J*, AUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 8 August 1978
ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
MATTERS IN RELATION TO ELECTORAL REDISTRIBUTION
QUEENSLAND 1977
The Report of the Royal Comrmission is being sent to all
members of the Parliament today,
At the first opportunity the Report will be tabled
in Parliament.
I have taken the course of releasing the Report before the
Parliament meets because it is important that the public
have an awareness of the facts.
Following allegations made both inside and outside the
Parliament concerning the Queensland redistribution of
electoral boundaries, it was determined on 18 January
that the matter should be referred for investigation and
report by the Law Officers, the Attorney-General,
Senator Durack, and the Solicitor-General, Mr. Byers.
The Law Officers' Report was submitted in February. On
7 April further allegations were made in the Parliament.
The Law Officers' Report was tabled and the new allegations
were referred to the Attorney-General and the
Solicitor-General.
On 23 April, the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General
further reported " Whilst it is our view that the form any
investigation should assume is a matter for the Government
to determine, we consider that a judicial inquiry would
be preferable."
The Law officers' recommendation was considered by Senior
Ministers and as a result the Royal Commission was established
on 24 April.
The terms of reference of the Royal Commission were related
to the allegations that had been made concerning the
Queensland redistribution and to the possible involvement
of the Honourable Eric Robinson. ./ 2
-2-
At a later stage, allegations were made concerning statements
made by Mr. Robinson on uranium mining. Consequently, Cabinet
on 10 May decided that the terms of reference of the Royal
commission should be widened so that this matter also could
be considered by the Royal Commission of Mr. Justice
McGregor. At this time the Government indicated to the
Royal Commission through the Attorney-General that they
would be willing to further extend the terms of reference
if necessary.
On 30 May there was a further extension of the terms of
reference of the Royal Commission. The Commissioner, under
his extended terms of reference, was empowered to find
whether anyone had sought illegally or improperly, to
influence the Commissioners. This extension was also the
result of a Cabinet decision-after full discussion
amongst Ministers.
The Royal Commission exonerated the Hon. Eric Robinson
of allegations concerning the Queensland re-distribution
His Honour said that:
" no breach of a law of the Commonwealth, or
impropriety occurred in the course of the
Re-distribution in 1977 of the State of Queensland
into Electoral Divisions for the election of
Members of the House of Representatives
including the change of the name of a proposed
Division from " Gold Coast" to " McPherson"
by reason of
anything said or action taken by or on
behalf of the Honourable Eric Robinson;
any action taken by the Distribution
Commissioners or any of them as a result
of anything said or action taken ./ 3
-3
( Contd) by or on behalf of the
Honourable Eric Robinson; or
any communication by the
Distribution Commissioners to
the Honourable ERic Robinson".
On the issue of allegations about statements made by
Mr Robinson on uranium, the Commissioner reported:-
" On 26 July 1977 at B,-audesert in
the State of Queensland the Honourable
Eric Robinson made a statement
concerning the likely decisions of the
Commonwealth Government in relation to
the mining of uranium in Australia to
the following effect
" The Government will be making a
decision about mining and export of
uranium early in the Budget session
which commences in-about three weeks
time. If the Government is satisfied
that all interests requiring protection
can be protected I would expect the
Government to authorise mining and export
of uranium."
This was an innocuous statement to which no criticism can
be attached. I have written to Mr Robinson today, asking
him to resume hi-s portfolio as minister for Finance.
In his Report, the Royal Commissioner also considered the
actions of another 1b( inister, Senator the Right Honourable
R. G. Withers in respect of the naming of the electorate
of McPherson. He found that the Minister had done nothing
illegal, but he did find, in the words of the Report:
" The action of Senator the
Right Honourable R. G. Withers.
constitutes impropriety within
the meaning of the Letters Patent
dated 30 May 1978. Senator Withers
used his position to further a
political purpose by an approach
( not open to members of the public)
to the Distribution Commissioners...."
' Wnilst Senator Withers did not seek
to influence, or influence, the
Commissioners in any way about how
they should perform their duties of
distribution of the electoral
divisions in Queensland, he did seek
to influence them and he did in fact
influence them through an intermediary
as to something which they proposed to
say in their Report, that is to say,
the names which they tentatively attached
to two Electoral Divisions. What he did,
having regard to the purpose with which
he did it, in my judgement constitutes
impropriety".
-4-
Senior Ministers considered carefully what should be
done in the light of this finding. We had no doubt
that our first and foremost responsibility was the
maintenance of the high standards of propriety set
and maintained by this Government.
We were of the view that Mr. Justice McGregor's Report
had to be accepted and accepting it had inevitable
consequences in respect of the f inding of impropriety.
The community rightly demand a high standard from the
Ministers of the Government. The judgements on Ministers
are more exacting and sometimes more harsh than the
judgements which might be passed on those outside
sphere of public life. If these high standards Were not
upheld, the people's confidence in Government a
confidence which is fundamental to Australian democracy
would be undermined.
The Government has an obligation to uphold them even
though the cost can be and is in this instance, a high
one. Senator Withers has been an energetic and able Minister
and his services have been of immense value to the
Government. It is with great regret that I have recommended
to His Excellency, the Governor-General, that he should
determine Senator Withers' appointment as Minister for
Administrative Services.
Senator Carrick has been appointed Vice-President of the
Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the
Senate. The Attorney-General, Senator Durack, has been
appointed Minister for Administrative Services, and
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate.
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