I lr Speech by the -Prime Minister at Opening of
. Ipswich, C ivic Hall.,. July. 19 75
Mr Mayor., Madam Mayoress, Treasurer, Mrs Hayden, Ministers
Mrs Campbell, Mrs Edwards, Senator and Mrs Bonner,
Mr Marginson, Mrs Marginson, Mr Hales, M. L. A.
Mrs Hales, Civic Fathers and Citizens.
Now this is the formal opening that I am about to perform. I
did the symbolic opening two hours ago at dusk in the presence
of hundreds and hundreds of the rising generation. And I believe
that symbolises what this occasion means for this city. Because
there were representatives, it seemed to me) of all possible
youth groups in the city and round about there gathered to
watch me unveil the plaque commemorating the opening of the
Civic Hall. The first instalment of the great new civic centre
which will embellish and exalt the heart of this ancient citythe
oldest free city, I'm always told, in Queensland.
Because all the people who were watching there for the rest of
their lives will remember this day, what it means to them. This
Civic Hall provides facilities for a great range of activities.
That the whole of civic centre contains two whole city blocks,
we will be the heart of all the activities which a modern city,
a complete community should provide. And which the rising
generation expects.
Now in this auditorium where I am speaking now there are many
many hundreds of citizens. In the intervening two hours the
Mayor and Mayoress entertained many of us in the lower ground
floor. There are three rooms there, the Cunningham room, the
Logan room and the Lockyer room. We were in the Cunningham room,
the largest and we were very well entertained and replenished and
fortified and prepared. The civic fathers did us very well
indeed and we who were in the Cunningham room are grateful to
them. I thought probably the Cunningham room was the most suitable
place to entertain us in the intervening two hours, not only
because of its size but because of its association, the fact
that Alan Cunningham discovered the place. It mightn't have been
appropriate to have the meeting in the Logan room because that,
of course, is named after the Commandant of the Penal Settlementthe
original foundation in this State. I wouldn't have minded
the Lockyer room because Lockyer was a very great man and one
of those whom I have always aspired to follow. His son was
a very great man, a member of the old Interstate Commission,
the original Interstate Commission, and he was born when the
Lockyer who's remembered round here, was 71 years of age.
So, of course, -we in Public life always regard Lockyer
as a proper example to follow.
1" 2.
Now this occasion is the third that my wife and I have been
here last year and this. My wife was here early last year
just after the floods. I was here late in the year, some
people said just before the deluge But we've come together
on this occasion, the date was ar . ranged between the Mayor and
me through the intervention of Bill Hayden, who is, I'm
certain , about to 6 ffect a successful transition from the most
enlightened and benevolent Minister for Social Security the
country has ever had to the greatest of Australian Treasurers.
But you know, and I can never forget, he is also the M. P. for
Oxley. And he deliberately arranged, I'm certain, for this'
opening to coincide with the weekend immediately before we
consider the Budget. Because I believe he wanted to bring
home to me the demonstration of what the Australian Government
should be doing because in Ipswich we can very easily see in
many ways what it can do in respect to local government and
civic and community facilities..
A few years ago it would have been remarkable to ask a Prime
Minister to open any Municipal civic facility . such as this.
In fact, I receive a remarkable number of such invitations
these days from Cairns to here, over the border to Murwillumbah
and so on. And I think it is because my Government is the first
Australian Government which has accepted a responsibility in
respect to local government. And-the Mayor has already mentioned
some of them. I think next Tuesday we start clearing the site
for the Humanities Building $ 800,000 part of the Regional
Employment Development Scheme. But last year, last financial
year, for the first time the Australian Government asked the
Australian Parliament to make provision for grants to local
governments. And it did so on advice of an expert impartial
body, the Grants Commission, and Ipswich got about $ 360,000 to
spend as it wished. Brisbane got more, $ 2 million, more than
any place in Australia. But you've got more than most.
And then I recall that last financial year there was $ 840,000
provided for the National Sewerage Program for Ipswich;
$ 200,000 for Child Minding Centres; another $ 800,000 for
Regional Employment Development; there is going to be a
$ 1 million office block; and then there is going to be a
Queensland Government Office Block which means that in these
two blocks citizens will be able to have all facilities
provided by local government, State government, Federal
government handy to each other. Very puzzling for citizens
to know where they can get assistance or advice from elected
representatives. It will' be easier than most places to find out
and to get the assistance and advice in Ipswich because they
will all be adjacent to each other in proper buildings. The
staff will be servicing their fellow citizens in a convenient
spot and decent building.
Then I should mention Community Health Centre in East Street
and the Australian Legal Aid Office. In*, all these respects
I think can be seen, that there hare been initiatives which
mean that if citizens want professional advice, medical or
legal, if they want Governmental advice, if they need
municipal facilities, public facilities, then they are on the
way to being provided. / 3
V6 3.
It's a very happy moment, indeed, for me to come to Ipswich
first, so that one can see these things properly arranged
side by side, planned ahead. This is the largest building
erected in Ipswich for very many years. In the heart of the
city there are other buildings to follow. A whole range of
facilities which we can't provide as individuals or as
families will now be provided through proper cooperation, local,
State and Federal, in the heart of this old city, this city
which from now on will have as modern and appropriate facilities
as any city in Australia.
Thank you very much indeed for asking my wife and me to be with
you on this opening night. We are enjoying ourselves immensely.
And looking at all the people as we come in, I'm certain we can
be proud to think that as ratepayers, as taxpayers, as electorate
persons, as citizens, we are building well for the future of
this regional centre, this great provincial city, this oldest
free city in Queensland. And as I come into your airport,
Amberley itself, to go back tonight to Canberra, I realise how
easy it is to get here, how pleasant it is and when you're here
how hospitable the place is.
Mr Mayor, Madam Mayoress thank you very much for your invitation
on behalf of your fellow citizens to me and my wife to come
here at the inauguration of the Ipswich Civic Centre and in
particular to the opening of the Ipswich Civic Hall. I wish
well to everybody who comes to this auditorium, everybody who
partakes of the hospitality in the lower ground floor; all the
people who come to the seminars, the exhibitions, that will be
held week in, week out, in this great building the Centre of
Ipswich, the revived exalted part of this city.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I now declare officially open the Ipswich
Civic Hall.