Transcript of Doorstop

Bali, Indonesia

Subjects: Incidents in Norway

Transcript, E&OE, proof only

23 July 2011

MR RUDD: This is an horrific, horrendous attack on the Government of Norway, the people of Norway, and it seems the Office of the Prime Minster of Norway as well.

Australia’s a long-standing friend and partner of Norway. Both the Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and the Foreign Minister Jonas Støre are long-standing friends of Australia, and long-standing friends of mine, so the solidarity of the Government and the people of Australia are with the Norwegian people and Government at an horrific time for them.

The other thing I’d say is this: Norway has always stood out there as a friend of the international community when the international community has needed them.

Norway is out there active in every global disaster helping people around the world. So it’s time, at this occasion, for the international community to stand in absolute solidarity with Norway because this is unacceptable for the conduct of the normal democratic business of a robust democracy like Norway, as we’ve seen on our television screens just now.

JOURNALIST: Have you heard of any reports of any Australians being injured?

MR RUDD: To date, based on our reporting from our embassies and from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, no, though we continue to liaise with Norwegian authorities.

I’ve also communicated directly with the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg expressing both the Government’s solidarity at this time and my own personal solidarity. He’s a long-standing friend of mine.

JOURNALIST: Does the Government have any wider fears about the terrorist threat in Europe at the moment?

MR RUDD: On the question of current and recent intelligence on terrorist threats, I would request that all Australians simply consult the DFAT Travel Advisories. They are as accurate and as up-to-date as the information we have from across the world. That’s where the advice lies for the Australian public.

In terms of the particular responsibility for this attack in Norway, that is an investigation underway by the Norwegian security authorities, and Australian together with all international police agencies, intelligence agencies and security agencies will be responding of course to any requests from the Norwegians about who might be responsible for this.

I understand that an arrest has already occurred in Oslo.

JOURNALIST: Has the Government given you any indication as to who was behind the attack?

MR RUDD: The investigation by the Norwegian authorities is still underway and we should give the Norwegians time to deal with this horrendous attack.

In addition, the attack on young people at a youth camp of the Norwegian Labour Party—a fraternal party of ours, we know them well - is disgusting, it’s abhorrent.

These are kids who are working on the future of their own political movement in a peaceful way and they were literally murdered.

Let us not race to conclusions as to who is responsible. Let us wait for the authorities to determine that. But our solidarity must be with the Norwegian people and Government at this time.

They are friends of the world. It’s time for the world to stand in solidarity with them.

Thank you.

END

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