7SPRIME
MYNISTER
AND MEMBER FOR WANNON, MR MALCOLM FRASER
FOR PRESS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1975
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1975
ELECTORAL TALK
Ladies and Gentlemen, since I last spoke to you, the Labor Party
* Leader, Mr Whitlam has been dismissed as Prime Minister by the
Governor General and I have been commissioned as Prime Minister.
This would not have happened if Mr Whitlam had been prepared to
accept the decision of Parliament. What the Opposition Parties wanted
were general elections, to enable the people of Australia to pass
judgement on a government which we believe had by its conduct
forfeited the trust of the nation.
There is no great need to dwell now on the incompetence of Mr Whit]. am's
adninistration in the economic management of the Australian economy.
The importance of that task was something which Mr Whitlam and his
succession of Treasurers never seemed to grasp.
Instead, as Mr Crean was succeeded by Dr Cairns and as Dr Cairns was
Sreplaced by Mr Hayden, Australians suffered housewives on tight
budgets, farmers, small business firms, young people leaving school
and finally 300,000 people who are out of work.
hile the administration which Labor provided pursued its impracticable
objectives the hope which had been raised vanished like mirages as
inflation, unemployment and crippling inflation destroyed the basis
of former prosperity.
For -many Aqtralians it was a sd and tragic spectacle as credibility
d-ained-fr thhe Tnitlam admina-& tration.
On top of the massive incompetence of the former administration there
were the improprieties'.
Over the three years of Labor government four men acted as Prime
Minister of this nation. All four have been sacked one way or
another. The dismissal of the third ranking member of the Labor cabinet,
Mr Rex Connor, last month on top of all the incompetence and dissi]. lusion
left the Opposition with no choice but to act. / 2
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Twice men who had been entrusted with responsibility for conducting
the affairs of the nation during Mr Whitlams many overseas journeys
have been dismissed for misleading the parliament or Prime Minister.
The Opposition had no alternative but to defer the budget and call
on Mr W-hitlam to agree to elections.
For Mr Whitlamy, the sensible'course of action was to hold elections
immediately the decision to defer supply was taken.
The second sensible course would have been to accept the compromise
which we offered publicly, and the opportunity we gave for private
discussion. But Mr Whitlam refused to seek an election and refused to give the
people of Australia the vote which was needed to resolve the situation.
* If he had done this he would have faced the electors as Prime Minister.
Mr Whitlam would not acknowledge that his administration never had
command of the Parliament because it never controlled the Senate.
That is the basis for his unconstitutional behaviour which
* ventually led to his dismissal.
Knowing quite well the Liberal and National Country Parties did not
have a majority in the House of Representatives, I accepted the
commission as Prime Minister on the basis that I would immediately
recommend to the Governor General a double dissolution.
As soon as the Appropriation Bills had received the royal assent I
did so.
The double dissolution was on the most favourable terms possible for
he Labor Party.
The 21 bills which had been held up in the Senate because they
contained arbitrary and dictatorial powers were cited in the
petition dissolving Parliament.
They can thus be put to a joint sitting of the two chambers of
Parliament after December 13 if the new Government chooses to use
that device. We certainly would not do so because the bills
contain arbitrary and unreasonable powers.
Thed~ i ss1A t ~ ns Thu the fairest possible form.
The course of action we chose was a proper one. It was open to
Mr Whitlam.
Under the terms of my commission from the Governor General the
Opposition Parties are pledged to introduce no new policies until
after the December election.
But we have ready a full programme of policies to revive Australia
and we seek the approval and support of the Australian people to
put those policies into effect.
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Our policies will provide jobs.
They will help small businesses and firms.
They will provide stability and the sense of direction Australia
so badly needs.
These policies have been developed over the last several months.
The main points of our approach will be announced in the
policy speech on November OOOooOOO
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