PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 20 SEPTEMBER 1979
COMMITTEE-ON OFFIC IAL ESTABLISHMENTS
For the information of Honourable Members, I present the final
report of the Conmmittee on Official Establishments and seek
leave to make a statement on the report.
Honourable Members may recall that the Interim Report of the
Committee was tabled in May 1977.
This independent committee was appointed by the Government in
September 1976 to advise on the operation, conservation and longer
term development of the four official residences of the Commonwealth
Government Government House and the Lodge in Canberra, and
Admiralty House and Kirribilli House in Sydney.
The Chairman of the Committee was Mr Andrew Grimwade, and its
other members were Mr Guilford Bell, Dame Helen Blaxland,
the Honourable James Cope, and Mrs Ruth Gullett.
I wish to thank Mr Grimwade and all the members of the Committee
for their work which has involved a considerable sacrifice of
their own time.
The four establishments are official residences serving the
ongoing needs of Government. The buildings have already been
declared part of the national estate and are well worthwhile
preserving as symbolic items in our country's history and cultural
heritage.
Already these four residences contain significant items of
Australiana which include pieces of early Australian furniture
and works of art. For example, a short while ago a notable
portrait of Mr Watson, the first Labor Prime Minister, came
into possession of the Australiana Fund, and that now hangs
in the Lodge.
The report recommends that there be continuing machinery in the
form of a permanent advisory trust to be responsible for advice
to Government on the conservation, development and efficient
operation of the buildings and grounds of the official
establishments. The Government agrees that such continuing machinery is necessary
and is establishing a permanent body to be known as the Official
Establishments Trust. Most of the other recommendations of the
Committee have been accepted. / 2
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Included in these is the proposal that the trust evaluate
which of two sites is the more appropriate for a possible
new Prime Ministerial residence, which one day may be necessary.
So that the second site may be-released for other purposes,
the Government is asking the new trust to advise, as soon as
possible, which of the two sites is the more suitable.
I emphasise that no decision has been taken to build a new
Prime Ministerial residence.
The present Lodge is serving its function well and is
expected to continue to do so for a long time to come.
A few of the Committee's recommendations will be referred to the
permanent body for further consideration. These cover suggested
working arrangements in the financial area and require further
consideration before decisions are reached.
The Government has decided not to accept recommendations that
future planning for Government House be based on eventual
demolition of existing structures other than the historic
stables. Nor does it accept at this time the proposal that official
establishment facilities be provided in Melbourne. Both proposals
would involve expenditure outlay which the Government sees
as inconsistent with the general restraint it is currently
maintaining on its spending.
Implementation of the recommendations accepted will1, of course,
be subject to examination and funds approval in the normal
budgetary processes.
I seek leave to table, for the information of Honourable Members,
a listing of those recommendations accepted, those rejected,
and those to be referred to the new permanent body.
Once again, I thank the Committee for their work. As a result of
their efforts the Government now has a firm basis on which to plan
for the conservation and future development of the official
establishments, an important part of Australia's herifage.
I am pleased to be able to inform the House that, Mr Andrew Grimwade
as Chairman, Mr Guilford Bell, Dame Helen Blaxland,
the Honourable James Cope, and Mrs Ruth Gullett have agreed to
become the inaugural members of the Official Establishments Trust.
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