ex pp~ g
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR E. G. WHITLAM, Q. C. 1M. P.,
AT A PUBLIC MEETING AT MITCHAM HIGH SCHOOL, MELBOURNE,
FRIDAY 1 MARCH 1974
IT IS WITH A SPECIAL SENSE OF PLEASURE THAT I COME TO
THE EASTERN AREA OF MELBOURNE TONIGHT. FOR IT IS THIS AREA WHICH
PLAYED A VITAL ROLE ON 2 DECEMBER 1972 INTHE ELECTION OF THE FIRST
NATIONAL LABOR GOVERNMENT IN 23 YEARS. WE NEEDED TO W IN FOUR
SEATS TO GAIN GOVERNMENT. ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE-START OF
COUNTING ON THAT NIGHT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WOULD WIN THESE
SEATS IN THIS AREA. WE KNEW THEN THAT CASEY, HOLT, DIAMOND VALLEY
AND LA TROBE HAD . GONE To LABOR. OUR GAINS ELSEWHERE WOULD
CONSTITUTE OUR WORKING MAJORITYo OUR SAFETY MARGIN.
ONE . OF THE VICTORIES HERE GAVE ME PARTICULAR SATISFACTION;
IT MEANT THAT RACE MATHEWS, WHO, AS MY PRIVATE SECRETARY HAD DONE
SO MUCH TO DEVELOP OUR POLICIES FOR GOVERNMENT, WOULD ENTER
PARLIAMENT AS THE MEMBER FOR CASEY. NO LEADER WOULD HAVE BEEN
LESS THAN DELIGHTED BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS SEAT
ALONGSIDE MAX OLDMEADOW, DAVID MCK( ENZIE AND TONY LArM. As
CANDIDATES THEY PROMISED TO BE EXCELLENT MEMBERS; AS MEMBERS
THEY HAVE ALREADY PROVED THEIR EXCELLENCE. . a a/ 2
-2-
NO PART OF AUSTRALIA PROVIDES A BETTER INDICATION OF WHY
WE WON THE ELECTION THAN THE EASTERN SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE. THEY
HAVE SEEN PHENOMENAL GROWTH IN THE POST-WAR YEARS BUT WITH THIS
GROWTH HAVE COME A HOST OF PROBLEMS. OUR SCHOOLS, OUR HOSPITALS,
OUR HEALTH SERVICES, OUR TRANSPORT FACILITIES, OUR COMMUNITY
SERVICES HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE GREAT EXPANSION OF OUR
MAJOR CITIES. THIS WAS PLAIN TO THE VOTERS OF THESE SUBURBS AND
THEY MADE THEIR AWARENESS EQUALLY PLAIN WITH THEIR VOTES. THEY
KNEW THAT NO PROMISE MADE BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT COULD
COMPENSATE FOR 23 YEARS OF NEGLECT AND MIS-MANAGEMENT. THEY KNEW
THAT ONLY AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST AND MOST REPRESENTATIVE POLITICAL
PARTY THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY HAD DRAWN UP PROGRAMS TO TACKLE
THE MAMMOTH PROBLEMS OF OUR CITIES.
