TRANSCRIPT
SENATOR THE HON ROBERT HILL
Minister for Defence
Leader of the Government in the Senate
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DOORSTOP
Young Liberal Convention
South Australia
Monday, 13 January 2003
E&oe_____________________________________________________________________________
JOURNALIST:
Senator, we’ve got two Orions leaving from Edinburgh some time this week. What
day are they leaving and what will their role be?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Their role is maritime surveillance in support of the fleet operating the southern
end of the Arabian Gulf as part of the coalition contribution to the war against
terror. And we’ll put out a statement when they’re going to leave.
JOURNALIST:
Simon Crean has been fairly critical of the attempt for a diplomatic solution for
North Korea. Do you think the Labor Party’s really got a good handle on what’s
going on?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Well I’ve seen a few of his interviews and I’ve been asking myself the question what
does he expect to be done? What isn’t being done that could effectively add to our
contribution? And I haven’t been able to identify that. Basically the major players
that surround North Korea – China, Russia, Japan, together with the influence of
the United States – is the best chance of bringing North Korea to its senses. Other
players, such as Australia, have got to take what opportunities are open to them.
We have some opportunities of communication through diplomatic links and we are
utilising those. We’ve sent officials to North Korea to ensure that they understand
the Australian position; our disappointment at the path they seem to be set upon;
to try from our perspective to better understand what they’re really seeking to gain
from such a power which seems to be so illogical in terms of the real challenges that
face North Korea; and then to be able to work with as I said the big players and
others towards finding a diplomatic solution.
JOURNALIST:
They tried it before didn’t they years ago and it seemed to work okay. Do you think
the stakes are higher this time for North Korea?
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SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Well it worked in the sense that an agreement was reached but North Korea
subsequently walked away from the agreement. And it was an agreement that was
going to bring them economic benefits and that’s why it seems so illogical that they
can walk away from it. Most who claim to understand North Korea say that it’s a
game of brinkmanship to obtain even greater economic benefits. Well the risk
attached to that type of approach. But the first thing is for the international
community to properly understand exactly what they are seeking and then to try
and find a solution. And the solution may be some further economic benefit in
consideration of North Korea giving something extra in return.
JOURNALIST:
Given the tense situation in North Korea shouldn’t Alexander Downer be part of
that delegation?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
No I think we’ve got to take these things step by step. And to send officials at this
stage is the appropriate response. They will report back. What they report will be
taken into account by the Minister in determining the next step in our diplomatic
contribution.
JOURNALIST:
The Opposition is also saying that perhaps we should be focussing now on North
Korea instead of Iraq.
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Well Iraq – we’re at the final stages of an 11-year process basically in which the
international community set demands on Iraq that it’s been unprepared to meet.
During which time the threat associated with weapons of mass destruction has
remained. The Security Council has given Saddam Hussein one final chance. What
we are doing is supporting the Security Council in that task. And that’s obviously
very much in our interests to do so. The issues associated with North Korea are
separate issues that need to be addressed separately and obviously also need to be
addressed effectively. But at this time, the diplomatic efforts by the major players
surrounding North Korea with the support of countries such as Australia in the
form that we have undertaken I think is the right response.
JOURNALIST:
Simon Crean is wrong to say that given that North Korea is in our own region that it
is, he says, more of a threat or the same level of threat as Iraq?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Well security these days is very much global. The Singaporeans were able to
apprehend intended terrorists who had Australian interests as a target in Singapore
because of intelligence gained in Afghanistan. We can no longer say that a
particular area of the world, because it may be geographically closer, is of greater
interest to us than another. We have major responsibilities to end the weapons of
mass destruction program in Iraq – that’s in Australia’s security interests to do so.
We also have significant interest in encouraging and supporting North Korea back
on to the non-nuclear path, that’s obvious as well and we need to address both of
those issues.
JOURNALIST:
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You said inside that North Korea is not a threat to Australia.
underestimating that threat?
Are you
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
I said that, I think I actually said at this time I don’t see North Korea’s program as a
threat. But the issue is if it goes down the path of nuclear weapons and develops a
nuclear weapon inventory, does that become a threat in the future? And it would
be much better if that threat was avoided, and that’s why we are being part of an
effort to seek a diplomatic solution that gives North Korea alternatives other than
nuclear weapon alternatives.
JOURNALIST:
Do we have confirmation yet that they are in fact developing missiles?
SENATOR HILL:
North Korea builds missiles. It has very effective missile technology, the real issue
is that its range of longer range missiles its been continuing to develop – and we
obviously monitor that very closely with our allies as well – and also its history of
the export of missiles and missile technology which has been a concern to us as
well. In a country with so many of its population starving, to put so much of its
effort into its military capability, in terms of nuclear weapons and the delivery of
vehicles for other not only nuclear but conventional warheads, is obviously not in
the best interests of the wider North Korean community. And somehow or other we
have to get them to see sense on this issue and put their efforts where their people
need their efforts to be put. And we’re happy to support them in doing so as we
have been in the past and that’s why we have supported the previous agreements
that have been reached with North Korea at economic cost to Australia because we
think that’s in Australian interests.
JOURNALIST:
Can you imagine a situation where we’d have troops in both Iraq and North Korea,
can you see that?
SENATOR HILL:
There’s no issue of sending …of deploying Australian forces to North Korea, that
would be speculation upon speculation. There is no issue of that at all. In relation
to Iraq, we may well be pre-deploying forces to that region in the future, as the
Prime Minister said, in order that they are properly prepared for any eventuality,
but even then we hope the diplomatic path will prove to be the successful path.
JOURNALIST:
How soon will that deployment be?
SENATOR HILL:
The Prime Minister said that this might start within the next few weeks.
JOURNALIST:
Senator on another matter, you’re very close to politics in South Australia. The
latest newspoll is a near disaster for Rob Kerin, do you think his leadership’s under
threat?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
I don’t think so no. I’ve actually been concentrating on other things, not wanting to
spoil your story (laugh).
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JOURNALIST:
I know, you’re not spoiling it Senator, but the latest newspoll, which I think for the
third time running…
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
Well I’ll say something on it, but anything else on …We have a major, I have a great
interest in South Australia and we have a major task before us in rebuilding. We
have to demonstrate that we are an effective and capable Opposition. We have to
develop an alternative program for the future of South Australia. There’s no value
in dwelling on the past. We lost, we’re now on the other side in politics and this will
take some time but we can do that, we’ve got good people there. Kerin I think is a
well-respected political leader within South Australia.
JOURNALIST:
But is he the right man for the job?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
I think he’s the right man for the job…
JOURNALIST:
Or the right person for the job?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
I’ve got no quarrel with Kerin, I don’t think that that is the issue. The issue is that
after losing elections … this is always the case that you have period in which the
new Government seems to glow and the Opposition seems to be under pressure.
And you work your way through those phases as we work up towards the next
election and I trust that we will have a better program for South Australians than
what they are experiencing and better people.
JOURNALIST:
But even with his dissatisfaction rating on the rise, and Mike Rann’s performance,
it would appear from the newspoll, is on the rise, isn’t it the ideal time to at least
consider new leadership blood in the party?
SENATOR ROBERT HILL:
No quite the contrary, the ratings of individuals at this time in the cycle is totally
irrelevant to what would be the situation at the time of the next election. To be
spooked by ratings now would show that we are not meeting the responsibilities of
Opposition, let alone alternative Government. So I hope they’re not spooked, and
we just concentrate on being an effective Opposition.
ENDS