PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION CONFERENCE GIVEN
BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. HAROLD HOLT, AT
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN HOTEL, ADELIDE, S. A. MARCH. 1966
MR. HOLT WWe ll, Nancy and gentlemen I am already heartened to
find my very dear colleague here with me; I welcome her in her
new capacity, but I ho e she won't be long separated from us.
And I see some other od friends in Stewart and some of you that
I think I have encountered in the course of campaigning or
Treasury operations or something of that sort. But I didn't
come here equiped to make any Iong nation-shaking utterance.
I did want to take this opportunity quite early in my own Prime
Ministership, of meeting representatives of the Press from South
Australia, and while here give you the opportunity if you
choose to exercise it of putting anj questions you may wish
to me about current affairs. But I think rather than spend
a great deal of time on matters which may not be of interest
to you, I could leave the time to you, hoping there will be
enough left from the two of us to enable mento partake of the
refreshments with you.
I may say that this is The first time that I have been
to one of your Adelaide Festivals. Mrs. Holt and I are greatly
loxKing forward to the remainder of the programme which we have
before us. But I do regard it as a very happy circumstance that
the visit enabled me to be at the very impressive opening this
afternoon of Flinders University. Our own Government, as you
know, he. s taken a very great interest. and my predecessor made
it one of his prime concerns and personal interests to advance
the university expansion programme throughout Australia, and I
know it would have given him very great personal pleasure to
be here today and see this wonderful example of the fruits of
that policy of expansion.
Now, there must be some questions bubbling up in your
minds, so it is over to you.
Q. ( Cockburn of the " Advertiser") Mr. Holt, you are reported as
saying today that when the Government has full explained its
reasons for its conscription policy for Viet am you are
confident that the country will be behind you. Can you tell us
why you haven't found it possible to disclose these reasons
alrealy?
MR. HOLT Well, I wasn't speaking of reasons in the sense of the
broad purposes of policy. This has been done, of course, mnst
admirably first by Sir Robert when he introduced the legislation
relating to the National Service call-up, and of course in
relatioñ to South Viet Nam itself, there have been statements of
Government policy on that for many years since the situation
worsened so seriously there. But iwas thinking in particular
of the operatinnal service aspect and my interview was taking
place in the open air after an aeroplane flight. I wouldn't
regard it as iny lack of competence on anyone's part, including
myown, if the language emerged as a rather loose statement of
what I was trying to put. But I think I can explain it perhaps
clearly enough to you here. We have explained, in considerable
dReetgauilla, r tAhrem yn, e aendd foIr wial ln agtoi oonvaelr setrhvait ceg rOcuonmdp onaegnatin wfiotrh ytohue in
some detail if you would wish me to refresh your minds on it. s / 2
2
MR. HOLT ( Contd.) I don't think it is so widely known to members of
the general public and I don't think we are-bgin arcisted in
making the need, the purposes, and indeed the limits of tne
National Service participation, known to the publio by the campaign
which is based on an apoeal to emotions even stirring the feelings,
or running the danger of stirring some feelings of hysteria from
the manner in which the Opposition has commented on these matters.
It will have been noted that there has been no practical
alternative proposed by the Opposition even suggestion that
we might have offered more attractive terms to people in the
hope that they might volunteer can be of course answered by the
facts of what we aid. We did offer the most attractive terms
I think I am correct in saying that in the lower ranks of the
Australian Regular Army, our servicemen are the highest paid in
that ranking of any army in the world.
Q. Nevertheless, Sir, do you feel worried about the extent to
which the Australian public" are not adequately informed and are
not responding in perhaps the way you might wish. This new
dimension of our commitment..........
MR. HOLT Well, when you say am I worried, I am naturally concerned.
I am not lacking in faith and optimism that when the facts and
the need and the limits of what is proposed are carefully
explained in the detail that will be necessary and perhaps on the
occasions in number that will be necessary, there will be the
kind of response from the Australian people that will be consistent
with the responsibility that they have shown in these matters in
the past. We have never been an isolationist people. We have
recognised that our responsibilities in protecting freedom extend
beyond our own shores, and indeed it is preferable to meet the
challenge beyond our own shores if this can be done, but if I may
gn to this degree of explanation I think that too many people
see what is ahead in the terms of two world wars when Australia
called for volunteers for expeditionary forces that were away
from this country for long years in the period or in the course
of that service. Now, this is a very different situation that Australia
faces today. We have a Regular Army with tasks allotted to it to
meet the commitments, the obligations which Australia has undertaken.