THEY ALSO KNEW THAT ONLY THE LABOR PARTY WOULD BE GUIDED
BY THE PRINCI-PLES OF EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN ITS APPROACH TO THESE
PROBLEMS. THOSE PRINCIPLES HAVE REMAINED OUR BEACON IN THE
MONTHS SINCE-THE PEOPLE OF THIS AND OTHER AREAS OF AUSTRALIA
RECORDED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THEM. IN ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THAT
TIME WE HAVE SOUGHT TO MEASURE UP TO THE IDEAL CONTAINED IN MY
ELECTION POLICY SPEECH WHEN I SAID: " IT'S TIME FOR A NEW TEAM,
A NEW PROGRAM, A NEW DRIVE FOR EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITIES; IT'S
TIME TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUSTRALIANS.-TIME FOR A NEW
VISION OF WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE IN THIS GENERATION FOR OUR NATION
AND THE REGION IN WHICH WE LIVE." s @/ 3
-3-
IN THAT SAME SPEECH I SAID THAT OUR PROGRAM WAS
AMBITIOUS, AND THAT WE COULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO CLEAR AWAY THE
BACKLOG OF 23 YEARS IN 3 MONTHS OR EVEN 3 YEARS, A START, HOWEVER,
HAS BEEN MADE AND, IN LINE WITH OUR GOAL OF SHARED OPPORTUNITY
AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS, WE HAVE SET OUR NATION ON
A NEW COURSE, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH TO
ENSURE THAT THERE CAN BE NO TURNINGBACK FROM THAT COURSE,
LET US LOOK AT THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT JUSTIFY SUCH A
PRONOUNCEMENT. THERE CAN BE NO GREATER JUSTIFICATION THAN OUR
ACHIEVEMENTS IN EDUCATION, WE HAVE RAISED THE EDUCATIONAL
HORIZONS OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN, WE HAVE
TAKEN THE FIRST MAJOR STEPS TO FULFIL OUR OBJECTIVE OF BRINGING
HIGHER STANDARDS OF EDUCATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN
EDUCATION TO EVERY CHILD AT EVERY LEVEL FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO
TERTIARY, IN ITS FIRST BUDGET THE GOVERNV: ENT COMMITTED
$ 843 MILLION TO EDUCATION FOR 1973/ 74 ALMOST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT
GIVEN BY OUR PREDECESSORS IN 1972/ 73. THE ALLOCATION FOR
GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN
VICTORIA ALONE IS $ 57.7 MILLION AN INCREASE OF 153 PER CENT,
WE HAVE ASSUMED FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR TERTIARY
EDUCATION AND HAVE ABOLISHED FEES, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE
GIVING ASSISTANCE TO TEACHERS COLLEGES AND PRE-SCHOOL TEACHERS
COLLEGES ON THE SAME BASIS AS UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF
ADVANCED EDUCATION; WE WILL SPEND $ 188 : IILLION ON TEACHER
EDUCATION IN THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS FROM 1 JULY LAST YEAR,
WE ARE GIVING MUCH MORE GENEROUS ALLOWANCES TO STUDENTS AND WE
HAVE MORE THAN TREBLED THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS, ,/ 4
IN'THE SPECIFIC FIELDS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
WE WILL MAKE AVAILABLE A TOTAL OF $ 700 MILLION TO ALL SCHOOLS IN
1974 AND 1975. OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE TO THIS GREAT INCREASE IN FUNDS,
IS OUR ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT SCHOOLS COMMISSION TO GIVE AID
TO ALL SCHOOLS WITHOUT DISTINCTION ON A " tNEEDS" i BASIS.. THIS WILL
BE A MECHANISM BY WHICH WE WILL SEEK TO ENSURE EQUALITY OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN.
IBELIEVE THAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF
SUCH ADVANCES. IT MUST BE RECOGNISEDi HOWEVER, THAT. MUCH OF THE
DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR NEW PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION WILL
DEPEND UPON THE PLANNING AND CO-OPERATION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENTS
AND NON-GOVERNMENT EDUCATION AUTHORITIES. FOR THIS REASON I AM
DIST IURBED AT THE PROPAGANDA EMANATING FROM CERTAIN STATE GOVERNMENTS
THAT THE FUNDS PROVIDED FOR 1974 AND 1975 ARE RIGIDLY EAR-MARKED.
