Post by iwonderwhyiquestioneverything? on Jul 10, 2006 19:40:55 GMT 10
heres a fun game- count the amount of times peter gives almost the exact same answer to all the questions he is asked.
my guess is if he had been asked "what did you eat for lunch?"
his reponse would have been something like:
"you can interpret lunch however you like, but at all times was i working as hard for the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE and serving the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE to the best of my ability.
did i mention the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE?"
it would be easier to get a straight answer out of a corpse than a politician.
Transcript of Costello press conference
From: AAP
July 10, 2006
TREASURER Peter Costello gave a press conference in Melbourne today in response to comments made by Prime Minister John Howard and former defence minister Ian McLachlan about a meeting the trio attended in December 1994.
The following is a full transcipt of his press conference.
MR COSTELLO: "Well, there's been a lot in the papers the last couple of days and I've never spoken about these events before, but since others have, the public is entitled to know the full truth.
"What happened was that Mr McLachlan and Mr Howard sought a meeting with me.
"The meeting took place on the 5th of December 1994. There were only three of us there.
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"Mr Howard asked me not to nominate for the Liberal Party leadership because he did not want a vote in the party room.
"He told me that he intended to do one-and-a-half terms as prime minster and then would hand over.
"I did not seek that undertaking. He volunteered it and I took him at his word.
"Obviously that did not happen. I didn't stand on my digs.
"I continue to work for the Government to the best of my ability in the interests of the Australian public.
"And whilst this country can be improved and whilst there are still things to be done to make it better, I intend to give it every ounce of energy that I have.
"I did not ask Mr McLachlan to relate these matters, but his account is entirely accurate."
JOURNALIST: As far as you're concerned, was there any equivocation in that deal at all?
COSTELLO: "That was precisely what happened. They are the full facts of what happened. I've told you entirely what happened."
JOURNALIST: Was it a suggestion or a deal?
COSTELLO: "I've told you the full detail of what happened."
JOURNALIST: There was no wriggle room at all for Mr Howard?
COSTELLO: "That's what happened. I have a very clear recollection of the events. You can interpret them as you like, but that is the full truth of what happened. And I can't say any more. That's precisely what happened.
"The public's entitled to know the full truth and that's what happened."
JOURNALIST: How does this not create open hostility between you and the Prime Minister?
COSTELLO: "No, it's not a matter of that. I did not raise these matters. I've been besieged by journalists that want to know what happened.
"There were three of us. All three of us have now given our recollections of what happened.
"And as far as I'm concerned, that's what happened.
"And as I said, what happened was that I went working for the government and the Australian people."
"That's why I have never spoken about that from that day to this. I've never spoken about this to anybody.
"And I wouldn't have, if Mr McLachlan and Mr Howard hadn't already gone on the public in relation to this matter."
JOURNALIST: Has Mr Howard lied?
COSTELLO: "Look, I'm telling you what happened. I'm not making any allegations against anybody, I'm telling you what happened and, look, you can interpret whatever you like.
"That is what happened and people are entitled to know what happened and so I'll tell you what happened."
"As I said, I thought the responsible thing to do was to work for the Australian people and the Government, and that is what I am doing, that is what I am doing, working for the Australian people, and I will continued to work for the Australian people as part of the Government.
"Whilst there are things that can be done to improve Australia, I intend to dedicate myself to doing it."
JOURNALIST: Does that include serving as Treasurer under Mr Howard to the next election and beyond?
COSTELLO: "Well Michael, that's the question I already answered to you, which is this: whilst there are things to be done to improve Australia, and whilst I can serve the Australian people, I will continue to do that. That's my answer."
JOURNALIST: Will you push to serve as prime minister before the next election?
COSTELLO: "Well I've already answered my intention, I will continue to serve the Australian people and whilst there are things to be done that can make the Australian nation stronger and better and more prosperous, and be the proud country that I want it to be, I'll continue to do that. Thank you."
my guess is if he had been asked "what did you eat for lunch?"
his reponse would have been something like:
"you can interpret lunch however you like, but at all times was i working as hard for the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE and serving the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE to the best of my ability.
did i mention the AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE?"
it would be easier to get a straight answer out of a corpse than a politician.
Transcript of Costello press conference
From: AAP
July 10, 2006
TREASURER Peter Costello gave a press conference in Melbourne today in response to comments made by Prime Minister John Howard and former defence minister Ian McLachlan about a meeting the trio attended in December 1994.
The following is a full transcipt of his press conference.
MR COSTELLO: "Well, there's been a lot in the papers the last couple of days and I've never spoken about these events before, but since others have, the public is entitled to know the full truth.
"What happened was that Mr McLachlan and Mr Howard sought a meeting with me.
"The meeting took place on the 5th of December 1994. There were only three of us there.
Advertisement:
"Mr Howard asked me not to nominate for the Liberal Party leadership because he did not want a vote in the party room.
"He told me that he intended to do one-and-a-half terms as prime minster and then would hand over.
"I did not seek that undertaking. He volunteered it and I took him at his word.
"Obviously that did not happen. I didn't stand on my digs.
"I continue to work for the Government to the best of my ability in the interests of the Australian public.
"And whilst this country can be improved and whilst there are still things to be done to make it better, I intend to give it every ounce of energy that I have.
"I did not ask Mr McLachlan to relate these matters, but his account is entirely accurate."
JOURNALIST: As far as you're concerned, was there any equivocation in that deal at all?
COSTELLO: "That was precisely what happened. They are the full facts of what happened. I've told you entirely what happened."
JOURNALIST: Was it a suggestion or a deal?
COSTELLO: "I've told you the full detail of what happened."
JOURNALIST: There was no wriggle room at all for Mr Howard?
COSTELLO: "That's what happened. I have a very clear recollection of the events. You can interpret them as you like, but that is the full truth of what happened. And I can't say any more. That's precisely what happened.
"The public's entitled to know the full truth and that's what happened."
JOURNALIST: How does this not create open hostility between you and the Prime Minister?
COSTELLO: "No, it's not a matter of that. I did not raise these matters. I've been besieged by journalists that want to know what happened.
"There were three of us. All three of us have now given our recollections of what happened.
"And as far as I'm concerned, that's what happened.
"And as I said, what happened was that I went working for the government and the Australian people."
"That's why I have never spoken about that from that day to this. I've never spoken about this to anybody.
"And I wouldn't have, if Mr McLachlan and Mr Howard hadn't already gone on the public in relation to this matter."
JOURNALIST: Has Mr Howard lied?
COSTELLO: "Look, I'm telling you what happened. I'm not making any allegations against anybody, I'm telling you what happened and, look, you can interpret whatever you like.
"That is what happened and people are entitled to know what happened and so I'll tell you what happened."
"As I said, I thought the responsible thing to do was to work for the Australian people and the Government, and that is what I am doing, that is what I am doing, working for the Australian people, and I will continued to work for the Australian people as part of the Government.
"Whilst there are things that can be done to improve Australia, I intend to dedicate myself to doing it."
JOURNALIST: Does that include serving as Treasurer under Mr Howard to the next election and beyond?
COSTELLO: "Well Michael, that's the question I already answered to you, which is this: whilst there are things to be done to improve Australia, and whilst I can serve the Australian people, I will continue to do that. That's my answer."
JOURNALIST: Will you push to serve as prime minister before the next election?
COSTELLO: "Well I've already answered my intention, I will continue to serve the Australian people and whilst there are things to be done that can make the Australian nation stronger and better and more prosperous, and be the proud country that I want it to be, I'll continue to do that. Thank you."