We have become an adult nation. We can't rest comfortably
with the protection of the British Navy which we enjoyed about the
period of the First Wcrld War, or Just look to an automatic
response say from the Seventh Fleet of the United States if we
get into any trouble at any time. We can lonk confidently to
the support of the United States of America, our tested ally
bound to us by treaty in ANZUS and SEATO, but those treaties
carry obligations for us as well as for our Allies, and I would
not resgrd the response that we are making in South Viet Nam as
excessive, having regard to our treaty alliances.
Q. ( Scales of the " Advertiser") Mr. Holt, do you consider that
South Australian representation in Cabinet or the Ministry is
sufficient to safeguard its interests? There is no representation
in Cabinet and only one in the Ministry.
MR. HOLT: Well, this is so and it is a matter for regret fir me as
I am sure it is for South Australia, but while we do attempt to
arrange the representation in the Cabinet on a basis which will
secure some representation in each of the States, we also have to
have regard to capacities and to the suitability of particular
persons for the posts that we have for assignment to them. If you
look a little more broadly at the matter South Australia with the
Speakership, the Deputy Whipship and a place in the Ministry,
isn't without representation at the official levels of the / 3
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MR. HOLT ( Contd.) Parliament. It so happens that at the moment you
don't have a-Member in the Cabinet. We would hpve liked to have
included one on the last occasion, but I am sure that Dr. Forbes
himself would not have that his own limited experience at that
point of time would have carried the day for him against the very
much more experienced members & f the Ministry who are now in the
Cabinet. That is one reason in fact the principal reason why
I arranged for him to take up the portfolio of Health rather than
maintain that in the Army where he was doing a first-class job
was that as Minister for the Army he was very much the Junior
Minister operating under the general guidance of the Minister for
Defence who was a Cabinet Minister. As Minister for Health he
does have a domain of his own, and I am confident will show in that
portfolio the qualities which will warrant promotion for him when
opportunity offers later on.
Q. ( Mrs. Nancy Buttfield of 5DN) This morning, the Governor of the
Reserve Bank is reported to have said that the economy was nicely
balanced in the state of uncertainty. If you agree that uncertainty
is good for public confidence and therefore for the economy as a
whole, do you anticipate that more may need to be done to help the
economy other than what you have already done in extra money for
housing and extra money for drought and immigration?
MR. HOLT I am not sure what you have said puts quite fairly for
him what the Governor had in mind. As I tried to explain to someone
who put a similar question to me earlier if you think of a scale
in balance the needle can hover around the mark which says balance
and in that sense there is a little uncertainty if it hovers
backvards and forwards from that balance mark. And this is the
sense in which I am sure the Governor was using the term. In
other words, the economy at the moment was neither moving strongly
into inflation or moving strongly into recession. It was in a
state of balance with certain factors working through which could
affect the pace of growth. If we have good seasonal developments,
if there is finally a breaking of the drought on what looks like
being an enduring basis for at least some time in New South Wales
and Queensland, then there is enugh steam in the economy to move
steadily ahead. On the ether hand, if there are adverse developments,
then I think the Government which has really given stimulus
at various points its drought relief measures measures which
are small but of a useful kind in relation to housing these things
are just helping to keep the needle rather nicely balanced at the
desired point.
Q. ( Jeff Medwell of 5DN) Sume time ago, the A stralian Government
announced that it was sending more troops to South Viet Nam at the
request of the South Vietnamese Government. Just recently the South
Korean Governmean announced that it was sending more troops to
South Viet Nam in excnange for more economic aid from the United
States, and at the request of the United States. Can you explain
why one country sends troops at the request of America and the
other sends troops at the request of South Viet Nam?
MR. HOLT I wouldn't imagine for one moment that South Korea would
be sending troops unless it was with the approval, and I should
imagine at the request of, South Viet Nam. There is nothing
mysterious or unlikely about South Viet Nam which is so sorely
pressed it has over 300,00 of its own troops in the field
asking for help where help can be giv. n. These matters are handled
between governments on the basis of formality finally so that you
don't have people imposed on one government against the will of
that government. There was a clear understanding for some time
that South Viet Nam would welcome whatever help could be given.
