PRESS CONFER' NCE GIVEN BY T'E PRIME MINISTER,
THE RT. HON. R, G. MENZIES, ON THJiSDAY, 21ST
_ DECE4M ER. L AT
PRIME MINISTER: I was just about to say that I suppose I will have
to alter my Who's Who entry by including among Hobbies
Cabinet-making. That seems to be my chief job for the
last two days.
QUESTION: Can you announce the result yet, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: No. but Ill. be in a position to, I have to do
something on this between now and lunch time tomorrow
and I've secured the Governor-General's permission to
because as you know I don't like to announce these
things without his approval. I should think I can have
this out by lunch time tomorrow. And the Swearing-In
will be at 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. That gives
unbridled pleasure to the evening press,
QUESTION: How many at the Swearing-In Mro Menzies?
PRIME MINISTER: A few. Yes, a few.
Well, who wants to know something that I can't say.
QUESTION: When will. you hold the first of these conferences
that you mooted yesterday, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I would hope by the middle of January. I
gather that there is a widespread belief that every man
is entitled to three weeks holiday a year. Is that so?
Not having had any for ten years I thought I might take
a week or two off at the beginning of January.
QUESTION: The question has been raised whether you ae likely
to speak with the A. oCT. U. or Trades Hall people
PRIME MINISTER: I can't answer that at this stage, I used,
advisedly, fairly general terms. Those are matters that
we will discuss when we meet, and I would hope to have
a meeting of Ministers by, or possibly before, the
middle of January. And I certainly want conferences
that will occur to occur before the end of January.
QUESTION: '. ill you indicate, Sir, the machinery you will use
for these conferences, the machinery of selecting
people, and topics to be discussed,
PRIME MINISTR: No. I don't think, however, that there will be very
much difficulty.
QUESTION: Have you got anything like a sort of standing
arrangement, standing link, in mind, Sir, as an outcome
of the conferences?
PRIME MINISTER: I t. iink that will depend on the conferences., I
don't exclude that possibility at all.
QUESTION: Do you propose to limit the representation, Mr,
Menzies?
PRTME MINISTER: Look, I haven't begun to work this out yet, I want
to have a talk with say the Bankers, I want to have a
talk with, say the manufacturers and so on. But
really I haven t worked out any standing orders yet.
QUESTION: When you say conferences, Sir, do you include
conferences on Northern Development as you suggested, by
the end of January. Do you think that you can see the
Queensland Government, say, by the end of January?
PRIME MINISTER: I would hope to have all the consultations that I
have indicated, somewhat generally, before the end of
January. It would suit me, Maybe they would run into
February, But I don't regard it as a matter that
admits of leisure. I mean, subject to your kind
permission, to have a week or two, myself.
QUESTION: Any possibility of a supplementary Budget early this
year Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't the slightest idea,
QUESTION: Can you see sufficiently far into the crystal bowl
to see a date for the opening of the Session?
PRIME MINISTER: No, but it will be before the end of February. But
wLen I don't know, I haven't really discussed that
with the -eader of the House. I would think somewhere
in the third quarter of February I haven't looked at
the dates.
QUESTION: Can you give any indication at all, Sir, at this
stage of any proposed changes in economic policy that
you have in mind?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I was surprised to read in one paper this
morning that we were abandoning the policy of stability
and development: I didn't say that, or anything like it.
QUESTION: Can you tell us anything, Sir, from official
channels about the situation, Indonesia vis-a-vis the
West New Guinea argument?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that you probably know as much about
that as I do because the newspapers have carried a
report of what Soekarno had to say. We have had some
discussion about this matter, of course, in the last
few days, Our attitude on all these matters has been,
first, that we have had now, both from President
Soekarno and Dr, Subandrio categorical assurances that
force will not be resorted to
QUESTION: Have you had that in the last 24 hours Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: No We've had it before publicly announced, And
nothing has been said to us that would modify that,
In the second place we, of course have the
greatest desire to live on the friendLiest of terms
with Indonesia. Indeed, we have only one matter of
difference and that a difference of opinion about
the sovereignty of West New Guinea, ' eW would desire to
maintain that position.
