Iraq and Conscience Vote Simon Crean - Leader of the Opposition

Doorstop Interview

Transcript - Melbourne - 18 January 2003

E & OE – PROOF ONLY

CREAN: What the poll shows is, overwhelmingly, the Australian people are against a position in which Australia backs the United States unilaterally. The Australian public wants the Iraqi situation sorted out through the United Nations. That's what Labor has been saying now for months, and it shows how out of touch John Howard is. What John Howard should do is to take notice of this expression of opinion by the Australian people and he should not be deploying any troops to Iraq ahead of a determination by the United Nations. He can't continue arrogantly along, simply following whatever the United States argues for, and ignoring the wishes of the Australian people. And I call on the Prime Minister not to deploy any troops to Iraq until the weapons inspectors have reported, until they complete their task.

JOURNALIST: Is a conscience vote a serious response?

CREAN: No, it's not. The Australian people want their political parties to show leadership on this. Most of all, they want us to get together and secure a peaceful outcome – secure an outcome through the United Nations. I'm prepared to support that. I'm prepared to lead my party in that direction. And it needs a party response, not just a collection of individual responses.

JOURNALIST: But would your response be if John Howard said they'll go ahead?

CREAN: I would be opposed to that. We will oppose US-led unilateral action. We will only support action determined by the United Nations. But what we have to do most of all is to avoid the war – and we can. The weapons inspectors are doing their job. Let them complete the task. Let them report fully to the United Nations, and then let's make the decision as to where we take it from there. That's what the Australian people want, and that's what I'll argue for.

JOURNALIST: Do you think the US wants war?

CREAN: That's a question that people constantly ponder. I tell you want – I want peace. I don't want a war. I want to ensure that the position that the Australian Government pursues, as a strong ally of the US, is one that urges a diplomatic solution and secures the peace. We don't want to be committing young Australian men and women to a war that we can avoid. And that's why the Government, that's why the Prime Minister, should not be deploying any forces ahead of further consideration by the UN. But, most importantly, John Howard should be using his influence to secure the peace. That's what the Australian people want, and that's what I'll back.

JOURNALIST: Do you think the US has gone too far so far?

CREAN: Well the US has now accepted the importance of determining the matter through the United Nations. That's an important and welcome development. They should not take unilateral action before the UN determines the outcome of the weapons inspections. The evidence the other day that was uncovered by the UN weapons inspectors shows that the weapons inspections are working. They should be allowed to complete their task. It's a unanimous decision of the United Nations to have the weapons inspectors back in. They're doing their job. They've got to report on the 27^thof January. We should allow them to do so. Let's have all the facts before us and let's try and secure the peace, not talk up the war.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] are you concerned there is support for an American unilateral attack?

CREAN: Well, the poll today indicates there's no support for a unilateral attack by the United States, and I welcome that outcome because that's what Labor has been opposing all along. We have said the matter has to be resolved through the UN. It should not be determined by the US alone. What we have, though, is a Government that keeps responding positively to speculation that the US wants to go it alone. The Australian people overwhelmingly are saying, ‘We don't want to go it alone. We don't want to back the US going it alone. We want the matter resolved through the United Nations.' That's what the Prime Minister has to listen to – listen to the Australian people, not just the United States.

(ends)