Now, the South Koreans have every cause to be sensitive to pressures
from Chinese Communism. They were within an ace of being overrun
themselves. It was only by the most strenuous American resistance / 4
4
MR. HOLT ( Contd2-Biñ b-them and very substantialAmer-ican support-4That
South Korea was held from a takeover by Communist China. I think
that this is one of the influences affecting the decision of the
Government of South Korea. It may well be that such decision
imposed economic stresses on the Government of that country or
the financing of the operation of their own troops imposed
stresses on it. They might well have turned to the United States
and said, " Will you help us economically if we are going to accept
these burdens?" But I don't think I read too much significance
into the fact that, on the face of it, we met a request, and on the
face of it they supplied the troops apparently without a request.
I am sure there would have been a continuing request which, in
effect, is what we already have.
Q. Mr. Holt what has to ha pen in South Viet Nam or in the
vicinity of South iet Nam before the United Nations steps in?
MR. HOLT I would of course, be very glad to see the United Nations
step in, if it did so in a purposeful and effective way. It did
so in the case of South Korea, but perhaps the issues are not so
clear-cut in the minds of some members of the United Nations at
this time. I think we must all recognise the political significance
of the development of an Afro-Asian Bloc in which Chinese
Commnist leadership played a very large part, and undoubtedly
there are many members of the United Nations in that bloc who
would not give support to any nation which seemed to be directed
against Communist China. And I think this is the principal
inhibiting factor. One other is, I think, the preoccupation of
the countries of Western Europe with the problems of Europe.
I had a European diplomat put it to me quite bluntly. He said
" You won't get the Western European countries at this time thinking
of South East Asia. They are all too much concerned with trying
to hang on te a species of unity in Europe."
Q. ( Stewart Cockburn) Even those, Sir, who are members of SEATO?
Because Britain and France would have similar obligations to those
of Australia under the provisions of the SEATO treaty.
MR. HOLT The United Kingdom, of course, has been conducting its
own recent Defence Review, ancepting obligations in relation to
the Indonesian confrontation of Malaysia which have required a
very lare build-up of British Forces in the area far larger than
they would intend t maintain subsequently in that area so I
think they feel they are making their valuable cortribution.
The Americans are doing a big jrb in South Viet Nam.
Q. The reason why I ask the guestion is that you are today
reported as saying that the United States and other SEATO nations
would probably consider it a serious disregard of our obligations
if we were not actively participating in South Viet Nam. I am
wondering how the fact that Britain and France are not actually
participating as strongly as we are is explained?
MR. HOLT Well, I repeat that the Americans know that the United
Kingdom in addition et the obligations it has in NATO has assumed
very substantial obligations in the Malaysian area and, of course,
the United Kingdom doesn't possess these days the economic
strength, particularly in relation to external capacity that it
had in an earlier point of time. I don't think that the Americans
would feel that Britain wasn't playing a considerable and
appropriate part where it is. But looking at the Australian
participation until we had made our recently announced decision,
the numbers of Australians outside this country were not so very
large and the contribution in that particular area was a
comparatively small one. A very good battalion, but just one
battalion. Se a
Q. ( Brian Taylor, Channel 7) Mr. Prime Minister, it appears that
some people feel very strongly about the lack of information on
the Viet Nam issue, particularly in regard to our increased
commitments. If in yodr mind the situation does exist, has
anything been done to rectify it?
MR. HOLT Yes. It's not that there has been either lack of
action or lack of will to et the story over more widely, and
we have looked to the Parliament in recent days as one of the
mmst effective mediums for getting the Government's policy aid
intentions across but even there it is hard to cover the story
in the detail that you wish to do so in the time and the
opportunities available. I spent 20 minutes last night and
really didn't touch more than the fringe of the matter. I would
have liked to have explained the attempts being made to secure
volunteers the fact that in none of the last three years did we
have less than 9,000 volunteers coming forward in each of those
three years, and in each of those three years we did not find more
than 2,500 who measured up to the standards which the Army
required. Now, when it was decided that we had to increase our
force from say, 22,500 to 33,000 by 1967 to meet increasing
dangers and problems which were seen in the area, our military
advisers made it quite clear to us that you just couldn't get
those numbers by the normal voluntary process. It was not a
case of pay and conditions. Our re-engagement rate this is
not well-khown our re-engagement rate in the Army is at about
the highest level it has ever attained. Our re-engagement rate
is 70 per cent., and these are men who have done their full term
of service, not National Servicemen, but career Army men, and
peGple don t re-engage at that rate if pay and conditions aren't
atfractive to them. The rate has been as low as 40 per cent.
