S 4 Press Statement No. 473
24 March 1975
Joint Statement by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr E. G. Whitlam
and the Premier of New South Wales, Mr T. L. Lewis
FINANCE FOR STATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS'
The Prime Minister, Mr E. G. Whitlam, and the Premierof
New South Wales, Mr T. L. Lewis, have signed six agreements
which will provide $ 73,927 million to New South Wales for
urban and regional development programs in 1974/ 75.
The agreements between the Australian Government and
the N. S. W. Government have been made under the Urban and
Regional Development ( Financial Assistance) Act, 1974.
This allows the Australian Government to agree with a
State Government on financial assistance to provide for
spending by a State or an approved body in a State on urban
and regional development programs.
The six agreements and the financial assistance to
be given under each are:
The National Sewerage Program
Urban Land Council
Sydney South-4est Sector
( Campbelltown/ Holsworthy)
Area Improvement Programs
Bathurst/ Orange
National Estate Program $ 42,000, OCO
$ 10,400,006
$ 10,000,000 5,500,000 5,000,000 1,027,000
Mr Whitlam and Mr Lewis said that the agreements
were an example of effective co-operation between the two
Governments in programs for urban and regional development.
They gave these broad details of the programs.
National Sewerage Program
Some details of the program had been announcedrecently
by the Minister for Urban and Regional Development,
Mr Tom Uren and the N. S. W. Minister for Public Works and
Ports, Mr-Leon Punch. / 2 S
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The aims of the program were to remove existing
backlogs of unsewered homes, to improve sewage treatment,
and to ensure that by 1982 all new homes could be connected
to a proper sewerage system. The program would also
contribute to the treatment of industrial wastes and the
protection of receiving waters. In addition the program
would support research and forward planning connected with
sewerage schemes. In 1974/ 75 the program had been extendea to cover
smaller cities and centres. In N. S. W. these areas would
benefit from the program: Gosford, Wyong, Tweed Heads,
Armidale, Dubbo, Goulburn, Queanbeyanr Tamworth, Wagga Wagga,
Broken Hill, Bathurst and Orange.
Funds were to be made available on the basis of
as a non-repayable grant and the remaining 7M% to be
provided by way of an advance repayable over 40 years with
interest at the long term bond rate currently 9h% p. a.
Urban Land Council
This would allow the N. S. W. Government, with.
financial assistance from the Australian Government, to
expand the provision of home sites at reasonable prices. The
program was designed to have a significant impact on
stabilising the land market.
An Urban Land Council would be set up as. an
advisory body linked to the New South Wales Planning and
Environment Commission. It would be staffed and chaired
by the Commission with a part-time membership from State
agencies and the Australian Government.
The amount to be provided to the State would be
repayable only from the revenues of the program, to the
Commonwealth over 30 years with interest at the long term
bond rate.
Sydney South-West Sector ( Campbelltown/ Holsworthy)
A total of $ 10 million would be made available
in 1974/ 75 to the Interim Development Authority for the
Sydney South-West Sector.
million would be for land acquisition
million for acquiring land for urban use, and the remainder
for acquiring open space land in the Camden Park Estate.
The remaining $ 2.5 millionwould go'to development
works, including roads, bridges, sewerage and flood
mitigation in Minto, Ingleburn and Campbellt9wn.
The amount to be made available for the acquisitioqn
of the Camden Park Estate would be by way of a non-repayable
grant and would represent two-thirds of the total cost of
acquisition. The balance of the amount to be advanced to the
state would be repayable only from the revenues of the program
over a period of 30 years with interest at the long te ijq~ nd rate.
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Area Improvement Programs
These programs aim to link Australian, State and
Local Government with community groups in a co-operative
effort to improve the standard of service and facilities in
areas where deficiencies exist.
So far, Area Improvement programs have been
established in five regions in N. S. W. South Sydney,
Western Sydney, Hunter, Illawarra, and South-East N. S. W.
Mr Uren and the N. S. W. Deputy Premier and Minister
for Local Government and Tourism,-Sir Charles Cutler, had
announced most of the programs to be ' funded in 1974/ 75.
The amounts to be made available to N. S. W. under
this agreement would be provided as a non-repayable grant.
Bathurst/ Orange A total of $ 5 million would be made available for
Bathurst/ Orange Growth Centre development $ 4 million for
land acquisition by the Development Corporation and $ 1 million
for municipal backlog works by local government.
The amount to be provided for land acquisition
would be repayable over a period cf 30 years with interest
at the long term bond rate. Funds for municipal backlog
works would be provided on the basis of 1/ 3rd grant and
2/ 3rds advance repayable only from the revenues of theprogram
over 30 years with interest at the long term bond
rate. National Estate Program
In 1974/ 75 the Australian Government would assist
46 programs in N. S. W. to help preserve the National Estate.
These included the resto'ration of historic buildingq
and other items of historic value, the acquisition of land
for public conservation purposes and the preparation of
conservation studies and education programs.
Details of the programs would be announced as soon
as possible by Mr tken and the New South Wales Minister
for Planning and Environment, Sir John Fuller.
Funds for the programs would be made available to
New South Wales-as a nyon-repayable grant.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.