Embargoed until 1900 hours Broadcast 3HA 3 April
3YB 7 April
AUSTKALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 3 APRIL 1977
ELECTORATE TALK
The. Jubilee Year Royal Tour of Australia has been an outstanding
success. The Queen and Prince Philip have been greeted with
warmth, genuine affection and friendship. I cannot recall a
more open. and warmer recep. tion on any previous Royal Tour.
In a real sense, the tour to all states, the Northern Territory,
and the Australian Capital Territory plainly has illustrated jusi
how Australians feel about'the Monarch. It has proved beyond any
doubt that Australians want to continue their links with -the
Monarchy. It prove.: Australians value its great role.
The Monarchy, with the Queen as its head, is an intrinsic part
of our Constitutional process. There is an inbuilt importance
attached to the Executive Council, which comprises the Governor
General, the Queen's representative, and senior members of the
Government. The Monarchy is in a sense the last area. of appeal.
It is the last bulwark, the . last safeguard to make sure that all
the processes are being properly and constitutionally carried ' ut.
The-Monarchy is also important because Australians want stability
in institutions, so that they can pi'an ahead w; th real degree
of security,
Of course, stability does not mean there is no requirement for
change. What it does mean is that progressive policies can be
applied and developed with a stable Government framework. Policies;
do and ought to change as requirements alter. But it is important
that the framework of Government remains stable and predictable.
During the tour, some media prominence was given to demonstrations
that sought to draw attention to the Republican cause. I believe
there are very few Australians who want anything to do with a
Republican form of Government. Surely, the central message from
this tour is that the overwhelming majority of Australians have
great loyalty to the Cown 1, the y. eC. vernimnt it
embodies. I see no cause to move Australia along a Republican
path. I do not agree with those who say it is inevi': able. It
would be a tragedy for Australia, for I believe we would be less
well governed. / In a
2
In a farewell message, the Queen made the point that the right to
dissent was a freedom we enjoy in Australia a freedom: which sadly
does not exist in other countries. I believe that signs of dissent
in a country as vigorous and individualistic as Australia is a
healthy sign. It is healthy as long as it is non-violent, and
does not interfere with the rights of others. If there was no
dissent in Australia, I think it would be fair to ask what has
been wrong with our spirit. There has always been argument and
dissent publicly displayed in Australia. It is one of the fundamental
privileges that we strive to maintain.
In the Federal Parliament this week, the Minister for Employment and
Industrial Relations introduced legislation for the establishment of
an Industrial Relations Bureau.
I This Bureau is a central feature of our industrial relations policy,
which sets out two clear principles: each member of our community
has both rights and obligations; individual rights can be protected,
equally, obligations can be met.
The one point about the legislation that I want to stress is the
protection it gives to individuals.. The Industrial Relations Bureau
will protect the rights of individual men and women agairst the wrong
actions of either employers or unions. It will be able to act on its
own initiative to protect those rights without having to wait first
for a complaint.
The Government regards the protection of individual rights as both
fundamental and inalienable. This Bureau will strengthen that
commitment. The legislation will not become law immediately. It will lie on the
table of the House to give ample time for full and const:: uctive debatf
Ibelieve, however, that many who had criticised the Bureau without
see:. ng the legislation will understand the considerable personal
benefit it brings to men and women throughout Australia.