PRIME MINISTER THURSDAY 3 APRIL 1980
From the Press Office
The following statements were released to the P' 101g-al iry up
to 6.00 pm tonight:
GOVERNMENT
1. The Minister for Defence, Mr. Killen s stateim t on . twe,
acquisition of a fourth FFG. Y
2. The Minister for Transport, Mr. Hunt and the Victorian
minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mr. Thompson
said a Commonwealth-State study to measure the incidence
of drugs in drivers and pedestrians killed in road accidents
in Victoria will begin shortly.
3. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Resources
Mr. Anthony flew early today 160 km from Abu Dhabi to Das
Island, in the Arabian Gulf, to see a three million tons a
liquefied natural gas production operation.
4. The Minister for Transport, Mr. Hunt today announced the
introduction of a new and beneficial air fares package
between Australia and Greece as a result of restructuring of
fares on that route.
The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Senator Chaney said in
Canberra today that the report of the National Trachoma and
Eye Health Programme would provide valuable assistance to
the Government in determining what needed to be done to,
imrpove its Aboriginal health programmes.
6. The Treasurer, Mr. Howard said the Government has recently
been approached regarding the establishment of a new bank
within existing banking policy.
7. The Department of Defence said the total strength of the
Permanent Defence Force was 70,666 at the end of February
1980 compared with 70,564 at the end of January 1980.
8. The Department of Defence advised the army is starting a
long range project to replace its light armoured fighting.
vehicles in the mid 1990s.
9. The Department of Defence said a contingent of 157 United
States soldiers from Hawaii arrived in Brisbane this
morning ( 1 April) to take part in Exercise Close Bond Five.
The Acting Minister for Trade and REsources, Mr. Nixon
welcomed today's decision of the International Sugar Council
that for the remainder of the term of the International Sugar
Agreement-members' export quotas would be adjusted on the
basis of recent actual export performance.
11. Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in presenting
the Report of the Australian National Observer Group to
the 1980 Rhodesian election.
12. Statement on ASEAN by Senator Scott on the outcome of his
recent three week visit to the five member countries of ASEAN.
13. The Minister for Special Trade Representations, Senator
Scott has been re-endorsed by the Central Council of the
NSW National Country Party to contest this year's half
Senate election.
14. The Minister for Health, Mr. MacKellar recommends better
health amenities and services as a prerequisite to
improved eye health of Aboriginals.
An analysis of the Report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee
on Public Works on the proposed construction of a Defence
Force Academy by the Minister for Defence, Mr. Killen.
16. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Resources
Mr. Anthony said the visit-I have just made to four Arabian
Peninsula countries with a team of senior representatives of
Australian business, industry, health services and universities
has reinforced the view I formed on a similar visit a year ago
that Australia is missing out on many trading opportunities
in the Middle East.
17. The Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs said recent
media reports which indicated that deportee. Ivan Ceskovic
faced-. death when he returned to Yugoslavia have proved to be
unfounded.
18. Senator Jessop announced today that the Senate Standing
Committee on Science and the Environment was soon to hear
evidence on Tasmania's contribution to Australian Marine
Science.
19. The Attorney-General Senator Durack today announced a joint
agreement with the NSW Government to extend the Sydney Hilton
Hotel bomb outrage reward of $ 100,00 for another two years.
The Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs, Mr. Viner
said today the growth in the number of people employed in
Australia in the past year of 155,200 was the highest annual
growth since May 1974.
21. The Department of Primary industry advised that the Director
of the Australian Bureau of Animal Health, Mr. Bill Gee
announced today that agreement had been reached between State
Governments on guidelines for uniform brucellosis testing
requirements for mainland cattle moving interstate.
22. The Minister for Post and Telecommunications, Mr. Staley
announced appointments to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal
and the Independent and Multicultural Broadcasting Corporation.
23. The Department of Defence said the Chief of the Air Staff,
Air Marshal N. P. McNamara will visit New Zealand from 18
April to 23 April.
24. The Department of Defence said Australian and American
companies are to combine to produce a new sonar system for
the RAN. 3
, OPPOSITION 1. Senator Gietzelt, Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs,
called for uniform legislation to limit the amount of
packaging on products.
2. Senator Grimes, Shadow Minister for Social Security said the
latest report to document social need and inadequacy of
welfare provision in this country, the first report of the
National Consultative Council on Social Welfare, was in the
possession of the Minister for Social Security for six months
before she tabled it yesterday in the Senate.
3. Senator. Chipp, Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Democrats
today sent a cable to President Carter asking him to intercede.
in the case of the Noonkanbah dispute.
4. Mr. Stewart West, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, said
the National Trachoma and Eye Health Program Report findings
are a damning indictment of the Federal Government health care
delivery to Aborigines.
Letter from Mr. Keating, Shadow Minister for Minerals and
Energy to Senator Carrick which stated that he was amazed to
discover that Senator Carrick required his Department to
engage in political activity by having a Minute prepared on
the Australian Labor Party's oil pricing policy, a report
on which was published in today's Financial Review.
6. Mr. Hurford, Shadow Minister for Industry and Commnerce said
he personally found it strange that the government is considering
allowing another trading bank so soon after being responsible
. for the closure of the Bank of Adelaide.
7. Mr. Willis, Labor spokesman of Economic Affairs said the
opposition views the proposals for the establishment of a-new
bank in Australia with reservations.
8. Senator Mason, Deputy Leader of the Australian Democrats said
the* Democrats continued a campaign in Federal Parliament today
to persuade the Government to devote more attention and money
to an effective civil defence programme in the event of
nuclear attack.
9. Senator Grimes, Shadow Minister for Social Security said the
National Trachoma and Eye Health Program Report of the Royal
College of Ophthalmologists is a scathing indictment of our
treatment of Aborigines.
GENERPAL 1. The Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists released
the first report of National Trachoma and Eye Health Programcall
for action to eradicate eye disease amongst Aborigines.
2. The office of the Commissioner for Community Relations said
a new racist campaign launched in the City of Sydney has
resorted to fraudulent misrepresentation of the Commissioner
and the Office of Community Relations.
3. The Confederation of Australian Industry said " closer trans-
Tasman relations must not have the effect of discriminating
against or disadvantaging Australia's other near neighbours"
4. ACOA said the ACT Branch Secretary of the ACOA Mr. Phil O'. Brien
said today that there was an urgent need for the Government and
the Public Service Board to allow the sections of the CERR Act
relating to voluntary early retirement to be available to
public servants without further delay.
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