PRIME MINISTER THURSDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 1979'
From the Press Office
SUMMARY OF ABC'S 7: 45 am NEWS
Mr. Ian Sinclair has resigned as the Minister for: Pr , ary
Industry, following a report tabled in the N. S. W. Parliament
accusing him of forgery and manipulation in the finances of
his family companies. Report from Duncan Fairweather:/
Mr. Sinclairfwas summoned to the Prime Minister's Office
around midnight and, I am told, reluctantly agreed to resign.
The downfall of its Deputy Leader has weakened'the National',
Country Party's standing in the Coalition and Mr. Fraser is;:
under pressure from his backbenchers to fill the vacancy in
' the Ministry with a Liberal member, not another Country Party man.
The Minister for Transport, Mr. Nixon, it to take over the
Primary Industry portfolio this morning, but it is expected the
Minister for Health, Mr. Hunt, will get the job permanently.
ABC's Ron Sinclair report: the reasons for Mr. Sinclair's
resignation were summed up in a six paragraph letter. Addressed
" My Dear Prime Minister", it alleged that the blatant political
character of the investigation and the appointment of a prominent
Labor Party member as Special Investigator seriously called into
question the validity and integrity of the Finnane Report.
At 2: 40 am, having issued his statement expressing regret over
Mr. Sinclair's resignation, Mr. Fraser emerged from Parliament
House: . Prime Minister interviewed.
The Finnane Report containing the allegations against Mr. Sinclair
was tabled in th. N. S. W. Parliament yesterday by the
Attorney-General, Mr. Walker? Last night, Mr. Walker said that.
in view of the allegations, he-had asked Mr. Finnane to expedite'
a further report.. on recommendations for any prosecutions.
A plan to feed 200,000 people in Kampuchea was mapped out in
a meeting in Bangkok yesterday of representatives of 15 countries
and 8 international organisation. Thailand said afterwards
the plan meant substantial supplies of food and medicines would
soon move to its eastern border to help Kampucheans who had
congregated there. Meanwhile, Australia continues to play an
active role at the United Nations in efforts to get food and
medical supplies to Kampuchea. Australia's Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Peacock, discussed the Kampuchean relief
operation in talks with China's Vice Foreign Minister.
Developing countries are to be given greater access to the
Australian market, but tariffs on a range of British goods will
go up. Some 500 British goods will not longer get special tariff
preferences. But the Federal Government has given no details.
The Minister for Special Trade Representations, Mr. Garland,
said in Singapore the move was part of a package aimed at
helping Asian countries compete more effectively in Australia.
Narcotics agencies in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand have
begun investigations into the source of heroin seized on a ship
in Western Australia on Tuesday. / 2
2
South Africa's Prime Minister has said he is prepared to
consider changing the laws which ban marriage between people
of different races. His statement came as a surprise. The
laws concerned the Mixed Marriages Act and the Immorality Act
have been regarded as pillars of South Africa's apartheid policy.
Qbeensland's'Premier, Mr. Bjelke Petersen, has again strongly.
criticised the Liberal Party-and: warned of-a breakdown inrithe
State Coalition. Speaking at a Bjelke Petersen Foundation
dinner in'Townsville last night, the Premier said Queensland
would have much to lose if the Government fell into unstable
hands or into the hands of those who sought to wreck the
Coalition for their own political self-interest. The way]
-things were heading, he said, the'State could also soon be.
talking'to another Labor Government in Canberra,' which--would be
a legacy of the Liberal disruptions as much as anything-else.,'
The Premier said the National. Party , stood firmly behind the
Coalition concept and found it difficult to understand why
some people-wanted to divide and destroy.. the Coalition..
After long and sometimes bitter debate, the American Congress
has finally passed legislation implementing the controversial
Panama Canal treaties.
The British MP, Mr. Enoch Powell, has criticised the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Dr. Coggan, for what he called his encouragement
of the IRA. In a speech in his Northern Ireland constituency,
Mr. Powell accused Dr. Coggan of being an accomplice to
IRA terrorists.
The last correspondent in Iran for a major American newspaper
has been thrown out of the country. Correspondent in
Tehran for the Wall Street Journal is being expelled by the
revolutionary gover-nent for what it calls unauthorised contacts.
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