IT IS TRUE THAT ABOUT $ 44 MILLION IS ASSIGNED To GOVERNMENT
DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS THAT IS TO AREAS OF PAST CHRONIC NEGLECT
AND UNDER-ACHIEVEMENT. IT IS TRUE THAT $ 20 MILLION ALLOTTED
TO BUILDING PROJECTS FOR SCHOOLS FOR THE HANDICAPPED AND NEARLY
$ 9 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND RETRAINING OF TEACHERS OF THESE
CHILDREN. IT IS TRUE THAT $ 16 MILLION IS ALLOTTED TO PRIMARY
SCHOOL LIBRARIES WHICH HAVE RECEIVED NO DIRECT AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT IN THE PAST AND MORE THAN $ 17 MILLION IS ALLOCATED TO
SECONDARY LIBRARIES. SURELY NO ONE WOULD DISPUTE THE SPECIAL NEEDS
I N THESE AREAS; SURELY NO ONE WOULD CRITICISE A GOVERNMENT FOR
A DETERMINATION TO MEET THESE NEEDS. EVEN ALLOWING FOR THIS SPECIFIC
GRANT, IT IS ABSURD TO TALK ABOUT RIGIDITY WHEN A GLANCE AT THE
STATES GRANTS ( SCHOOLS) ACT SHOWS THAT THE STATES WILL RECEIVE
$ 100 MILLION IN GENERAL BUILDING GRANTS AND $ 174 MILLION IN GRANTS
FOR GENERAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
IT IS BREATHTAKING EFFRONTERY FOR STATE LIBERAL MINISTERS,
WHO SUPPORTED A LIBERAL GOVERNMENT MAKING GRANTS TO STATE SCHOOLS
AT THE RATE OF $ 32 MILLION A YEAR WITHOUT A COMPLAINT, TO SUGGEST
INDIFFERENCE ON THE PART OF AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WHOSE GRANTS
TO STATE SCHOOLS REPRESENTS SOMETHING LIKE A EIGHT-FOLD INCREASE
CRITICAL WORDS ARE ONE THING; ACTIONS ARE ANOTHER. THE
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, MR BEAZLEY, HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY CONCERNED
TO ENSURE THAT EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IMPLEMENT THE " NEEDS" POLICY
WITH INTEGRITY. HE HAS BEEN INFORMED HE HOPES INCORRECTLY
THAT ONE STATE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, IN HIS ALLOCATION OF THE
EXTRA MONEY PROVIDED FOR DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS, IS OFFERING A MERE
$ 2,000 EACH TO THE PRINCIPALS OF A VAST RANGE OF SCHOOLSo INCLUDING
A NUMBER WHICH ARE CLEARLY DISADVANTAGED. HE HAS ALSO BEEN
INFORMED AGAIN HE HOPES INCORRECTLY THAT THIS MINISTER IS
IDENTIFYING AS DISADVANTAGED SOME ALREADY EXCELLENT HIGH SCHOOLS,
INCLUDING ONE WHICH, IN THE CONSTITUENCY OF A FORMER MINISTER
FOR EDUCATION OF THE STATE, WAS A RECIPIENT OF SPECIAL ADVANTAGES
IN THE PAST. WE WANT FROM EDUCATION AUTHORITIES A CLEAR STATEMENT
ON THEIR CRITERIA OF DISADVANTAGE AND A CLEAR CONCENTRATION OF
THE DISADVANTAGED EXPENDITURE ON SLUM SCHOOLS TO BRING THEM UP TO
STANDARD.
-6-
BEFORE I LEAVE THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION, I WOULD LIKE TO
MENTION ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR CHILDREN
WHO HAVE TOO OFTEN SUFFERED NEGLECT IN THE PAST. I HAVE ALREADY
MENTIONED OUR ALLOCATION FOR BUILDING PROJECTS FOR SCHOOLS FOR
THE HANDICAPPED. IN THE LAST FORTNIGHT, THE CABINET HAS DECIDED
TO APPROPRIATE A FURTHER $ 1 MILLION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION APPLIED
SPECIFICALLY FOR RESEARCH AND FOR THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS OF
HANDICAPPED CHILDREN. ULTIMATELY THIS WILL PRODUCE " THE TEACHERS
OF THE TEACHERS" OF THE HANDICAPPED AND THIS IS A CONCOMITANT OF
THE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAMS OF ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS FOR THE
HANDICAPPED. I WOULD ALSO STRESS THAT THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION IS
OBLIGED TO HAVE REGARD TO " THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF HANDICAPPED
CHILDREN AND HANDICAPPED YOUNG PERSONS.
AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM OF PERSONAL FORTUNE, THE
SCHOOLS COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHARTING
COURSES OF ACTION WHICH WILL PROVIDE " SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR ABILITY IN
A PARTICULAR FIELD OF STUDIES, INCLUDING SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY,
ARTISTIC OR MUSICAL STUDIES." THE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES OF AUSTRALIA
HAVE OFTEN AWARDED MONEY BUT NOT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENIUS OR TALENT
IN SUCH AREAS TO PROCEED AT THE PACE OF THAT GENIUS AND TALENT AND THIS
IS ONE OF THE MOST BAFFLING BUT FASCINATING PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION.
