Transcript: TOKYO BROADCASTING SYSTEM TELEVISION

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

Vanuatu yes.

HIROKI IIJIMA:

I have been to Vanuatu too.

MICHAEL McCORMACK: Oh right! Yes, look it was actually good to see Australian foreign aid at work and we visited a hospital, where in fact, it is a general hospital where the Japanese Government has provided such valuable assistance, particularly a hospital, where children had received wonderful care and medical facilities, that they would have otherwise not received, but not for the Japanese Government. The Japanese Government, the American Government and the Australian Government, working hand in hand, side by side, and that’s how we should be, combining as nations in the Pacific. It’s a very contested space at the moment, as we know, so it was good to be actually able to see firsthand what these three Governments who always espouse peace and democracy, have done working together to help children who would otherwise not have received that assistance.

HIROKI IIJIMA:

Talking about the anniversary, the 80th Anniversary of the Cowra Breakout, obviously the Prime Minister is here too, so how do you feel about that?

MICHAEL McCORMACK:

Oh look, I was really pleased to have the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, here today. It’s a very special time when you get a Prime Minister in a country community. It doesn’t matter what their political persuasion is to get a Prime Minister to turn up to a place such as Cowra for an important event such as this. And I think it shows the respect that he has, that our nation has, and our Parliament certainly has, and people, to the Japanese nation because it wouldn’t have been that easy after World War II, when the hostility ceased, but the feelings were still very raw, and for Australia to reach out and for Japan to accept all that was and is between our two nations. This town is a very special place, and it’s a place of international understanding and friendship and I think the world can learn a lot from what Australia and Japan has done in this regard.