Transcript: Stepehen Smith, Press Conference, Midland Old Court House, Perth
Sharryn Jackson
posted Friday, 30 July 2010
E & O E – PROOF ONLY
Subjects: Infrastructure in WA; Election Campaign; Australian Labor Party; Border protection.
STEPHEN SMITH: I am very pleased to be here with Roger Cook, the Acting Leader of the State Opposition and the Shadow Minister for Health and also particularly pleased to be with Sharryn Jackson, the local member for Hasluck.
We've just marked the official opening of the refurbished Old Midland Courthouse which is a very good example of good work between a local authority and the Commonwealth working together on infrastructure. I am very pleased that Sharryn's worked so hard and so closely with the local community and the City of Swan to bring this to fruition.
I've got just some foreign policy comments to make and then I'll throw to Roger.
Firstly, I'm announcing today new sanctions that Australia is imposing against Iran. These sanctions are further efforts by Australia to bring Iran to brook so far as its nuclear program is concerned.
You will of course recall that a couple of months ago United Nations Security Council resolution 1929 imposed new sanctions on Iran. Australia has fully implemented those sanctions in advance of the reporting time required by the Security Council, 8 August, and we subsequently imposed further autonomous additional financial and travel sanctions, particularly against Bank Mellat and the Iranian transport company.
Today I'm announcing further additional autonomous sanctions. These follow very closely the sanctions imposed at the beginning of the week by the European Union, which we welcome very much. We also welcome recent indications by Canada that it will also impose tough new sanctions against Iran.
So, we are fully implementing Security Council resolution 1929, imposing additional autonomous sanctions, and for the first time sanctions against companies involved in Iran's oil and gas sector and a range of other measures which are detailed in the release for you.
Could I also make some remarks about Tonga's announcement to contribute 55 troops to Afghanistan. We welcome this very much. It's a significant contribution from a country which discharges its obligation to its peacekeeping role in the Pacific through its own contribution to RAMSI and the Solomon Islands. So, we welcome very much Tonga's contribution.
Can I also say that on the basis of the advice I have from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, no Australians have been involved or caught up in the terrible plane crash yesterday in Islamabad. We, of course, extend our condolences to the people of Pakistan, particularly those people who have lost family and loved ones.
On our most recent advice, there's no evidence to indicate any Australians were caught up.
Finally, on Schapelle Corby, can I indicate that whilst the pursuit of clemency by Schapelle Corby is a matter, in the first instance for her and her legal advisers, we have indicated in the past that once an application for clemency was made by her to the president, that Australia would support that. We have and continue to support that plea of clemency.
When I met recently with my Indonesian counterpart, Marty Natalegawa, in Jakarta I indicated to him that we supported the plea of clemency. That, of course, is a matter for Indonesian processes and we will await any decisions on this matter by the Indonesian authorities.
I'll throw to Roger, but can I just firstly make this point about infrastructure? The Federal Government, the Labor Government, has made a substantially increased investment in infrastructure in Western Australia, some additional $3.5 billion worth of investment over a six year period starting in 2008, 2009.
As well as that, we are committed to an additional $2 billion worth of investment over a 10 year period.
On the other hand, Tony Abbott is out there saying that he will cut investment in infrastructure. That will mean effectively that projects like this would not go ahead under Tony Abbott.
It means that the prospect of improving infrastructure in the local area and generally for the state, whether it be the road system around the domestic and international airport, whether it's the sinking of the Northbridge Tunnel, all of these types of projects will be at risk with Tony Abbott's cuts to infrastructure.
So, whilst this is a very important project locally, it also shows contrast between Labor's investment in infrastructure and Tony Abbott's intention to cut away at infrastructure investment.
I'll throw to Roger and happy to throw to Sharryn if she has any remarks to make about local matters and then we're happy to respond to your questions.
Roger?
ROGER COOK: Thanks very much everyone.
Today the Labor Opposition is calling on Premier Barnett to guarantee funding to critical infrastructure projects across this state. Federal Labor has been very strong in supporting the Government in Western Australia to develop critical infrastructure, particularly projects such as the Oakajee Port, the Northbridge Link project and other crucial health infrastructure, particularly here in Midland.
