TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP
JOINT DOORSTOP INTERVIEW WITH
COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY GENERAL,
DON MCKINNON,
SYDNEY
11 May 2001
PRIME MINISTER:
[tape begins]…for the CHOGM meeting in Brisbane in October. This will be the largest gathering of heads of government ever in our country. And we look forward very much and I know the people of Brisbane are looking forward very much to the meeting. It will be held in marvellous surroundings and it’s a great opportunity to put on display to the world the modern, democratic, multi-racial Commonwealth which is a very important element of Australia’s network of international relations.
JOURNALIST:
May I ask, have you prepared for protesters outside CHOGM as we’ve seen at the WTO?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well there is always preparation for those sorts of things. People see gatherings of this kind as an opportunity to get some publicity. I would have thought a body that is very strongly committed to racial equality, very strongly committed to democratic outcomes, very strongly committed to bridging the gap between the less fortunate in the world and the more fortunate, and the Commonwealth has worked very hard on that. Of all international associations has perhaps we have worked as hard as any and harder than a lot. Therefore the justification for protests is a lot less. But in a democracy people have the right, providing they observe the law, to protest. But you’re not dealing here with an international cartel, you’re dealing here with the heads of government of a large multi-racial organisation.
JOURNALIST:
What’s the burning issue going to be?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I might get the Secretary General to say a few things about that.
McKINNON:
Thank you very much Prime Minister. Certainly we’ve had a very good discussion and I believe all the Commonwealth leaders are going to look forward to, as much as the Brisbane meeting, but the retreat up in Coolum where they’ll be totally enhanced with the surroundings up there which I’m sure will be very conducive to good debate. But I think probably the one overriding issue is that of globalisation, people want to see probably more benefits of globalisation and certainly the Commonwealth is very much committed to ensuring a greater level of equality, as the Prime Minister said, between those who are still scratching to try and achieve something and those that have considerably more. So globalisation will play a part. The issue of harmful tax which the OECD was working on recently, I think that’s probably still there, but certainly not quite as serious as what it was.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I certainly agree with that. I think the observation has to be made if the industrialised countries of the world, particularly those that have very high levels of protection against agricultural imports were to remove their trade barriers they would more greatly enrich the developing countries of the world than they currently do through their overseas aid programme. In fact the cost to developing countries to poor countries with trade barriers imposed by industrialised countries is much greater than the overseas aid budget. And I think it highlights the anomaly, well the paradox of this whole debate about globalisation. More open trade helps poor countries, yet the common perception is the reverse. And we all have to work very hard to change that perception. The more open trade you have the more hope you have of helping developing countries and it’s very important that we work very hard to disabuse people of that misconception.
JOURNALIST:
How firmly will Australia back the US’s missile defence system [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well we’ll be in talking to the envoy. I’ve indicated in the past that we understand the American position. I don’t think people should react in the way that the Labor Party here has. They’re mistaken in reacting in that fashion. This is not meant, as I understand it by the United States, to be in any way provocative. It is meant to provide a legitimate defence capacity of a different kind. And you’re talking about the development of the capacity over a very long period of time, you’re not talking about something that is going to happen tomorrow or in the next two or three years. And it’s the sort of thing that as the Americans have indicated they need to talk through. We’re understanding of their position and we want to know more about the proposal and I don’t think it’s in Australia’s interests to be taking the sort of approach that’s being urged on us by the Labor Party in Opposition. But they’ll always oppose what we propose or indicate. They are into knee-jerk negativity not the long- term national interests. But I don’t want intrude a crass domestic political element into the Secretary General’s and my joint press conference, thank you.
JOURNALIST:
Will Fiji be discussed at CHOGM?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, can I say that I welcome the moves that are occurring in Fiji towards a more democratic state. I think it undoubtedly will be. And I hope that things develop and move even further between now and the meeting in relation to Fiji. I don’t know where it will be at the time of the meeting but I applaud the steps that have been taken. I applaud the way in which there’s been a very positive response to the decision of the courts. We understand the difficulties and the tensions in Fiji and the efforts that people have put into trying to resolve a very difficult position.
JOURNALIST:
[inaudible].
McKINNON:
Well that very much depends on the outcome of the elections which they intend to have in the last week of August, the first week on September. The results of those elections and then obviously a judgement can be made. So like the Prime Minister we’re very glad that things are moving in the direction they have with a few hurdles on the road still to be overcome. But they can do it. Pakistan is another country that’s been suspended from the councils at the same time, are not moving at the same pace as Fiji. But obviously we do want to see them back at the Commonwealth, we do want to see them restore a democracy in that country.
JOURNALIST:
How embarrassing is the court action by the QLD branch of your party to bring about an injunction to stop a federal takeover over administrative services.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well that’s a matter for the organisation.
JOURNALIST:
You’re not embarrassed by it?
PRIME MINISTER:
I’m not embarrassed by anything.
END
