The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: Australia

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with Paul Keating – 3 June 1994

    Below is Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with the Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, held in London on Friday 3rd June 1994.

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I am delighted to see the Prime Minister here, he is here of course for the D-Day celebrations and we are delighted to see him here. We all owe a very great debt of gratitude to the many Australian servicemen who played such a remarkable role in that operation and in other parts of the war.

    We have had the opportunity of beginning our bilateral discussions, we hope to continue them, perhaps in more informal settings, over the weekend. We have no bilateral problems worth mentioning, there is an extremely good relationship. Trade between our two countries has been growing very substantially both ways in terms of trade flows and investment flows and we are very attracted to that trend continuing and have been examining how we might improve it. We have had the opportunity of reviewing the outcome of the GATT negotiations and looking forward to the establishment of the world trade organisation.

    There have been a series of other regional discussions on the opportunities for further trade within the ASEAN region, looking at countries of mutual interest, China and others spring to mind. So it has been a welcome opportunity to exchange views and I am delighted the Prime Minister could be here.

    MR PAUL KEATING:

    Thank you Prime Minister. As the Prime Minister said, we both agreed there is no problem of substance in the relationship, our two-way trade is growing strongly each year, Australia is the fourth largest investor in Britain and Britain is the second largest investor in Australia and Britain’s two-way investment is the largest investment relationship Britain has and the largest two-way relationship Australia has. So that I think underlies the relationship in commercial terms.

    In cultural terms I think that it is an important opportunity which I welcome to join with the Prime Minister in the D-Day commemorations and at least he was kind enough to refer to the role Australians had played and I will take the opportunity, as I will now, in saying that we will take this chance to pay tribute to Britain and Britons in the fight for the democracies against fascism in Europe, to lead that fight, to carry the brunt of it and, as a consequence, to leave open the prospect of the landings in Normandy and the successful defeat of Nazism in Europe. So I am looking forward to that opportunity over the weekend.

    The Prime Minister and I discussed, as he said, the outcome of the GATT. We have also discussed some of the social and political parallels in Australia in social and economic policy and there are quite a number of profound ones, and as we have said, we will take up the rest of the conversation over the course of the weekend.

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    Mr Keating, given the long historical association with Britain, did you inform Mr Major that you wished to change the Australian flag by taking the Union Jack out of the corner, and how did Mr Major react to that?

    MR PAUL KEATING:

    This is not an active matter in Australia and it has not been. For the Prime Minister’s benefit, I was asked a question about this in Parliament the other day by our opposition and that has prompted this question and I have got no more to say about it than I said then or I have said on many other occasions.

    QUESTION:

    [Indistinct] North Korea?

    MR PAUL KEATING:

    We did not, but I am sure the Prime Minister and I would share a similar view that the defueling of reactors in North Korea should be subject to international inspections, that there must be a clear understanding on the part of the International Atomic Energy Agency that there is a diversion of weapons and, at least for Australia’s part, we stand ready to join any international decision the United Nations might make, including sanctions, which make the North Koreans accountable in terms of their nuclear facilities.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, would you regret the fact of Australia removing the Union Jack from the corner of the Australian national flag?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think that is a matter for Australia, Australia is a very remarkable country and nothing that happens in any way is going to damage the instinctive relationship and the trade relationship that exists between the United Kingdom and Australia, it has been there, it is very strong and it is not going to change in the future.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with Prime Minister Keating – 17 September 1993

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with Prime Minister Keating, held in London on Friday 17th September 1993.

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    The Prime Minister and I have had the opportunity in a period before lunch and over lunch to range over a whole range of matters. I will invite the Prime Minister to say a few words, I will perhaps add anything that may still be overhanging and then we will take a few questions.

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    The Prime Minister and I have had a very cordial discussion both before and during lunch. It ranged over a number of topics including substantially on the Uruguay Round both I think underlining the importance of the Round to growth and to employment, both of the belief I think that the December 15 deadline is a real deadline and that now is the time to draw the Round to a successful conclusion by the maintenance of the Blair House Accords and with other adjustments a conclusion of the Round. I think we both see that as an important backdrop to world trade and see it as evidence of the fact that the international interest in a global multilateral trading system is still there and that seven years of effort shouldn’t go in vain so we have, I think, decided that we should speak for the conclusion of the Round and as the Chair of the Cairns Group at the moment, Australia very enthusiastically supports the Blair House Accords and a conclusion of the Round.

    The Prime Minister and I also had a discussion about our constitutional arrangements in Australia and he made the point clearly to me that this is a matter between the people of Australia, the Government of Australia and the Queen of Australia underlining a point he had made earlier that Australia and Britain have a modern relationship as two societies to one another, that we are doing more together now than we were even doing ten years ago, that we are a substantial investor in each other’s countries, that for Australians Britain is a platform for investment into Europe and for Britons Australia is a platform for investment into Asia and that we are doing work much more bilaterally than we have ever done and that our relationship is maturing and succeeding as we contemplate difficulties between us including of course our respective trading environments, ours the Asia-Pacific, Britain’s the European Community.

