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Monday 27 March 2006

Let’s “get stuck in” to challenges facing us all - PM

27 March 2006

Tony Blair addresses the Australian Parliament 27 March 2006A "strong alliance" is needed between countries around the world to tackle the problems of poverty, climate change and terrorism.

And leaders must ignore the "insidious and persuasive" voices that urge inaction, and "get stuck in" instead, Tony Blair has said.

The PM was addressing the Australian Parliament on day three of his trip "down under".

In his speech, the second in a series of three he is giving on international issues, Mr Blair said globalisation was a fact, however the values that govern it were a choice.

But there were many people around the world who needed persuasion. In an inter-connected world there could be no prosperity without security, and no security without justice.

He said Britain and Australia had much in common:

"We share an outlook to life.  We are both confident, outward bound, and "up for it" type of nations.

"We know tolerance, respect for others, and a basic way of life founded on democratic freedoms are held in common by the vast majority of our people, whatever their race or creed."

Turning to Iraq, he said it was not a time for the allies to walk away, but to "tough it out" instead.

In the third speech in the series the PM will describe "how international institutions need radical reform".

Earlier in the weekend the PM watched the spectacular closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

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