Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question, again to the Prime Minister, is on Iraq. I refer to his previous answer where the Prime Minister rejected any role for benchmarks when it comes to a future exit strategy for Australia. The Prime Minister has also endorsed the Bush surge strategy on Iraq. Is the Prime Minister aware that it refers to a large number of benchmarks which should be met by the Iraqis in the period ahead? Can the Prime Minister guarantee, if in response to President Bush’s surge strategy over the next few months the Iraqis fail to meet these benchmarks demanded of them, that the US will not then begin a staged withdrawal?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a situation that is so difficult and fraught in Iraq, it is difficult, as he knows, for anybody to responsibly give ‘guarantees’, as he calls them. But I can, using that term in a very broad sense, guarantee that, if the approach that he is adopting were to be adopted by coalition governments, you could guarantee total chaos in Iraq; you could be certain of that. The point I was making, as he knows, in answer to the earlier question is very simply that, if participant governments in the coalition start nominating dates by which forces are going to be withdrawn, what they are doing is inviting our enemies, inviting the terrorists in Iraq, to persist with the destabilisation and the mayhem and the bloodshed in the certain knowledge that ultimately the nerve will be lost and ultimately a withdrawal will take place. The Leader of the Opposition knows that.

Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Kelvin Thomson interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wills is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the Leader of the Opposition is wanting to make a constructive contribution to the debate, he should address his central responsibility, and that is to tell the Australian people what he honestly believes will be the consequences of a precipitate coalition withdrawal by 2008, next year. That is really what this all revolves around. This latest rekindling of the debate in the parliament on Iraq started because I was criticised for responding to a view about withdrawal by 2008. I have said what I think; I have told the Australian people. I have been criticised—an attempt was made to censure me by the Leader of the Opposition; I have been criticised in sections of the Australian media, not by all of it but most of it—but that is the consequence of taking a stand.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Also in parliament.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lilley.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The problem is that those who sit opposite will not take a stand.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, they laugh! I notice the shadow Treasurer, the member for Lilley, was interjecting a moment ago. He was on Brisbane radio this morning—with my friend and distinguished colleague the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs—and the question was asked by Madonna King:

The situation is dire there right now, Wayne Swan. What do you think would happen if the troops did pull out?

Answer:

I don’t know what would happen when the Americans pull out.

That is what Wayne Swan had to say. Then he was asked, a bit later on, a very similar question, and he said, ‘Oh, look, don’t ask me. Go and talk to Kevin about it.’ That is the measure of responsibility from this great contributor!

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will refer to members by their seat.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I just say to those who sit on the opposition front bench that this is a serious public policy issue. If you want to make a serious contribution to the debate, the first thing that you have got to do is to have the courage to say what you really believe. Don’t hide behind cherry-picking the Baker-Hamilton report, don’t hide behind misrepresenting what the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, don’t hide behind slogans; actually front up to the Australian people and say, ‘I believe that if the Americans were to pull out by March of 2008 then the following would be the consequence.’ I have had the courage to do it; it is about time the Leader of the Opposition did likewise.