F77/ 167
J ,, AUSTHALIA~
PRME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 3 AUGUST 1977
THE NORTHERN TERRITORY ELECTIONS
On Saturday 13 August, the people of the Northern Territory face
a crucial decision. You will voting in elections for the
Legislative Assembly an Assembly that will take your Territory
to self-government.
The next stage of self-government will be implemented in July
1973, and a further stage in July the following year. The
Members for whom you vote will have the responsibility of
forming a Government, providing Ministers and undertaking the
responsibility of administering the Northern Territory.
Elsewhere in our nation, Australians control their own affairs,
such as water and sewerage boards, electricity authorities,
bus services, forestry operations, the regulation of commerce
and industry, fisheries, parks and the planning of towns.
The leader of the Country Liberal Party in the Northern
Territory, Dr. Goff Letts, believes, as I do, that the people
of the Territory are as capable as any other Australians. He
believes, as I believe, that the Northern Territory should have
a greater say in the conduct of its own affairs. That is why
he and other Members of the Country Liberal Party in the
Assembly have worked for constitutional reform.
I am advised that the Labor Party is fearful of self-government,
and is engaged in a campaign of misrepresentation and distortion.
I would expect no more from a party which, in the Federal sphere,
has shown itself incapable of responsible government and
incapable of proper conduct in office.
The Federal Government has gone a long way to repair the
damage done by the mad extravagance of the Labor administration.
In eighteen months we have brought down the level of inflation
from around 16% to around 10%. We have exposed the hand-out
mentality of the ALP, which had Australians staggering towards
bankruptcy. / We have
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We have halted the tax rip-off by indexing income taxes;
reigned in the extravagance which is the hallmark of the
ALP; introduced responsible new social welfare measures
such as the system of family allowances, and placed health
insurance on a basis on which it can operate successfully.
The Commonwealth recognises that the Northern Territory has
special financial disabilities. Accordingly, the financial
arrangements which will be worked out between the Commonwealth
and the Territory will have due regard to these special circumstances.
There will be periodic assessments of the fiscal
disability of the Northern Territory as compared with the
States. The charges and tariffs made for local services will be
set by the Territory's own representatives. There is no
reason to believe that they will be higher than such charges
elsewhere in Australia.
I am confident the people of the Territory will not be
deceived by twisted talk about double taxation and crippling
charges. I have faith in the people of the North as common
sense Australians, and I have faith in Goff Letts and his
team who have worked so hard in the interests of the
Territory. I am sure this confidence will be vindicated at your
elections. r-~-LOIIII1CI-C 1