But under the Abbott Liberal Government, these sort of infrastructure projects will be abandoned. They'll be cut under cuts already identified by Abbott and it's for that reason that we're calling on Premier Barnett to stand up for Western Australian taxpayers, stand up for the West Australian economy and make sure that these cuts don't take place.
Barnett's been remarkably silent on the question of statements by Tony Abbott in relation to infrastructure standard in this state and the Rudd and Gillard Labor Government's have done a great job in supporting critical infrastructure in this state.
In particular, I want to highlight two very important projects; $250 million to support the redevelopment of the State Rehabilitation Hospital in Western Australia and $180 million here in Midland to support the redevelopment of the Swan Districts Hospital as the New Midland Hospital.
This is a project that Sharryn Jackson, as the Member for Hasluck, has been particularly active on and it's one - it's these sort of projects which we will see disappear if Tony Abbott and the Liberals are elected on 21 August.
SHARRYN JACKSON: Can I just echo Roger's comments with respect to the Midland Health Campus? This is a hospital that my community was promised in 2005. It's a hospital that the Federal Government made a substantial funding commitment towards when Colin Barnett said that it may not proceed due to a shortage of state funding.
That commitment was made over a year and a half ago with a completion date due of November 2013. We've now been told we'll be lucky to see the hospital completed by 2015 and, frankly, with the election of an Abbott government I doubt that we'll see the $180.1 million contribution from the Commonwealth Government continue to be applied to this area.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thanks Roger. Thanks Sharryn. We're happy to respond to your questions.
QUESTION: Will you be attending PIF next week?
STEPHEN SMITH: As I've made clear from the first day of the campaign, I'll make case by case judgments about my overseas travel and indicate in accordance with my usual procedures. I'll be making an announcement about that in the next couple of days.
QUESTION: Isn't it important to clarify that sooner rather than later?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well it's a very important Forum. I've made it clear that because of the election, the Prime Minister is not able to attend and Australia will be represented by a senior Minister. If it's not me it will be a senior minister from the Government.
This is consistent with practice of successive Australian Governments when elections have been called which cut across the holding of the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Summit.
For example, 2007 Alexander Downer represented Mr Howard. In 2001 Peter Reith, who was then the retiring Defence Minister, representing Mr Howard.
So, I will make an announcement in the next couple of days. I am in this matter proposing to follow the same approach that I've always followed when I make announcements about overseas travel.
Australia will be represented. It will be represented at senior level and I'll make announcement about that in accordance with the usual procedures and in the usual way and that is an appropriate way of dealing with the Pacific Island Forum. It's the way in which it's been dealt with in the past when Prime Ministers have not been able to attend as a result of the calling of elections.
QUESTION: Minister, do you think Schapelle Corby will be given an earlier release?
STEPHEN SMITH: That's entirely a matter for Indonesian authorities. We have made it clear to Indonesia that if and when she formally made an application of clemency to the President that we would support that.
When I was in Indonesia a couple of weeks ago I indicated to my counterpart, Foreign Minister Natalegawa, that Australia supported her plea of clemency. It's now a matter for Indonesian authorities and their processes. We, of course, respect those and we will await decisions made by the Indonesian authorities, including the President.
QUESTION: Will you be having further contact with Indonesian authorities [indistinct].
STEPHEN SMITH: I, of course, have regular contact with my counterpart, Foreign Minister Natalegawa. We're not scheduled to meet in advance of now and the end of the election period, but this is something which Australia has made its view to Indonesia known. Indonesia understands and knows our position.
It's not something which requires unnecessary repetition, either public or private, but as appropriate into the future we will continue to make it clear to Indonesia that we support the plea of clemency.
But in the end it is a matter for Indonesian authorities and the President and we're very happy that Indonesia understands that the Australian Government and Australia supports her bid for clemency.
QUESTION: Have they given any indication about what their view will be on that application?
STEPHEN SMITH: It's entirely a matter for them and they will announce their decision in due course. I'm not proposing to put a timetable on that. It's entirely a matter for them. I'm very satisfied that Indonesia understands the support of Australia for that clemency plea.
QUESTION: So that's a no, they haven't given any indication about what the position is at the moment?
