CURTIS:Mr Rudd, welcome to AM.
PM: Thanks for having me on the program.
CURTIS: What do you know about these passports? Are they faked? Was it identity fraud?
PM: The Dubai authorities have informed Australian officials about the possible use of Australian passports or forged Australian passports in the recent assassination in Dubai.
Our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are now working through the absolute final detail of this and have been working through the night on this.
This is a matter of the deepest concern to Australia. The Foreign Minister and I spoke about this at length last night in the context of a National Security Committee meeting of the Cabinet.
Can I just say this: if Australian passports are being used or forged by any state - by any state - let alone for the purposes of assassination, this is of the deepest concern to the Australian Government - the deepest concern to the Australian Government - and we are getting to the bottom of this now.
CURTIS: Dubai investigators say it's 99 per cent sure Israel was involved in the assassination. The UK has ordered their Israeli ambassador in for a 'please explain'. Is Australia doing the same?
PM: The Foreign Minister is meeting with the Ambassador of Israel this morning in Canberra.
CURTIS: And what message will he have for him?
PM: We are ascertaining the facts. Can I say in addition to that, as a long standing friend of Israel, I repeat what I said before: any state, any state which uses or forges Australian passports, let alone uses or forges Australian passports for the purposes of assassination, is of the deepest concern to Australia - the deepest concern to Australia - and we will not let the matter rest.
CURTIS: Whether it's Israel or another country, if you say the matter is of the deepest concern, you won't let it rest, what action will you take?
PM: Let us establish the facts first. I am simply being absolutely clear cut that whichever state would use or forge Australian passports, this is not a trifling matter. It is not a minor matter. It is not something you just push to one side. It is of the deepest concern.
That is why the Foreign Minister has called in the Ambassador of Israel this morning. We will establish the facts. We'll be undertaking the same actions in Israel as well. But let us -
CURTIS: Two of the three Australians live in Israel. Does that increase your suspicions that Israel may have been involved?
PM: I think the important thing is that when you have the identities of Australian citizens being used for a purpose which has been the subject of the allegations from the Dubai authorities, this is not just a deep concern, therefore, for the Australian Government. It must therefore be of the deepest concern to any individuals associated with this as well.
Our job is to confirm the facts. There was a lengthy deliberation on this with colleagues in the context of the National Security Committee meeting of the Cabinet last night.
Got to get to the bottom of this, establish the facts, but we will not be silent on this matter. It is a matter of deep concern. It really goes to the integrity and fabric of the use of state documents, which passports are, for other purposes. That's why we will not leave a single stone unturned.
CURTIS: Has the Department of Foreign Affairs made contact with the three Australians, one of whom says he now is worried about it, fears flying again, because he thinks he'll be regarded as an international suspect?
PM: The Foreign Minister I spoke to at length last night and again this morning about this through the department and the other security agencies of the Government will be of course making all the appropriate contacts with the families.
I can't detail each of those conversations, it would be inappropriate, or how those conversations and when all of them will be conducted.
I understand the Foreign Minister will make a fuller statement on these matters a bit later in the morning following his meeting with the Ambassador of Israel.
CURTIS: What then, or what though, can Australia do to help these individuals?
PM: Again, let's establish the facts. When any individual has had their identity stolen, if that is what has occurred here, then we must look at all practical measures to restore the integrity of that person's identity and safe travel documents for the future.
That is why we are concerned not just in terms of the international name of Australia and how it is therefore regarded if there is some implication of Australian complicity in recent assassination attempts by the use or forgery of Australian travel documents - that's the national interest - but the personal interest is very acute and that is for members of the Australian travelling public.
I say again: the security agencies have been working through the night and in deepest liaison with authorities in Dubai to establish all these facts and, as I said, we go to the next stage of confirmation or otherwise this morning when we engage others, including the Israeli Ambassador.
CURTIS: Will the Government be looking at the security of the Australian passport document?
PM: Well, I think the Foreign Minister will go to this in terms of the age of the said documents concerned. I am not fully briefed on the detail of that.
Of course, there have been changes in recent years to the nature of Australian passports. All members of the travelling public will be aware of that.
Let us again establish the facts here. We have prided ourselves so far in having one of the most efficient, effective and secure passport systems in the world and Australian travel documents generally are held in the highest regard.
You see, that's what really worries me as well. It's not just the good name of Australia. It's not just our adherence to the principles of international law. It is also the safety of the Australian travelling public if in any way the credibility of their travel documents is brought into any question.
And to repeat what I said before: that's why, for the Government of Australia, this is a matter of the deepest concern. It is not just one of those little things that happens that you deal with today and it's fixed tomorrow. This is of the deepest concern.
CURTIS: If we can go quickly to domestic policies, you announced a package yesterday to help workers hurt by the axing of the insulation scheme. The Minister is trying to get the new scheme up and running quickly. Is there a danger that fast tracking the replacement home insulation scheme, that with doing that, that it will be botched again?
PM: That's why we have been very, very plain about the fact that we need to get the home renewable energy rebate system right and why the date that's been established for it is by 1 June.
The challenge, the practical challenge we have for Australian working families and the workers affected by this is to deal with this transition.
So, the challenges are two-fold. The change in Government's policy position when we cancelled the home insulation program has hurt workers and it has hurt a number of businesses in the community and the flow-on effects. Therefore our job is to deal with those workers and to support them; and secondly to also provide appropriate assistance to the businesses.
The second challenge is this: to then get on with the business of the design elements of a new rebate scheme which will have proposed operation from 1 June.
Can I say with all the representatives of workers that I have met yesterday and their businesses - they want this replacement scheme.
CURTIS: And will Peter Garrett be in charge of it?
PM: The implementation of the scheme must be done consistent with risk assessment. That is what we have done so far, and I know Minister Garrett has come in for a lot of criticism on this. I've reviewed the risk assessment procedures so far and the Minister, based on departmental advice, has taken appropriate actions.
We must get the design features of the replacement scheme right.
Can I just say this, though: for the workers involved, we, the Australian Government, stood by workers during the course of the global financial crisis to protect tens of thousands of them from losing their jobs. Therefore it is absolutely critical that we continue to stand by those workers and we will do so through the impact which this has had on 6,000 workers. That is our challenge.
But you know something? It's pretty bad when Mr Abbott goes out there and calls for the abolition of this scheme on the one hand, cries crocodile tears about the unemployment that results from it, and then refuses to come in and back a possible replacement scheme.
That is the challenge which I think he has to answer. Otherwise, frankly, it's crocodile tears.
We've stood by workers so far - 200,000-plus across Australia through the Government stimulus strategy. We'll stand by workers again through this. Problems have been created through the change in Government policy. Our job is now to get out there and fix it.
CURTIS: Mr Rudd, thank you very much for your time.
PM: Thank you.