JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, you obviously see that the Murray is in dire straits.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well look, the Murray is hugely important not only to South Australia but to the whole country, and what I';ll be proposing in the Premiers conference next week is that starting in 2004, the contributing governments to the Murray Darling system – that includes the Commonwealth – set aside $500 million, and we';ll put in $125 million, and that';s the proportionality for which we have been responsible, and starting with 2004 we';ll spend that money over five years and I think that will make a very worthwhile additional contribution. It may be necessary at the end of that period to spend more and the relevant governments will need to consider that. But this is a solid commitment by us. It';s a very genuine proposal. I';m sure it will be welcomed by the government of South Australia and by the people of South Australia because the flows in the Murray are so important to this state and certainly to the city of Adelaide.
JOURNALIST:
This is new money over and above…
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh yes, it';s new money. New money. We';re not reallocating, redirecting, redistributing. It';s new money. Extra dough on the table from the Commonwealth of $125 million. Now the contributing the states – South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT – they';ll have to agree amongst themselves about the remaining $375 million.
JOURNALIST:
Do you see much chance of that?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I hope there is because everybody knows that we';ve got to work together on this water issue. This is a great national challenge and this is a huge challenge to the federal system. We';re told how important the federal system is, and the states have important roles. Now what I';m saying to all of the governments of the Commonwealth – we have to work together on this. And we';ve put our money on the table. We';re prepared to allocate the additional funds and I';m sure the states, between them, will find a formula. Now that';s a matter for them.
JOURNALIST:
I suspect the South Australian Premier will point out fairly quickly that he';s already put extra money on the table in this year';s budget – a Murray levy among other things that raises an extra $20 million. Are you saying that South Australia will have to go…
PRIME MINISTER:
No, look I';m saying that if we are to find an additional $500 million then obviously we should find it according to the share that we normally contribute to Murray Darling activities, and that';s…
JOURNALIST:
Does that mean South Australia [inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
South Australia obviously will have to put more in. I mean we';re putting $125 million more in and it stands to reason that South Australia will have to put more in. But how it finds that more is a matter for South Australia.
JOURNALIST:
But that';s over and above what it does…
PRIME MINISTER:
Well look, that is a matter for South Australia.
JOURNALIST:
What about the farmers along the river? Are they going to be compensated?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I stated the principle that you';ve got to have fair compensation.
JOURNALIST:
I want to ask you another [inaudible] questions if I may.
PRIME MINISTER:
What about?
JOURNALIST:
You';re heading up to Clare to open a winery, a very excellent winery I understand.
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh I hope so.
JOURNALIST:
Well so do I. It';s terrible going all that way and having dreadful wine. But there has been a big debate in Clare about putting in a pipeline from the Murray there. Can we continue to open up new irrigation areas in this country willy nilly?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I';m not going to give a running answer on a particular proposal. Anything else?
JOURNALIST:
Another question about Andrew Wilkie if I may.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I dealt with that in the speech. I don';t have anything to add to what I said in my speech.
JOURNALIST:
Would you consider releasing the documents upon which you based your government';s assessment to show that Mr Wilkie is wrong?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well Mr Wilkie';s allegation is that we fabricated intelligence reports. He hasn';t produced any evidence, so he is really condemned out of his own mouth. Thank you.
[ends]