PRIME MINISTER'S 3KZ LABOR HOUR BROADCAST
( Recorded 28 November 1974 for replay 1 December 1974)
Two years ago tonight, Labor was poised for its
first Federal election victory in 23 years. It was a moment
of great optimism, great promise and high hope for all of
us in the party and the movement. Those hopes have been
fulfilled. A great record of achievement stands behind us.
And despite our difficulties, despite world-wide economic
problems, our hopes are still high.
As you know, we are contending with the twin
problems of inflation and unemployment which afflict every
industrial Western * country. For the first time we are fighting
both these problems at once. We are carrying on the fight
with every available weapon, every measure at our disposal,
every constitutional power we possess. We've had very little
help or co-operation from our opponents in the Senate or
elsewhere. But I ask you to remember this: Australiansare
everywhere better off than they were before Labor came in.
Average weekly earnings, allowing for inflation, have increased
in real purchasing power by 3.2 per cent in the year to June
1973 and by a further 3.9 per cent in the year to June 1974.
That's a gain of more than seven per cent in real living
standards under a Labor Government.
Throughout the year we have taken a wide range of
economic decisions. We no. longer regard the Budget as our
sole instrument of economic policy. We have been much more
resourceful, much more flexible in our approach. only three
weeks ago I announced a new series of measures to stimulate
the economy and reduce unemployment. We have made cuts in
taxation which, together with those in the Budget, will be
worth $ 1200 million. And those tax cuts are based on a
brand new scale designed to benefit the families most in need,
the people most neglected in the past.
At the same time we have pressed ahead with our great
program of social reform and innovation. Our opponents have
done their best to obstruct that program. You'll remember
that last April they took the extreme step of blocking
supply in the Senate cutting off our money. So we went to
the people: and the people endorsed our program for the
second time. You returned us to office. You put us back
on the job. Already we have put many historic measures through
Parliament. We have extended-the educational program we
launched last year into the new area of technical education.
We will be spending $ 100 million on technical and further education
in the next two years.
We have set up our Petroleum and Minerals Authority
to help keep the ownership and control of our vast natural
resources in Australian hands.
We have opened the way for ordinary Australians to
participate in our economic development through the A. I. D. C.
and the National Investment Fund.
-2-
We have given pensioners the biggest increase
on record. We've got our child care program underway.
We've got our health insurance legislation through
an historic Joint Sitting of Parliament.
We've tackled the vexed and difficult question of
wage indexation to protect workers against inflation.
We've brought in historic legislation against
restrictive trade practices to ban price fixing and protect
consumers. We've introduced our National Compensation Scheme
to safeguard every working man and woman against injury or
sickness, however caused.
We've won new markets for our goods overseas and
vastly increased our returns from the sale of our coal
and iron ore. This year saw the opening of the first Australian
Government Community Health Centre here in Victoria.
It is one of 356 new health centres and other projects approved
under Labor's community health and mental health programs.
We are the first. Australian Government to recognise
the needs of local councils. we approved grants this year
of $ 56 million to help councils throughout Australia improve
their services-and amenities.
We have launched our plans for a vast national highway
system and have set aside $ 1200 million for this purpose over
the next three years.
These are a few of the major initiatives we have
taken this year in fulfilment of our program a program twice
approved by the people. I am proud of all we have done. Our
overriding purpose is to widen the opportunities and raise the
living standards of every Australian. In 1974 we have come a
long way towards achieving our goals. It has not been easy for
US. It has not been easy for you. I look to all Australians,
to all sections of the community and especially to Labor's
traditional supporters for co-operation in carrying forward
our great task in the years to come.