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SENATOR EVANS
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ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT OBJECTIVELY IT IS THE LOWEST PRICED COMPLETELY CONFORMING, TECHNICALLY AND FINANCIALLY, TENDER ON THE TABLE. AS SUCH, WE WOULD HOPE AND EXPECT THE TENDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND WE WOULD BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IF IT WASNT AND I COMMUNICATED THAT VIEW TO THE THAI AUTHORITIES.
QUESTION - INDISTINCT (ON WHETHER THE MINISTER WAS APPLYING POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THE THAI GOVERNMENT REGARDING THE TELECOM BID).
SENATOR EVANS
WELL, I DONT KNOW WHETHER YOU REGARD MY BENIGN AND AMIABLE COUNTENANCE HERE IN BANGKOK AS CONSTITUTING A FORM OF POLITICAL PRESSURE. I AM JUST SIMPLY USING THE OPPORTUNITY OF MY VISIT WHICH WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE, BUT RATHER AS I HAVE EXPLAINED, AN EARLY FAMILIARISATION VISIT WEARING MY NEW HAT AS FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE MINISTER TO MAKE THE POINT THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING IS, I REPEAT, THAT THE TENDER IN QUESTION IS THE LOWEST PRICED CONFORMING TENDER. IT IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE FINANCIAL PACKAGE, I BELIEVE THE MOST FINANCIALLY ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE ON THE TABLE. IT IS THE MOST COMMERCIALLY SOUNDLY BASED PACKAGE ON THE TABLE THAT COMES FROM A CONSORTIUM HEADED BY AN ORGANISATION WHICH HAS VAST EXPERIENCE IN NOT ONLY DOMESTIC BUT INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE JUST WON, FOR EXAMPLE, AN EIGHTY MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT IN SAUDI ARABIA. SOMETHING IS PENDING, WITH A COMPANION ORGANISATION, OTC IN LAOS. IT AND TELECOM ARE
THEY BOTH WHOLLY OWNED GOVERNMENT TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITIES. WORK TOGETHER BUT IN THIS CASE THEY ARE DIFFERENT. WE ARE A LEAD CONTENDER FOR A FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT IN INDONESIA. THIS IS RIGHT OUT ON THE EDGE OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY. IT INVOLVES A LOT OF HIGH TECH TRANSFER TO THAILAND. IT ALSO INVOLVES MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF RURAL COMMUNICATION, RURAL AND REMOTE AREA WHERE AUSTRALIA DOES HAVE PARTICULAR EXPERTISE BY VIRTUE OF OUR TERRAIN, WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE KIND OF CONTRACT THAT IS AN ISSUE HERE INVOLVING THE EQUIVALENT OF LAYING LINES FROM BANGKOK TO BEIJING OR BANGKOK TO NEW DELHI, YOU NEED AN OUTFIT WITH EXPERIENCE IN HANDLING MASSIVE SCALE OPERATIONS OF THAT KIND AND WE BELIEVE WE HAVE IT. I CANT PUT THE CASE ANY MORE STRONGLY THAN THAT. THATS THE WAY I PUT IT TODAY TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE PRIME MINISTER. I SIMPLY HOPE THAT THE POINT WILL BE TAKEN.
QUESTION - INDISTINCT
SENATOR EVANS
YOU WILL HAVE TO ASK THE THAI GOVERNMENT THAT, MR FORBES, WHICH I AM SURE YOU WILL DO WITH TACT AND DISCRETION BEING AN AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST.
QUESTION - INDISTINCT TASS - ON WHETHER THE MINISTER DISCUSSED RUSSIAN PROPOSALS FOR THE REGION, AND ANY DIFFERENCES OF VIEW ON REGIONAL ISSUES
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