    Could I conclude that resume by saying that we had again a cordial discussion agreeing on these points of substance which I think are important to both Britain and Australia.

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    I don’t think there is a great deal to add to that, just perhaps a few points of emphasis to add.

    We spent some time on the British/Australian bilateral relationship. I think it is as good today as it has been for very many years. The trade relationship in particular is growing both in terms of investment between the two countries and the trade flow between the two countries. We both see considerable opportunities for that to continue to increase and we will both do what we can to ensure that has the maximum support.

    The points the Prime Minister made about the Uruguay Round I think are immensely important. I share his view entirely that the December 15 deadline is a deadline we should take very seriously. I know we have heard this before, that there is going to be a deadline on the Uruguay Round and then it has gone on beyond that. I think it would be extremely unwise to assume that that will happen on this occasion and the prize for the world of a satisfactory Uruguay Round settlement is very great but equally, the cost to the world of not having a Uruguay Round settlement would be very great as well and I hope that is a point that is fully understood amongst all the countries that participate in these particular discussions.

    As the Prime Minister said, we discussed the constitutional issue. I don’t propose to add to what he said. It is a matter for the Queen of Australia and the Australian Prime Minister and his Ministers and I am going to have nothing further to add about that today.

    Rather than reiterate the points the Prime Minister made, I would just like to take a few questions from you and we will both answer them or one of us, as you wish.

    QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister Major, do you think that on the people-to-people level the republican debate in Australia could in fact harm relations between our countries?

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    I think, as I said a moment ago, the constitutional point is a point for the Queen and for the Australian Government.

    As far as the people-to-people relationship is concerned, I think that runs very deep; it runs very deep and has run very deep for a very long time and I think it is necessary to see the two separate questions, the constitutional question between Australian Ministers and the Queen of Australia and the bilateral, commercial and other relationships between Australia and the United Kingdom; that has been strong, is strong and is going in my judgement to continue to be strong.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister Keating, Australia House said you had recourse to the British public in your view that Australia should be a republic? On what did you base that?

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    I think this is one of the world’s great democracies and if a nation state deliberately and coherently decides democratically to adopt a different set of constitutional arrangements that will obviously be approved of within a democracy such as Britain; an essentially democratic act will always I think have the support of a democratic people and so i don’t think it is a matter of trying to put a dipstick into British opinions but rather look at Britain’s long-run respect for democratic procedures and processes.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister, do you see no impediment to Australia taking on republic status?

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    As I indicated a moment ago, that constitutionally and I think in practical terms as well is a matter these days that has to be a matter between the Queen who is Queen of Australia and her Australian Ministers – she has Ministers in Australia just as she has Ministers here – and she will take their constitutional advice. I think constitutionally it is proper for that matter to be determined between the Queen and her Australian Ministers.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister Keating, what is your schedule of events for arriving at this new constitution for turning Australia into a republic?

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    That will require a scheduling obviously of a constitutional process leading up to a referendum by the Australian people. The target we have is for 2001 but that will require, as any such important constitutional change requires, a period of education and understanding and consensus and we have already embarked on that process now.

    QUESTION:

    Prime Minister Keating, what you are suggesting and what your referendum may or may not lead to is of course of immense historical significance. What you are really going to do or your country may decide to do is the final break-up of the greatest empire this country has ever seen, this world has ever seen [Laughter] and are you historically aware of what you are doing and that this may have a knock-on effect, New Zealand may do it and other members of the British Commonwealth too? You are the catalyst of history, Mr. Keating.

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    Well you are the source of much mirth by your colleague journalists behind you! I don’t think you can ascribe that catalytic role to me. The key policy is between the Australian people and the Queen of Australia. The relationship we are speaking of and the one which you are seeking for us to nurture is the one between Britain and Australia and as the Prime Minister said today and said again eloquently on Australia Day in the address which he gave, there is great depth in the relationship between Australia and Great Britain and it is growing and if anything such a change will lead to an even better relationship as Australia remains part of the Commonwealth but where our friendship and links can be fully expressed rather than being compromised by a constitutional arrangement which doesn’t meet the approval of the great majority of the Australian people.

    QUESTION:

    It was you that kicked it off though. You are the one who started it.

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    I don’t think that is true. I think it is called national aspirations and national identity.

    QUESTION:

    On another subject, were you concerned by the success of the British National Party last night?

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    Yes, I was. I think it was an unfortunate result. I just want to make it quite clear there is no place in our society for those sort of policies and I hope that will be readily understood by everyone. I gather at least one of the political parties is looking at their literature – I think that is right. I have no comments to make about that other than to say I think it was an unfortunate result, I hope it won’t be repeated.

    QUESTION:

    From what you said, is it fair to assume then that the British Government has no view on whether Australia decides to become a republic when you say that it is a matter purely for the Australian Queen, the Australian people and Government?

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    I think the Prime Minister has made clear to you his view that the appropriate policy here is between the Australian people, its Government and the Queen of Australia and that is a matter to be worked out through the processes of Australia by its people and its Government with the Queen of Australia.

    QUESTION:

    ….the Queen …Australia tomorrow?

