PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER-THURSDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 1979
From the Press Office
SUMMARY OF ABC'S
Iran's humiliation of the United States continues. Former
U. S. Attorney-General, Ramsey Clark, heading for Tehran to
negotiate the release of the 60 American hostages has been
ordered to stay in Athens until the Iranian authorities clarify
whether they will talk to them or not. The Ayatollah Khomeini
has stated there will be no talks without the Shah being
returned to Iran.
Staff at the Australian Embassy in Tehran have been told to
keep a low profile.
One of the countries most concerned about the possibility
of the Ayatoll * ah using oil diplomacy is Japan, which relies
heavily on Iranian oil. To make the situation worse, Japan
has large investments in Iran.
In Queensland, the unions and the State Government look set for
a head-on confrontation. On the one hand, there is the Government
with its tough new Essential Services Legislation and on the
other the unions, who held a mass meeting in Brisbane yesterday
pledg ing to close the State down if the laws are used.
President of the Trades and Labour. Council in Queensland
interviewed.
According to the British Government, the Zimbawe-Rhodesia
peace talks in London are very close to settlement. As a result
it has been trying to rush through Parliament the necessary
legislation for a transitional government in Salisbury. After
nine weeks of talks, the British Government now thinks it is
close to settling its last major colonial problem, the Government
has now rushed legislation into the Parliament to give
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia if the peace talks succeed. They have decided
from next week to lift a small section of the sanctions against
the breakaway colony.
Senator Edward Kennedy has formally declared his candidacy
for the Democratic Party Presidential nomination.
In a report to the Minister for Health, Mr. Hunt, the National.
Health and Medical Research Council has made it-clear that
total lead intake by Australians are producing significant
adverse health effects. It is understood that the Council believes
that lead levels in petrol should continue to be phased down.
The Chairman of the Council, Dr. William Langsford, interviewed.
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