Seventy per cent. is a high rate. So it wasn't that. In a
fully employed society, you do find it difficult to attract young
men to a Regular Army career. The National Service scheme was
adopted as the fairest method. It only touches a fractional part
of that age group. Only one in ten of the age group is called
up and the pro ortion of those called up who wilI ever see service
outside of Ausralia will be a very small one. So it is a
relatively small proportion of that total age group.
Q. Getting back to my final question on Viet Nam, when
we were up there last year, we found that morale was very high.
The soldiers felt a certain disinterest from Australia, and they
were also ratler concerned about the anti-Viet Nam demonstrations.
Has that in any way prompted your forthcoming visit to Viet Nam
and other ports of call?
MR. HOLT Well it was frankly an influence in my decision to
go there. It so happens that the particular battalion which is
coming to the end of its tour of duty would be leaving that area
at no distant point of time, and I felt it appropriate that this
battalion which had brought such credit to Australia and distinetion
to itself should be thanked for its services if I could make the
visit in that time, as well, of course, familiarising me in my
present position as to conditions not only there but in several
other posts where our troops are. But I agree that morale has
been splendid and it is unfortunate that there should have been
doubts created in the minds of these men serving so ably there
that they didn't have wholeheartedly behind them the Parliament
and indeed the Australian people as a whole. But I am sure that
those who are serving do have-the gratitude and appreciation of
the Australian people and * ust as their morale is high, I am glad
to say that the morale of ? hose who have been called up that alse
is high. They are turning Put splendidly, and those that are
later to serve in reaudlar army units in any theatre of combat,
I am sure will acquit themselves as well as the regular army men
themselves. s / 6
6
Q. ( Frank Kennedy of the " Advertiser") We gather that you are
interested in the Festival, Sir. Financial difficulties are
holding up the building of a much-needed Festival Hall. Would you
care ti tell us Sir what would be the attitude of your Government
to any request from the South Australian Government in this matter?
MR. HOLT Well, it would certainly, of course, be carefully
studied. Our interest has been shown in the general sphere of
cultural developments by the Elizabethan Theatre Trust contribution
and by the regular contribution we make to the Adelaide Festival.
We don't make it to all city festivals I might remind you. We
don't make a contribution, for example, t9 M" omba. We don't
believe it has attained quite the same cultural level as your own
and yet I think there was a request for assistance for the Waratah
Festival which also didn't attract Federal suppnrt. But I make
the point that we have not been lacking in sympathy. Whether this
is a matter which should more appropriately be financed by the
people of this State from their own resources, or whether it is
one which will justify some Commonwealth participation is a question
which I would like to look at with the necessary documentation in
front of me and some consideration of what we have found it fair
and proper to do in similar circumstances in other States.
Q. ( Len James of Radio 5AD) Mr. Prime Minister I would like to
make a point of reference concerning the United States radio
communication centre being built in Western Australia. I
understand that the American partner or one of the American subcontractors
has gone through the hoop and left quite a number of
private Australian concerns small ones and large ones with
debts owing to them of some few dollars to tens of thousands.
Does the Federal Government compensate these people or is the
Federal Government conversing with the United States Government
over these things?
MR. HOLT This matter has been looked at, I know, by Ministers
who have activities relarant to the episode to which you refer or
tj the events to which you refer. My colleague the Minister for
Defence has commented on it. He is very much better informed on
it than I am, but I understood his general view to be that when one
took into account the circumstances cf the notification of people
concerned in these matters that they have embarked on what might
be fairly re! arded as commercial risk and they could hardly expect
the general body of taxpayers to carry the consequences of their
own lack of provision or care in the matter. That is putting it
as I understand it from what I have heard and read but how far
this matter is still before us is something I couldn't just answer
off the cuff.
Q. South Australia has been asking for financial assistance
for beef roads in the State's North. Is there any plan by the
Commonwealth Government to supply financial assistance to cover
freight costs for restocking the North?
