EM3ARCGOED NOT FOR RELEASE BY ANY MEDIA 3J-EFORE 7.50 P. M. MOIDAY, 21ST
" THE JROTH OF A NATION"
Transcript of Election Telecast by the Prime Minister,
Mr. Harold Holt
I want to say something to you in the iroad about
our domestic programme for the next three years. You have
no douot read much of the detail; jut before I talk about
our programme, let me remind you that how we are to carry
on with the development of this continent and how best we
can make our country secure is the very core of this election
campaign. How we do these things is the great issue of this
election. ( Film Sequence on Security)
It is not possible, in the space of a few minutes
to talk fully about the growth of this nation of ours. But
the truth, of course, is that you can't grasp the story of
Australian achievement in recent years through statistics
alone. The real discovery is to feel in your bones what
is happening in a country oursting into rich, adult
nationhood with its greater tomorrows ahead.
Seventeen years ago, when we came to office, we
resolved to do one thing above all else to produce our way
to prosperity. This plan, quickly realized, evolved into
our long-term objective of national development with
national stability. I'ithin that time more than half the
homes in Australia today have been built.
An expanding economy, full employment, a rapidly
growing population all these things have helped to give
us one of the highest living standards in the world.
All this is worth preserving.
, fie oelieve that our domestic and foreign policies
are right for Australia at this point of time; we are
certain they are more in tune with the national outlook
than the policies of our Labor Party opponents.
Naturally, we give our constant attention to our
national security in a changing and dangerous part of the
world. But our primary aim is to push on with our development
at home, to make Australia not only a bigger and
stronger country but a good country for men and women and
their children to live in, to prosper in, to be happy in.
Back in 1963 we oroke new ground, particularly on
education and housing. Education is of vital importance
to every parent and child and to the nation itself. Ours
is not a uig country in numbers, so we must be big in quality.
And that's why education looms so large. Under our Federal
Constitution education is one of the subject matters reserved
to the States but we as a Federal Government are willingly
doing more and more to help.
In my Policy Speech I have proposed new and important
Commonwealth assistance to education. Our decision
to appoint a Commonwealth Minister for Education is further
evidence of our good intentions.
We made notable advances in the housing policies
we announced in 1965. The Home Savings Grant Scheme and
the Housing Loans Insurance Corporation have played their
part in making Australia a great home-owning democracy.
lready we have the highest percentage of home-ownership
in the world. But ours is a continuing programme. We
now propose a special effort to give more help and comfort
to our older citizens.
In the field of social justice we have looked again
at the means test and gone further along the road of
liberalisation. There isn't time to go into detail tonight about
the plans we have for the further development of our great
primary industries and the development of our vast northern
areas. The central government of our country has become
both demanding and complex. There are great and farreaching
matters constantly before us. The business of
government is certainly not for our Labor Party opponents
in their present condition. They have frequently shown
they can't ue of the same mind for one week on end.
On the larger questions of national security and on
the equally important questions of national progress,
economic stability and the well-being of the individual,
we have put before you principles and a programme which
we firmly believe are in the oest interests of our country
and of you, its people.
You have a clear-cut choice on Novemoer 26. Cast
it wisely for yourself and for Australia.
( This Telecast will be programmed by the A. B. C. Network at
7.50 21st November, 1966.)