Howard says conspiracy theory is ridiculous

CANBERRA - Australian Prime Minister John Howard says it's ridiculous to suggest his announcement of a potential terrorist threat to Australia was timed to deflect attention from controversial workplace relations legislation.

Mr Howard yesterday said he had received intelligence indicating an attack on Australia was possible.

His announcement came within a hours of the government introducing its workplace relations legislation, leading to the minor parties and independents suggesting the threat was a stunt to divert attention from the IR changes.

"This idea that yesterday was some giant manipulative conspiracy is ridiculous," Mr Howard told the John Laws radio show.

"It's a conspiracy incidentally that involves not only me and the attorney-general and the director general of ASIO, the head of the Australian Federal Police, the ministerial members of the national security committee of cabinet, the leader of the opposition, the shadow minister for homeland security and the premiers of the six states."

Mr Howard said he had no desire to divert attention from the introduction of his industrial relations reforms.

"I'm proud of the workplace relations changes, I didn't want them to receive less publicity, I defend those changes, I believe in them," he said.

"I believe they're good for the Australian economy I believe they will lead to more jobs, I believe they will lead to higher incomes for people in the years ahead.

"So the idea that in some way something I've believed in very strongly for more than 20 years I would want to smother, is in itself absurd.

"So on both counts this idea that it was all manipulated timing is ridiculous."

- AAP