2CC with Mark Parton

Subjects: Japanese disaster, Libya.

Transcript, E&OE

16 March 2011

MARK PARTON: This natural disaster is just unprecedented. Dr Craig Emerson is the Federal Trade Minister. He joins us on the line right now. G'day Craig.

CRAIG EMERSON: G'day Mark.

PARTON: The hard-working people at DFAT have been run off their feet on the phone. I cannot believe the number of calls that have been received.

EMERSON: Yes, they have been working around the clock and - you know - they are doing Australia proud. I think there are 8,500, just under 8,500, calls received now and we've been able to confirm that 3,230 Australians as being safe in Japan, including 119 in the tsunami- and earthquake-affected areas.

PARTON: So at this stage of the game, how many Australians are unaccounted for?

EMERSON: Unaccounted for is the right phrase. There's 144 unaccounted for. That doesn't mean that they are necessarily in danger or have been injured or lost their lives - it doesn't mean that. The communications themselves are well, basically down, destroyed in the affected areas and it could be, Mark, that quite a number of these people have left the affected area long ago, but don't know that they're unaccounted for and therefore it wouldn't be top of mind necessarily for them to make contact with the authorities. If anyone is in that category it would be great if they could contact DFAT because that reduces the number who are unaccounted for, but I hasten to add it doesn't mean that loved ones should necessarily fear the worst if their friends or relatives are in fact unaccounted for. Having said that obviously it's a natural thing to be very worried about such people.

PARTON: Well, it is and it would be naïve to assume that, when you consider the scale of this disaster that it's, it's certainly the fact that Australians would have been caught up in it. And until we get to, I guess, a week and a half down the track and even then, I mean, some of this is going to drag on for longer than that, isn't it?

EMERSON: I think so.

PARTON: It's unbelievable, it's unbelievable.

EMERSON: I think so, the devastation is unbelievable. I think all of your listeners will have seen the images on television and, uh, the tsunami itself arrived at an incredible pace. There was, I think in at least some areas, if not in most, some warning mercifully, some warning, but not much, because once these tsunamis are set off, it doesn't take them very long to race across the sea, at all.

PARTON: Craig, it feels almost insensitive to be bringing this up at this stage, but I just wanted to run past you, what effect this disaster is going to have on, on … I mean Japan is, what, our second biggest trading partner?

EMERSON: Yes, it is and I … to be honest with you, Mark, I don't feel comfortable talking about that because we will make our way through this. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Japan, who are not only great trading partners of ours, they're friends of ours and I think it is too early to get into debates or final analyses about the impacts on our exports or imports from Japan. We will lend every possible assistance we can to our friends in Japan and we are doing that, with highly-trained search and rescue teams. I think there are 72 of ours there now and C17 aircraft so we are doing whatever is asked of us. I do note this, though, Mark - that we've had our own natural disasters. Countries from around the world have said to us, 'How can we help?', and they were just ringing us and contacting us. The Christchurch earthquake, the same thing happened: they got calls from all around the world with offers of help. Now the Japanese. So, if there is a community of nations, I think it has really stood up; I think it's really stood up at this time and I think that's a source of pride for all Australians, all the people around the world.

PARTON: Craig, before I let you go, just been watching the developments, and I know you have, very closely in Libya in the last, in the last week or so. He's fighting back, isn't he? I think the rebels are going to go under here.

EMERSON: Well, he is fighting back and he ought to get out and the international community has condemned him, in the strongest possible terms. In terms of the United Nations, that has actually referred to the International Criminal Court. So this is, in UN speak, a pretty big move because it's actually drawing up the idea that he is maybe guilty, or could be charged with committing crimes against humanity.

PARTON: So, so where does that leave us if he does retake Benghazi, and does then assume control of the country again? What does that mean? Does that …

EMERSON: Well, the Arab League has agreed to implement a no-fly zone and this is something that we have been calling for because the attacks, of course, are from the air and …

PARTON: Well, they are not all from the air and I know I have heard some stuff from people on the ground who have said the no-fly zone, yes, it may help the rebels a bit but they are still up against it.

EMERSON: Oh look, I think that's right and, yeah, this is yet another case of someone who no longer has the support of his people. Maybe he never had the support of his people, but let's not spend too much time on history; there is no doubt now that he does not and Gaddafi must go. He must get out of there and the killing of your own people by your own leader is just … well it is just disgraceful, it is disgusting and, following the massacres in Rwanda in, I think in 1992, the UN learned a lesson, because frankly, it was silent about that.

PARTON: Yeah, yeah.

EMERSON: And now the silence is broken and the UN has spoken and Gaddafi must go.

PARTON: Like Gaddafi, I must go as well - we're out of time. Thanks Craig.

EMERSON: Thanks Mark.

PARTON: Dr Craig Emerson, the Federal Trade Minister.

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