PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Whitlam, Gough

Period of Service: 05/12/1972 - 11/11/1975
Release Date:
25/01/1973
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
2798
Document:
00002798.pdf 4 Page(s)
Released by:
  • Whitlam, Edward Gough
COMMUNIQUE - MEETING OF THE PRIME MINISTER, MR EG WHITLAM, AND PREMIERS OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA AT ALBURY-WODONGA, 25 JANUARY 1973

c ! a ai T I Igl,
iTITHG OF TIE iFiIS22 iZ T. G T: TAi hD P= P-Th?. AdEaS
11C1TFUV SOUTH TJAL2S AID VICTOT. IJ. LT L~ LJYT-JTCITGk, 25JA1JI2Y,
Tjhe Y-rime M. inister and( tn'e oOlH" imr er Sout -Tes andi
Victoria, cgreed, at-U thJ-eir meeting, t'Uoday in Albury tChcA th'erc should be
acceleratu eJd evelonment a rijrcityT in tEAbuy'Jdog are a.
Thec th7ree Cove rnmentr's ag,, reel t-o joir t'oget" mr in imr) ementing t'e
V-u L
en-tj s!' rp r -, ects 7T0e,:' 6 wb y bU-!) o gov r n s anc.
regional Ctevel o'mTetpoe'J_-b otioeneisac
Drormisoc by th-' e rime Iinisterl Quring, -his election camoaigcn.
' rhorocr waTcs a mutual 1feeling, Y sha) red by all concernedl that
t. Ais arreemc1nt anci t , e co-op: ra-Lion it nrencereod was a symbolic first
Ste-, towaT-rds 11 new and miore human -) a-ttcr of urban living in Autrlia
7. rocise s-tep s f2or th cdvelopm,. entv the kiburyTooa area,
woulC. L be tah -en after the overnr. entus hfadI exuozined thie re0oz-r of a
preliminary study to be commissioned b,_ y theIi th.' ree Goverinmeintus from
tne I! lation,, l Urban---anc-; : Dgon Zevcl opmentb AutHority. This study
vouldI be comlmntr to tV woV: a., lread3y do-ne by the0 States in
-" sinr, t" he resources of theAlury-WIo6. onrI region.
Duringr the meetin;-iel at-the Ilbury City al th Prime
Mi-dnister and, Preier1s agred on--certa-.) in rinciples groverning; the' 1
clevelonment of. tjh new r-' rowt,. cenatre as the cAtachment.
Todnraio~ J rrieMoin iste -r CanE~ ñ remiers stressedC" V. nat leAibury-
JoC-o,--, prjet) was -e rely the 11irst ste'-) in a com-ure..: ensive program
aime-d at improving, urban life in Autai. Tdis ) rocram would
include oth.' er g rowtu~ h centres anid Sole ctive decent: rValis) tion which'L thec
01tates h1ad alreade. ytae important dcisions to encourag. r
Thec Ilational Urban andT eional Develo-, Y. inn Auth7-ority wa. s
currentAly engageod in examinig othe centres ir the'a variov" s Sl-ttes
to test their suit abilitvy f or? accelerated1-,. v0_ loy) Mcnt such21 as w-as
now. to t'ahe p. la-ce in, Albury-_ Tod
Fromi the'-outset o' theninnin-f tbei urba-n development
ofth , lbLury__*-o.-onga rc. giont particulacr atteCntbion would be -iven-. to
involvnf representl1, aives the'-local1 comu~ unity. The,) governmen. ts
c'-Z& 00c . tt wh7ile th Dysiccl idevelopment of the 1new1 city sh1ould_ be
tercs-ponsiili', ty of a s-becic. l stcatutory auth' 1ority, it wa~ s most
iimuortant thatL~ i1erst Vxswi~ e r 0ovi] n o. ed in ecision
Ch ri T Miise t-. e !-orders are httruhu
the deovelopment, envi; ronr~ i( nt should-7 be protected_ o" L' ion controllec-
They0-, said th:. Cat thIe natural surroundings of2 A. l _. ury-\ Tod! on[,, resnte
a particularlIy fine o--p-oruni.-ty to d eve"! o-) a city TIrIc-? would_ bringr
social fulf2ime0-ntl to tepresen-t citu izens and hs wh-o will come to
live in1 it. This o-), or?' unit'Vy mu1t no be lost.
Provision oftL ncessar-y services to the1 : 1eW c ity sh--ould
be carried-out at the-hihetoossible on~ r to protoct, the intecrests~
of other users the MuIrray 4% i: ve

