Transcript of doorstop

Sydney Opera House

Subjects: Peter Slipper, domestic politics, Pokie reforms

Transcript E&OE, proof only.

25 November 2011

QUESTION: Mr Rudd, what role did you play in wooing Peter Slipper to the Speaker's role?

KEVIN RUDD: On the question of the Speakership I haven't had any conversations with Mr Slipper about him replacing Harry Jenkins.

Harry Jenkins has been a fantastic Speaker of the Parliament. It's no mystery however that I've — as a family basis — been friendly with Mr Slipper for about 15 years.

QUESTION: He was up on the Gold Coast with you just recently. Did he give you any indication of his — that he was willing to go that…?

KEVIN RUDD: [Interrupts] Well in Queensland there's a difference between a place called the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast and for the local audience that we make it very clear.

The Gold Coast is south of Brisbane and where we come from is the Sunshine Coast on the other side of Brissie.

And so what I was doing, from where I grew up, I went home and caught up with him at a local school's graduating class — Year 12's. I like speaking to Year 12 kids as they graduate.

And the answer to your question — no, this matter wasn't discussed.

I mean, do you seriously expect that I was somehow in the confidence of what was in Mr Jenkins mind?

It simply wasn't the case.

QUESTION: At what point did you become aware of Mr Jenkins decision?

KEVIN RUDD: Like the rest of the Parliamentary party, so in the morning it occurred.

QUESTION: Four years ago yesterday, Labor got into power. With this extra vote now what are your intentions given that Julia Gillard's got an ever bigger majority in the House now?

KEVIN RUDD: Well, I'm the Foreign Minister and I have a whole lot of things to do and I intend just to keep on doing it.

It's a fantastic job and an opportunity to do good things in Australia's name. I intend to keep doing it.

QUESTION: And what does this extra buffer mean for the pokies tax for Andrew Wilkie?

KEVIN RUDD: You know something? I have many responsibilities in political life but that's not one of them so I'll let you put that question either to the Prime Minister, or Jenny Macklin, the responsible minister in the House. They handle those things.

QUESTION: But does this mean now that, obviously, the tenure of the Government is much stronger and that you don't need Andrew Wilkie's support as much as you did?

KEVIN RUDD: That's entirely a matter for the Prime Minister and other senior ministers.

The Government has been elected to govern; we intend to get on with the business of governing. That's simply the core fact.

I would say one other thing though about Mr McIver who is the head of the LNP in Queensland.

I mean, the LNP have behaved towards, not just to Mr Slipper but a whole bunch of other LNP members, like a pack of political thugs.

And they're running around today trying to remove all responsibility from themselves in terms of the actions undertaken by Mr Slipper. I think it's time they just reflected on what they've done in recent times towards him and other members.

And secondly, the argument that I mysteriously visited one Coalition Member's seat — for goodness sake. I can give you a list of Coalition Members' seats that I've visited in recent years and done active things with their local Members.

Ask the Member for Wright about my visit to his electorate at the time of the Queensland floods.

I was recently in the seat of Parkes with a local Member there at the launching of a new facility in the very middle of his electorate.

This is very selective rendition of history and I think what you see from the LNP in Queensland is a pretty desperate attempt to absolve themselves of the political thuggery which they demonstrate, I think, on a continuing basis towards Members who don't toe the line. And that I think is a key element in all of this. And having said that…

QUESTION: [Interrupts] So you're denying any role in wooing Peter Slipper to the Speakers role?

KEVIN RUDD: When it comes to the Speakership — when it comes to Mr Slipper taking over the Speakership from Mr Jenkins my role has been non-existent.

You just need to understand that. And the reason is, apart from Mr Jenkins, I assume nobody knew that he was about to go.

Secondly, I don't step back from the fact that I've known Mr Slipper for a long, long time. In fact, I have quite close personal relationships with many Coalition Members of Parliament.

The longer you are in that place and frankly the more you get to know people as human beings, I think it's called a bit of civility frankly in just getting on with people on the other side rather than assuming that anyone who is automatically a Member — anyone who is a Member of an opposing political party is automatically the incarnation of the Antichrist.

That won't be my view and it won't be my view in the future either.

Thanks folks, got to run.

ENDS.

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