Media doorstop: Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium
Transcript, E&OE
2 March 2010
Stephen Smith: I am very pleased I am back in India. This is my third visit to India since I became Foreign Minister. I am very pleased to again inspect one of the Commonwealth games facilities, indeed the major stadium, the Nehru Stadium.
This is the third Commonwealth games facility I have inspected. On previous visits I inspected the Hockey World Cup and the Hockey Commonwealth games facility and also the swimming facility.
We are very confident that the Commonwealth games will be a triumph for India and a triumph for the Commonwealth and I am very pleased to be advised that the stadium here will be ready well in advance of the games and ready for a tremendous competition.
Tonight I will have the opportunity of seeing first-hand the stadium for the Hockey for the Commonwealth games as I go and see Australia play India in the Hockey World Cup.
That ofcourse will be a friendship game, the Ajit Pal-Charlesworth Cup reflecting the contribution of two great hockey players.
Ajit Pal, of course captained India in the 1975 World cup victory. That game was in Kuala Lumpur, and I was very pleased to be there, so I am looking forward to the friendship game tonight.
But I am very pleased to see the inspection of the main stadium and very pleased to be advised that the facility will be ready on time.
As I am here for the next couple of days, I will have conversations with my counterpart and also with Indian officials to receive up to date advice on the security coordination and co-operation so far as the games are concerned.
As I have said previously, Australia is very pleased with the co-ordination and co-operation about security in the run up to the Commonwealth Games. Of course, we have been very pleased with the security arrangements both for the Hockey World Cup and also recently for the Commonwealth Federation Shooting competition.
Journalist: Your Excellency, there has been a lot of concern in India about attacks. Sadly enough now that you are here, there has been one just a couple of days ago, a Sri Lankan gentleman, elderly with an Indian wife attacked by 20 people. What are you going to tell S M Krishna about what you and your central and state governments are doing about these?
Stephen Smith: I am very pleased to have an extensive conversation about what Australia is doing - both the Australian government and the various state and territory governments - to make sure that when people come to Australia they have an enjoyable and a safe experience. I recently made a statement to the Parliament which I provided to S M Krishna and I have also provided an extensive aide memoire about the steps we have taken.
We have zero tolerance for assaults on any individual in Australia. We have zero tolerance for assaults on Indians in Australia. And we have zero tolerance for assaults on anyone else who comes to Australia.
Regrettably we know, as I said to our Parliament, that there have been some racial or racist overtones to a small number of those assaults and we condemn that absolutely.
Now my officials tell me that I have got to get to my next appointment.
Tomorrow I will be going to St. Stephen’s school and I will be very happy to talk to you at length tomorrow about the further steps we have taken so far as ensuring that when Indian students and students from other countries come to Australia they have an enjoyable, quality educational and Australian experience.
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