FOP PRESS 6 DCX;? 1 O77
Mr W~ i~ tlam seeks to make cheap political point -scoring
from the plight of Australia's unemployed.
His last-ditch panic camnpaign to frighten the electorate about
this issue will backfire.
It will backfire because it will remind Australians that Mr
Whitlam's party increased unemployment by 192,000 in one year.
Mr Whitlam had no responsible answers to the problem when in
Government and, presents no credible solutions in opposition.
He insults the intelligence of Australians by offering the
same recipe that caused that massive unemployment.
He thinks that his speechwriter's adjectives, flowing phrases and
ringing declarations will convince people that he and his party
can fix it overnight.
lie forgets that Australians understand very clearly that his policies
led to unprecedented unemployment, in manufacturing industry,
-textiles, and clothing industry, in big business and small business
in every State of Australia.
In M-ay 1974, there were 1,357,400 people employed in manufacturing.
Just one year later that num~ ber had dropped to 1,250,100
that is a decrease of 107,300 people.
As Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam used unemployment as a deliberate
and calculated act of Government policy.
Ignoring the warnings contained in an TAC report that Mr Whitlam
kept secret, hie wiped out tens of thousands of jobs with the stroke
of a pen.
Hlow did he explain away this extraordinary decision? In his
1974 policy speech he said " Administrativ\, ely we cut tariffs by
percent to reduce the price of imports without damaginq
Australian industries".
But it was left to Mr Uren to let the cat out of the unemrployment
bag. Just two weeks ago he admitted that Mr Whitlam made the
percent tariff cut to correct an over-employment situation!
That was some correction. In 1974 unemployment increased by
a massive 192,000. r
But Mr Whitlam is: unrepentant. lie would do it all again.
Just last Wednesday morning he flatly refused to guarantee protection
for 120,000 workers in the clothing, textile and footwear
industries. He would forget them all over again.
What do the people in those industries think about Mr Whitlamis
concern for the unemployed?
iWhy is it that he is so reluctant to protect Australian industry,
and Australian working men and women.
Why does he refuse to face up to the fact that Australian
industry needs protection because of our high wage structure
and our small home market?
Our consistent economic strategy is getting Australia back to work,
and from February there will be a sustained and long term
reduction in unemployment in Australia.
We are reducing inflation, reducing interest rates, protecting
industry, cutting taxes and encouraging investment and development.
All this means jobs permanent jobs for Australians who want to work.
These are jobs for people not Mr Whitlam's " administrative"
tariff cuts which meant workers struck out by a
Prime Minister's pen.
-Mr WVhitlam's political epitaph is being written this week
" the unemployment expert".