MIKE HOSKING:
The Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey happens to be in the country at the moment and he is with us, good morning.
TREASURER:
Good morning Mike.
MIKE HOSKING:
As regards MH17, you would be pleased with progress overnight, the black box is being handed over, the bodies being moved, the Dutch seem to be in charge.
TREASURER:
Well, yes but it is too slow. Australia and New Zealand has lost citizens and 37 people that call Australia home died in the terrible tragedy and what obviously is a crime; we are certainly looking for matters to be expedited. It has all been too slow which is very frustrating for everyone but there certainly appears to be some progress.
MIKE HOSKING:
What is your read on what was happening in that field? Did they stall to hide something or not?
TREASURER:
Well, quite clearly the Russian backed rebel soldiers were engaged in looting, as were some members of the community. That is just inconceivable, inconceivable to an everyday citizen in New Zealand or Australia and quite obviously, there is a real risk that they have covered up evidence of where the missile came from or potentially who fired the missile so this is why Australia introduced and managed to get through the UN Security Council a resolution for a full independent inquiry, but it’s just all taken too long.
MIKE HOSKING:
No doubt in your mind that it was the Separatists backed by the Russians?
TREASURER:
Well, Mike I can’t say definitively but certainly there is, there is compelling evidence. Now, there will be an independent investigation. The Russians deny it emphatically, I’m not sure that the rebels deny it but I am sure they (inaudible). It comes down to a whole lot of factors but having the two black boxes which are now in a laboratory in Great Britain – in London, is going to give us some evidence. I am sure there will need to be a range of different outputs. I mean, the fundamental point is, even if the black boxes provide information about how the plane went down, you won’t be able to get the motivation and you won’t be able to find out without other sources of information, who was responsible for pushing the button.
MIKE HOSKING:
Is there a lesson in this for the world if you like, in the sense that for three, four, maybe even five days, the world said all the right things and they did all the right things verbally but yet still we literally did nothing? We could do nothing or if we could, we didn’t?
TREASURER:
Well, there are many lessons here and there always will be. I mean, the first lesson is that lives are precious and (inaudible) need to say it time and time again. You know, I just saw a report that 600 civilians have died in the Israel-Gaza battle – 600 civilians and it is going on. Now, I am not saying who is responsible but what I am saying is that we all have got a responsibility to step in, sometimes where angels fear to tread and you have got to do that because you know these are precious human beings. They could be our children, they could be our parents and the final moments of that plane and the people on that plane is just all too horrific to think about. Now, that has got to be the motivating force for everyone to take immediate action and also, bring to justice those people responsible and importantly to have courage to stand up to the bullies, whether the bullies are you know, pro-Russian Separatists in Ukraine or the bullies may be the President of a country. You have got to stand up to a bully and that is a big lesson for the world, you can’t let them get away with these things.
MIKE HOSKING:
Listen, I appreciate your time and enjoy your stay in the country. Joe Hockey, the Australian Treasurer with us this morning.