IT REACHED ITS EXTREME IN A PRODIGY WHO, IN THE UNITED STATES, COULD
LECTURE IN MATHEMATICS AT A UNIVERSITY AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, BUT WHO
ALSO BELIEVED IN FATHER CHRISTMAS. THIS MAY HELP TO REMIND US THAT
INTELLECTUAL BRILLIANCE DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN SOCIAL MATURITY
AND THAT SUCH A CHILD IS IN NEED OF SPECIAL ATTENTION. .1/ 7
-7-
EQUALITY AND EQUITY HAVE BEEN JUST AS MUCH THE PRINCIPAL
FORCES BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT's POLICIES FOR THE PROVISION OF HEALTH
SERVICES IN AUSTRALIA. OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM IS PROOF
ENOUGH OF THIS, AND I WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT IT SHORTLY. As
MUCH PROOF CAN BE FOUND IN THE WORK OF THE HOSPITALS AND-HEALTH
SERVICES COMMISSION WHICH WE ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR. FOR TOO LONG*
THE SITING OF HOSPITALS HAS IGNORED-THE POPULATI* ON TRENDS OF OUR
COUNTRY. FOR TOO LONG PEOPLE IN OUTER URBAN AREAS HAVE HAD TO PUT
UP WITH TRAVELLING MILES TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE HOSPITAL TREATMENT.
FOR TOO LONG NEWLY-DEVELOPED AREAS HAVE HAD TO SUFFER A SHORTAGE
OF DOCTORS. MY COLLEAGUE MAX OLDMEADOW HAS TOLD ME OF. ONE AREA IN
HIS ELECTORATE WITH 18,000 PEOPLE AND ONLY TWO FULL-TIME GENERAL
PRACTITIONERS. THROUGH THE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SERVICES COMMISSION WE
ARE DETERMINED TO OVERCOME THIS GROTESQUELY UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF
SUCH ESSENTIAL SERVICES. THE COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY EXAMINING
HOSPITAL NEEDS AND WILL PRESENT A REPORT AS A BASIS FOR GOVERNMENT
ACTION IN APRIL. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE INTRODUCED A MAJOR PROGRAM
FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES, WHICH, AMONG
OTHER THINGS,-WILL MAKE AVAILABLE DOCTORS IN AREAS WHERE THEY ARE
CURRENTLY IN SHORT SUPPLY. IN VICTORI A WE EXPECT TO SPEND
$ 4.2 MILLION IN 1973/ 74 ON SUCH COMMUNITY HEALTH FACILITIES. PART
OF OUR PROGRAM IS TO ASSIST THE STATES TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL
HEALTH, ALCHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDENCY SERVICES. THE ALLOCATION
OF MORE THAN $ 77,000 FOR THE JANEFIELD FAMILY ASSESSMENT UNIT AT
BUNDOORA A CENTRE WHERE WHOLE FAMILIES CAN BE BROUGHT FOR THE
ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL DEFICIENCIES IS A
GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS PROGRAM IN ACTION IN THE EASTERN SUBURBS OF
MELBOURNE.
-8-
ANOTHER IS THE PROVISION OF NEARLY $ 80,000 FOR THE DANDENONG
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTRE AND TEACHING UNIT IN CONJUNCTION
WITH MONASH UNIVERSITY.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS . ALSO RECOGNISED THE NEED FOR GREATLY
EXPANDED ACTIVITY IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SECURITY. WE INCREASED
PENSIONS TWICE LAST YEAR AND WILL LIFT THEM AGAIN IN THE AUTUMN.
WE HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS THE ABOLITION OF THE MEANS
TEST. WE HAVE INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF NEW BENEFITS AND IMPROVED
A NUMBER OF EXISTING ONES. THESE RANGE FROM INCREASES IN SUBSIDIES
FOR AGED PERSONS HOMES TO GREATER ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HOME CARE
SERVICES; FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF A SUPPORTING MOTHERS BENEFIT
TO THE PROVISION OF AN ORPHAN'IS PENSION. ONE OF OUR MOST AMBITIOUS
PROJECTS IS TO DEVISE AN AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE PLAN TO ENABLE LOCAL
AUTHORITIES AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO SHARE THE COST OF A WIDER
RANGE OF WELFARE SERVICES. THE FIRST GRANTS UNDER THE NEW PLAN
AFFECTING VICTORIA WERE ANNOUNCED BY THE MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
IN OCTOBER. INITIALLY THE GRANTS ARE FOR SETTING UP SECRETARIATS
FOR SOCIAL PLANNING WHICH IN TURN WILL LEAD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF REGIONAL COUNCILS FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. OF THE SIX INITIAL
GRANTS, WHICH TOTALLED $ 91,000, A GRANT OF $ 10,000 A YEAR HAS
BEEN MADE TO THE MELBOURNE/ OUTER EASTERN SUBURBS INTERIM COMMITTEE.
