PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER'S INTERVIEW FOLLOWING ] AEETING WITH PREMIERS
OF WESTERN AUSTRALIAN AND QUEENSLAND, MELBOURNE, 6 November, 1978
PRIME MINISTER. I think it was a very productive discussion.
yes. I think the statement quite clearly indicates the differing
points of view, but it acknowledges that there needs to be
closer consultation between the Co= monwealth and the States in
relation to these matters. Queensland and Western Australia, and
the Commonwealth are particularly concerned to maximise the
opportunities available to Australia in terms of investment,
resource development. That obviously has consquences for general
activity in Australia, for the strength of our balance of payments,
and if there are differences between governments it doesn't assist
in maximnising the advantages and benefits to Australia.
So, it is important that we approach the forthcoming discussions
at officer level and at Minister level with a view to removing
differences where there.,. are differences and making sure that
we jointly bend our efforts to working for Australia as a whole.
QUESTION: As a simple point thought, the export controls remain?
PRIME MINISTER: The statement makes it perfectly plain that there
will be discussions with the States in relation to it, but pending
the review the guidelines are operative, yes.
QUESTION: compromise on both sides, Mr Fraser?
PRIME MINISTER: I think that in the spirit in which we approached
the matter today there is a recognition of a need to get to a
common point of view if that is possible, and I believe that it is
possible. I don't want to preempt what will come out of the
discussions and the negotiations, but I think that the present
Comrmonwealth Government on a number of issuesk and not least oni the
policy in relation to infra-structure borrowing, which was
announced earlier this afternoon, has indicated that it believes
Australia is going to be better advantaged if the Commonwealth
Government anld the State Governments are working in harmony for
common purposes and, it is certainly going to be our objective
to achieve that kind of view and I would be very surprised if it
wasn't the States view also.
QUESTION: But you might have to give some ground in achieving that?
PRIME MINISTER: To get to a position on which all people agree
implies going into a discussion with not a rigid, intractable
and absolute position. If you are going to do that then there is
never going to be agreement.
QUESTION: Would it be that you moved too fast in the past?
PRIME MINISTER: There is no nedd to talk about the past but I think
that what does need emphasising in relation to this is that those
administrative guidelines were issued as guidelines for
discussion, and that was at the time they were issued, for discussion
with the States, for discussion with the companies, and if we
were going to issue them validly as we were for discussion there
was a clear indication that there could be changes that was the
strong implication right from the very outset.
ENDS