STEPHEN SMITH: It is entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities to work their way through their own processes and to make a judgment about this matter in their own time. Indonesia understands very well the position of Australia in this matter.
QUESTION: How do you rate her chances; 50%, 70%?
STEPHEN SMITH: It's entirely a matter for Indonesian authorities and they'll make a decision in due course and they will let their decision be known publicly. That's appropriate.
QUESTION: What can you do to stop the leaks out of the Labor Party?
STEPHEN SMITH: You're talking about a story that occurred yesterday. There's this grand old saying that I leant from a former Labor Prime Minister, which is ‘the dogs may bark, but the caravan's moved on’.
I think the caravan's moved on firstly. Secondly, I frankly think that the Australian people want to have a look at what are the substantive policy differences between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party.
This might be a very interesting matter for political insiders. But my impression in the community is they want to hear about what the respective parties’ positions are on cost of living. They're very worried in Western Australia, for example, that WorkChoices will come back. There's a particular danger for Western Australians because the Liberal Government here has not signed up to the Fair Work system.
So, issues, cost of living issues, cutting away of health, cutting away of education by Tony Abbott, cutting away of infrastructure, the point I've made earlier, these are the substantive issues [indistinct]...
QUESTION: [Interrupts] But it’s a massive distraction.
STEPHEN SMITH: Well that's your judgment. My own judgment is people want to hear about, listen and consider the substantive contrasts. They have on offer a choice between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott.
QUESTION: Did anyone asked Kevin Rudd to stop the leaking?
STEPHEN SMITH: You make that assertion. I don't know what evidence you have to back that up.
QUESTION: It's happened before. Is there concern that it will happen again?
STEPHEN SMITH: In my experience political campaigns there are always things which occur which people would prefer didn't occur on a campaign. In the end the thing that I'm absolutely confident of is that the Australian community will make a judgment on the basis of their views of the leaders, their view of Julia Gillard and their Tony Abbott.
I continue to get feedback in the local community when I'm out and about that they worry about the risks which Tony Abbott brings with him. They'll make a judgment about the respective teams and they'll make a judgment about the respective policies.
QUESTION: Who do you think's leaking this information?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, one, I don't know and, two, I'm not proposing to waste my time on trying to find out who speaks to who.
QUESTION: Is there any...
STEPHEN SMITH: In my experience there are plenty of people from both sides of politics who speak to journalists. I think the only person who might be able to tell you that question is Laurie Oakes. I'm not sure he's telling you.
QUESTION: But it must be frustrating because you're not being asked any political questions..
STEPHEN SMITH: I've spent a goodly proportion of my adult working life working on, working with and working in campaigns and we'll spend the rest of our lives trying to find a perfect campaign because campaigns are never perfect.
There's also, I think, this point to make. Often people like to see in the community like to see how people react when things don't necessarily go according to plan.
I thought yesterday Julia Gillard, in difficult circumstances, did a very good job of showing how tough she is, of how intelligent she is and how thoughtful she is about the country's future and I frankly think that that will be the message that Australians take out of the events of the last 24 hours.
QUESTION: Minister, on East Timor, the East Timorese Government says it hasn't heard back from the Australian Government.
STEPHEN SMITH: That's not true. I think the misleading assertions by the Liberal Party in this matter and their complete disrespect for President Ramos-Horta deserves some consideration.
QUESTION: It's the East Timorese that are saying they don't have clarification.
STEPHEN SMITH: If you actually look at what President Ramos-Horta has been reported as saying in East Timor this week, he is saying that Australia and East Timor are in discussions, are in negotiations. He does not expect that those negotiations will be taken forward that much further or come to a fruition or conclusion in the course of the election campaign. Which is precisely the point I made on day one of the campaign.
Let's very clearly understand here what's occurring. Labor believes that an offshore regional processing centre which has the support of the region, which has the support of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, might make a substantial contribution to dealing with these matters. If you want to have a regional offshore processing centre it's got to be supported by the region, including through the Bali Process or generally throughout the region.
What the Liberal Party is saying is that they would go back to Nauru. Nauru is not a signatory of the Refugees Convention. When a detention centre was effected in Nauru by the previous Government, it brought Australia into disrepute in the international arena.
