Transcript

MARK COLVIN: The former foreign minister, Alexander Downer is indignant at Australia's response to the humanitarian crisis in Burma.

The Government has given an initial $3 million in assistance and officials from the Prime Minister down are talking to other countries and to the UN about pressuring the Burmese regime to let aid in.

But Mr Downer says that response is pathetic, particularly compared to the billion dollar plus commitment to South East Asia after the 2004 tsunami.

He told chief political correspondent, Lyndal Curtis, that Australia, as the major developed country in the region, should be doing much more.

ALEXANDER DOWNER: We have an embarrassing situation now where it's the United States that has been sending military assets in to prepare to provide assistance with, to the people of Burma. It's America that has been taking the lead.

All Australia has done is offer $3 million, when we have a budget surplus of over $20 billion, we offer $3 million when there are an estimated 100,000 people dead about 1.5 million people displaced in our own immediate neighbourhood. I think that's a very poor effort of the part of the Australian Government.

LYNDAL CURTIS: But isn't this situation with the Burmese regime totally different to what happened with the tsunami in South East Asia where Australia already had well established friendly relationships with countries like Indonesia and Thailand and already had aid workers on the ground?

ALEXANDER DOWNER: Well this is my point. Of course we have a very good and friendly relations with Indonesia and it was in some respects much easier to provide assistance. But Australia has extensive relations throughout South East Asia, throughout the ASEAN countries. Burma is one of the ASEAN countries.

We know the people who lead Burma. We might not approve of them. We might not approve of the system. But these are people we know.

LYNDAL CURTIS: But doesn't the nature of the relationship or of the contact that the Burmese regime is allowing them. I mean, it's much harder to establish exactly what sort of assistance is needed because Australia hasn't been able to put bodies on the ground.

ALEXANDER DOWNER: Exactly. It is harder. And that's why a country like Australia which is a developed country, is a, if you like, a westernised country. Australia has a capacity to deal with Burma and to deal with the situation in South East Asia unlike any other country. Unlike any other country.

And yet, we're not using that. All we're doing is, well at the moment, hiding behind the skirts of the United States. We should be taking a lead here. We should be trying to persuade the Burmese ourselves.

LYNDAL CURTIS: But won't it take the pressure of a super power like America on the regime to let aid workers in?

ALEXANDER DOWNER: You know, at the end of the day, if Australia was a leader in South East Asia it would be coordinating, organising and coming up with ideas and of course, in a situation like this, talking to the regime in Burma.

But Australia has gone from being a leader to being a follower.

LYNDAL CURTIS: Finally Mr Downer, the date for the by-election in former minister Peter McGauran's seat of Gippsland has been announced. Will the voters also be going to the polls in your seat of Mayo around then?

ALEXANDER DOWNER: I'm sure they won't. They went to the polls in Mayo and I was the only South Australian Liberal to be elected on a primary, on primary votes alone. I'm very proud of the support that I have from the people of Mayo and thanks very much for asking.

LYNDAL CURTIS: So you'll be hanging around for a little bit longer?

ALEXANDER DOWNER: I enjoy being an MP, I've been an MP for a long time and I enjoy it.

MARK COLVIN: The former foreign minister Alexander Downer speaking with Lyndal Curtis.