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    I think as warm as friendly as the last one she gave me when I saw her last.

    QUESTION:

    Would you care to have a wager about the outcome of the IOC next week?

    PRIME MINISTER KEATING:

    We do have an interest in it, both of us. I am sure I can’t say anything beyond that which would be entirely predictable and that is that we think Sydney is by far the best technical bid; no doubt that will be disputed by the Prime Minister.

    PRIME MINISTER MAJOR:

    I am looking forward to seeing the Prime Minister in Monte Carlo and buying him a consolation drink.

  • Mr Major’s Joint Doorstep Interview with Bob Hawke – 15 October 1991

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s joint doorstep interview with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, in Harare on Tuesday 15th October 1991.

    MR HAWKE:

    I was very grateful to John for joining me with his colleagues and we had a very mutual discussion which covered essentially three areas: the conference itself and issues of importance this week and I think we had a lot of common ground on those issues; secondly we talked about broader international matters and may say from Australia’s point of view perhaps the most important was the finalising of the GATT round, the Uruguay Round, and I was very pleased that John again emphasised, as he did in his role as Chairman of the G7 the commitment to a successful conclusion of that round, this is a matter of very very great importance for us in Australia but I think also for the whole world, and we spent some time on that; and then thirdly there were one or two bilateral matters that we were able to cover with mutual satisfaction – a good working breakfast.

    QUESTION:

    As aid donors, both of you, would you like now to turn your aid to human rights improvements?

    MR HAWKE:

    I think I can speak for John and certainly in my own terms I am not going to have my agenda set by the media or anyone else on this issue. I note that at the start of this conference there is an attempt to set this sort of agenda and I am not having the agenda set in that way. But obviously I would say this as I said at an earlier press conference, if you want to ask what is the distinguishing characteristic of the world in the last one or two years it is the move in so many quarters, not simply in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, to a democratic constitution and way of life. That is a fact and no-one can avoid that fact and it will inevitably be reflected I believe in discussions in any body like this.

    QUESTION:

    Mr Major do you agree with this?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I absolutely share that view, I think that is entirely right, we are here at this Commonwealth conference to look forward, we have got reports in front of us which enable us to do so and I think there have been the most enormous, quite unprecedented and unexpected changes in the world in the last twelve months or so. That is going to have its impact on the Commonwealth as well and we want to look forward to what sort of government there is going to be in the future, what the relationships will be inside the Commonwealth. There are other important matters as well we will touch on, I am sure we will touch on the environment conference in Rio that will take place next year, a very important conference.

    But this morning I would just like to echo what the Prime Minister said, we had an extremely useful discussion, particularly about GATT, as Chairman of the Cairns group he and I have kept in very close touch over the past few months, it is a matter of critical importance, critical importance, I cannot overstate it, that we actually get a satisfactory outcome to the Uruguay Round and it was extremely useful this morning to have the opportunity of exchanging views about that.

    QUESTION:

    Mr Major, do you favour the Commonwealth making some sort of statement about GATT?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I am sure the Commonwealth will discuss a raft of matters including GATT, it is of very great interest to the Commonwealth, it is of very great interest to many of the developing countries that they are actually going to have access for their exports to the developed countries. It is not a great deal of good for the developed countries handing out aid on the one hand and closing their markets to exports from the developing countries with the other hand, that is absolutely self-defeating. So a successful outcome to the Uruguay Round is very important to the Commonwealth.

    QUESTION:

    Do you think the French will shift?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    I think we are going to get an agreement in the GATT Round, there are a lot of things to be determined, you mentioned the French, but there are many matters still to be determined, it is not only Prance who has difficulties with the present situation in the GATT Round. There is a great deal to be done, there are many countries that will have to make a move. What is absolutely critically important is that we do not lose the advances that are already there in the GATT Round and that we do reach a satisfactory conclusion.

    QUESTION:

    Will there be a conclusion?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    It may be a conclusion that not everybody likes and that everybody perhaps has to make some sacrifices to achieve. But we will all have to make much bigger sacrifices if we do not actually get that agreement.

    QUESTION:

    Do you foresee any problem for the United Kingdom supporting a CHOGM declaration on GATT?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We have not started our discussions here yet and I have just been discussing very clearly, I could not have done it more clearly I think, how important I think it is that we actually get an agreement on the GATT Round, there are very few things that are more important than that if one takes the medium and long term view of the importance of the flow of world trade, the growth of world trade and the need for trade to flow in an uninhibited fashion. So I do not think there will be a great deal of difficulty, I hope that will be a universal view.

    QUESTION:

    On the question of human rights, what is the point of talking about good government if you do not introduce a means to enforce it?

    PRIME MINISTER:

    We are going to discuss human rights and we are going to point to peer pressure. There have been the most enormous changes over the last few years, some of them in the Commonwealth, many of them beyond the Commonwealth. I do not think any country in the world is immune from the sort of changes that we have seen over the last couple of years and I am surprise you think there will be so much difficulty about it. I think the fact that there have been such remarkable changes is clear to everyone and will be reflected in our discussions this week.