Interview – Meet the Press

Subjects: Olympic torch relay, relations with Japan, the Republic, 2020 Summit, Zimbabwe, world food shortage

PAUL BONGIORNO: Hello, welcome to 'Meet The Press'. Brainstorming Australia - the Prime Minister's best and brightest are hard at it this weekend. The 2020 summit blasted into orbit yesterday at Parliament House. For the critics it's hot air and undemocratic. For Kevin Rudd it's a chance to look for a big idea beyond the next election.

PM KEVIN RUDD (Yesterday): Some are predicting the summit will fail. In fact, some have predicted it's already failed. Some have said it's too big. Some have said it's too small. I say it's worth having a go through this summit even if we fail.

PAUL BONGIORNO: We speak with key participants, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and World Vision Chief Executive Tim Costello. But first, what the nation's press is reporting this Sunday April 20. The summit dominates the papers. The Sunday 'Age' leads with "Republic and tax reform top of the list."

Other suggestions listed - a new bill of rights, the creation of a health inequalities position, the legalisation of all drugs to tackle prison overcrowding and addiction, making it illegal for politicians to lie, release of cabinet documents after 10 rather than 30 years, a treaty with indigenous Australia, abolish local government or the States, the creation of a new body to scrap overlapping State and Federal bureaucracy and many more.

The 'Sunday Mail' reports, "Zimbabwe holds partial recount." The recount in 23 of the 210 constituencies appears designed to overturn the election result which saw Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party lose its parliamentary majority. The 'Sunday Times' says Pakistan test fired a long-range ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads. The Foreign Minister is wearing a summiteer's hat this weekend as co-chairman of the group wrestling with security and prosperity in the world. Welcome back to the program, Stephen Smith.

STEPHEN SMITH: Thanks, Paul.

PAUL BONGIORNO: Minister, has there been one big new idea that's grabbed you so far this weekend?

STEPHEN SMITH: I think the big idea for me so far is every Australian student studying a foreign language by 2020. One of the real themes coming out of the session that I've been co-convening is that we need to engage much more effectively in Asia, and the Asia-Pacific in our region, and having language skills and sensitivity to cultures within our region is very important.

So for me, a big push on foreign languages, particularly Asian, would be a very good thing for us to do for our international relations, foreign policy and standing in the region.

PAUL BONGIORNO: That was reported in one of the papers today saying we need more Kevin Rudds.

STEPHEN SMITH: Whether it's Chinese language skills, Indonesian, European, it all helps. It all helps our international relations and diplomacy. But also it helps young kids that are studying, because all the evidence shows from an education point of view, if you study another language, whatever the language is, it helps you generally in your educational achievements. So it's a sensible thing to do from an educational point of view and for our place in the world.

PAUL BONGIORNO: How strong was the sentiment in your group for Australia to have a more independent foreign policy, not to be anti-American, but more independent of America?

STEPHEN SMITH: Of course there's a view, that the Government shares that Australia needs to make its foreign policy decisions on the basis of its national interest. So we need to make our decisions based on what we see as our national interest, our national security interests, strategic and security interests. So certainly there's a view that we make our own decisions. But also there's a very strong view that we have to engage in the world, whether it's continuing our alliance with the United States, which - that alliance remains, of course the bedrock of our defence, security and strategic arrangements - or whether it's the merging relationships with China and India or our ongoing partnership with Japan. We have to pursue all of these things, but we need to make decisions based on our best judgment on what is the best foreign interest for Australia.

PAUL BONGIORNO: The Republic has roared back onto the agenda. A timetable by 2010, how realistic is that?

STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly the Labor Party and the Government is in favour of Australia becoming a Republic. But we’ve made it clear that we don't see that as being the first or top priority. Certainly I regard it has inevitable butI don't see it occurring in 2010. But it's one of those things which I think the nation state will attend to in due course. I think there's also something of a view in the community that the appropriate time to move is when the current monarch, you know, moves off from her position whenever that might be.

PAUL BONGIORNO: Just going to some other big areas in your portfolio, the reports that Zimbabwe is having a recount in some constituencies, what's the Australian Government's view of this?

