E&OE
31 August 2008
Media conference, Perth
STEPHEN SMITH: Just a couple of serious consular issues this afternoon, and [indistinct] some comments about the United States presidential election.
Firstly, Thailand, in particular Phuket. You'd of course be aware of demonstrations in Thailand, and the closure of Phuket Airport, and the inconvenience and frustration this has caused to Australian travellers in Thailand.
Firstly, can I say that provided Australians stay away from demonstrations in Thailand, our assessment at this stage is there is no direct or immediate threat to Australians.
Of course there is inconvenience. There may well be frustration and Australians in Phuket or Thailand should speak to their airlines and their travel agents before making plans to travel.
We of course expect and hope that political demonstrations in Thailand will be both peaceful and lawful; and we hope that the response by the government continues to be one of restraint.
So we acknowledge there is frustration, that there is inconvenience, but we hope that Australians in Phuket in particular, and in Thailand generally, will firstly avoid demonstrations, but consult with airlines and their travel agents to help ensure their return home.
Thailand of course is of significant interest to Australian tourists. Some 640 to 650,000 Australians visit Thailand each year. And, at any point in time, there are about 20,000 Australians in Phuket.
So [indistinct] judgement is inconvenience, but no, no direct or immediate threat. But we do continue to urge Australians in Phuket in particular, and Thailand, to consult with their travel agents and their airlines before, before making plans to return to Australia.
Secondly, the United States. You'd of course be aware of the severe hurricane warning, particularly for the south-eastern coastline of the United States - effectively from Texas through to Florida, including New Orleans.
And we strongly urge any Australians within the hurricane warning areas to follow the advice of local authorities.
Our travel advice has been changed so far as the United States is concerned, to draw attention to the hurricane warning.
Our travel advice is linked to advice from the United States Hurricane Centre, so we very strongly urge any Australians who may be in the south-eastern coastline areas of the United States to, to consult our travel advice; to consult the US Hurricane Centre warnings; but most importantly, to follow the advice, the request, and the directions of local authorities.
And you would no doubt be aware that to date we have seen some, some 12 so-called parishes; 12 local areas in Louisiana, recommending or requiring an evacuation.
Finally, this morning, I see on national television this morning, the Liberal Party mounting a political attack on Barack Obama - one of the candidates for the US presidential elections.
Can I say, regrettably, that the Liberal Party has form in this area. When in government, Mr Howard, and Mr Nelson - then as Defence Minister - attacked politically Mr Obama; or Senator Obama, saying effectively that he was a candidate for the terrorists.
And then this morning on TV, on national TV, we find in Opposition, the Liberal Party mounting a political attack on Senator Obama, saying that he is a candidate of bad economic policy.
Senator, Senator Trood really needs to be brought into line by Mr Nelson here. Mr Nelson must repudiate Senator Trood. Mr Nelson must repudiate the political attack launched by Mr Trood, and to a lesser extent, Mr - Senator Trood - and to a lesser extent, Mr Abbott, this morning on national television.
The government has made it very very clear that the alliance between the United States and Australia, that transcends governments in Australia and transcends administrations in the United States - Labor or Liberal here; Democrat or Republican in the United States.
And the Australian Government deal with whoever the American democratic and political process throws up.
It's one thing to make comments about public policy. It's one thing to talk about the need, as the government has itself, of the need for trade reform - whether that's through the WTO, whether it's through free trade agreements bilaterally or regionally - it's one thing to talk about public policy, it is another thing to launch a political attack on a candidate - whether that candidate is Senator Obama or whether it's Senator McCain.
So Mr Nelson really needs to haul Senator Trood into line here.
I'm happy to respond to your questions on those, or any other issues.
QUESTION: How damaging could [indistinct] comments be for the Australian and US relationship?
SMITH: Well any adverse comment, of course, has the potential to cause difficulty or to cause damage. And the government has been very, very clear from day one in making the point that the alliance between the United States and Australia transcends governments. It serves both our nations well.
So we deal with whoever the political or democratic process throws up. I think it's very important for Mr Nelson to repudiate the political attack by Senator Trood this morning.
QUESTION: Apart from the comment they've made about his personality, you know, there is - there was an issue where they were saying the Democrats, under Obama, would be a [indistinct] government. That could have implications for trade for Australia.
SMITH: I have made the point myself. But when I've made the point, I've made the point in an even handed, non-political public policy way.