It was not supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and in the event of those people who were accorded refugee status that were in Nauru, 95% to 96% of people came to Australia.
You won't get regional or international community support for a regional offshore processing centre which is not a member of the Refugee Convention because you won't get the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee's support.
So far as East Timor is concerned, our officials went to East Timor the week before the election campaign. They had discussions with East Timorese officials. Australian officials have reported to me. East Timorese officials have reported to President Ramos-Horta.
President Ramos-Horta has made it clear this week, those negotiations, those discussions are ongoing. Of course there are limitations to what we can do during the so-called caretaker period.
I was not able, because of the calling of the election, to go to Hanoi for the ASEAN meetings. Australian officials went to the ASEAN meetings, briefed ASEAN countries about the Prime Minister's proposals. It's been left on the basis, yes there is more briefing that officials can do but there is a limit to what the Australian Government can do in terms of concluding an agreement between now and the end of the election campaign period.
What the Opposition is doing is trying to pretend that there's a magic solution in Nauru. There's no magic solution in Nauru. What we need is a long term, enduring, sustainable offshore regional processing centre which has the support of the region, which has the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
That's the only way that you will get the necessary support of settlement and resettlement countries beyond Australia and New Zealand. That's a very important part which the Opposition gloss over.
They pretend that somehow there is a magic solution to this just as Tony Abbott pretended that somehow there was a magic solution in what he described as turning back the boats. I haven't heard Tony Abbott say that for a while because even Philip Ruddock said that that was not a viable solution.
QUESTION: Minister, just on Nauru, we've had a reporter there for the past few days. The Government's told us that they're quite angry with Ms Gillard for screwing up the message in the debate saying that the caretaker government can't make decisions and can join the UN charter.
What's wrong with Nauru? Why can't we?
STEPHEN SMITH: I've made the point and I'll make it again. Nauru is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, firstly.
Secondly, if you read carefully that which Foreign Minister Keke had to say when he was here on the footpath at Brisbane Airport with Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop, he didn't commit himself to signing up for the Refugee Convention. Nauru is not a signatory.
I have yet to see an unequivocal commitment from Nauru to sign up. If Nauru does say it wants to sign up, that will take some time. We'd welcome the fact. We would welcome the fact of Nauru signing up. If Nauru said it wanted to sign up we would give it assistance, the technical assistance required to enter into the Treaty if it so wanted.
But the point I make is this. The Liberal Party is out there trying to pretend that either in the case of Nauru or in the case of turning back the boats there is a magic solution to this difficulty. There is no magic solution.
Go and ask Tony Abbott the last time he said he could turn the boats back. Go and ask other countries in the region whether they would support a processing centre in Nauru which is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention.
When the Liberal Party previously put a detention centre in Nauru that detention centre fell into disrepute, it brought Australia and its reputation internationally into disrepute, it did not get the support of the region. On the contrary, and under these circumstances today, the very grave risk is that would happen again.
We need to find a regional processing centre offshore which has the support of the region. That's what we're trying to do with East Timor. We continue to be in discussions with East Timor. On the basis that we are re-elected we will progress those discussions not just with East Timor but with other countries in the region, including through the Bali process.
When I met with Foreign Minister Natalegawa in Jakarta we both agreed it was a sensible thing to do to have a ministerial level meeting of the Bali process in the course of this year, sooner rather than later, and we will effect that.
The Liberal Party tries to pretend there's a magic solution in Nauru. It won't get the necessary support to have a long term, sustainable, enduring solution to a problem caused by the massive movement of displaced people as a result of conflict in Afghanistan and conflict civil war in Sri Lanka.
QUESTION: But Nauru is still an option?
STEPHEN SMITH: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was strongly critical of the detention centre in Nauru under the previous Government.
If Nauru is serious about joining the Refugee Convention they should give unequivocal commitment to do that. Go and read Foreign Minister Keke on the footpath of Brisbane Airport on Monday. You won't find that unequivocal commitment.
If there's an unequivocal commitment and Nauru wants to sign up we'll happily give them the technical support that they require to sign up to the Convention. That will not occur overnight. It's a process that takes time.