STEPHEN SMITH: I spoke early this morning to our ambassador in Zimbabwe. Australia has had some of our officials in there watching what's occurring. It's impossible to make an objective judgment about what has been occurring, there are 23 constituencies being so-called recounted. The various boxes have been in the custody of the Zimbabwe government for four weeks. So we, along with other European Union, United Kingdom, and United States officials watched what was occurring. More as an indication that we are taking an interest in the Zimbabwe elections, we want the will of the Zimbabwe people to be respected, but we don't necessarily have a great deal of confidence that what is occurring there reflects reality.

PAUL BONGIORNO: Are you disappointed the role the South African President has taken in this?

STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly in recent days, the South African Development Community, the G8, and discussions at the United Nations Security Council have started to increase the pressure on the Zimbabwean Government. The Australian Government has been saying consistently that the results should be out there quickly, we shouldn't allow Mr Mugabe to steal the election, either by a so-called second run-off or by a recount of the first poll. So we have been out there very robustly saying that we think it's important that the will of the Zimbabwe people be respected. And, it is important in the first instance that the relevant neighbours, the African Union and the South African Development Community keep the pressure on, and that's been joined in recent times and days by the G8 and the European Union and discussion at the Security Council.

PAUL BONGIORNO: Do you have any more information on that report that Pakistan has tested a long-range missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead 2,000km?

STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly we have seen the reports, and I haven't had that confirmed by our own officials, but we are proceeding on the basis that it's occurred. Obviously any testing that occurs in that region has the potential to cause tension or instability, so we hope that doesn't occur. In recent years there's been a very good dialogue between India and Pakistan on these issues, and we certainly hope that dialogue continues. We of course would prefer the testing doesn't occur, but we hope it doesn't lead to tension or instability in the region.

PAUL BONGIORNO: When we return with the panel, torching the Australia-China relationship. And buffeted by opinion polls and a whispering campaign against his leadership, it took Brendan Nelson four days to say what he meant to say in the first place.

BRENDAN NELSON (April 12): I am very determined, and I will keep fighting and speaking up for everyday Australians. I assure you I'm going nowhere. (April 15) I'm well and truly dug in. I'm here for the long haul, these are hard yards, I'm very determined.

PAUL BONGIORNO: You are on Meet the Press, with Foreign Minister Stephen Smith. And welcome to our panel Maria Hawthorne from Australia Associated Press and John Stanley from Radio 2UE.

One plan that seemed a good idea at the time but has lost some of its glow was running the Beijing torch around the world. It's about to reach our shores. The London relay descended into a violent shambles, while Paris and San Francisco were better, it was hardly the tribute to Olympic harmony the organisers hoped for. On Thursday it's Canberra's turn.

ACT CHIEF MINISTER JON STANHOPE (Wednesday): We are preparing ourselves for trouble. We have seen what occurred in London, Paris and San Francisco.

MARIA HAWTHORNE, AAP: Mr Smith, Jon Stanhope is prepared for trouble. In Bangkok there were 2,000 police for 400 protesters. What do you think the Canberra leg of the relay will look like?

STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly the relevant authorities are taking the necessary precautions, but I think it's important that those people who turn up, turn up to put a point of view, but put that point of view peaceably. Australians strongly believe in the right of the freedom of expression and assembly. But if people are going to turn up and put a view about the torch, whether it's in favour of the torch relay or making a point about Tibet, they need to do it in a peaceful way. I am very concerned that unless people turn up with that attitude we'll have the Olympic torch equivalent of football hooliganism. I am concerned and I urge people if they do turn up, whatever point of view they want to put, do it peacefully and in a way which Australians would regard as appropriate, which is to tolerate other people's views, while peacefully expressing a point of view you might have yourself.

JOHN STANLEY, RADIO 2UE: Has the Chinese Government through diplomatic channels made any suggestions, had input into what should happen or shouldn't happen.

STEPHEN SMITH: Certainly officials here from the Chinese embassy have been in close contact with the relevant officials, both Commonwealth and Territory, so obviously there are conversations, that's a sensible thing to do.

