THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH
AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW CIVIC CHAMBERS AT QUEANBEYAN
MONDAY,. 21 APRIL, .1975
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO OPEN TONIGHT QUEANBEYAN'S
NEW COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND BABY HEALTH CENTRES YOU WILL KNOW
THAT I AM NO STRANGER TO QUEANBEYAN HAVING ATTENDED MANY
FUNCTIONS HERE AND HAVING HELD MAJOR CAMPAIGN MEETINGS HERE
IN 1972 AND 1974X THIS OCCASION AFFORDS ME AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RECALL COMMENTS AND COMMITMENTS I MADE AT THOSE CAMPAIGN
MEETINGS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE HOW MOST OF THAT
PROMISED HAS'BEEN ACHIEVEDX I CHOSE QUEANBEYAN FOR THOSE
CAMPAIGN MEETINGS AND SPOKE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITIES
AND MY GOVERNMENT' S PLANS FOR IMPROVING THEM BECAUSE I
BELIEVED THAT QUEANBEYAN REPRESENTS, IN MICROCOSM, OUR GREAT
CITIES AND THEIR PROBLEMSX
QUEANBEYAN, LIKE THE CITIES OF SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE,
GROWS AT'SUCH A RATE THAT ITS RESOURCES ARE NOT ADEQUATE TO
MEET THE SERVICES DEMAND WHICH ITS GROWTH CREATESX YOUR"
GROWTH OF 5.5 PER CENT PER ANNUM IS CAUSED BY FACTORS NOT
OF YOUR MAKING OR CONTROLX YOU HAVE A BACKLOG IN THE
PROVISION AND EXTENSION OF SERVICES WHICH COMMUNITIES
RIGHTLY EXPECTX YOUR INCOME IS BARELY SUFFICIENT FOR ALL
YOUR NEEDSX LOAN SERVICING PLACESA GREAT BURDEN UPON THE
STRUCTURE OF YOUR FINANCING AND AS WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ORGANISATIONS IN THE CITIES OF THIS NATION, YOU MUST COMPETE
WITH SISTER ORGANISATIONS IN THE SEMI-GOVERNMENT LOAN MARKET
FOR THE SAME LIMITED SUPPLY OF FUNDSX s @ 2/ s
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IN THE POLICY SPEECH WHICH I DELIVERED ON BEHALF
OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY FOR THE ELECTIONS OF 1972
I SAID: " OUR PROGRAM HAS THREE GREAT AIMS. THEY ARE:
TO PROMOTE EQUALITY
TO INVOLVE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IN THE
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF OUR LAND; AND
TO LIBERATE THE TALENTS AND UPLIFT THE
HORIZONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE."
BUT I ALSO SAID IN SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY OF THE
CITIES OF THIS NATION:
" INCREASINGLY, A CITIZEN'S REAL STANDARD OF LIVING,
THE HEALTH OF HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY1 HIS
CHILDREN'IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND
SELF-IMPROVEMENT, HIS ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, HIS ABILITY TO ENJOY THE NATION'IS
RESOURCES FOR RECREATION AND. CULTURE, HIS ABILITY
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISIONS AND. ACTIONS OF THE
COMMUNITY ARE DETERMINED NOT BY HIS INCOME, NOT BY
THE HOURS HE WORKS, BUT BY WHERE HE LIVES, THIS
IS WHY LABOR BELIEVES THAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
MUST INVOLVE ITSELF DIRECTLY IN CITIES." 3/.
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BY THE PURSUIT OF THE SECOND AIM WHICH I ASSERTED
IN 1972 TO INVOLVE THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IN THE
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF OUR NATION MUCH OF OUR PROGRAM
FOR THE CITIES WAS DETERMINED BUT WE ALSO WANTED PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF POLICY, ALL THE PROGRAMS UNDERTAKEN BY THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, HAVE MEANT A GREATER DEGREE OF
INVOLVEMENT BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN MATTERS LIKE
SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND WELFARE THAN HAD HITHERTO BEEN
ACCEPTED IN AUSTRALIA, THE UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY IS THIS:
IN MODERN COMMUNITIES EVEN THE WEALTHIEST FAMILY CANNOT
PROVIDE ITS MEMBERS WITH THE BEST EDUCATION, WITH THE BEST
MEDICAL TREATMENT, THE BEST ENVIRONMENT, UNAIDED BY THE
COMMUNITY, INCREASINGLY, THE BASIC SERVICES AND
OPPORTUNITIES WHICH DETERMINE THE REAL STANDARD OF LIFE OF
A FAMILY OR INDIVIDUAL CAN ONLY BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY
AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE COMMUNITY IS WILLING TO
PROVIDE THEM, EITHER THE COMMUNITY PROVIDES THEM OR THEY
WILL NOT BE PROVIDED AT ALL, IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT
THIS MEANS THAT THE COMMUNITY, THROUGH THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT,
MUST FINANCE THEM OR THEY WILL NOT BE FINANCED AT ALL.
