EMBARGO: 7.00 p. m. ,, AUSTKALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 7 SEPTEMBER 1978
Address at
Dinner for Northern Territory Ministry
and
Legislative Assembly
This is an historic occasion for the Northern Territory and
for Australia's development as a nation, for tomorrow marks
the opening of the first sittings of the Legislative
Assembly since the attainment of self-government.
This is therefore a most opportune and appropriate time for
me, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government and in the
presence of a broad section of the people of the Northern
Territory to honour the members of the Legislative
Assembly, and particularly the Ministers who form your first
government: Paul Everinghan, Marshall Perron, Ian Tuxworth,
Jim Robertson and Roger Steele.
They are to be congratulated on the zeal, foresight and
determination with which they have pursued their personal
and collective vision, shared by many others, to see established
the first self-governing body politic created in this country
since Federation.
I can tell you from first hand experience that your Chief
Minister and his colleagues are most adept at pushing the
Territory's case. Paul Everingham took up the cause of selfgovernment
for the Territory, first conceived by people such
as Jock Nelson and " Tiger" Brennan, and nurtured by his
immediate predecessor, Goff Letts. He took it up most
effectively, in that forthright no-nonsense manner of his,
arguing very firmly on your behalf during the negotiations
which led to self-government becoming a reality.
Your Chief Minister and his colleagues have been willing to
take on the very great responsibility of leading the Territory
into self-government. It is a small Ministerial team, and it
is always hard to be first. But I have a feeling that they
are going to prove to be a very hard act to follow. / 2
2
In the past, the Northern Territory has not been without
its critics. A 1937 Royal Commission reported to the
Commonwealth Government of the day that the Territory
was " a detriment" and a " heavy liability to Australia".
In a jocular vein the great Banjo Paterson described
Darwin as a " city of booze, blow and blasphemy where the
citizens... . started drinking gin immediately after breakfast
and kept it up till after midnight". Paterson also described
the Territory as the land of " later on"
Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, the " later on" has well and
truly arrived. The so-called " detriment" and " liability"
is now a cosmopolitan, lively, and unique part of Australia,
with a great future ahead of it. The population-is now over
100,000 and growing. Mining, cattle raising, fishing and
tourism in particular will all help to guarantee a solid
basis for the Territory's future.
The 1st of July must have represented, for many people, a
moment of considerable personal satisfaction. The demand
for a greater say in the development of the Northern
Territory has had a long and at times turbulent history.
I suppose it really began not long after 1911, when the
Northern Territory became a Commonwealth responsibility.
Since then many Territorians have bridled at their affairs
being dominated by a Government and a bureaucracy many miles
to the south, which they felt did not always fully understand
conditions in the Territory.
The growth in status of your Legislative Assembly was
painfully slow 37 years to establish the Legislative
Council and another 27 years before it became fully elected.
Your representative in the Federal Parliament did' not arrive
until. 1922, and then without a voting power the full vote
was not awarded until 1968.
I recall that when Mr Menzies, as he then was, was Attorney-
General in the Lyons Government, he was joined in the
Parliament by a man who some here tonight may remember
MacAlister Blain. Blain had won the seat for the Northern
Territory in the 1934 election by promising that he would
get a. vote for the Member for the Territory within 12 months
or else resign.
Sir Robert Menzies later recalled that Blain visited him
one day and said " I am in trouble; if I don't get a vote
within a year I will have to resign", at which Sir Robert
wished him a pleasant year in the Parliament.
In the end, Sir Robert persuaded Cabinet to pass legislation
giving the Member for the Northern Territory a vote on the
disallowance of any ordinances of the Northern Territory, and
that was enough to let Blain remain the Member for the
Northern Territory for 15 years. / 13
7-
My Government has always seen self-government and eventual
Statehood for the Northern Territory as an important aim.
Our determination to see self-government implemented here
was based on a simple and fundamental proposition we do
not believe that in all matters politicians and bureaucrats
in Canberra necessarily know what is best for the people
of the Territ-ory.
For over two years we have worked with the executive members
of the Legislative Assembly in planning and negotiating the
administrative and financial structure for the Territory's
new status.
On 1st July, as the culmination of all our efforts, a wide
range of functions was transferred to the new government of
the Northern Territory. On 1st January next, responsibility
for health will be transferred; and on 1st July 1979,
education will also be transferred.
The Territory government will then have taken on most of the
functions and responsibilities of a State, and the Territory's
finances will also have been established along the lines of
those of the States.
A totally new relationship has arisen from the aspirations
of the people of this territory to have less domination
from Canberra. The Commonwealth remains extremely conscious
of its responsibilities to the people of the Northern Territory.
The difference is that your political representatives are
now in a far stronger position to affect the future direction
of the Territory. I believe that the arrangements that have
been developed are both fair and sensible. We have achieved
that result, I believe, only because of the genuine co-operation
which has been a hallmark of all the negotiations.-that have
taken place between my Government and your Territory's ministers.
Crucial to the move to self-government was a mutually
satisfactory and effective financial agreement. While, of
course, there is far more to self-government than financial
matters, both the Commonwealth and your Ministers recognised
that it was absolutely imperative that the new government
commence its operations on a sound financial basis.
I believe that the memorandum of understanding, which many
of you will have read, provides just such a basis. The first
Northern Territory Budget will include a considerable payment
from the Commonwealth a net amount of some $ 237 million,
with borrowings of a further $ 14 million.
The size of this allocation was very carelully considered,
and I believe it to be reasonable and responsible in the
circumstances. Contributions by the Commonwealth to future
budgets of Northern Territory governments will be the subject
of negotiation at the time. But in the event of disagreement,
the Territory government will have the right to apply for an
inquiry to be made by the Commonwealth Grants Commission. / 4
4
That Commission is an independent body whose recommendations
are given enormous weight by the Commonwealth and all the
States. Neither the Commonwealth nor the Northern Territory
Government will be able to direct its findingsand both
governments will look to the Grants Commis ; ion as an impartial
body ensuring a fair deal for the Territory.
An important question for the future will be the degree of
consultation and practical co-operation which is allowed
to evolve between the Commonwealth Government and the
government of the Northern Territory.
We have already achieved a high degree of co-operation and
accord with the States, and I am su're my friend the Premier
of Queensland would agree with that. Far more can be achieved
within a Federal system like ours by consultation than can
ever be obtained by confrontation and mutual suspicion.
My Government's wholehearted support for our Federal system
is rooted in the belief that power needs to be shared.
Authority has to be decentralised and brought closer to the
people. We should not insist that all decisions should be
made from Canberra.
It was this approach that led us to agree to share power
with. the States on off-shore matters, where previously
there was disagreement and considerable friction. It was
for the same reason that we have decided to consult with
the States on the negotiation of international treaties
which affect them, and on future appointments to the High
Court. These are all innovations which previous Commonwealth
Governments would not have dreamt of undertaking. I am
convinced that, in most instances, much more can. be achieved
to make our Federal system work responsibly and effectively
by co-operation and consultation than by constant legal
challenges and disputes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the future of the Northern Territory
is bright because its natural resources are vast, and because
there are people here with a capacity for initiative, practical
common sense, and plain hard work.
Your recovery from the absolute devastation of Cyclone Tracey
provides tangible proof that all these qualities are alive
and well in the Territory. It is not so much the material
recovery that I find so stimulating, but the deeper and far
more important recovery that is reflected in the vitality,
the cheerfulness and the camaraderie that is so obvious in
this city.
It i~ s these characteristics which your leaders and the members
of the Legislative Assembly, vhomiwe honour tonight, will need
to draw on most heavily in coping with the many problems
and challenges that the future holds for you.
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