ONE
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR E, G. WHITLAM, M, P.
TO THE FEDERATED MUNICIPAL AND SHIRE COUNCIL EMPLOYEES'UNION
26 MAY 1975
No GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD GREATER
RESPONSIBILITIES IMPOSED UPON THEM THROUGH-THE POLICIES
OF MY GOVERNMENT THAN EMPLOYEES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. EQUALLY,
NO GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD THEIR OPPORTUNITIES
MORE ENHANCED THAN THOSE EMPLOYED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT$
IN ACCEPTING YOUR INVITATION I ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, ACKNOWLEDGE
OUR DEBT AND AFFIRM OUR MUTUAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE POLICIES
OF THIS GOVERNMENT CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT YOUR CO-OPERATION,
IN A VERY REAL SENSE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
ARE THE FRONT-LINE TROOPS IN OUR BATTLE TO PROMOTE THE
QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUSTRALIA'S CITIES AND REGIONS, AND TO
PROMOTE EQUALITY BETWEEN REGIONS. FRONT-LINE TROOPS MUST,
OF COURSE, EXPECT TO COP A GREAT DEAL OF THE FLAK, WE CAN
* ALL ANTICIPATE IN THE COMING MONTHS A STRENGTHENING OF THE
ATTACK ON THE GROWTH OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ON THE SO-CALLED
BLOATED BUREAUCRACY. " THESE ATTACKS ALWAYS HAVE ONE AIM
TO DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY, TO BUILD'UP RESENTMENT AGAINST
PUBLIC INITIATIVES,_ TO DEPICT-THE WORKFORCE AS BEING COMPOSED
OF TWO MUTUALLY HOSTILE SECTORS THE WORKERS VERSUS THE
DRONES. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THAT PARTICULAR EXERCISE,
THOSE PAID BY GOVERNMENT FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL ARE
DEPICTED AS THE DRONES. THIS COMPARTMENTALISATION IS
ESSENTIALLY PHONEY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, IN TERMS OF PRODUCTIVITY
OR SOCIAL WORTH, TO DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THOSE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
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ACCORDING TO THE FALLACY OF PRIVATE WORTH VERSUS PUBLIC
WASTE, THE CLERK IN ONE OF THE 110 PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS
IS ECONOMICALLY PRODUCTIVE WHILE THE CLERK DOING EXACTLY
THE SAME WORK THROUGH MEDIBANK IS A BLUDGER. THE PRIVATE
BUS OPERATOR PRODUCESJ THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WORKER IS
A PARASITE. THE BREWERY WORKER CONTRIBUTES TO THE
GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT; THE WATER BOARD MAN DOES NOT.
THE SHIRE ENGINEER IS IN SOME WAY A LESS USEFULj,, LESS
PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN THAN A PRIVATELY-EMPLOYED ONE,
OF COURSE THIS ' IS ALL SO MUCH NONSENSE.
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ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND
THE PUBLIC SECTOR ARE INTERDEPENDENT. No MODERN COMMUNITY
CAN SENSIBLY OR MEANINGFULLY DRAW A SHARP DISTINCTION
BETWEEN THE PRIVATE OR PUBLIC PROVISION OF GOODS AND
SERVICES, WHOEVER PRODUCES OR PROVIDES THEM. IN MODERN
COMMUNITIES, THE PROVISION OF SERVICES, EVEN MORE THAN
THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS, DETERMINES THE REAL LEVEL OF
A COMMUNITY S WELFARE AND A FAMILY S STANDARD OF LIVING.
AND INCREASINGLY THOSE SERVICES MUST BE* PROVIDED BY THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF, OR THEY WILL NOT BE PROVIDED AT ALL,
WHO WOULD NOW ARGUE THAT THE PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE CARS
WAS A MORE ACCURATE OR MORE RELEVANT MEASURE OF
PROSPERITY THAN THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT? WHO
WOULD NOW ARGUE THAT A SUBURBAN HOME STOCKED WITH
EVERY GLITTERING MODERN APPLIANCE WAS SATISFACTORY IF'IT
LACKED THE BASIC AMENITY OF SEWERAGE?
I SET OUT THE BASIS OF AN APPROACH IN THE
POLICY SPEECH OF 1972 IN THESE TERMS:
" EVEN-THE MOST ENLIGHTENED AND EQUAL APPROACH
TO SOCIAL WELFARE CAN ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF THE
BASIC PROBLEM OF EQUALITY AND WELL-BEING OF MOST OF OUR CITIZENS$
WE CAN DOUBLE AND TREBLE SOCIAL BENEFITS, BUT WE CAN NEVER
MAKE UP THROUGH CASH PAYMENTS FOR WHAT WE TAKE AWAY IN
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING AND SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH
THE BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNITY LIFE AND COMMUNITY IDENTITY. 1-1/ 3.
