KENNEDY:
Prime Minister welcome to AM.
PRIME MINISTER:
Good morning.
KENNEDY:
Are you concerned that Douglas Wood says he might return to work in Iraq?
PRIME MINISTER:
That's a matter for him, I am not going to give him advice, that is a matter for him, although...
KENNEDY:
But didn't he, but given the attempts that the Australian Government has made over the six or seven weeks to get him out, are you worried that he would want to go back into such a dangerous part of the world again?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I don't know whether I would, but that is a matter for him, and it is something I am sure he'll talk through with his family. I am not here to give him advice about his life in the future. I am very grateful that he's been released and I am very proud of the role played by many Australians and not least Nick Warner and his team. Nick has just returned from Baghdad.
KENNEDY:
Are you pleased though that Mr Woods apologised to you and the US President for calling for withdrawal of troops from Iraq in those videos that were aired internationally?
PRIME MINISTER:
Stephanie I listened to what he said, but really I don't want to go into that. I appreciate what he said, but Mr Wood has been through a very difficult time. The Government's policy on Iraq is well known and it won't change, because it's right and naturally when it's endorsed that's a good thing, but I was not seeking any apology from Mr Wood. Heavens above, after what that poor man has been through, that would be the last thing I would want. I am just so pleased that he's out and I am so pleased, as I know all Australians are, to have seen this wonderful demonstration of family unity and affection. It's to me, the most symbolic and moving thing to come out of this whole episode to see a united family, spread around the world, but nonetheless united in its resolve to help a loved one. It's an age old story but it's a reminder of what life is all about in the end - there is nothing more important than the affection in a family.
KENNEDY:
Clear briefing from Nick Warner last night, there's been a lot of confusion surround Douglas Wood's rescue, what had Mr Warner been able to tell you about exactly what happened?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well he's confirmed the earlier advice and that is that there was a 'sweep and cordon' operation being conducted by the Iraqi military forces in Baghdad with the support of the Americans. But in the course of that, they, the Iraqis, picked up some information, presumably from other Iraqis, that there were some residences in a particular area of Baghdad which should be looked at and as a result of that, as they got closer to the area, they got more information and they then knocked on the door so to speak, and that is how the rescue occurred. Now this is what we were told initially, and Mr Warner was able to confirm that was the information he had, and that's based on his discussions with the Americans, his discussions with the Iraqis, and he did emphasise last night that in the end this was very much an Iraqi operation, and that is a very good thing and he is of the view, as the Government is of the view, that this episode has been a strong piece of evidence of the growing capacity and confidence of the Iraqi security forces, and as Mr Wood himself said a few moments ago in that interview, that is a tremendous thing and it gives great hope and encouragement for the future.
KENNEDY:
Did any of that intelligence that Nick Warner mentioned actually specifically mention Douglas Wood?
PRIME MINISTER:
No it was just general information about activity, that's how I understand it.
KENNEDY:
Alright then can you confirm that ten days after Mr Wood was taken, there was a military raid involving Australian troops on the home of a prominent tribal Sheikh which was unsuccessful?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well what I can confirm to you is that from very early in the operation the group in Baghdad, the emergency response team, had my authority and the authority of the Government to take any action that they deemed appropriate and opportune in order to help My Wood...
KENNEDY:
And that includes the raid?
PRIME MINISTER:
No, no can I just finish? And that was a standing authority although obviously detailed discussions occurred right through the whole operation. I can also confirm that at no stage did our people do anything inappropriate. I can also deny explicitly the proposition that in some way, any activity by Australian people by Australian forces cut short any possibility of Mr Wood being released earlier. This suggestion that in some way, a botched operation by Australians meant that he would have been, that he was not released as early as he might have been, that's completely wrong.
KENNEDY:
Could we just move to the Northern Territory election, are you disappointed in the Country Liberal Party's performance and what went wrong?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am obviously disappointed. What went wrong? I think what went wrong is what has gone wrong at a state level now for some years and that is, nothing much happens when the party goes into Opposition and there's a flurry of activity in the lead up to an election in the belief that during the election campaign, things can be turned around. You can't do that, particularly in State politics where the electorate is more and more making a judgement on the managerial capacity of the Government, rather than its ideological bent. Ideology is far less important now in State politics than it's ever been and the public tends to ask the question, well is the incumbent government doing a reasonable job and what reason have we got to replace that government, and unless the Opposition has over a period of a couple of years, developed an alternative policy framework and demonstrated an alternative capacity, it's extremely hard. Now that is true also...
KENNEDY:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
..true also, well I think self evidently the Country Liberal Party did not have a good period in opposition. I feel very sorry for Denis Burke - he's a very decent man. I spoke to him yesterday morning. He did his level best in the campaign, but you can't in the space of a few weeks in an election campaign, wipe out the cumulative, how should I put it, cumulative failure over a period of years to develop an alternative presence. People will not change governments unless they believe what they are changing to is going to do a better job and that is particularly so given the managerial style and character of State governments. It's a bit different federally where people feel more strongly about the ideological issues although it's still substantially true federally as well.
KENNEDY:
Alright we'll leave it there, Prime Minister thank you for joining AM this morning.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]