U.S. – Australia Relations
Transcript of the Prime Minister the Hon John Howard MP Doorstop -- Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Washington DC, U.S.A.
Washington, D.C. — 28 June 1997
- JOURNALIST:
Why did you choose to come to FDR Memorial?
- PRIME MINISTER:
He was a very significant figure in American history. I don’t think you should ever be ideologically selective about memorials you visit in another country. He was a significant figure in American history. It was close to the cemetery, and was only dedicated in May this year. It is very new. So, I think I could have been accused of a studied snub if I hadn’t.
- JOURNALIST:
He tackled unemployment by government spending. You are tackling it by chopping government spending. Do you see any irony there?
- PRIME MINISTER:
I think it is a very different era and a different time when a lot of the projects that he used were in their day capital intensive projects. They are no longer capital intensive projects, the sort of people that were involved in building dams in the 1930’s were much more numerous than those that would be involved in those sorts of things now. Now, having said that, I would remind you Laurie that we will be spending $1 billion on the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia. We will be spending $1 billion on the Federation Fund. We will be spending $250 million on the communications fund, there is quite a lot of capital investment in that. But you have to be very careful that you don’t juxtapose the - how should one put it - what worked in the 1930’s was what may or may not work in the 1990s.
- JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister what were your thoughts on the ceremony this morning?
- PRIME MINISTER:
It was a very moving ceremony and it was a reminder of the common sacrifice of Australia and the United States in the cause of freedom. A very, very moving ceremony and it was a great honour to come to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. It was a very, very impressive and moving ceremony and I was very proud on behalf of the Australian Government and the Australian people to pay tribute to the enormous sacrifice of the United States. I might say, side by side with Australia, in every major conflict of this century has been made in the defence of freedom. Thank you.
Original document from www.pm.gov.au.
Last update: Tuesday, 4 December 2007 GMT+1000