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INCREASINGLY, A CITIZEN'S REAL STANDARD OF LIVING, THE
HEALTH OF HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY, -HIS CHILDREN'S
OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT, HIS
ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, HIS ABILITY TO
ENJOY THE NATION'S 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 AND CENTRES WHERE
MOST PEOPLE LIVE,"
THE MAJOR INSTRUMENT FOR THE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION
OF THAT PHILOSOPHY IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT IS NOW
UNDERWAY IS A TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROLE OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND CONSEQUENTLY A TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROLE
OF LOCAL* GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. OON'T FORGET AND DON'T
O LET THE PUBLIC FORGET THAT WHEN BUSINESS, AND THE PRESS
ATTACK THE BUREAUCRACY, THEY ARE NOT JUST AIMING AT THE
CANBERRA PUBLIC SERVANTS; THEY'RE AIMING AT YOU AND YOUR
FELLOW-MEMBERS AS WELL. IN FACT IN 1974-75 THE FASTESTGROWING
SEGMENT OF THE PUBLIC WORK-FORCE WAS NOT THE
FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE BUT EMPLOYMENT THROUGH LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. THE GROWTH OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE
WAS THE LOWEST OF THE THREE FEbERAL, STATE AND LOCAL.
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FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT FROM MARCH 1974 TO MARCH 1975
INCREASED 4.8 PER CENT, STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT
BY 6,4 PER CENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT BY
11,4 PER CENT, I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT FIGURE SIGNIFICANTLY REFLECTS THE OPERATION
OF THE REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME, THE
FIGURES DO, HOWEVER, EXPLODE THE MYTH OF UNCONTROLLED
GROWTH OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE,
I SHOULD FURTHER POINT OUT THAT ONE OF THE
MAJOR FACTORS DETERMINING THE RATE OF GROWTH OF
THE FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE IS THE NEED TO RECRUIT
STAFF TO PLAN AND OPERATE PROGRAMS DIRECTLY RELATED
TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, THIS GOES MUCH
FURTHER THAN THE CREATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
URBAN AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE CITIES
COMMISSION AND THE NEW INVOLVEMENT OF THE GRANTS
COMMISSION IN REGIONAL AFFAIRS, A GREAT NUMBER OF
FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS ARE NOW WORKING DIRECTLY WITH
STATE AND LOCAL GOVENMENT TO DEVELOP A WHOLE. RANGE
OF NEW LOCAL PROGRAMS; INCLUDING SOCIAL SECURITY,
HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND IMMIGRATION, ABORIGINAL
AFFAIRS, TOURISM AND RECREATION, TRANSPORT, AND
HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION,
THIS EXPANSION OF ACTIVITIES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
CENTRALISM. IT DOES MEAN VASTLY EXPANDED. OPPORTUNITIES
FOR CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
AND A VASTLY ENHANCED ROLE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. WE
HAVE SOUGHT TO MAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT A GENUINE PARTNER
IN AUSTRALIA'S FEDERAL SYSTEM,
WHEN As LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
IBEGAN TO BR ING LOCAL QUESTIONS TO THE CENTRE OF THE
NATIONAL DEBATE I WAS SAID TO BE DEMEANING BOTH THE
DEBATE AND MY SELF, REMEMBER THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
THOUGHT IT HILARIOUS THAT A NATIONAL LEADER SHOULD
SUGGEST, FOR I NSTANRE, THAT SEWERAGE WAS A-NATIONAL
QUESTION. MY APPROACH WAS AND IS THAT THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT MUST ACCEPT A GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN A WHOLE
RANGE OF MATTERS WHICH WERE ONCE DEEMED TO BE THE SOLE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE OR OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT IS-NOT BECAUSE OF ANY BELIEF IN THE INHERENT
SUPERIORITY OF CANBERRA. IT IS SIMPLY THAT UNDER THE OLD
APPROACHj. THE SERVICES WHICH A MODERN COMMUNITY NOW
REQUIRES SHOULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH ITS ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES WERE EITHER PROVIDED INADEQUATELY
OR NOT AT ALL, WERE FINANCED INADEQUATELY AND UNFAIRLY,
OR NOT AT ALL, IT IS NOW INEVITABLE THAT THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT SHALL ACCEPT INCREASING RESPONSIBILITY TO
FINANCE THESE FUNCTIONS AND SERVICES FAIRLY AND ADEQUATELY.
WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED TO DO IS TO CREATE
THE INSTITUTIONS AND MACHINERY, AND TO APPOINT THE MEN AND
WOMEN WHEREBY THIS INEVITABLE GROWTH OF RESPONSIBILITY
CAN BE DISCHARGED EFFICIENTLY AND FAIRLY.