IMENTIONED A MOMENT AGO THE UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION AND
INADEQUACY OF HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR MAJOR CITIES. THIS IS ONLY ONE
ASPECT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR HUGE URBAN AREAS-FACE. IT IS ONLY
ONE ASPECT OF PROGRAMS WHICH WE HAVE INITIATED TO OVERCOME THESE PROBLEMSe 289/ 9
-9-
WE HAVE EMBARKED ON A LONG-RANGE PROGRAM TO MAKE AUSTRALIAN
CITIES -EXISTING ONES AND NEW ONES AND THEIR SUBURBS MORE
EFFICIENT, MORE ORDERLY AND MORE BEAUTIFUL. THE DEPARTMENT OF
URBAN AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT WAS CREATED LESS THAN THREE WEEKS
AFTER WE CAME INTO OFFICE AS THE MAJOR POLICY ARM OF THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT IN URBAN AFFAIRS. THE CITIES COMMISSION WAS SET UP TO
PROVIDE TOWN PLANNING AND OTHER PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR DEVELOPING
EXISTING CITIES AND PLANNING NEW GROWTH CENTRES. THE FIRST FRUITS
OF THESE MEASURES HAVE COME WITH THE PLANNING OF A MAJOR CENTRE
IN ALBURY-WODONGA. THIS AND OTHER FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS ARE AIMED AT
RELIEVING OUR EXISTING CITIES, PARTICULARLY MELBOURNE AND SYDNEYJ*
OF THE UNBEARABLE STRAINS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE DEVELOPMENT.
IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED
A SCHEME TO IMPROVE URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE CAPITAL CITIES.
ISAID IN MY POLICY SPEECH THAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT " MUST NOW
ACCEPT A SHARE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
OF AUSTRALIAN CITIES." THE SCHEME WE ANNOUNCED MORE THAN LIVES UP
TO THAT PLEDGE. IT IS BASED ON THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
CONTRIBUTING TWO-THIRDS OF THE COST OF IMPROVING URBAN PUBLIC
TRANSPORT AND LEAVING ONLY ONE-THIRD OF THE COST TO THE STATES.
SUGGESTED PROJECTS FOR A FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY
THE STATE GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING VICTORIA. WHILE MOST OF THESE
PROPOSALS ARE BEING EVALUATED, WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO PROVIDE
$ 4.32 MILLION IN 1973/ 74 TO PROVIDE NEW TRAINS, TRAMS AND BUSES
IN THIS STATE.
WE ARE THE FIRST GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNISE THAT ONE OF
THE MOST APPALLING EFFECTS OF THE RAPID GROWTH OF OUR CITIES HAS
BEEN THE INADEQUACY OF SEWERAGE SERVICES IN NEW SUBURBS. WE ARE
THE FIRST NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT A DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE BUDGET PROVIDED FOR AN ADVANCE OF.
MILLION TO HELP CATCH UP ON THE BACKLOG OF SEWERAGE. THIS
INCLUDES $ 9.3 MILLION FOR VICTORIA.' THE MELBOURNE AND METROPOLITAN
BOARD OF WORKS HAS ADVISED , US THAT $ 7.3 fvILLION OF THIS IS EXPECTED
TO BE ALLOCATED FOR MAJOR AND MINOR SEWERAGE WORKS IN THE EASTERN
SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE IN 1973/ 74. A LONG-TERM NATIONAL SEWERAGE
PROGRAM IS AT PRESENT UNDERGOING DETAILED NEGOTIATION. BETWEEN
THE VARIOUS STATE AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. THE PROGRAM
TO BE DEVELOPED IN VICTORIA IS EXPECTED TO ELIMINATE THE SEWERAGE
BACKLOG IN MAJOR URBAN AREAS BY 1982.