MR. HOLT You mean in relation to the drought? They are two
separate matters really. On the first one I would regard this
myself as not being finally dealt with. There has been a request
in earlier but the higher priority in what was not an unlimited
provision of funds for beef road purposes has gone to roads further
to the north, running across the top of Australia in Western
Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. But the Premier
does not regard it as a closed matter. I doubt whether the
Leader of the Opposition would see it as a closed matter. For
my part, I still regard it as under active consideration. I am
sure we will be hearing something more about it, seein there is
a Loan Council meeting in June if not before then. It may be that
we will find it more appropriate to deal with it then than at this / 7
-7-
MR. HOLT ( Contd.) point of time. On the second point, I have
received a request. I did not actually see it but that might have
been because I was preoccupied with other matters until last
night. I do regard it as a matter which needs to be looked
at quite urgently and I hope to get reply tc the Premier early
next week. That s on the arought and freight assistance.
Q. During your arrival at the Adelaide airport you must
have found it uncomfortably crbwded because I don't think it
is possible for a plane to come in and not have that effect.
Do you think that you could think very seriously in the future of
giving us added facilities at our Adelaide airport.
MR. HOLT Well, again I think I would like notice of that one
because I am not sufficiently well informed. I must say that
when one looks at the Canberra facilities I think they rank
about the bottom of any city which lays claim to that sert of
title. I used to feel badly about it until having travelled
overseas and being compelled to carry my bag through long
interminable passages in these great glittering airports of
other countries, I felt a little more kindly disposed to our
more accessible terminals here. But all I know is that my
colleague the Minister for Civil Aviation puts up a very costly
programme of civil aviation works and I am sure that Adelaide
would be justly dealt with by him out of those funds, but I
can't say from my own knowledge much about it.
Q. ( Ron Boath, Southern Cross newspaper) Does the Federal
Government plan any extension for aid to independent schools?
MR. HOLT You mean additional to the provision that has been
made? The origin of this matter I think, is well known. In
Canberra we tock action to assist the schools there which were
coping with a quite abnormal situation, and from that beginning
we have extended our assistance in a manner which you were
well aware of at the time of the last general election. But
I am not aware of any proposal currently before us for any
extension. I will be surprised if we didn t receive requests
for further extensions, but it is customary to deal with these
at Budget time, sometimes even at election times.
Q. ( Jeff Medwell) Do you believe that the new Indonesian
anti-communist regime will result in a lessening of its
confrontation policy in Malaysia?
MR. HOLT Now, are we on the record or are we off it?
Q. I think so, Sir.
MR. HOLT Well, I prefer not to say too much about that matter
because noreof us can be sure at the moment what attitude will
emerge from this regime but I amqiite certain that it would
not e very helpful to that regime for it to be felt inside
Indonesia that this regime was going to abandon the confrontation
policy.
Q. ( Stewart Cockburn): Following up that question, Sir, is the
Minister for External Affairs likely to visit Indonesia and
take the opportunity to meet the new regime there and satisfy
himself of the probable policies of the new Government? 0 / e
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MR. HOLT What I have just said on the other matter has a
bearing n your question, too. There is virtue in a little
patience, I think, in this field. But as I indicated in the
House yesterday, we have maintained even through the difficult
confrontation period, a basis of friendship in our general
relations with Indonesia. de wish to live in cordiality, as
I said yesterday with them. certainly think that it is
unfortunate in their owm interests that a country with their
tremendous natural resources hasn't succeeded in building up a
considerable trade with not merely Australia but other
cimopunrotrveiemes nto f itnh et haatr ead, i raencdt ioinf, thiet wnoeuwl dr egbei mew elecfofmeec. t s sBoumte our
interest in Indonesia is not primarily a commercial interest,
and it is the interest that one neighbour has for the other,
particularly when the other has a rather restless turbulent
population of 100 million people.
Q. ( Barry Tornquist of the " News") How do you enjoy life as
Prime Minister?
MR. HOLT: Well, I am enjoying it. I enjoyed life as
Treasurer. I enjoy it in most capacities, as I think my
friend Nancy would know. But I find it a very stimulating
occupation. I think my anly criticism of it is that it
doesn't leave me very much time to behave as a human being.