PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 468
12 March 1975
OIL AND URANIUM EXPLORATION
GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES
The Government reaffirms that it seeks Australian
participation in oil exploration, but has decided that
foreign companies undertaking oil exploration in
Australia need not necessarily seek Australian participation
at the initial or ' grass roots' level of their exploration
activities i. e. up to the detailed proving stage, but that
in exploitation and development beyond these stages, the
Australian Government expects such companies to offer
Australian interests, private and public, every reasonable
opportunity as is practicable for participation in these
projects. The Government reaffirms that the development
of any oil * discoveries, as for minerals generally, will
be subject to approval by the Government in accordance
with the guidelines published by the Prime Minister
on 3 November 1974.
The Government makes clear too, that search
f or uranium in the Northern Territory will be done only
by the Atomic Energy Commission. Export licences will
not be issued where there is exploration with foreign
participation arranged after 31 October 1974. The
Australian Atomic Energy Commission will be the only
exporter of uranium wherever found.
CANBERRA. A. C. T..
GUIDELINES FORl r'Ow* H N WILITTrY PARTWI'TPATrON IN
AND) ( ONTI1efl ( W ; II: ti irqirN [ FNiI WoI ZY
i n s ; i i I i -in I t oret' i
' ihli Governmiient' s baicC i i s PtCo cnsuiie Lli Awn: t rali i'
minera rii'I osourcu arou doleIopil inI suich a w. Iy as to 1br i i loii IiiIII
WwwuiLtsL to the AustralIianu pcVo. if t his. obu~ ict-i I . in to Ao
I ' Ji! vt: d, ultimate( nfiluE ini ia t y~ lo t LiiAIIlora ioni, dvl c t t
ona~ ia, whlet her Austraia n or Foriqn-owodd, eng( aged~ it)
unpIorLi dtl) tr. lV v ' opmontF or pri n) i() i. in, muustCLCofio rui wi th the
nalt inal interes't. The Covoiuuioii will. use all of itPs pnorh,
InirInq i ts export and e: xcIh nq contrvol J) 0wnr s, to achie ve
Y[ ho G; overnmienit des ires;, as; ai ma jor oh]( c t. iye tQ promo Ie
Australianli eq. uit y An and contriol of itCs resource~ s and iridust ries,
aniii iiid) iilUL Australian ownershI i p compa-tibal o xii t Atralia' 5 longjtermi
cap it al requirements adi Ms neeicds for access t-o markets,
ManVdfced technology anid kflo\ I-iow The Coveruuwunt recoqn uses,
hou'vor that many of the i iuort2 in P exis tinhj unterpr isuengri~ dod
in t he dev'elopmentC of Aus t ral i~ esourrc es are under fore ign
eofui L ~' ontrol. For this reason, the promotion of Aus tralIian
oqu. ity in and contlt. of our cohnurces and industries must be:
v icoal~ an a longer-term Objent i
( iii) Rloles for the Public anud Pri vat-e Sectors.
The Government . recoqnisos that private participation in
explorat i. on and development " Q1i cont inue to On essential. A
MMiU liuivma l of activity will he achijeved onl y if there i. q
AIpMa, r tioiiipda tpi orniv abtoet h ebnyt erppurbilsiecs . b o ITLhise Gsouvcehr nmaenn tt hbere cPoMgAn aizrde s tahlseo' T~ aa
part1i cipatLion by conupan Les w il b. e dopoenit, on the prlopect of it
PC? tiu iiOi capit al hip loyed ui ilis1. comnhl( urate with the h igh
rinsnos iCt. 1iiCs involved.
Q v) xr lora t ion
The Government seeks Australian participation in mineral
expl1oration. it bolieves lho wever t hat becauge of the r isk!;
inVivd and Australia ' s Ilii itad capital resourices it in mo11c e
a op. vt ant to secure a htiq1h doqvcoo oh~ Auatraioc n equity part ici pation
ant: h n production sta96. The ' level opnient of aay mineral discoveries;
1willo, f course, he subject t o npprov" l by the Government in
aWCcd rdancL w. ith these quidel i. ns
Prorossinq
The Government's objectivo is the maximui level of mineral.
proce:. snc cons is tent withi thle rati onal use Wt Australia's re:. Ourcos.
' i'Iit t int*( lni*( I al I ma jo) r inerai
-ol ai ly 4ikiV-' TI1t ! po i. of C() it. dC L uil I be
" oIL Hii t o' Vo fo rkril n( l: I~ a I qy ' ah) o I1Wt t~ i~ I rI It t) er( I f~* r'h
L I i I ( 0oVt Jim( I ~ i I IH i i i i iiit I t o1i n imi w i Ihi in 1 h " i
I; renponsili i Li V ho 1T reauiL onl Vo ret'tj q owtiors i i1)
,1i on riallcilij ( t.,) poc t It 1L, i i i a; L er V it l) u Env! rotliont and
k. k uitti, v, tLL i onf onl en1v] i oliie a1 I: s1, andt 1 I iv Al i n Is Lt! r f or U rl iii
i I Oihil Deveoment-ioi. bant and reqf Vaal asp; ect s. Thki WIi I1
-wi h. Governmentt in oitnut ing that ntaxit oum benelfi L acc~ rue
io Ulto0~ it 0 ]. lOat tr VeCof). I an at: w hio le.