PM Transcripts

JjjAUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 18 August 1976
1976-77 BUDGET
The Government's first budget is an imaginative blueprint
for national recovery and reform.
The Budget will promote recovery. The Budget shows,-concern
for the welfare of people in need.
Australians consumers and investors now have the
opportunity to plan ahead in the confident expectation
that inflation can and will be beaten.
It is a clear and unequivocal demonstration of our
willingness and determination to act with economic and
social responsibility.
Australians now see that the Liberal/ NCP Government is resolved
to act in their best interests. We are determined to
attack inflation in a firm and planned way-. There is
no alternative.
The budget provides producers, businessmen and manufacturers
from the great national corporations to the corner store with
the confidence to invest, produce and expand.
It is also a budget of concern.
The aged, handicapped, homeless, children, pensioners and
ethnic groups all benefit. For all these groups with
particular needs the budget embodies significant and long
overdue social reforms. It follows completely the same
imaginative social thinking that led to our introduction of
the family allowance scheme and full personal tax
indexation in May this year.
It is a budget that throws the ball fairly into the court
of private enterprise.
Private enterprise now has unparalled opportunities to realize
its full potential. It has its. chance to demonstrate that the
free enterprise system can restore the economic health that was
destroyed by Labor socialism.
The long road back for Australia is the responsibility of
every Australian. The budget demonstrates that the-Government
is playing its part. Australia needs unionists, union officials,
private enterprise, State governments all sections of the
community to work together to complete the task.
0000000