But, of course, it is in Australia's interests for trade liberalisation to continue to occur. Of course, it is in Australia's interests for the United States administration to put its shoulder to the wheel so far as trade liberalisation is concerned.
But if you examine the remarks of Senator Trood this morning, just as if you were to re-examine the remarks by Mr Howard when he was Prime Minister, this is nothing more, nothing less than a political attack.
And as I've said, both myself, in the past and again today, it's one thing to make a public policy point. It's a different thing to either advertently or inadvertently inveigle yourself into the American political process if you are a member of the Australian Parliament.
QUESTION: [Inaudible question]
SMITH: Not, it's a….
QUESTION: [Inaudible question]
SMITH: Well if you read the Senator Trood's remarks this morning, just as if you read Prime Minister, the former Prime Minister Howard's remarks when he was in office, it's nothing more, nothing less than a political attack on a candidate for the presidency of the United States. That's the way of the danger for Australia. That's the way it will be interpreted in the United States and that's why it's important for Mr Nelson to repudiate it.
QUESTION: Can you - on Thailand - can you comment on, if it does become a dangerous situation for Australians there, what - I mean what sort of relationship do we have with the Thai Government and what sort of measures will you take?
SMITH: Well firstly, can I say just before I came to the press conference I spoke to our Ambassador to Thailand to satisfy myself that the situation as I relayed to you is up-to-date.
And so we, of course, constantly monitor the situation so our officials, both our embassy in Bangkok and our consular office in Phuket continue to monitor the situation on an hourly basis. And if circumstances change, that will be reflected in the advice that we give Australians.
But for the present, for the moment, we've seen nothing more, nothing less than political demonstrations aimed at the Thai Government of the day
Of course, Australia was very pleased when Thailand moved back to democracy, which is why Australia would want to see such political demonstrations conducted peacefully and lawfully and any response to that by the government and the government instrumentality needs to be one of restraint.
To date, and we're very pleased by this, there's been no indication of any interest by the military to take steps in this matter. We certainly hope that continues.
The relationship between Australia and Thailand as nations is very good and the relationship between the Australian Government and the Thai Government is very good.
I was recently in Thailand and had discussions with a number of their ministers.
So if circumstances change, we will advise Australians accordingly. But to date we continue to hope that the political demonstrations remain effectively peaceful. The response by the government is one of restraint and that the difficulties caused to Australians are not ones of threat, but are simply ones of inconvenience which may well cause frustration and disappointment.
But there's been no indication that any of the activity which has occurred is, in any way, aimed at any foreign nationals including Australians.
QUESTION: [Indistinct] indication just how many Australians are directly caught up, delays…
SMITH: Well I think, as I said earlier, Thailand is a very popular destination for Australian tourists and travellers - between 640 and 650,000 Australians visit Thailand each year.
And I'm told that in Phuket at any given time, there, there will be 20,000 Australians.
I'm also told that on a daily basis that passenger movements, or the individual movements through Phuket Airport are up to 15,000, and Australians for the single largest group of that.
So, the Australians inconvenienced will be in the hundreds. And I think that's been reflected by some of the Australian media reporting from Thailand.
So it'll be, you know, Australians in their hundreds who are inconvenienced, who are disappointed, frustrated.
Our advice to them is speak to you travel agent, speak to your airline company before you make your plans to travel, and to certainly avoid any, any area where there may be demonstrations.
QUESTION: So, so the latest estimate of 300 would be very…
SMITH: That would be in the ballpark. Yes. Yeah. [Indistinct] hundreds, that would certainly be in the ballpark.
QUESTION: Can I just ask you about the [indistinct] Bali bombers? What is the latest there?
SMITH: Well, the comment I've made on the Bali bombers remains as I have made in the past - that these are matters for the Indonesian authorities. They're matters for their judicial, legal, and executive processes, and it's entirely a matter for them.
I don't give a running commentary on the timing. It's a matter for the Indonesian processes.
QUESTION: [Indistinct] an indication that anything is [indistinct] closer or…
SMITH: I've personally had no, no advice. Whether my officials have is another matter.
But, I have consistently responded to such questions by saying that that is a matter which requires the exhaustion of Indonesian legal, judicial, and executive processes. And it's entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities.
Okay. Thanks a lot. Thanks very much.
[Ends]
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