PGIIP23 ) F W~ A.. A
The thiree Eavernmonts will join togother to 6evelop a new JErowtH
complex in the general area of Llburyw. Tdonga and, to provid3e
incentives, amenities anE services, to faster and serve it.
2. LIMinisteria~ l Council uill he anvointeE to p~ rovide tHe rmacinery
for co-ordination between the thre Covornmients at the political
level. The Council will comprise one 1. in: istor from eacli
Government an& they will'be the Lustralinn Eniester for Urban
and Aegional Devlopon, E~ r. Woen, the hlew 2oubth as iniister
for DecetrAlication ana Dovelo~ r. ent, Er. ul1 ory and the Victorian
iAnistor for State Devoloaent, Ar. Wra Byrne. Tnore will be
an interim officials corittae estabRAsh aiimelintely between
the three Governments to w~ ork to the Kinisterial Council.
3. k developmeont cor-voration will be net up~ as a statutoryr authority
by the three govon7Ionts to pie n cEavelo7) tao areas Eesigflat& 0
for new urban r1rowth.
4. One important objective oil! te to ensure tat tie capability anE
experience of existinva leecal Saornm: ent is usec!,-to; t61-e -fullest
extent possible in bringing about the accelerstoV a'routh objective.
it is to be expecteE, honever, that tWe yroutL of. the aci
complex will require the evel opmont corp~ orvstion to play a role
in th'e devcloynatnt of certain ? rojacts within the existing
cities Te nra o be designal& c for nwurb~ an ;' rourta willj be specific( I
by the three Covernments when the feasibility studies hove been
completed. There will be a study area it stuu ore
k: ilome ters from the Union 3ridro. UitIin tin std araprc
stabilisation cEis-'-on will avDly to tho areas to be designated
follewing the feasibility study for ur'ban nd ass sciated aevelop-
6. T2he results of the feasibility stncy will be considered by the
Kinisterial Council.
7. Th n.'~ Lrecs fial desi~ nsWe will be acc-uirod as they are noeefor
urban ancE associated Eevelomo~ nt.
G. The three g'overnments are aroEe that lad speculation shoulE not
be allowed. to Drejudice tie sucess3 of t~ e arolect an? it is not
in-tendoe. to buy lann at pricas unic reflect the increment in
value arisinEw f: rom the:. inteacS aevelop:-ent of the now ~ ou
comp~ lex.
9. The price of WEn to be accuirod for th~ e pur~ oses of the project
within the ctesir'nateE areas will be based on tie marhet level of
? riees :? revailing at the Eate of 3 October 19372, 1-but a.-i!, ay
necessary ac.. ustment for Cencral land price chanecs ( due to
factors other than the nnnouncenont of the jovolonment of the
complex) Eurina the porioc. up to the ate of actual ourclase.
0

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The appropriate Land Price stabilisation legislation vill be
introduced by the governments at an early date.
The general intent of the three governments is that in the
special circumstances of Albury-odonga, the corporation would
comprise three full-time commissioners, with executive authority,
and two part-time commissioners, drawn from the local community.
11. The chairman will be nominated by the Australian Government and
the two deputy chairmen by the New South Wales and Victorian
G overnments respectively.
12. It is agreed that the details of the corporation structure should
be determined by the Council of iiinisters and that provision
should be made for consultative machinery with State and local
agencies and other bodies. This could take the form of a
Consultative Council.
13. The task of the developnent corporation will be to'create an
Australian city with a high quality of environment, imaginatively
planned and developed, with respect for human requirements and
for public involvement.
The development corporation will acquire, either directly or
through the agency of a State authority, land in the areas
designated for urban and associated development, will plan the
urban environment and the pattern of land use, will make
provision for necessary land development works, and the provision
of fully serviced sites for government and private building
development. The corporation will be expected to involve the established
Federal, State and Local Government authorities in the development
of the complex as far as possible.
It will be empowered to undertake any works which it considers
necessary to ensure that the development of the new urban complex
is successfully achieved.
14. In respect of the overall complex the development corporation
will need to be ompowered to exercise statutory planning and
other powers to the extent necessary to achieve these objectives.
It is proposed that the development corporation, unless there are
exceptional circumstances, will follow a policy of providing
fully serviced sites for development on a long term leasehold
tenure, normally 99 years.
16. The development corporation's programme will be financed by way
of Federal grants for special purposes and long term government
and government guaranteed loans which carry af appropriate
interest charge. In the establishment period, the corporation's
administrative functions will be financed by the three governments
on a basis to be agreed upon between them. It will be eligible
to receive various forms of financial subsidy where this is
appropriate.
17. The development corporation will be empowered to negotiate for
or to provide and manage municipal type facilities and services
should this be necessary in the designated areas in the development
period. Ihere this has been done by the corporation, the
provision of these services rill be financed by way of
L

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appropriate charges, under suitable arrangements made between
the Australian ~ nd State Governments. lThon developed, the
administration of the designated areas will be handed over
to mrmnicipal self-government.
18. In the development of the now growrth complex, priority will be
given to control of pollution, including effluent disposal,
anr to protection of the environment not only of the centre
itsolf but also of areas rwhich will be affected by the
establishment of this now complex.

2798