NOTES FOR THE PRIME MINISTER,
FOR A CIVIC RECEPTION IN
FORBES, NISW. 17 J'AY 1975
1, I AM DELIGHTED TO BE MAKING MY FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT
To FORBES, THIS CITY, BORN IN THE GOLDRUSH DAYS OF
THE 1860' s, IS NO W THE CENTRE OF A THRIVING
AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL INDUSTRY, LIKE SO MANY
TOWNS OF THE PERIOD IT RETAINS MANY OF THE BUILDINGS
AND MUCH OF THE CHARACTER OF ITS EARLY YEARS,
TOGETHER WITH THE SIGNS OF MODERN COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT$ a
2, FOR TOO LONG PEOPLE IN COUNTRY TOWNS HAVE BEEN PUTTING
UP WITH SERVICES AND AMENITIES INFERIOR TO THOSE IN THE
CAPITAL CITIES. THE LABOR GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED THAT
TOWNSPEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY WILL ENJOY A STANDARD OF LIVING
EQUAL TO THE BEST IN AUSTRALIA,
3. OUR OPPONENTS SEEM TO THINK THAT A GOVERNMENT'S
RESPONSIBILITY IN COUNTRY AREAS ENDS WITH THE FARMER,
THE MAN ON THE LAND,. CERTAINLY WE RECOGNISE THAT
PROSPERITY IN COUNTRY AREAS DEPENDS LARGELY ON A
PROSPEROUS RURAL COMMUNITY. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE
NOT GOING TO NEGLECT THE MILLIONS OF AUSTRALIANSEMPLOYEES
AND FAMILIES WHO LIVE IN TOWNS LIKE FORBES.
THEY DESERVE THE SAME STANDARDS OF EDUCATION, THE SAME
STANDARDS OF HOUSING, THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH
AND RECREATION As AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJOR CITIES.
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ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS OF THIS GOVERNMENT WAS TO EMPOWER
THE GRANTS COMMISSION TO REC"~ END ASSISTANCE FOR LOCAL
AUTHORITIES. IN THIS WAY THE GRANTS COMMISSION WILL BE
ABLE TO ALLEVIATE INEQUALITIES BETWEEN REGIONS, IN THE
SAME WAY THAT IT HAS ACTED TO REMOVE INEQUALITIES BETWEEN
THE STATES, IN ITS FIRST SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, THE
COM1MISSION ALLOCATED MORE THAN $ 21 MILLION FOR LOCAL
COUNCILS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. FORBES MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
RECEIVED $ 90,000 FOR 197' 4-75,
UNDER THE REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME, THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED ASSISTANCE TO THE
FORBES MUNICIPALITY AMOUNTING' TO $ 665,000 TO DATE.
SHIRES WITHIN THE FORBES DISTRICT HAVE RECEIVED
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE UNDER REDS TOTALLING $ 765,000,
6, No GOVERNMENT HAS DONE MORE TO ALLEVIATE THE EFFECTS
OF NATURAL DISASTERS. WE ESTABLISHED THE NATURAL
DISASTERS RELIEF ORGANISATIONt WHICH HAS ALREADY
PROVED ITS VALUE BY ITS MAGNIFICENT WORK IN DARWIN
AND DURING THE BUSHFIRES LAST SUMMER IN NEW SOUTH
WALES. WE ARE ESTABLISHING THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
INSURANCE CORPORATION TO PROVIDE INSURANCE COVER
AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST
TO HOUSEHOLDERS. MAJOR FLOODING OCCURRED IN FORBES
AND THE SURROUNDING AREA DURING AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
LAST YEAR. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROVIDED $ 100,000-
ON A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BASIS WITH THE STATE FOR RELIEF
MEASURES AND WILL GIVE FURTHER FUNDS FOR RESTORATION. s 9 ,/ 3
7. RECURRENT GRANTS TOTALLING MORE THAN $ 101,000 HAVE
BEEN MADE SINCE JANUARY 1973 To 6 NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS IN FORBES PIARIST BROTHERS' COLLEGE/
OUR LADY OF NERCY COLLEGE, SACRED HEART INFANTS
SCHOOL; ST LAWRENCE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND LACH-HAVEN
SPECIAL SCHOOL.
8. THE M1INISTER FOR HEALTH HAS APPROVED A GRANT OF
$ 57,014 TO THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT TO
CONSTRUCT AND , EQUIP A SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC AT
FORBES, THIS IS PART OF A PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE SCH~ OOL DENTAL SERVICE IN NEW SOUTH WALES,
FOR WHICH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY
APPROVED MORE THAN $ 5.5 MILLION,
9. GRANTS To FORBES AND PARKES SINCE 1972 FOR AGED PERSONS
HOMES AND HOSTELS TOTAL $ 1,497,1711
As PART OF ITS PROGRAM TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA, THE GOVERNMENT IS ESTABLISHING A
COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES CENTRE TO SERVE FORBES/
PARKES, COWRA AND WEST WIYALONG. THE CENTRE WILL RECRUIT
AND MANAGE A TEAM OF NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH WORKERS
TO CARE FOR PEOPLE AND STAFF EXISTING BABY HEALTH CENTRES,
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED $ 89,690 THIS FINANCIAL
YEAR. p
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11, SEVEN GRANTS TOTALLING MORE THAN $ 4,700 HAVE BEEN
MADE TO ARTS AND CRAFTS GROUPS IN THE FORBES AND
PARKES DISTRICT,
12. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS MADE AVAILABLE
$ 53,000 IN GRANTS TO THE STATES FOR EXTENSIONS TO
HOUSES ON THE NANIMA RESERVE, WHERE MOST ABORIGINALS
IN THE DISTRICT LIVE.