E&OE……………………….…………………………………………………………………

 

 

Tony, good morning to you. A horrible morning, really. This is a tragedy on a very, very large scale.

 

 

You’re absolutely right, Karl. This is a very tragic situation. It's not a day for politics. It's a day to offer sympathy to those who have gone through this terrible ordeal and support and encouragement for the rescue effort.

 

 

It does also show, Tony - and I am loathe to bring politics into it as well - just how continually desperate people are to make that jump from Indonesia or from wherever it is around the world to come to our shores on all kinds and all manner of transport that aren't up to scratch.

 

 

Well, that's right, Karl. It shows what a horrible business this whole people smuggling racket is. Obviously, it's important that we stop it one way or another. But, as I said, I don't think today is a day for politics. I think today is a day for human sympathy towards everyone caught up in this terrible disaster and support and encouragement for the rescue effort.

 

 

If there’s some good to come out of this, though, I think there is going to be an even more heightened appetite from the Australian people to have a compromise here and to have a solution from our politicians.

 

 

Well, we did have a solution some years ago and that was the great achievement of the Howard Government. The Howard Government had a problem on its hands back in the early 2000s. It put some policies in place that did stop the boats. Now, unfortunately for all sorts of reasons which I won't go into today the flow has started again and yes, it does have to be dealt with but today is certainly not a day for political point scoring and argy-bargy.

 

 

It’s an awful day. Let's hope the rescuers are able to get to those people who are still in the water. Let's move on to other news. Now overnight, the Liberal Senator Mary Jo Fisher has resigned. She's been reported by police for shoplifting a second time. No charges have been laid in this situation, but what is your reaction to this latest incident?

 

 

Karl, Mary Jo has been a friend of mine for a very, very long time. She is wrestling with some personal issues. She has done the honourable and the courageous thing by herself, her family and the Parliament by resigning. I think the best thing we can do now is wish Mary Jo all the best as she puts her life back together again, but this is a tragic personal situation. She has done the gutsy thing in difficult circumstances.

 

 

Alright, we’ll move on from that one as well. New South Wales firies meantime went on strike yesterday hosing down Parliament and refusing to attend the emergencies. Should it be illegal for them to go on strike? Do you have sympathy for the firies out there,  Tony?

 

 

Look, I’m not a great supporter of strikes in emergency services organisations but I'm confident that were an emergency to present itself, the strike would instantly end and they'd leap into action as they always do.

 

 

Alright, let's keep rolling. We are knocking through them this morning. Australia's media is undergoing some major changes. Let’s zero in on this one. What is your reaction to Gina Rinehart’s push into Fairfax? Do you have a problem with someone like Gina having such a large influence?

 

 

I think it’s good to see that at least someone wants to invest in print journalism, particularly in Fairfax, which has been going through some very difficult circumstances. Now, I think that the greatest threat to press freedom and media freedom in this country is unnecessary Government regulation. I think that's the great threat and that's why the Coalition is so very much opposed to additional levels of media regulation.

 

 

Is Gina Rinehart a threat to that as well, though?

 

 

Look, people have all sorts of views about Gina. The fact is she is perfectly entitled to go into the share market and invest in businesses and I think it's a good thing that at least someone is prepared to support Fairfax financially at what is for them a difficult time.

 

 

And you have no problem with her trying to exert influence in that situation if she has got a slice of the business?

 

 

Well, look at Channel 10. I mean, Gina has had a significant shareholding in Channel 10 for some time now. Has she been an interfering shareholder? As far as I’m aware, no. Look, what people do on boards is governed by corporate law. If someone is a director of a company, well then, they have to act in the best interests of the company and shareholders, that is a legal obligation on them and as for whether she joins the board, well, that's a matter for them.

 

 

Alright. I have a legal obligation to show the people of Australia this vision of you yesterday jumping on a trampoline. This is possibly the worst dismount in the history of the world. What was going through your mind, Tony?

 

 

I was thinking to myself, Karl, that my dreams of gold are fading fast!

 

 

I’m with you on that one. You will not be going to the London Olympics but good try, anyway. You have to give these things a go, don’t you?

 

 

Look, you are dead right. The kids were keen that Kate Lundy, the Minister for Sport, and myself should give it a go and look, I just want to say what an incredibly dedicated and gritty bunch of gymnasts we have got and let's hope they get the gold.

 

 

I'd much rather see Kate doing it, sorry! Thanks very much for that, Tony. Have a great week mate, talk to you soon.

 

 

And you too, Karl.

 

[ends]