OUR'CITIES HAVE ALSO SUFFERED MIGHTILY FROM THE SHORTAGE
OF HOUSING. AGAIN WE HAVE MOVED TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE
TOTAL AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROVISION FOR HOUSING HAS GONE UP BY
34 PER CENT THIS FINANCIAL YEAR FROM $ 370 MILLION TO $ 495 MILLION.
ADVANCES TO THE STATES INCREASED By 29 PER CENT TO $ 219 MILLION;
VICTORIA RECEIVED $ 53.5 MILLION, COMPARED TO ONLY $ 39 MILLION IN
THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR. VICTORIA IS ADVANCED $ 16 MILLION IN
THE AGREEMENT UNDER THE HOME BUILDERS' ACCOUNT, WHICH IS USED FOR
TERMINATING BUILDING SOCIETY LOANS; THIS IS NEARLY $ 5 MILLION MORE
THAN IN THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR, AND WILL BE SPENT FOR HOMES
FOR SALE, NOT FOR RENTAL, AS STATE AUTHORITIES HAVE TRIED TO CLAIM. ./ 11
-11-
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ADVANCE FOR USE IN BUILDING HOUSING COMMISSION
HOMES FOR RENTAL AND PURCHASE ROSE IN 1973/ 74 TO $ 37.5 MILLION, AN
INCREASE OF NEARLY $ 10 MILLION ON THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR.
I WOULD EMPHASISE THAT THESE LARGE INCREASES WERE THE AMOUNTS THE
VICTORIAN STATE GOVERNMENT-SOUGHT, LIMITED ONLY BY THE CAPACITY
OF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY.
THESE GENEROUS ADVANCES WILL ENABLE VICTORIA* TO BUILD
3.000 HOUSING COMMISSION DWELLINGS THIS FINANCIAL YEAR A MAJOR
IMPROVEMENT ON THE NUMBERS BUILT WITH MONEY HANDED OUT BY OUR
PREDECESSORS. THE GREAT BULK OF THIS MONEY IS PROVIDED AT THE
HIGHLY CONCESSIONAL INTEREST RATE OF FOUR PER CENT FOR THE FIVE
YEARS OF THE AGREEMENT SURELY A SIGNIFICANT FIGURE WHEN THE BOND
RATE IS AROUND 8.5 PER CENT. THE HOME BUILDERS' ACCOUNT FUNDS
ALLOCATED TO EACH STATE WILL BE LOANED OUT TO HOMESEEKERS AT
INTEREST RATES NOT EXCEEDING FIVE AND THREE-QUARTER PER CENT.
HOUSING COMMISSION DWELLINGS ALSO MUST BE SOLD WITHIN THIS INTEREST
RATE LIMIT, SO IT CAN BE READILY SEEN THAT THE NEW AGREEMENT GIVES
SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL AID TO THOSE WHO HAVE TO BUY THEIR HOMES
WITHIN THE PUBLIC HOUSING SECTOR.
WE HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL OTHER IMPORTANT STEPS IN THE HOUSING
FIELD. WE ARE WORKING ON A UNIFORM BUILDING REGULATIONS CODE WHICH
MAY EVENTUALLY REDUCE HOUSING COSTS BY AS MUCH AS SIX PER CENT.
A TASK FORCE INVESTIGATING SYSTEMS OF FACTORY PRODUCED HOUSING HAS
ALREADY PRODUCED AN INTERIM REPORT, AND IT MAY PROVE POSSIBLE TO
ACHIEVE SAVINGS AS HIGH As 20 PER CENT FOR A COTTAGE IF THESE NEW
HOUSING TECHNIQUES CAN EFFECTIVELY BE UTILISED IN THE FUTURE.
-12-
THE SCOPE OF THE DEFENCE SERVICES HOMES SCHEME HAS BEEN GREATLY
WIDENED, AND THE MAXIMUM LOAN LIMIT RAISED FROM $ 9,000 TO $ 12,000.