Third, we think that in the United Nations the
Netherlands made proposals which went a long way. They
involved, at the appropriate time, transferring
sovereignty to the people of West New Guinea by a
process of self-determination, * Je are deeply attached
to the principlc of self-determination and it is
interesting to recall that in the United Nations General
Assembly when the Netherlands proposal came up, 53
nations supported ito In other words without going
into detail a majority of the nations in the General
Assembly found the general apprcach satisfactory
We still adhere to the principle of self-determination;
and we still hope that out of whatever discussions may
occur, self-determination for the inhabitants of West
New Guinea will be respected, just as we look forward to
and respect it, in the case of our part of New Guinea.
So that we stand firm on that principle: we have
stated it from time to time quite plainly, both here and
in the United Nations, through Mr. Plimsoll, and
earlier through myself last year, and we adhere to it.
de think it is a sound principle, and that it is to
us one of the inevitable steps in passing from a
stage of colonialism to a stage of self-government. Je
have expressed these views to all the relevant parties
and they remain our views, But they are not put forward
in a hostile way, They are put forward by Australia as
a subscribing member of the United Nations, recognising
tha-the Charter provides for self-determination, and
rddhering to it ourselves, for our part, in New Guinea,
and profoundly hoping that it will be respected. in the
case of West New Guinea.
QUESTION: Do you think it is only a political threat rather
than a ph; sical threat,,.,?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, don't ask me that, I don't know. I don't know,
Threats have been made before.
QUESTION: Sir, could you say whether you have received in the
past three years requests for special Commonwealth
development aid from the Queensland Government which
the Commonwealth Government has rejected?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't recall any,
QUESTION: During the campaign one of your Ministers, Mr.
Hulme, was attacked by one of Mr. NicJ. lin s Ministers.
Did you know of that and have you any comment to make on
it Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: NoneI non. e, I don't think that it is useful for
Queensland, to engage in post-election recriminations.
They are not very helpful. The main thing is to
develop the country so I will go into discussions I
have without prejudice, and without hostility,
qJESTION: Is it possible, Sir, that there may be scope for
further development action et the Premiers'
Conference or Loan Council meeting in February?
PRIME MINISTER: Is there one due in February?
PRESSMAN: Well around about that time,
PRIME MINISTER: I don't know. I don't think that a date has been
fixed,
PRESSMAN: Well it has been stated that there will be one early
in the new year.
PRIME MINISTER: Wh: ere has it been stated? In the Mirror? Look, I
don't know when there is going to be a Conference. I
can't say,
T EST ION: Why the Mirror, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: Because the Mirror has a greater capacity for
inventive genius than any other newspaper in Australia.
That lets you out lad but only just, only just,
QUESTION1 Could you tell us, Sir, if there are any impending
developments on the European Ccmmon Market the
possibility of a Ministerial visit?
PRIME MINISTER: ITll put it this way: I don't exclude the
possibility of a Ministerial visit, but nobody can say
that dogmatically at this stage, because the situation
develops. There is no doubt that we must have the
closest possible contact with it and I don't exclude the
possibility of a Ministerial visit,
QUESTION: V In that case, Sir, would you make arrangements for
" pairs" with the Opposition?
PRIME MINISTER: I would hope so. VIe have never had difficulty in
the past about pairs and I have no reason to suppose
tVat the Leader of the Opposition will want tc depart
0rom that practice. He knows the importance of these
matters. We have not had trouble in the past about
them, and I don't anticipate any. I mean, I can't
imagikne for one moment that an experienced
parliamertarian like the Leader of the Opposition would
want to deprive Australia of having a voice on these
great matters at the appropriate time0 Of course it is
not thinkable to me. I haven't the slightest doubt that
Mr. Calwell will behave with the usual propriety or,
those matters. I don't doubt it for one moment.