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OBVIOUSLY THEN OUR PROGRAMS PROVIDE FOR, OR RATHER
POSITIVELY REQUIRE, A LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT AND INITIATIVE
BY-LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND BY GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE
COMMUNITY. IN ALL OF THIS, WE HAVE FORGED A NEW PARTNERSHIP.-
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES.
IN QUEANBEYAN, NO LESS THAN IN OUR GREAT CITIES OF
WHICH IT IS A MICROCOSM, THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN EVIDENT.
THERE-ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW WE HAVE TRIED TO ACHIEVE THIS'
PARTNERSHIP, THIS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, THROUGH COMMUNITY
ACTION IN DECISION-MAKING AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. SOME
OF THESE ARE: AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE PLAN
THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION
THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION
COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM
AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
THE REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME
IN MOST OF THESE EXAMPLES WHICH I MENTION, YOUR COMMUNITY
HAS PARTICIPATED, BUT IN YOUR CASE, THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES
OF PARTICIPATION OR ACTION BY MY GOVERNMENT WHICH ARE NOT
REPEATED ON A NATIONAL SCALE. LET ME MENTION HERE THE
AREAS IN WHICH WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP, THAT IS, YOUR COMMUNITY
OF QUEANBEYAN AND MY GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER IN WHATI
CALL THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. a a
UNDER THE AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM A $ 120,000
GRANT MADE UP OF $ 70,000 FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF A
COMMUNITY COMPLEX. $ 32,000 FOR CLEARANCE OF THE
QUEANBEYAN RIVER AND ITS BANKS, $ 8,000 FOR
INVESTIGATION OF CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITIONAL
WEIR, AND $ 10,000 FOR A TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.
UNDER THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION PROGRAM $ 9,926
FOR THE HARRIS PARK PRE-SCHOOL AND $ 9,449 FOR THE
SOUTH QUEANBEYAN PRE-SCHOOL FOR RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
DURING THE PERIOD 1.1.74 31.3.75.
UNDER THEMIGRANT EDUCATION PROGRAMS $ 67,000 THIS
FINANCIAL YEAR FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN EDUCATION.
UNDER THE SCHOOLS COMMISSION PROGRAMS $ 22,870 THIS
FINANCIAL YEAR AND IN ADDITION, $ 9,696 TO TEACHERS
AND SCHOOLS IN YOUR CITY FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS1
UNDER AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS FOR
THE PERIOD 1.1.73 11.4.75 $ 53,620,
UNDER THE HOSPITALS PROGRAM -, THE ACCELERATION OF
WORK AT THE QUEANBEYAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL BECAUSE
OF THE GRANT OF $ 8.83 MILLION TO NSW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
AND IMPROVEMENT OF HOSPITALS.
UNDER THE HOME NURSING SUBSIDY SCHEME $ 19,512 FOR THE
QUEANBEYAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL DURING 1973 TO 1975.
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FROM THE GRANTS COMMISSION $ 80,000.
FOR FLOOD RELIEF ASSISTANCE AS PART OF
THE GRANT TO THE N. S. W. GOVERNMENT QUEANBEYAN
RECEIVED ASSISTANCE TO RELIEVE MAJOR FLOOD
DAMAGE IN 1974.
UNDER THE RURAL ARTERIAL ROADS PROGRAM
TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF N. S. W,,
$ 159,000 FOR THE QUEANBEYAN RIVER BRIDGE;
$ 130,000 FOR THE APPROACHES TO THAT BRIDGE
AND $ 5,000 FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON
THE RAILWAY BRIDGE ON CANBERRA AVENUE.
As WELL, $ 10,781 WAS PROVIDED TO YOUR CITY
COUNCIL THIS FINANCIAL YEAR FOR RURAL LOCAL
ROADS. FOR A NEW CANBERRA-QUEANBEYAN RAILWAY BRIDGE
HALF THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
UNDER THE NATIONAL SEWERAGE PROGRAM $ 110,000
FOR AUGMENTATION OF THE QUEANBEYAN SEWERAGE WORKS
AND PUMPING STATION.
UNDER THE AGED PERSONS WELFARE PROGRAM $ 52,000
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE J. C. GORMAN MEMORIAL
CENTRE AND $ 50,112 FOR A SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE.
