Mr CREAN —My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's promise to `never ever' close a regional post office. Isn't it the case that Australia Post currently applies a $67 million cross-subsidy in order to keep these post offices open? Prime Minister, if you open the profitable business-mail market to competition, won't Australia Post have to abandon its $67 million cross-subsidy? Will you guarantee to fund any shortfall from the budget? Prime Minister, given it has taken only two years to break your promise to `never ever' introduce a GST, how can you expect people to believe your promise on closure of regional post offices?

Mr HOWARD (Prime Minister) —Let me repeat the statement I made on Sunday in very simple words so that even the members of the Labor Party will understand it. We will ensure that our response to the National Competition Council report does not lead to any further closure of post offices or mail centres. Full stop.