EMBARGOED AGAINST DELIVERY
FOR PRESS 9 MARCH 1978
ADDRESS AT PARLIAMENTARY LUNCHEON FOR
THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Your Excellency, on behalf of the Australian people may I offer
the warmest welcome to our country. We are delighted and
honoured to have you and your wife in Australia.
Australia and Papua New Guinea are not just neighbours, but countries
which have formed the closest links,-at all levels.
Today, Australians are very much aware of the links between our
Governments. They know and * understand that this relationship
is a close and strong one. But the relationship between Australia
and Papua New Guinea has a special quality and that is the
bond based simply on the friendship between people. It is on
this friendship, this closeness that the foundation of our
total relationship is based, and surely it is the friendship
between people that is -the measurement of the real depth and
worth of any relationship.
Your visit to Australia, Your Excellency, reminds us of the
relationship we have on a government-to-government level.
Before your visit is completed, I am sure you will also see at
first hand how Australians express warmth and-goodwill to our
friends from Papua New Guinea.
Your Excellency, just over 12 months ago, my wife and I were
privileged to visit your country. At a dinner for your
Prime Minister I referred to the relationship between developed and
developing nations and the economic gap between rich and poor
countries. Michael Somare and I agreed that the need to bridge
the gap between developed and developing nations was most pressing.
Today, that need is stronger than ever before.
Access to the great markets of the developed work is a critical
and central problem now facing the governments of every developing
country. The major developed countries have a responsibilityand
an obligation ' to open up markets for commodities.
Until that happens, how can there be equality of opportunity
for developing countries. Australia is concerned that a Common
Fund comes into operation as soon as practicable. We have long
supported the idea of commodity agree6ments*' to provide'-exporters
with reliable markets and importers with secure supplies, at
prices which are fair and equitable to both. ./ 2
Surely that is not too much to ask in a world where a third
of its people have an average income of less than $ 200 a year.
I know that Papua New Guinea has had particular problems in
gaining access for somie primary and processed products in the
developed world, an-! has been adversely affected by instability
in international commodity trade.
Australia too has had similar problems, particularly as a res-ult
of the restrictions placed on trade in some commodities
by the major industrialised countries. In the coming
months a series of meetings the M. T. N. in Geneva, and
Common Fund discussicns with Commonwealth Ministers and within
UNCTAD will be crucial to a dilemma that fa;: ei the developed and
developing world. It is vital that fair and reasonable
solutions are found to the problem of greater access to markets.
Your Excellency, at the Commonwealth Regional Meeting Papua
New Guinea not surprisingly made a most practical contribution
to debate ofi the problems facing the developed and developing nation..
Papua New Guinea was able to do just this because of practical
experience in tackling the problems of organising development
at a village level.
Your Prime Minister emphasised the need for greater efforts
towards self reliance in developing countries. This theme
was endorsed by other leaders and was reflected in the Communique.
Papua New Guinea also outlined its distinctive experience in aid
matters. I know that Michael Somare is convinced that there is a need for donor
countries to provide assistance to developing countries in ways
that will avoid adding to the debt burden. Australia has a
long-standing commitment to extend our aid to developing countries
in grant form. Clearly, if all the developed countries had
followed the lead provided by the Australia/ Papua New Guinea
relationship, the enormous third world debt burden would not
have emerged. If our lead were followed now, the magnitude
of the debt problem would be greatly reduced.
Your Excellency in a world beset by many problems where
conflict and tension, remain our relationship is proof that two
nations of vastly different backgrounds can work and live
togrether as friends. That we can achieve this without dampening
one another's personal identity and aspirations is further evidence
of our special friendship.
Your Excellency, on behalf of everyone in this room today may I
again welcome you and your wife to Australia. Your visit
is the first official visit by a Papua New Guinean Governor-General
to Australia. We are privileged to have you~ with us. We hope
you will return.