P. M. No. 47/ 961
JOINT STATEMENT
By the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies, and
the lion. G. Nicklin, Premier of Queensland
Last night re conferred at Canberra. Those present
included, apart from ourselves, Mr. ' v,-rris ( Deputy Premier of
Queensland), Mr. Hiley ( Treasurer of Queensland) Mr. McEwen, Mr.
Holt, Senator Spooner, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Davidson, Sir Gaifield
Barwick, Mr. Adermann, Dr. Cameron, Mr. Hulme.
The first purpose of our conference was to discuss the
Commonwealth's financial assistance to the Mount Isa-Collinsville
railway in the light of the recent agreement betwccn the
Coi-monwealth and lostern Australia regarding the Kalgoorlie-
Kwinana industrial development and standardisation and of a
diesclisation offer recently made to the Premier of South
Australia. Those matters and the special features attaching to each
were fully explained by the Prime Minister and closely discussed.
In the result, the Queensland Ministers are fully satisfied with
the proposals for CoTmmonwealth finance as being fair and
reasonable. It will be recalled that these proposals for the
Mount Isa line involved the making of repayable advances by the
Commonwealth up to an amount of œ 20,000,000 as requested by the
State to help to finance the total cost. On the most competent
advice, it is agreed that the traffic on the new line should
readily amortize the cost of the line and the repayment of the
advances over a period of 20 years. The Government of
Queensland will now sign the proposed agreement, which has been.
ewaiting signature. This will enable Queensland to take up in
the current financial year the sum of œ 4.6 million which the
Commonwealth has stood willing to find in 1961-2 as the first
instalment of its advances.
Joth of us attach great importance to this railway
project, one of the biggest undertaken in Australia in this
century. It will facilitate the full development of the great
Mount Isa Mine and will also serve substantial developmental endsin
both the mineral and pastoral industries of North Queensland.
oe are, for these reasons, both happy that all misunderstandings
have been removed and that the project may go " full steam ahead".
For both the State of Queensland and Australia as a whole, this
is a most significant event.
An opportunity was also taken of discussing beef roads
in Queensland. As is well known, the Commonwealth Governmont has
displayed active interest in this matter having regard to the
need for exports and the great possibilities of their increase by
increasing the effective marketing of beef cattle in the Vorth.
Mr. Monzies recalled that in a statement on February
21st on developmental prospects he had referrod to the development
of roads in the North. Mr. Holt had also specifically referred
to this matter in his Budget Speech indicating a willingness to
provide additional funds for these purposes in Queensland and
[., estern Australia. In the existing Connmowealth Budget,
provision is made for the Common ealth to find œ 650,000 for the
Julia Creek-Normanton road with a matching arrangement on the part
of Queensland. In our conference last night, w all agreed that it
would be more satisfactory from the point of view of effective
planning if a longer prograr. u' could be worked out. The Prime
Iinister, recalling the special arrangements that had been made
some years back to find œ 5,000,000 for the State of Western
Australia for northern development, said that the Commonwealth
would be prepared to find, in respct of Queensland2 œ 5,000,000
for beef roads over the five year period to June 19o6, This
œ 5,000,000 will include the " 650,000 already agreed upon this
year. But in respect of œ 4,350,000 representing the balance of
the proposed œ 5,000,000, the State will not be obliged to undertake
matching expenditure. This offer, which we agree should do
much to help this important industry, is willingly accepted by
Queensland. As in the earlier case of Western Australia, the
off-r provides that the State will submit to the Commonwealth for
its approval details of the projects upon which it proposes to
spend the Commonwealth grant. It was also made clear, as Mr.
Holt had indicated in the Budget, that part of the additional sum
could be made available to the State during this financial year.
It should also be made clear that the total sum of œ 5,000,000
need not necessarily be spent at an even million a year, but is a
five-year's sum..
The Premier said that for its part the Queensland
Gova. rnr nt would lose no time in submitting to the Commonwealth
details of further road projects, the planning of which was
already far advanced.
, e are very conscious of the fact that additional
traffic will be attracted to the Mount Isa line as a result of
the joint arrangements that we have just described for a more
intensive development of the beef industry in North Queensland.
This we are glad to observe will strengthen the capacity of the
Mount Isa railway line to pay for its total cost in the period
of 20 years. Our discussions were frank and searching, but most
harmonious. On behalf of our respective governments, we
express our pleasure at the conclusions arrived at, which will
enable great and important work to go on without interruption.
CAN BRRA,
1st September, 1961.