PM Transcripts

) 4WUtRLIA PRESS STATEMENT NO. 562
19 September 1975
OFFICIAL CAR TRANSPORT
The Prime Minister has announced that as part of
its deliberations on the Budget and in keeping with its
desire to cut costs wherever practical, the Government
has decided to restrict the use of official bar transport.
A number of measures have already been taken and
further measures are in hand to achieve this objective.
Rules governing the use of official transport
were last reviewed by the Rt. Hon. J. McEwen as Acting
Prime Minister in April 1966.
New rules designed to curtail the use of cars have
been approved and will apply to all Australian Government
employees and to members of the Armed Forces.
The Australian Government transport authorities will
maintain only skeleton staff on weekends and public holidays.
Weekday services will also be closely examinedtto see whether
further cost savings can be achieve whilst maintaining a
reasonable level of service.
Ways and means of rationalising official transport
to and from Canberra Airport and of extending the existing
inter-departmental passenger bus service between major
work locations in Canberra are under consideration.
Departments and other Australian Government
instrumentalities are to be requested to review urgently
all cars owned or on hire, in conjunction with the appropriate
Australian Government transport authority, to ensure that
their use is economic.
Whilst it is not possible to estimate precisely the
full effect of these measures, it is considered that they
will involve substantial savings in official transport costs.
CANBERRA, A. C. T.