JOURNALIST:
Simon Crean appears to refer to Mark Latham as a one-man show. When it comes to policy making, does that confirm your worst fears?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well what I'm concerned about is what his prime ministership would mean to things like interest rates. They're the things that matter most to me and that's what the election, when it comes along, will be all about - the future and not the past.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Prime Minister, what are the implications of the decision to arm the FA18s with a cruise missile for Australia's relations?
PRIME MINISTER:
The important thing is the defence of Australia. We make decisions based on Australia's defence interests. Our regional neighbours will understand why we've done this, but the important thing is to take decisions that are valuable to Australia's defence. That's the most important thing, and I think this is a very wise decision given the phasing out of the aircraft.
JOURNALIST:
It's been said that it's been expensive though.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well of course. Everything involved in defence is expensive. Fortunately we can pay for it because we've run very big budget surpluses and we've run a good economy, and when you run a good economy, you have money to invest in defence and strengthening Medicare and all the other things that the public wants. But our first concern is always the defence of Australia, and the first question I ask is - will it add to Australia's defence? And if the answer to that is yes, we will do it.
JOURNALIST:
What's the risk of it making some of our neighbours nervous considering the range of cruise missiles?
PRIME MINISTER:
We have no hostile designs on any of our neighbours, and they won't be concerned about this because we don't have any hostile designs on them. We have very good relations with our neighbours. But every country has a right to adequately arm itself and to provide defensive weaponry, and that is exactly what we are doing. And the first question we ask is - is it good for Australia's defence? And if the answer to that is yes, then we do it.
JOURNALIST:
Will the Government's political advertising campaign in this election be a gloves-off affair?
PRIME MINISTER:
We will be talking about the future. This election is about the future. It is not about the past. The Labor Party is obsessed with the past. We are concerned about projecting a vision and a plan and a grand design for the next 10 years for this country. And when the election campaign comes, my whole pitch will be based on what I want to see happen in this country and with this country over the next 10 years, and that is what the Australian public want. They're not interested in fighting past battles.
JOURNALIST:
What are your reflection on the charging of Abu Bakar Bashir in relation to the Bali bombings?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I just want justice done. I don't want to go into the detail of the charge because I'm not in possession of the facts. But I welcome the fact that such a prominent person has nonetheless been charged with offences. That speaks well for the strength of the Indonesian justice system. I have to, of course, express my continuing concern about any possibility of those convicted of the Bali attack being let out of jail, and we will continue at every level and in every way to advocate to the Indonesian Government the case for them continuing to meet the full measure of the justice that should be meted out to them for what they've done.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, will this parliament see another sitting fortnight?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh parliament is scheduled to sit on Monday.
JOURNALIST:
And will it be sitting on Monday?
PRIME MINISTER:
It's scheduled to sit on Monday, and I'm off to Tasmania this afternoon.
JOURNALIST:
So can we be expecting the legislation to increase the health rebate to be introduced this fortnight?
PRIME MINISTER:
Parliament is scheduled to sit on Monday. I mean I can't say any more than that.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, do you have any reaction to Jana Pittman's effort?
PRIME MINISTER:
Oh well I think all Australia would have... how shall I put it, lamented with her, but admired the extraordinary courage that she displayed. When you saw her only a few weeks ago hobbling down the steps of the Princess Grace Hospital in London, you would never have imagined that she would have ended up competing, let alone getting into the final. It's an extraordinary tribute to her, and may I say also an extraordinary tribute to medical science, sports medicine, which is a remarkable art in itself, that she was able to be got ready, but she's tried her heart out. But it's a wonderful Olympic Games. I don't think people imagined that we were going to equal or exceed our achievement in Sydney, and it's a tremendous tribute to the tenacity and the skill and great commitment of all of our athletes. Thank you.
[ends]