PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH AT TARCOOLA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA,
FOR INAUGURATION CEREMONIES OF TARCOOLA/ ALICE SPRINGS RAILWAY
12.4 .1975
Everything we say on this platform is being recorded even if it
is not being amplified. So even if you can't hear us today, I've
no doubt you will play the record of the occasion for the rest
of your lives. Maybe.
We were introduced today by our colleacjue Laurie Wallace, the
M. P. for Grey, in which electorate Tarcoola forms the centre
and it was like old times for him, because he lived in Tarcoola
from 1949 to 1952 with Mrs. Wallace, I hasten to add, and his
first political meetings were in Tarcoola and there were no
amplifiers. He was the secretary of the Progress Association,
and now, now that he has become the Member for the district and
serving under a government of his colleagues he's been able to
ensure the progress of Tarcoola.
Now I had the opportunity last night, in the presence of most of
you, at a dinner at Port Augusta to recite the significance of
this occasion. An immensely-significant week, in the history
of Australian railways, Australian transport, Australia's national
development, unity and progress because earlier this week we made
the agreement to acquire the South Australian Railways, and then
we enacted the Australian National Railways Commission Bill, and
then we introduced the Interstate Commission Bill, all in the one
week. But a year ago, Mr. Dunstan and I signed an agreement to build
the Tarcoola/ Alice Springs Railway. It is not possible for the
Australian Government to build or acquire a railway in any
state without the co-operation of the State Government. Andia
the South Australian Government has been magnificently co-operative,
because a year ago it signed the agreement for us to build the
Tarcoola Railway up to the Northern Territory border. It signed
the agreement for us to build a new standard gauge railway between
Crystal Brook and Adelaide and of course it has now signed the
agreement for us to acquire the non-metropolitan railways in
South Australia. So it has been a most fruitful period.
And I suppose we have to concede that there were some supernatural
forces at work, because had it not been for the fact that early
last year there was -the longest interruption in the old narrow
gauge service between Maree and Alice Springs that there had been
in the history of the service. For nine weeks, the service was
out. Sam Calder, whose presence here* I am very happy to see, the
Member for the Northern Territory, gave us no rest at all and we
thought " Right! We can delay no longer in undertaking this new
railway project" an all weather, national and international
standard railway between the East/ West railway at Tarcoola and
Alice Springs.
2.
And today we are inaugurating, we are commencing this largest
railway project in Australia since Prime Minister Andrew Fisher's
government inaugurated the East/ West railway in 1912. This is
a big occasion. Not only to Tarcoola, not only for South
Australia, and the Centre, but for the nation. A very big
project. $ 100 million. 830 kilometers. And first-rate road
bed and rolling stock. Of course the rolling stock is something
for which I will always remember this day.
I suppose every politician is supposed to be inordinately ambitious.
And I suppose when I became a law student and thought everything
would be terribly easy, I thought " Well, I suppose I'll be
satisfied if I get on the High Court."
It was many years that I was in the House of Representatives
before I thought I'd be able to do this job. I suppose it was
only after for some years I'd been watching people on the other
side. But I never dreamed that my ambition of having a locomotive
named after me would be fulfilled. I
In the early days of federation, the railway stations on the East/
West line were called after Prime Ministers Barton and Reid and
Watson right up to Hughes and so on. But in more recent years,
there have been locomotives called after Prime Ministers, and in
fact, after Ministers of Transport. It started as so many things
did with the Robert Menzies, and since then there's been the John
Gorton, and the William McMahon. All very formal. Then they made
a Ben Chifley, who I think was one of the greatest Prime ministers
and he did in fact know something about locomotives. Then there
was the George McLeay, and the Hubert Opperman, and the Gordon
Freeth, but now, the pride of. the fleet the Charlie Jones and
the Gough Whitlam.
Of course, Jones' initials are C. K. But a lot of people knowing
his addiction to railways think it ought to be the K. C. Caey
Jones a great name in railway history. But be satisfied with
it being called the Charlie Jones.
Now some people have said, unkindly I think, that also locomotives.
ought to be called after leaders on the other side. And in fact
this has commended itself to the railways management because this
would rapidly ensure the replenishment of the whole fleet. I'm
not sure that some of them would be happy about it because they
aren't always happy about people from the wrong side of the tracks.
But Charlie, you needn't worry about my faith in you. Sure I'd
like to be minister-for Transport. But you'd be my second choice.
And you'd do better than some of your colleagues on the platform.
Senator Bishop has been Postmaster-General for quite some time and
he hasn't got me on a postage stamp.* But Charlie Jones has got
me on a locomotive.
Now this is going to be a big occasion. I believe it is going to
take several forms. I have to push a plunger which will, after
some lapse of time, produce an explosion on a neighbouring hillside.
Then, I have to fill a barrel and this gives me the greatest
pleasure, next after naming the locomotive, because I've had to
push one for so many years. All by myself. So I have to go through
that process. Then there is going to be the plaque on the tree.
One of the few trees on the immediate neighbourhood. And then
there is the naming of the locomotive. Now there will be some
interval. Because I am told that after I bash the plunger, the
magazines on the TV will have to be replenished so any delay will
be due to entirely media compulsions.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a very great pleasure to be here in
the middle of Australia on this very great occasion, because a
great number of people on the maps of Australia from now on will
find Tarcoola writ large and they will remember April 1975 for
a very great number of things. Symbolised, I think, I am sorry
about the fact, that these locomotives so freshly painted will
have to be repainted again next week to make it Australian National
Railways. But all these things are happening at the one time:
the biggest railway project in Australia since 1912; the creation
of the Australian National Railways; the acquisition of the South
Australian Railways; the introduction of the Interstate Commission
Bill. Ladies and Gentlemen, a lot of us have come a long way. But I
believe this will be regarded as a voyage, a trip very much to
be remembered. Thank you very much for coming here today.
I believe the people of Australia will remember what we've all
worked together to achieve today.