Remarks at the Ho Chi Minh City Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centre

Subjects: Ho Chi Minh City Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Centre, Australia-Vietnam relations

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

13 April 2011

QUESTION: Can I ask what your priorities are for this year?

KEVIN RUDD: First thing I’d say is in Australia we have funded this project by the International Council of Red Cross for the last 5 years.

Today what I told our friends here in Ho Chi Minh City is that we will provide $4 million worth of further funding, for the next 4 years.

I understand that there are prosthetics being made for 35,000 people in a particular year – have I got that right?

MIGUEL FERNANDES: Since 1989, since the beginning of 1989.

KEVIN RUDD: … since 1989, and therefore the prosthetics are provided, obviously, for people who are victims of mine accidents, such as the two Vietnam veterans, the war veterans, that I just met before. But also for the people who have road accidents and for the people, such as the little girl, who is five years old, who was born with a congenital problem with her leg so she’s using a prosthetic. In Australia we are very pleased to help the Red Cross, to help with this project.

KEVIN RUDD: My priorities for the year ahead, as Australian Foreign Minister are to strengthen our relationships here in Asia, to strengthen our relationships including with the Government of Vietnam, that’s why I am paying my first visit here as Foreign Minister only six months after becoming the Australian Foreign Minister.

As Prime Minister before I met your General Secretary in Australia, I met your President, and before I met your Prime Minister in Australia, so this year we want to strengthen further the political engagement, the economic engagement and the education engagement with Vietnam.

And finally what I would say is that with Vietnam Australia wants to develop a closer political and security relationship, bilaterally and also through our work together in the East Asia Summit to create a regional rules based system for security concerns across South East Asia

Thank you very much.

END

Media enquiries