SPENDING ON DEFENCE SERVICE HOMES THIS FINANCIAL YEAR HAS INCREASED
BY 37 PER CENT TO $ 102 MILLION, ABORIGINAL HOUSING ALLOCATIONS HAVE
INCREASED THIS FINANCIAL YEAR" BY 123 PER CENT TO $ 32,4 MILLION,
WE ARE PHASING OUT THE INEQUITABLE HOME SAVINGS GRANT SCHEMEI AND
THIS SESSION OF PARLIAMENT WILL SEE THE INTRODUCTION OF A MUCH
FAIRER AND WIDER SCHEME OF LIMITED TAX DEDUCTIBILITY ON MORTGAGE
INTEREST, WE CONCEDE THAT AUSTRALIA FACES AN AWESOME PROBLEM IN
OVERCOMING OUR ENDEMIC HOUSING CRISIS; BUT THIS GOVERNMENT IS
EVOLVING POLICIES DESIGNED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM FROM MANY SIDES,
A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IS ALREADY OCCURRING IN THE WELFARE
HOUSING FIELD, AND OUR EFFORTS IN THE OTHER SECTORS WILL SOON SHOW
SIMILAR GAINS, kSPITE ALL WE ARE DOING IN THESE AREAS, WE WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF OUR CITIES AND OTHER PROBLEMS AS
EFFECTIVELY AS WE MUST, IF WE DO NOT ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO
ASSUME A GREATER ROLE IN AUSTRALIA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE ORGAN OF
GOVERNMENT WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, WHICH KNOWS BEST THEIR
DETAILED NEEDS AND WHICH CAN BE MOST RESPONSIVE TO THOSE NEEDS,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA FOR TOO LONG HAS BEEN DENIED A PROPER
ROLE, PROPER RESPONSIBILITY AND PROPER FINANCES, IT ALSO PROVIDES
A VIVID DEMONSTRATION OF INEQUALITY IN OUR SOCIETY, LONG-ESTABLISHED
AREAS BENEFIT FROM SERVICES WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER DECADES,
NEWLY-ESTABLISHED AREAS SUFFER FROM THE FACT THAT LOCAL COUNCILS
CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVISION OF
ESSENTIAL SERVICES, / 13
./ 14
-13-
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO ENABLE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT TO PLAY A FULL AND PROPER ROLE IN THE AFFAIRS OF OUR
NATION, LAST YEAR WE TOOK A MAJOR STEP IN THIS DIRECTION BY
BRINGING IN THE GRANTS COMMISSION ACT. THIS RECONSTITUTES THE
GRANTS COMMISSION TO GIVE IT POWER TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO
LOCAL AS WELL AS STATE GOVERNMENTS, THIS RECOGNISES THAT THERE
ARE GREAT DISPARITIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN ONE STATE
JUST AS THERE HAVE BEEN DISPARITIES BETWEEN DIFFERENT STATES.
THE GRANTS COMMISSION IS NOW ABLE TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO REDUCE THESE
REGIONAL DISPARITIES, IN THE LAST FORTNIGHT IT BEGAN ITS FIRST
HEARINGS UNDER THE NEW ACT. IT HEARD AN APPLICATION FROM COUNCILS
IN REGION 16 OF VICTORIA FOR SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO OVERCOME THE
BACKLOG OF SERVICES IN THAT REGION, REGION 16 COVERS SOME OF
THE EASTERN SUBURBS OF MELBOURNEI INCLUDING PART OF THIS ELECTORATE
OF CASEY. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST OF MANY HEARINGS WHICH I TRUST
WILL RESULT IN A PROPER MEASURE OF COMMONWEALTH AID FOR AREAS,
PARTICULARLY NEWLY-DEVELOPED AREAS, WHICH ARE INADEQUATELY
SERVICED AT PRESENT,
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT LAST YEAR TRIED TO PERSUADE THE
STATES TO ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIRECT ACCESS TO THE LOAN COUNCIL.
THE STATES REFUSED TO AGREE TO THIS PROPOSAL AND SO DEPRIVED, AT
LEAST TEMPORARILY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
SURE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE FUNDS, MY GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT
THE ATTITUDE OF THE STATES ON THIS QUESTION AND WE WILL TAKE THIS
MATTER TO THE PEOPLE IN A REFERENDUM TO BE CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION
WITH THE SENATE ELECTIONS THIS YEAR,
-14-
THIS LEADS ME TO THE QUESTION OF THE SENATE. I HAVE
OUTLINED TO YOU TONIGHT THE PRINCIPLES WHICH HAVE GUIDED THE
POLICIES WHICH WE HAVE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS.
