PRESS STATEM. ENT NO. 165
19 December 1973
INDUSTRIES ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, announced today
that all reports of the new Industries Assistance Commission
which would not cause damaging speculation would be made public
as soon as they were printed. The new Industries Assistance
Commission will come into operation on 1 January. The Prime
' l1inister also said that he would honour his promise that the
Government should deal with reports from the Commission within
3 months of the Government receiving the reports. This would
eliminate the excessive delays which industries suffered under
the previous Government when in some cases Tariff Board reports
were not dealt w. 4th for periods greater than a year. l. n
undertaking to make public as many reports as possible, as
soon as possible, Mr. Whitlam said the Government had decided
to ask the Commission to indicate in each report whether its
release would be likely to cause speculation. Only in special
cases such as those involving negotiations with State
Governments. would action by the Australian Government in.
dealing with reports from the Commission be delayed, M4r. Whitlam
said. Mr. WAhitlam. announced the names of the seven
Commissioners appointed to the Industries Assistance Commission.
The Chairman will be Mr. G. A. Rattigan, Chairman of the Tariff
Board. The other Commissioners will be Messrs. D. J. Pekin,
N. y. Watson, R. Boyer, G. Johnson, C. Conron and D. McBride.
Mr. Watson's appointment extends to June 1974.
He will be appointed to the temporary Advisory Authority from
1 January and will remain with the Industries Assistance
Commission only until inquiries commenced by the division
of the Tariff Board of wh:; ch he is the presiding member are
completed.
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Mr. Whitlam said the Industries Assistance
Commission Act provided for the appointment of associate
Commissioners to help with Commission inquiries. Appointments
of associate Commissioners would be made as future needs arose.
Members of the Tariff Board who are not being appointed as
members of the Commission, have been offered appointment
as associate Commissioners for the remaining period of their
terms as members of the Board.
Mr. Whitlam said that the new Industries
Assistance Commission would cover not only manufacturing
industry as the Tariff Board did, but would advise this and
future Governments on assistance for industries in all sectors
of the economy. He believed that as far: as possible, the
processes whereby public policies were determined should be
open to public scrutiny. In the interests of open government, Mr.
Whitlam stressed there should be the widest participation
in the public inquiries conducted by the Commission.
There should also, when possible, be full and informed public
discussion of the Commission's report D the Government.