FOR PRESS_ P. M. No 11 / 1970
COMMONWEALTH/ STATE JOINT ENQUIRY ON REEF
The Prime Minister, Mr Gorton today replied to a telegram which
he received late on Friday from the Premier of Queensland, Mr Bjelke -Petersen, on
the subject of a Commonwealth/ State joint Enquiry into the danger of drilling
on the Barrier Reef. Following is the text of Mr Gorton's reply, which was sent by
telegram this morning: III HAVE YOUR TELEGRAM OF 16 JANUARY CONCERNING THE
SUGGESTED COMMONWEALTH/ STATE JOINT ENQUIRY INTO POSSIBLE DANGERS
TO THE REEF AS A RESULT OF DRILLING FOR OIL ON OR NEAR IT.
I SEE NO NEED FOR THIS PROPOSAL TO BE CONFUSED WITH
YOUR GOVERNMENT'S COMMUNICATION TO ME OF JUNE 1968.
THAT COMMUNICATION INFORMED ME OF YOUR GOVE RNMENT'S
INTENTION TO SET UP A COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE A NUMBER OF BROAD
MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REEF AREA
AND TO REPORT TO YOUR GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE COMMONWEALTH MIGHT
APPOINT ONE MEMBER TO THE ELEVEN MAN COMMITTEE ENVISAGED.
THAT SUGGESTION DOES NOT SEEM TO ME TO BE IN FACT
A JOINT COMMONWEALTH/ STATE ENQUIRY NOR IS IT SPECIFICALLY
CONCERNED WITH DRILLING FOR OIL ON THE REEF. I BELIEVE
THEREFORE THAT AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED IT SHOULD BE LEFT
IN ABE YANCE AT PRESENT.
THE PROPOSAL BEFORE US NOW IS THAT DRILLING BE
SUSPENDED ON OR NEAR THE REEF PENDING A TRULY JOINT
COMMONWEALTH/ STATE ENQUIRY WHICH WILL REPORT TO BOTH OUR
GOVERNMENTS AND WHICH WILL MAKE PUBLIC ITS REPORTS.
THE COMMONWEALTH IS PREPARED TO ENDORSE THIS
SPECIFIC PROPOSAL AND I SHOULD BE GLAD IF YOU WILL LET ME KNOW
WHETHER THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT IS ALSO PREPARED TO DO
so.
IF THE-QUEENSLAND GOVERNMEN1T IS PREPARED TO DO
SO I SUGGEST THAT* DISCUSSIONS MIGHT BEGIN ON THE SIZE OF THE
COMMITTEE, THE NUMBERS OF COMMITTEE MEN TO BE APPOINTED
BY EACH GOVERNMENT, THE INTERESTS TO BE REPRESENTED, THE
DATE OF COMMENCEMENT, AND SIMILAR MATTERS.
I WOULD BE GLAD OF YOUR EARLY ADVICE."
Following is the text of Mr Bjelke-Petersen's telegram, received
on Friday: " I HAVE YOUR TELEGRAM OF YESTERDAY CONCERNING
AMPOL EXPLORATIONS SUGGESTED OIL DRILLING ENQUIRY AND HAVE
NOTED THE TERMS 0I9 YOUR OFFER TO MR LEONARD. IN SO FAR AS
MY GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED A BASICALLY SIMILAR BUT WIDER
PROPOSITION REGARDING DRILLING ON THE BARRIER REEF WAS
PREVIOUSLY PUT BEFORE YOU IN MY PREDECESSOR'S LETTER OF
7TH JUNE 1968 TO WHICH A DETAILED REPLY IS STILL AWAITED.
THE PROPOSALS THEN MADE AND THE SUPPORTING INFORMATION
GIVEN WERE AND STILL ARE PERTINENT TO THE QUESTION OF REEF
DRILLING AND THEREFORE I SEE NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULD NOT
APPROPRIATELY PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR ANY JOINT COMMONWEALTH,
STATE INVESTIGATION NOW. CONSEQUENTLY i( OU WILL APPRECIATE
THAT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS YOU FURNISH ME WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT'S
VIEWS ON OUR PROPOSAL OF 7TH JUNE 1968 OR ANY ALTERNATIVE YOU
MAY CARE TO ADVANCE I WOULD NATURALLY PREFER TO DEFER
A DECISION ON YOUR TELEGRAM OF YESTERDAY DATE."
CANBERRA 19 January 1970