QUESTION: Does not being part of the Refugee Charter mean they can't have a processing centre there?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well firstly you won't get the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Secondly, you won't get the support of countries in the world who are settlement and resettlement countries; the very important point that the Liberal Party deliberately glosses over.
When they set up a detention centre in Nauru, of the people in Nauru who were ultimately accorded refugee status, 96 per cent of those came to Australia and New Zealand. John Howard was out there; Philip Ruddock was out there saying none of those people would come to Australia. 96 per cent came to Australia and New Zealand.
The only way you will get support throughout the region and throughout the international community, including the necessary support of settlement and resettlement countries who will traditionally take in refugees from our region, in addition to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, some European countries.
You won't get the support of those countries to engage in settlement and resettlement of refugees unless it is dealt with in a country which is a member of the Refugee Convention and which is applying those standards.
QUESTION: Do they need a centre under that Convention?
STEPHEN SMITH: Sorry?
QUESTION: They've got a centre already running. It's been running since...
STEPHEN SMITH: We welcome any country who is not a party to the Refugee Convention signing up to the Refugee Convention. We are in discussions with East Timor, as President Ramos-Horta has made clear. Those discussions will continue albeit in a limited way in the course of the election campaign.
Then, if we are re-elected, they will continue in earnest after the election.
QUESTION: Both your counterparts, Marty Natalegawa and Zacarias da Costa, have said your proposal has not been clarified, you have not outlined a proper proposal which they can understand. Is it true that you've only just flagged a vague idea? That's yesterday.
STEPHEN SMITH: That is not a correct interpretation of what Foreign Minister da Costa and Foreign Minister Natalegawa have said.
Of course we are not in the position to put a fully fledged final proposal to them because we're not in a position under the caretaker arrangements to sign up to that.
The Liberal Party opposed what we are doing. We're not in the position to sign up a fully fledged agreement. Our officials and I have briefed Foreign Minister da Costa and his officials have briefed Foreign Minister Natalegawa and his officials.
People should pay careful attention to what Foreign Minister Natalegawa said when he and I did a joint press conference in Indonesia. He said that a regional processing centre was potentially an issue that should be progressed within a regional framework. That's what we're doing.
QUESTION: Do you hope to continue as foreign spokesman if you're re-elected?
STEPHEN SMITH: There are two aspects to that. Firstly, this is going to be a very tough and tight re-election, a tough and tight election campaign. So, in the first instance, that is fundamentally a matter for the Australian people.
Secondly, it's a matter entirely for the Prime Minister of the day to allocate portfolios. That will be entirely a matter for Prime Minister Gillard if [indistinct].
QUESTION: Are there any boat arrivals on the horizon?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well the Minister for Home Affairs makes announcements in accordance with well established procedures when boats are intercepted. That's a matter for him, and I don't and he doesn't predict or guess about future arrivals.
What I've made clear, what the Minister for Immigration has made clear, what he has made clear, what the Prime Minister has made clear is that given we have continuing very strong push factors from Afghanistan, we have ongoing push factors from Sri Lanka, people will continue to seek to move to Australia.
There is no overnight instant magic solution as Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party would have you believe.
QUESTION: Minister, there are reports today saying now Julia Gillard hasn't visited WA, it's the only state she hasn't come to. Is there a plan to bring the PM here in the next few days?
STEPHEN SMITH: I think you can very reliably be assured that in the course of the election campaign the Prime Minister will visit Western Australia. That's a matter for her and her office to announce. It's not a matter for me to announce.
But I don't think the Western Australian community is going to be worried about who got here first. Of course the Prime Minister will come.
QUESTION: Is she coming in tonight?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well it's a matter for the Prime Minister, her office, to indicate the travel arrangements. I'm happy to indicate to you my travel arrangements at a time of my choosing. I'm not responsible for other people's travel arrangements.
QUESTION: She says she wants Kevin Rudd in her Cabinet. Would Foreign Affairs be a natural home for him?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well she has said that if we win the election, Kevin will have a senior role in her Government. Allocation of portfolios is entirely a matter for her.
QUESTION: Thanks, Minister.
STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you.
Tags: 2010, Election, Federal, Infrastructure