AND,
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UNDER THE DEPT OF TOURISM RECREATION'S AREA
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $ 80,000 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF TIPTOP PARK,
BUT SUCH A LIST DOES NOT DO FULL JUSTICE TO THE
EXTENSIVE RANGE OF MATTERS IN WHICH WE CO-OPERATE. FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE IS CO-OPERATION BETWEEN US IN REGIONAL
PLANNING, IN WATER SUPPLY, IN TRANSPORT TO AND THROUGH
QUEANBEYAN TO CANBERRA, AND IN ASSISTANCE TO YOUR CITY
BY THE NC; D. C. IN LOCAL. PLANNING. PERHAPS THE BEST
EXAMPLE, HOWEVER, OF OUR PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AND OF YOUR
INVOLVEMENT IN POLICY-MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION, IS YOUR
PARTICIPATION IN 1973 IN THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM,
CONCEIVED BY BOB WHAN, AND SPONSORED BY MY GOVERNMENT,
THAT SYMPOSIUM CONSIDERED THE PROBLEMS OF THE REGION AND
PRODUCED MATERIAL WHICH OUR PLANNERS CAN USE IN THE
CONSIDERATION OF PLANS FOR THE WHOLE SOUTH-EASTERN REGION. ' 4
I SHOULD, HOWEVER, ADD A WARNING. ALL THESE PROGRAMS
I HAVE MENTIONED ARE NOVEL FOR AUSTRALIA AND EXPERIMENTAL IN
AUSTRALIA. BECAUSE THEY ARE NEW, BECAUSE THEY ARETENTATIVE,
THEY LACK THE POLITICAL CLOUT THAT COMES FROM
YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE. BECAUSE THEY
SEEK OUT NEW AND NEGLECTED AREAS OF NEED, THEY MAY BE
REGARDED AS POLITICALLY PERIPHERAL, THEY HAVE NOT HAD THE
TIME TO BECOME SACRED COWS, BECAUSE THEY ARE DESIGNED TO
SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE WEAKEST, OF THE LEAST ARTICULATE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND BECAUSE THEY INVOLVE COMMUNITIES AND
INDIVIDUALS AT A LOCAL LEVEL, THEY MAY BE REGARDED AS
POLITICALLY DISPENSABLE BY THE OPPOSITION AND BY STATE
GOVERNMENTS.
MY GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THOUGH IS STILL AS I STATED IT IN
MY POLICY SPEECH OF 1972:-
" WE ARE DETERMINED THAT THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
SHALL BE RESTORED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN
THEIR OWN COUNTRY AS PARTICIPANTS AND
PARTNERS IN GOVERNMENT...". S
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LET THERE BE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS POSSIBILITY.
OUR OPPONENTS HAVE ALREADY GIVEN NOTICE OF THEIR
INTENTIONS. THEY CRY " CENTRALISM", " SOCIALISM"
AND " BUREAUCRAT ISAT ION" WHENEVER WE PRESS AHEAD WITH
ANY OF OUR POLICY COMMITMENTS. THEY FEAR THAT
UNFEELING PUBLIC SERVANTS IN CANBERRA AND PUBLIC
SERVANTS IN CANBERRA, AS WE ALL KNOW, ARE ALWAYS
UNFEELING WILL DESTROY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE. I
MAINTAIN THE CONTRARY THAT OUR NATIONAL COMMUNITY
PROGRAMS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING STATE CENTRALISM
WITH GENUINE REGIONAL INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION$
As PROOF OF THEIR INTENTIONS, WE NEED LOOK
NO FURTHER THAN THEIR ACTIONS. THEY OPPOSED OUR
REFERENDUM BY WHICH LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE GAINED
REPRESENTATION ON THE LOAN COUNCIL AND, TWO OF THE
PROGRAMS I HAVE MENTIONED THE AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE
PLAN AND THE REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT SCHEMEARE
BEING CHALLENGED BY SOME OF THE STATE GOVERNMENTS
IN THE HIGH COURT$
IF THAT CHALLENGE SHOULD SUCCEED, NO LESS
THAN FIFTY-SEVEN NATIONAL WELFARE PROGRAMS, SOME OF
THEM INITIATED BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, COULD BE
IMPERILLED. FOR EXAMPLE, PROGRAMS FOR THE AGED AND
HOMELESS, THE HANDICAPPED, ABORIGINAL PEOPLE, ISOLATED
CHILDREN, HEALTH CENTRES, LEGAL AID OFFICES, NURSING
HOMES AND HOME NURSING, MEALS ON WHEELS, THE FLYING
DOCTOR SERVICE, AND BLOOD TRANSFUSION. 84 1/ 9
THE COMMON DISTINGUISHING FACTOR IN ALL THESE PROGRAMS
IS THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED TO MEET SPECIAL NEEDS OF
THE-WEAK AND INARTICULATE SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IF THESE GROUPS WERE POLITICALLY POWERFUL, IF THEY
COULD MOUNT EFFECTIVE POLITICAL PRESSURE, THE
GOVERNMENTS WHICH DARED TO PLACE THESE PROGRAMS IN
JEOPARDY WOULD BE DESTROYED. BUT AS IT IS, THE THING
PASSES OFF WITH SCARCE A MURMUR.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: YOUR CITY, YOUR
COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THE NEEDY, WEAK AND INARTICULATE
MEMBERS OF IT HAVE BEEN MUCH ASSISTED BY OUR JOINT
EFFORTS, BY OUR PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. WE MUST ENSURE
THAT THERE IS NO GOING BACK, THAT COOPERATIVE
INVOLVEMENT IN, AND ASSISTANCE TO, THE COMMUNITIES
OF AUSTRALIA BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BECOMES
ESTABLISHED. IT IS THE RIGHT OF EACH COMMUNITY AND
OF EACH INDIVIDUAL IN IT. WE SHOULD BE SATISFIED WITH
NO LESS THAN THIS.