But we have made it clear, as has the ACT Government and relevant authorities that all the security arrangements will be attended to by the relevant Territory or Commonwealth authorities, and will be done by Australians exercising their responsibilities. Obviously there's been coordination, cooperation, but again I underline this point - all the security arrangements in the world will not count for a great deal unless people turn up with an attitude which is, "We will peacefully express our point of view, but we won't cause trouble, we won't impose our view on anyone else and we certainly won't be violent," and I think everyone here has to exercise calm and restraint. Yes, go out and express a point of view if you want to, but do that in a peaceful manner, don't seek to impose that view on anyone else, particularly don't seek to impose it in a violent or inappropriate way.

JOHN STANLEY: Is there any ongoing dialogue concern from China over Kevin Rudd's comments on Tibet in China?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well, from the first moment the Tibet issue became public, all the comments that either the Prime Minister or I have been making about Tibet, our view that China needed to exercise restraint, that it needed to engage in a dialogue, that it needs to be open and transparent, all of these views have been noticed by Chinese officials both in Canberra and Beijing. The Chinese officials understand very clearly what the view of the Australian Government is, and we continue to put that view privately to them.

MARIA HAWTHORNE: Another diplomatic issue that's raised a lot of attention is Kevin Rudd's failure to visit Japan yet. Has Mr Rudd spoken to his Japanese counterpart as far as you know?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well, I don't know whether he's spoken to him personally. But certainly what we do know is the Prime Minister has got two trips to Japan, one coming up in the middle of June, and a second one at the invitation of the Japanese Prime Minister to attend the G8 conference. Japan, of course, is one of our long-standing partners, both an economic, a strategic and security partner, and the Prime Minister has always made it clear this year that he would have two trips to Japan, one in the middle of June, then one with the G8 and that, and that's a very good thing.

MARIA HAWTHORNE: You have described Japan this week as our closest and most consistent friend over the past 50 years, but we have almost gone to war with them over whaling. When will we announce our whaling envoy?

STEPHEN SMITH: I wouldn't put it in those terms. When I was in Japan myself, conversations I had with the Prime Minister, with my counterpart, the Foreign Minister, with the Chief Cabinet Secretary, we all agreed on the fundamental strength and nature of the relationship and agreed that we would disagree over the whaling issue. I actually think it reflects the strength of our relationship that we can have a strong disagreement over whaling, but continue with the fundamentals of our relationship ongoing. The Government has made it clear that at some stage we'll appoint a whaling envoy and we'll do that at a time of our own choosing. It's one of the things we are doing to make the point to Japan that we think Japan should cease whaling in the Great Southern Ocean. But it's simply an issue where the strength of the relationship is such we can agree to disagree on the whaling issue.

JOHN STANLEY: There's been reports over the last few days that food security is becoming an issue around the world as so many countries switch to biofuels at the expense of growing crops for people. What is the Australian Government's position on that?

STEPHEN SMITH: There's two aspects. We know at this moment there's a particular food emergency. We've been approached by the UN agency to look at whether we can make an emergency contribution in the short term. We are giving consideration to that. Australia of course has a long-standing and very good record in this area in terms of food assistance. Secondly there are longer term issues - what do we do to make sure we have long-standing security. Use of food stocks for biofuels is one issue, but I am not necessarily persuaded it's the central issue. If you take palm oil, for example, 80% palm oil goes to food stock and 20% for biofuel, so it's a relevant consideration. But we have to be looking at making sure that production in developing countries, access to markets, reduction of trade barriers, so far as food supplies are concerned, these are some of the longer term issues that we really need to address. Food security now is, I think, one of the emerging issues just as energy security has also in recent years emerged as a key issue.

PAUL BONGIORNO: We are just about out of time, Mr Smith. You are going up to Papua New Guinea during the week, is there anything special you'll be announcing or doing there?

STEPHEN SMITH: We are having the Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum, a big show of Ministers from Australia and PNG, underlining that since the Government came to office our relationship with Papua New Guinea has transformed. There's a very good relationship now. We are looking at greater cooperation so far as development assistance is concerned. Obviously we'll also have discussions about Kokoda. I'll be there with other colleagues for Anzac Day at Port Moresby. But it just reflects since the election of the Government our relationship with Papua New Guinea, and Australia's general standing in the Asia Pacific is better. We are looking to be a good cooperative partner in the Pacific, not just with PNG, but other Pacific nation states as well.

PAUL BONGIORNO: Thank you for being with us, all the best on your trip, Stephen Smith the Foreign Minister.

Ends

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