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THE GREAT OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES AND
EQUALISE OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN REGIONS, THE MAJOR
INSTRUMENT IN THIS TASK IS THE GRANTS COMMISSION. THIS
YEAR $ 56 MILLION HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO 806 LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES UNDER RECOMMENDATION MADE BY THE
COMMISSION, I MENTIONBRIEFLY SOME OTHER NEW PROGRAMS WHICH
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR
YOUR MEMBERS. LAST YEAR WE PROVIDED $ 28 MILLION UNDER OUR
NATIONAL SEWERAGE PROGRAM. THIS YEAR THE ESTIMATE IS
$ 108 MILLION AND THE PROGRAM. HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO TOWNS
WITH A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 10,000,
FOR THE. FIRST TIME WE HAVE MADE URBAN LOCAL
ROADS ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE
AUSTRALIAN. GOVERNMENT,
THIRTEEN'AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS COSTING $ 14 MILLION
ARE NOW OPERATING.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND RECREATION AND
OTHER AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS DEPARTMENT OFURBAN
AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE CONSULTING AT LOCAL LEVEL ON
THE RECREATIONAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.
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OUR GRANTS PROGRAM HAS MADE A START TOWARDS MEETING THOSE
NEEDS. WE HAVE THIS YEAR ALLOCATED $ 2.25 MILLION FOR
GRANTS FOR LOCAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND FACILITIES. WE
ARE ESTABLISHING ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR CONSULTATION WITH
LOCAL GOVERNMENTo REGIONAL TOURIST ORGANISATIONS AND
INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES TO PLAN REGIONAL TOURIST DEVLEOPMENT1
WE HAVE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM OF LOCAL OWNERSHIP OF
AERODROMESS LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERIM
PROGRAM FOR PRE-SCHOOL AND CHILD-CARE SERVICES. ABOUT
HALF OF THE 122 CAPITAL PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN THROUGH OUR
CHILD-CARE PROGRAM WERE SPONSORED BY LOCAL.. GOVERNMENT BODIES.
WE HAVE MADE AVAILABLE MORE THAN $ 3k MILLION
IN DIRECT GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHOR ITIES FQLR
ABORIGINAL ADVANCEMENT IN THE PAST YEAR. MOST OF THAT
WAS ALLOCATED UNDER THE SPECIAL WORK PROJECTS SCHEME
ADMINISTERED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES.
WE HA VE COOPERATED CLOSELY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT
THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE REGIONAL COUNCILS FOR SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN
ASSISTANCE PLAN. II I
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THE LEGISLATION FOR THE HOSPITALS AND HEALTH
SERVICES COMMISSION PROVIDES FOR THE COMMISSION TO
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BE MADE
AVAILABLE BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE STATES., THE
COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTHI
ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDENCY PROGRAM, BOTH INTRODUCED
IN 1973, PROVIDE FOR DIRECT GRANTS TO* LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ORGANISATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOW HAS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PARTICIPATE DIRECTLY IN THE PROVISION OF A WIDE RANGE
OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND FACILITIES AT THE COMMUNITY
LEVELI WHERE IT9 PARTICIPATION CAN BE MOST EFFECTIVE,
p THROUGH ALL THESE AND OTHER PROGRAMS, WE ARE
STRIVING TO EXPAND AND EQUALISE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
REGIONS AND AS BETWEEN REGIONS. IT IS NOT ONLY A MATTER
OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL CITIZENS, FOR
ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN AUSTRALIA, WHEREVER THEY LIVE IN
AUSTRALIA THOUGH THAT IS THE BASIC AIM. THESE PROGRAMS
WILL INEVITABLY PROMOTE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF YOUR
MEMBERS, NOT JUST FOR EMPLOYMENT, BUT FOR MORE REWARDING,
MORE SELF-SATISFYING EMPLOYMENT. WHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
WAS TREATED AS THE CINDERELLA OF GOVERNMENT, WHEN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WAS POORLY FINANCED AND LOWLY REGARDED,
ALL THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND EMPLOYED THROUGH IT,
PAID A PRICE IN SALARY AND WAGES AND IN PUBLIC
ESTEEM. THIS IS NOT ENDED YET: THERE IS STILL A
LONG WAY TO GO. MUT UNTIL LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS A
GENUINE, A FULL AND COMPLETE PARTNER IN THE FEDERAL
SYSTEM,. THOSE EMPLOYED AT THAT LEVEL WILL SUFFER..
THE FACT IS THAT STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE
BEEN LOUSY EMPLOYERS. THIS IS THE PRINCIPAL REASON WHY
MOST STRIKES THE MOST FREQUENT STRIKES, THE WORST
STRIKES, THE LONGEST STRIKES OCCUR IN THE GREAT SERVICE
INSTRUMENTALITIES AND AMONG EMPLOYEES UNDER THE GREAT
PUBLIC AUTHORITIES, STATE OR LOCAL. IN RAISING THE
LEVEL AND PRESTIGE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SEMI-GOVERNMENT
AUTHORITIES, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HOPES, NOT ONLY
TO PROMOTE THE QUALITY OF AUSTRALIAN LIFE, BUT TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE FOR THOSE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES TO GIVE THEIR OWN
EMPLOYEES AS GOOD CONDITIONS, AS GOOD REMUNERATION, AS
GOOD OPPORTUNITIES, AND AS GOOD A CHANCE FOR A DECENT,
FULFILLING OCCUPATIONAS ANYJEPLOYEES IN AUSTRALIA.