenhagen agreement itself. The weekend has been a significant reminder about the relevance of the Commonwealth, as an important global council. It is therefore with a high degree of honour that Australia has accepted the role of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Australia in 2011.
Whether it's the climate change challenge, or whether it's the global financial crisis, this is an important institution in fashioning global consensus on critical global challenges. On climate change, the fact that we're able here, through the Port of Spain consensus on climate change, the Commonwealth declaration on climate change, to achieve a common view on climate change finance, a common view on the particular needs of small island states, a common view in support of the leaders-driven process by the Prime Minister of Denmark, indicates the relevance of the Commonwealth to these deliberations.
Turning to the future, the relevance also of a strong Commonwealth voice on the range of other global challenges which we face, and applying the unique consensus which the Commonwealth can bring- small countries, large countries, developed countries, developing countries, but together representing one third of the world's population.
And future global agenda challenges, including the global economy, financial sector reform, trade, as well as development. On top of that, the great global political challenges as well, including those of security. The voice, therefore, of the Commonwealth in fashioning a global consensus, and shaping a global consensus, and shaping, therefore, global action, should not be underestimated, as I believe the events of this week and weekend have demonstrated on climate change itself.
Also, it has been my privilege over the course of the last several days to meet extensively, formally and informally, with a range of Heads of Government. In particular, I valued the discussions that I've had with the AOSIS Heads of Government, representing the small island states of the Pacific, Indian Oceans as well as in the Caribbean itself. This morning I met with the Heads of Government from CARICOM, the regional organisation of the Caribbean, and we spoke at length about how we intend to enhance our relationship with these states of the region.
Overall, on climate change, a good outcome for the Commonwealth. Also, we believe, momentum for a strong outcome in Copenhagen itself, although there is still much work to be done. And secondly, Australia is proud to have the opportunity to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government conference, and to provide an opportunity to lend the authority of this institution to the other great global challenges which lie ahead.
I'm happy to take your questions.
JOURNALIST: Just where in Australia will it be held, and secondly, how much work did it take you to convince Sri Lanka to pull out, and what were the reasons behind that lobbying?
PM: Firstly, on the venue within Australia, I understand the Foreign Minister will make statements on that over the course of the next day or so. Secondly, on the fact of Australia hosting itself, can I say this is a consensus across the Commonwealth itself. The hosting arrangements for 2011, 2013, 2015, involving Australia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius in that order, was put to the Heads of Government summit by Prime Minister Brown of the United Kingdom.
It was seconded by President Zuma of South Africa. It was supported by the Prime Minister of Malaysia. It had the further support from the floor of a range of other Heads of Government, including President Kikwete of Tanzania, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and was also embraced unanimously, including by the Heads of Government from Sri Lanka, and from Mauritius. Therefore, this was very much a consensus outcome for the Commonwealth, and reflected a unified position on the question of the hosting of the subsequent meetings of the body.
JOURNALIST: You've had some success here on climate change, how confident are you on success at home with the CPRS in the Senate this week?
PM: Well, when it comes to the future of climate change in Australia, further delay on climate change equals denial on climate change. I understand Mr Turnbull, the Leader of the Opposition, has said something similar in the last 24 hours. Our view is very simple. The time for delay on climate change action has well and truly passed. In Australia, we've had more than ten years of delay on climate change action, and after ten years of delay on climate change action, continued delay is nothing less than climate change denial.
JOURNALIST: Has the Opposition already reneged on a bipartisan agreement to pass it by Friday?
PM: The Opposition has stated clearly, under the Leader of the Opposition, that the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is in the national interest, and should be voted on to support it through the Parliament. That remains the position of the Opposition. And it's the Government's expectation that that is what the Opposition will continue to do.
JOURNALIST: Can you talk about Fiji, Fijian athletes at the Commonwealth games?
PM: The Commonwealth has been quite clear in its conclusion, in its communiqué on this, and I don't wish to go to the detail of the communiqué across the board, because Prime Minister Manning, as Chairman of the Commonwealth, will be delivering a press conference then which goes to the details. But you will find that the whole question of Fiji, including the matter you've just canvassed, will be dealt with in the communiqué.
JOURNALIST: Has Prime Minister Gordon Brown raised with you his proposals to change the rules governing the line of succession for the Crown, both in terms of (inaudible) Roman Catholic (inaudible). What's your position on these issues?
PM: Firstly, the British Prime Minister has not raised those matters with me here in Trinidad. And furthermore, I believe there are, from an Australian Government point of view, there are other priorities to be attended to at this time.
JOURNALIST: Do you expect the US President to ask for more troops? And also, what would your response be? Is it a flat-out no to him?
PM: Well the first thing I'd say about my upcoming visit to Washington, and as soon as I've finished with you good folks here, I'm on a plane headed to Washington, D.C. The first thing I'd say about my visit to Washington is that I'm looking forward very much to sitting down with President Obama and working our way through the climate change agenda. Also, to discuss our respective commitments to Afghanistan, as well as other global challenges as well. I look forward very much to that meeting. Obviously, a primary preoccupation of both the President's and myself is the Copenhagen conference, and our respective efforts to deliver a strong, robust Copenhagen agreement.
On the question of Afghanistan, as I've said consistently, earlier this year, around about April, following the President's election, Australia increased its troop commitment to Afghanistan by about 40%. As I've said consistently in Australia since then, we would believe our troop commitment is about right. And my view on that hasn't changed.
JOURNALIST: Back on the ETS, you used to be pretty good friends with Joe Hockey. How would you describe your relationship with him these days?
PM: Well, I don't intend to get into the internals of the Liberal party right now. There seems to be a debate within the Liberal party on a range of questions right now. I don't intend to get into the internals of that debate, my job as Prime Minister of Australia is to act in the national interest. It is in the national interest that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme be passed. That is a view reflected in recent days by Mr Hockey himself, when he said that it was in the national interest, and should be passed by the Parliament, and passed by the Parliament now. That is the position of the Opposition corporately, that's why the Government expects the Opposition to honour its commitment, honour its word.
As I said in response to an earlier question, after ten years of delay on climate change, further delay again on climate change is simply climate change denial.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible)
PM: How Prime Minister Key handles the question of attendance at Copenhagen is of course a matter for him and his priorities, his domestic priorities, and his international priorities. I would simply say that for myself as Prime Minister of Australia- and I have for quite some time now sought to inject myself into the global negotiations to the greatest extent possible- through the Pacific Islands Forum, through the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, through the East Asia Summit, through APEC and through other global gatherings, and as now a friend of the Chair- that it is fundamental that I should be attending in order to be consistent with the priority I've attached to this from Australia's national interest point of view.
And also, I believe, consistent with the efforts which I and others have been injecting into the negotiating process so far. I understand from the Prime Minister of Denmark, who I spent some time with again last night, that the numbers of attendees are now up to nearly 90 world leaders. This is a good figure. And let's hope it grows further. But New Zealand's priorities are a matter for New Zealand.
JOURNALIST: If the CPRS does pass the Senate in Australia, can businesses have any certainty that it will last, knowing that there's such a large proportion of Australian Senators who are so vehemently against it?
PM: Well, our job as the Government of Australia is to enact legislation to deal with business uncertainty. Right around the world, the business community is not dumb, it's smart. It's worked out that the rules globally are changing. Now when it comes to a carbon constrained world, we've had cap and trade schemes now operating in Europe for some time. The United States Congress is in the process of deliberating on a cap and trade scheme there. We went to the last election undertaking to introduce one into Australia. We have done so. Our legislation was released in detail nine months ago.
What is important is that, as recently as last week, the peak business bodies in Australia, led by the Business Council of Australia, were endorsing this Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme for the future, because the business community needs certainty as well. We need action on the planet, we need action to bring down greenhouse gas emissions, but we also need action so that business has certainty about the business and regulatory environment in which it's operating. That's why we say again, on climate change, further delay is nothing more, nothing less, than simple denial on climate change.
JOURNALIST: Can you talk about Sri Lankan refugees, and your discussions here at CHOGM?
PM: Of the range of various bilateral meetings I've had formally and informally, of course I met with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and we raised our continued cooperation on the difficult challenges of people smuggling. We have a special representative on Sri Lankan humanitarian affairs, our former High Commissioner to New Delhi, John McCarthy. He's active in his engagement with both the Sri Lankan Government and with the international institutions, including the World Bank and other potential donor countries, to assist with the great humanitarian challenges which exist within Sri Lanka at present.
I understand that the number of individuals now awaiting resettlement from camps within Sri Lanka is about 130,000, that's my most recent advice from the Sri Lankans themselves. There was a huge problem in terms of the adequate provision of housing to accommodate the basic life needs of internally displaced persons, and that's where Australia will continue to provide support. We've discussed that in some detail with the Sri Lankans as well.
Having said that, I've a plane to catch to Washington, D.C. Thank you very much.