PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATMENT NO. 171
16 JANUARY 1974
CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE
The Prime Minister, Mr E. G. Whitlam, said that
Standing Committee appointed by resolution of the Constitutional
Convention to consider in detail the matters raised at the Convention
in relation to the financial provisions of the Constitution, the powers
of Governments to manage the economy and the place of Local Governmrent
under the Constitution, had met in Canberra today.
The meeting commenced under the Chairmanship of
Senator Greenwood, but Senator Greenwood advised the meeting that
the Prime Minister, who had been unable to attend the first meeting
of the Committee, was willing to accept the Chairmanship of the
Committee, and he accordingly resigned his position in favour of the
Prime Minister, who was unanimously elected to the Chair. Mr Holding,
who had been elected Deputy Chairman at the Melbourne meeting, also
resigned and nominated Senator Greenwood, who was unanimously elected
as Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee.
Standing Committee consists of:
Mr E. G. Whitlam and Senator I. J. Greenwood ( Federal Parliament),
Sir Robert Askin and Mr P. D. Hills Mr R. J. Hamer and
Mr A. C. Holding ( Victoria), Sir Gordon Chalk and Mr J. W. Houston
( Queensland), Mr D. A. Dunstan and Dr B. C. Eastick ( South Australia)
Mr A. D. Taylor and Sir Charles Court ( Western Australia)
Mr R. Mather and Mr C. B. M. Fenton ( Tasmania), Mr J. H. Pead
and Cr F. A. Rogers and Ald Clem Jones ( Local Government).
All members of the Committee were represented except
Mr P. D. Hills of N. S. W. Sir Robert Askin was represented by the
Hon. E. A. Willis, Minister for Education, New South Wales.
The Committee considered reports from the four working
parties appointed at the last meeting, and gave directions t1-o the
working parties as to the areas in which they should concentrate
their studies with a view to a report being given to the Executive
Committee before April 30th of this year.
CANBERRAJ~. A. C. T.