IN 1972 WE WON A MANDATE FOR'THOSE POLICIES AND AN ENDORSEMENT OF
THOSE PRINCIPLES. YET CONTINUALLY IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS MEN
WHO WERE ELECTED TO THE SENATE AS LONG AGO AS 1967 AND 1970 HAVE
TRIED TO THWART THOSE POLICIES AND PERVERT THOSE PRINCIPLES.
WHERE IS THEIR MANDATE FOR THE 1970' s? THEY DO NOT HAVE ONE.
YET LOOK AT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS., LAST YEAR
THE SENATE REJECTED 13 BILLS, DEFERRED ANOTHER 10 AND. AMENDED 21.
I HAVE MENTIONED IN PASSING OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, A PROGRAM
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL PROTECTION AGAINST THE COST OF
ILLNESS FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS,-INCLUDING THE ONE AND A HALF MILLION
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO SUCH PROTECTION AT PRESENT; A PROGRAM DESIGNED
TO PROVIDE THAT PROTECTION BY THE FAIREST METHOD OF CONTRIBUTION.
THIS WAS. PROBABLY THE MOST THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED POLICY PROPOSED
BY THE LABOR PARTY WHILE IT WAS IN OPPOSITION. ITS POPULAR
ACCEPTANCE PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THE GREAT LIFT IN OUR ELECTORAL
FORTUNES IN 1969 AND THE FULFILMENT OF THOSE FORTUNES IN 1972.
YET THESE MEN, ELECTED AS MUCH AS SIX YEARS AGO, HAVE REJECTED OUR
LEGISLATION FOR THAT PROGRAM; THEY HAVE REJECTED THE PRINCIPLES
OF EQUITY AND UNIVERSALITY WHICH ARE ITS CORNERSTONES.
IN THE FACE OF OUR MANDATE* THEY HAVE SHELVED THE TRADE
PRACTICES BILL AND, IN SO DOING, THEY LEFT THE DOOR OPEN TO
MONOPOLIES AND BIG CORPORATIONS TO FIX PRICES, ORGANISE CARTELS
AND EXPLOIT THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER, AGAIN, THEY HAVE DENIED
AUSTRALIANS FAIRNESS, THEY.-HAVE SHELVED THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BILL AND THUS BLOCKED THE MOST EFFECTIVE'
INSTRUMENT FOR ENSURING AUSTRALIAN CONTROL OF OUR INDUSTRIES AND
FOR DEVELOPING NEW INDUSTRIES, THEY HAVE LEFT THE DOOR OPEN TO
FOREIGN TAKEOVERS AND FOREIGN EXPLOITATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN
ECONOMY, THESE SAME MEN HAVE REJECTED THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE
OF EQUAL ELECTORATES, THESE MEN, WHO ARE SO QUICK TO COMPLAIN OF
STRIKES# HAVE BLOCKED ATTEMPTS TO DEMOCRATISE AND MODERNISE THE
TRADE UNION MOVEMENT, THEY HAVE PRESERVED FOR FOREIGN MINING
INTERESTS THE. RIGHT TO EXPLOIT OUR OFF-SHORE RESOURCES, LIKE THE
STATES, THEY HAVE SOUGHT TO DENY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIRECT ACCESS
TO NATIONAL REVENUES AND BORROWINGS,
I TRUST THEIR ACTIONS WILL BE REMEMBERED WHEN THE SENATE
ELECTIONS ARE HELD THIS YEAR, I TRUST THAT THE MAJORITY OF
AUSTRALIANS WHO SUPPORTED OUR POLICIES IN 1972 WILL REMEMBER HOW SOME
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THOSE POLICIES HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED BY A
HOSTILE AND REACTIONARY OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE,
THE VOTERS OF AUSTRALIA GAVE US THE SUPPORT WE NEEDED TO
INITIATE THOSE POLICIES IN 1972. I TRUST THAT IN 1974 THEY WILL
GIVE US THE POWER TO ENSURE THEIR FULL IMPLEMENTATION,