QUESTION., I was just wondering, Sir', because there has been
opposition to Mr. Holt's trips abroad in recent yea' sf
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, well now you are getting on to a different
matter. I know about those arguments, but when it comes
to overseas negotiations affecting the interests of
Australia I have never found that the Opposition was
unwilling to make those things feasible, because, after
all if it had won the Election it would necessarily be
in the same position as we are now. And I wouldn't
hesitate to say " Certainly. If anybody has to go to
discuss these matters he's paired". There's no
question about it. And I don't anticipate the faintest.
0.0
QUESTION Tradition lives you an automatic pair with the
Leader of the Opposition, doesn~ t it Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I have a standing pair with the Leader of the
Opposition.
QUESTION: Do you expect to go yourself, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: I dontt know. I don't know. My mind doeen't
precipitate itself so far into the futu:' e at the moment.
Here we are, I've just had a birthday. Twelve
hours work in the office is an interestin~ g wtliof
celebrating a birthday and I shall do exactly the same
number tomorrow. I think I will wait and ace how the
Davis Cup goes0
QUESTION: Who's going to win Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: I havenft well I have a clue, but it doesn't
matter.
QESTION: W4ill you have much legislative business for the
first Session, the first sitting? How long do you
expect it to last?
PRIME MINISTER: God. bless my soulT Are you going to ask me for a
list of the legislation and for a time-table? I haven't a
clue but I will, of course, but not now, not now. " I do
r ot ask to see the distant scene. One step enough for me".
Do you remember that? It shows that you had a proper
upbringing in your earlier days.
QUESTION: Have you thought about the obligations to do some
re-distribution, Sir? You should be getting a Certificate
through from the Statistician soon.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I've had people whistle that into my ear but so
far it would be flattering myself to say that I have
thought about it. I've had other things to think about.
But they tell me I don't know, you're the expert that
we are probably due for one next year. I've even had
people tell me what the result of it will be, State by
State. But I don't know, I don't know. I have a
considerable faculty for remaining uninformed until I want
to 1, e.
QUESTION: Do you intend to make any arrangement, Sir, with the
DLP to ensure control of the Senate?
PRIME ". iNISTER: Not uhat I've ever heard of. I don't contemplate it,
Ie've never made any before. ihy should we start now?
QUESTION: I was just wondering, Sir, now that you are back
with a hostile Senate.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, how hostile the Senate is remains to be seen.
QUESTION: What particular time of the year do you think is the
most important to Common Market discussions?
PRIME MINISTER: Well look, nobody can answer that question because
that will depend on the stage that negotiations have
reached in January or February or March or April, or whatever
it may be. No doubt when the stage has been reached
at which the United -ingdom feels that there are crucial
matters that fall for decision and that a Prime Ministers'
Conference ought to occur, then it will occur. I used to
think to myself that that looked like being about April,
but I don't know. Because it is very hard to tell how fast
the negotiations will go or what form they will take. You
have to remember that there are scores of items involved in
this thing and quite a considerable number of nations
involved. But I would think that that is a question that
might be answered with some more accuracy by some ti. e in
January. It can't be answered nov.
QUESTION: Do you think the consultations will be multi-lateral
at the Prime Ministers' Conference?
PRIME i1INISTERS Well I dcn't know, But if a rIime Ministers'
Conference is called then of course they become multilateral.
Just as Il've had an election they tell me, so
Mr. Diefenbaker, I think, has an election coming up some-
*, here. hen is it, May? I don't know.
QUESTION; Do you have any special measures in mird, Sir, for
dealing with unemployment?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't want to say anything about that yet. You
see we met only, what the day before yesterday. It's no
use rushing at propxitions on two hours' notice, that's no
good to anybody. All know is that we recognise that
problem and this will de one of the first things that we
have to consider. But don't ask me about the details of it.
I may have some ideas but Ilm not announcing them.
QUESTION: Are you still confident that you can re-absorb a
great number of them within 12 months?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes,