PRIME MINISTER:
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure that people all around the world who believe in the principles of freedom and liberty would have been greatly moved by the scenes of jubilation that have been witnessed in the streets of Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. I haven't seen such exhilarating scenes since the implosion of the Soviet empire in the late 1980s, and what we have witnessed is something that the Iraqi people wanted the world to know and that is that they're glad to be rid of the loathsome dictator Saddam Hussein. And I can only say on behalf of the Australian Government and the Australian people that we wish the people of Iraq well for the future. We want over the time ahead to help build a better future for the people of Iraq.
It's important to recognise that the conflict is not over. It is right that nobody is claiming or declaring victory, but rather recognising the self evident and powerful and passionate rejection of the Saddam Hussein regime by the Iraqi people. Many difficult challenges will lie ahead and one can't rule out the possibility of various last ditch stands by remnants of the regime in not only Baghdad but in other parts of Iraq.
The military campaign so far has been remarkably effective and remarkably efficient. The lack of a systematic professional organised military operation by the Iraqis against the coalition has been surprising to many and perhaps not so surprising to others. It probably indicates that the real feelings of the Iraqi people including most elements of the ordinary military were as expressed in the streets of Baghdad over the past few hours but that expression was contained by a fear borne of a quarter-of-a-century of cruel repression and it wasn't until the belief was embraced that the regime was crumbling that people have felt able to give expression to that, and I think all along there has been a desire for that to occur.
We can only hope that the hostilities such as they remain will be brought to an end with a minimum loss....further loss of life both military and civilian, military and non-combatant. And as I emphasise I'm not claiming that the war is over and nobody should claim that the war is over but certainly it can be said that the regime is finished, that the people of Iraq have demonstrated to the world what they think of the regime, and how grateful they are that that regime has been brought to an end. And that regime has been brought to an end through the action of the coalition. If it hadn't been for the action of the coalition that regime would not have been brought to an end. The people of Iraq know that and of course the people of the world know that.
I can announce that Australia has decided that this country will join the United States and the United Kingdom as partners in the coalition transitional authority in Iraq which will be involved in overall administrative matters on the pathway towards transferring power in that country to the Iraqi people. I reiterate that Australia has no territorial ambitions of any kind on Iraq, nor does the United Kingdom or the United States. Our aim is to return authority in Iraq to the Iraqi people in a way that they choose, in a form of open and free government that they choose. We're not in the business of imposing a particular model of democracy on the Iraqi people. We respect the fact that they will want to choose their own form of government but we are very much about creating the circumstances where a proper form of government which is acceptable to the Iraqi people can be established.
I want to again place on record my profound admiration for the tremendous contribution of the men and women of the Australian defence forces. They continue to play a very significant role. Obviously as hostilities wind down the nature of that role will, along with that of other forces wind down, but it's too early too early to get specific about that. But they have done this country proud and they have been part of a coalition that has clearly brought a state of affairs to the Iraqi people widely welcomed by that population. It's a participation of which this country should be proud and we should be proud of the way in which our commitment has been represented by the men and women of the Australian Defence Force. Any questions?
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister (inaudible) objectives was to rid Iraq of weapons mass destruction. Where are they and when will they be found?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I have said all along that we wouldn't expect to get hard evidence in relation to chemical and biological weapons until well after the hostilities have ceased. There aren't signs along the road to Baghdad saying WMD five kilometres from here. They've been obviously passed around and hidden, and some of them may have been taken out of Iraq. You have to wait until the hostilities have ceased and you have an opportunity of further investigating that matter. And one of the things that Australia will do will be to respond to a request from the United States to contribute experts to the teams that will be involved in the hunt for and examination of matters relating to weapons of mass destruction. We have a particular expertise in that area and we'll be responding to that request.
JOURNALIST:
Do you think they have already fallen into the hands of terrorists, Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know, Paul, I don't know.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible] do you feel vindicated?
PRIME MINISTER:
I'm not going to start looking at this in terms of my own position. I feel very happy for the people of Iraq. I mean, you do a lot of things in public life but to see those scenes of jubilation you can't but be moved by something like that. I mean, here are these wretched people who've been suppressed by this individual for a quarter of a century and we take these things for granted and these people have now got an opportunity to say to the world, thank God he's gone. And I think that's something that is, in a tiny way, if one's been part of that, well it's a very great privilege.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, could we have some more detail please about Australia's involvement in the transitional authority?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we'll be a partner along with the other two countries and the question of whether others join will be a matter for them. Clearly while we'll make a significant contribution by dint of its size the major contribution will be made by the United States. We will contribute in some of the areas, in all of the others that I outlined yesterday when I spoke in Brisbane. We will respond to a particular request to provide people in relation to weapons of mass destruction and as time goes by, not too much time, over the next few days we will be giving consideration to other things in which we will be involved.
JOURNALIST:
The UN Prime Minister, what role will it have?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, the UN will have a role but the notion that the UN would take the whole thing over from the coalition as from now, as from the cessation of hostilities, has never been realistic. To start with, the UN is not in a position itself to do that and from a practical point of view the effective authority at the end of hostilities will reside with the arms of the countries that are there.
JOURNALIST:
What would they do, though, are you talking about food...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, they could certainly do a lot of humanitarian work. I see having a UN special representative working there with the authority.
JOURNALIST:
[Inaudible] authority.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, nations are partners in the transitional authority. I mean, the UN has not got a position and there is a divided view...people keep talking about the UN as if it had a resolved, defined, clear position, it doesn't. We had some members of the Security Council such as France saying that the whole post-conflict administration should be taken over by the UN. We have other permanent members of the Security Council understandably having a different view. I think you have to work your way through that but I do not want to see the UN excluded but I also want to recognise the reality, I want to recognise the countries whose contribution has produced the state of affairs that we are now dealing with. It would be plainly unrealistic not to do that.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, have the achievements so far vindicated your decision to commit Australia to this war?
PRIME MINISTER:
Look, I'm not going to employ the 'v' word, I'm not, either of the 'v' words, I'm not going to do that. I have no doubt, though, that this country did the right thing in doing what it did. It was a difficult decision but it was the right thing to do and I am very pleased at the progress of the military campaign. I want to pay tribute to the contributions not only of our own forces, which I've done on many occasions, but also to the British and American forces. They have behaved and conducted themselves not only in a military sense with great honour and distinction but along with our own forces they have, I think, set new standards of integrity and ethical behaviour in military conflict, the steps that have been taken to avoid non-combatant casualties. The modern soldier is as much a peacekeeper and a conciliator often than he or she is a military person and that is evident from the coverage. And can I say on the question of the media coverage, it's been quite remarkable. I think you all know it has reached a new dimension of penetration and detail and instantaneous reporting, that has sadly carried with it a very high casualty rate amongst many of the journalists and I want to record my sadness that quite a number of your colleagues have lost their lives during this campaign, and it is a reminder that you are engaged in a dangerous business on occasions...
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, just a...
PRIME MINISTER:
And if I... and so, I think this country can be proud of what role it has played and the contribution it's made. But can I just emphasise again, it's not over but it's obviously reached a very pivotal and a very important phase. You can't gainsay the significance of what occurred in the streets of Baghdad and what is occurring in the streets of Basra and other parts of Iraq.
JOURNALIST:
In terms of Australia's...
PRIME MINISTER:
Michelle.
JOURNALIST:
... will the Australian military have any role in the transitional arrangements and if so, can you outline what that will be?
PRIME MINISTER:
Michelle, we won't be making a significant peacekeeping contribution. I would expect that as our military involvement winds down, and I'm not announcing that it's about to wind down, let me emphasise, but at some point obviously it will begin to wind down. I would think during the transitional phase we may retain during that transitional phase - I'm not talking about a period of 12 months or two years, but the immediate period of the transitional phase - we could retain some niche contribution of military forces in order to assist in the immediate transition phase. But we certainly don't intend to have a significant army of peacekeepers.
JOURNALIST:
Just a follow up on that, in terms of the military contribution, would that be in terms of some of the forces we already have there, like not a new kind of configuration? And also, in terms of weapons inspectors, would Australia, or does Australia not support the UN or UNMOVIC taking over that role once obviously the military operations are finished?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think that in relation to the second question, I don't think there is an automatic legal basis for that occurring.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible], given that the...?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don't know what the United Nations' position is. You see, you've got to deal, you know, you have an instant situation, you have a regime that has effectively disappeared, you have to administer and govern from now because there's no regime there, there's no...
JOURNALIST:
...inspectors who were there a month ago.
PRIME MINISTER:
I beg your pardon?
JOURNALIST:
The weapons inspectors who were there a month ago.
PRIME MINISTER:
Yes, but the weapons inspectors have gone and my understanding is that their legal basis is no longer there absent some further...
JOURNALIST:
Just on the configuration...
PRIME MINISTER:
Absent some further move in that direction.
JOURNALIST:
Just on the configuration of our military contribution?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it's more likely to be, very much more likely to be a retention of some elements of existing forces.
JOURNALIST:
Will Australia formally be an occupying power in Iraq? And what legal responsibilities would such a role bring?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, we would be there in terms of the conditions of the Geneva Convention, I think, of 1907.
JOURNALIST:
Have you spoken to President Bush or Prime Minister Blair within the last 24 hours?
PRIME MINISTER:
Not in the last... I haven't spoken to them in the last 24 hours, but I might well speak to one or more of them in the next 24 hours.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, can I just ask you about something else. Qantas has cut the 1000 jobs, employment's fallen by nearly 42,000 in March, the IMF has cut its forecast for Australia's economic growth in 2003. What's your view on the economy? And will the Government have to cut its forecast for growth in 2004?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, our forecast of growth will also be realistic, but I'm not going to make any forecasts about what our forecasts will be. We've got a Budget coming up in next month and I'm quite sure the Treasurer will be full of forecasts and accurately, as always in the Budget. So, the job's...
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I don't think you should get too excited about one month whatever direction it goes in. The employment situation in Australia is still very strong, it bounces around a little bit from month to month and I wasn't using the V word in relation to unemployment last month when it went up by a very large number. In fact, I don't think I even made a comment on it.
JOURNALIST:
... length do you think the transitional period may be?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know. I'm not going to become a hostage to a particular projection. There will be a transitional period, it's inevitable and there has to be an authority there immediately and you have to deal with reality. But we don't want it to be any longer than it needs to be.
JOURNALIST:
... longer than six months?
PRIME MINISTER:
Catherine, I'm not going to get into projections, I'll leave that to you.
JOURNALIST:
... the transitional period being a one or a two stage, that is from transitional to full Iraqi Government and transitional to some sort of unelected interim Iraqi Administration?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think it's too early to get into that. Clearly, we want to involve the Iraqi people as quickly as possible. The British have already started doing it a very basic local government level in the south, and they've established an authority that's made decisions about such important things as reopening schools and getting children back into classes. Now, I would image there'll be many experiments around the country with different models and so forth over the months ahead. I think there will be, but the key to this is to have a model and have an approach that is acceptable to the people of Iraq because it's their country, it's their future and it's their hopes that we share.
Thank you.
[ends]