FED:Confusion over PM's Timor solution

AAP General News (Australia)
07-09-2010
FED:Confusion over PM's Timor solution

By Karlis Salna

CANBERRA, July 9 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has clarified her asylum seeker
policy, confirming that East Timor is her preferred choice for a regional processing hub
for refugees.

Visiting Western Australia, the prime minister narrowly escaped an egg thrown by a
disgruntled small-business owner, but she could not avoid intense interest in her plans
for the proposed offshore processing centre.

"I'm very pleased to see that both the president and the prime minister of East Timor
are looking forward to discussions around a concrete proposal," Ms Gillard said.

"On Tuesday ... I indicated I'd had a conversation with the president of East Timor
and that we would be further pursuing discussions with them."

"So that's our focus."

The comments came after the prime minister on Thursday denied she had specifically
suggested East Timor as the intended location for the processing centre.

Despite Ms Gillard's latest remarks, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor on Friday
also denied East Timor had been specifically earmarked.

"It was on Tuesday the prime minister made clear she would be discussing this matter
and indeed had discussed the matter with the president of East Timor about the possibility
of a regional processing centre," he said.

"There has been no reference to where."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott seized on the development, saying the government's asylum
seeker policy was unravelling.

"It's very clear that what were seeing is again, a pattern of incompetence and deception
from the government," Mr Abbott said.

Confusion over the government's policy emerged as protesters rallied in Melbourne and
Perth over the planned resort to offshore refugee processing.

Ms Gillard, visiting Western Australia for the first time as prime minister, was also
confronted with protests about climate change and was the target of an egg thrown by a
man apparently complaining about small business policy.

The prime minister was entering the ABC studios in Perth about 9.30am (WST) on Friday
when the egg was thrown.

It hit a policewoman on the back and smashed against a wall.

Police arrested a 55-year-old man outside the building.

Ms Gillard brushed the drama aside, later apologising on air to the police officer
who was hit by the egg.

"I did see something fly past, and I have met the lady who was coming in who ended
up with the egg - on the back of her raincoat fortunately - so she'll be able to wipe
it off," she said.

The prime minister also used her visit to the resource-rich state to guarantee the
government would not expand its recently negotiated resources tax regime to include minerals
other than iron ore and coal.

Some sections of the mining industry have expressed concern that if the government
is re-elected, it might expand the arrangement to include other minerals.

Asked if she could guarantee the government would not try to apply the tax to other
minerals, such as copper, uranium and gold, Ms Gillard replied: "I can give that guarantee
absolutely."

"If we are re-elected, we will move to legislate the tax as it's been described, arising
from the breakthrough agreements eight days into being prime minister," Ms Gillard said.

The prime minister also announced changes to the childcare rebate which will see it
paid every fortnight instead of quarterly. The change would ease cost of living pressures
for families, she said.

The government on Friday also announced it would delay the introduction of legislation
setting up a mandatory internet filter until after a review into the policy is completed
next year.

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