here is the transcript KERRY O'BRIEN: Kevin Rudd, when you singled out the mining industry table at the mid winter ball in your speech last night, and said to them in relation to the current dispute over the resources tax, "We've got a long memory." What exactly did you mean?
KEVIN RUDD, PRIME MINISTER: .....The ball last night is just a fun and frivolous occasion. Last time I heard it was supposed to be sort of off the record. It was just a throw away line, that's all and I think anyone observing that would know that. The truth is that...
KERRY O'BRIEN: But there are throw away lines and throw away lines, of course. If you say you're negotiating in good faith with the mining industry but you tell me how you'd react if you're locked in a bitter argument with somebody and they say to you "I've got a long memory, mate", how would you take that?
KEVIN RUDD: (spin)
KERRY O'BRIEN: Yeah, but you have said all this. You've been explaining this for weeks now which has certainly had no positive impact for you in the polls but what I'm asking you is whether if somebody said to you when you're in the middle, locked in a very bitter argument with them and they say to you "Mate, I've got a long memory." Wouldn't they take that as something of a threat, a warning?
KEVIN RUDD: No Kerry, I just think it's pretty important to put a few light hearted remarks at a mid winter ball with a bunch of journos in the room into its context. I mean if you were going to repeat everything else I had to say last night on this program in terms of, you know, various comments about how I or the Government have performed, I mean are they to be taken in the same sort of serious light? It's just a throw-away line.
KERRY O'BRIEN: Well, it was reported this afternoon, it's already been reported in the media, yes, I know it was Chattam House rules. But as I say, it's now been reported. I've spoken to several people and they all took the same reaction from it that you were sending the mining industry a message?
KEVIN RUDD: Kerry, it was just a throw-away line. This is a tough negotiation with the mining industry. It's very tough and you say that obviously we're having no impact in communicating the Government's position on that. Bear in mind we're also up against a forensic campaign being launched by a very profitable industry in this country which doesn't want to see change. The same industry who said that when we changed WorkChoices that the mining industry would fall over, that didn't happen. The same industry that said that when we brought in Native Title legislation that the industry would fall over and that didn't happen and 10 years before that, when we brought in the petroleum resource rent tax that would kill the offshore industry and that didn't happen.
These debates are always tough and that's why the Government is going through a tough time. This is a really hard fought debate.
KERRY O'BRIEN: So do you want to just clear the air now for anybody who's taken your comments wrongly by telling the mining industry that there will be no attempt at payback after the next election if you win it.
KEVIN RUDD: You know something, Kerry? I have a very short term memory as well. So...
KERRY O'BRIEN: I'm not quite sure what that means but we'll move on. So what exactly ...
KEVIN RUDD: It's just a joke, Kerry. It's just a joke.
KERRY O'BRIEN: I'll work it out later.
comment I reckon he did he keeps saying this is a "really hard fought debate" he more or less admits that he did threaten them in an attempt to get them to back off.
