PM Transcripts

Il-
PRIMIE MINISTER
FOR MEDIA WEDNESDAY, 30 APRIL, 1980
PREFERENCE TO AUSTRALIAN-MADE GOODS
The Government is to introduce legislation providing for
Commonwealth authorities to comply with the Government's policy
of giving preference to Australian-made goods. The legislation
will be designed to over-ride certain aspects of the enabling
legislation of some authorities which could restrict their
freedom to carry out the Government's policy.
While the legislation will generally provide for all Commonwealth
authorities to follow the Government's policy there will be
provision in the legislation for exemption in situations where
a special case could be made.
I have written to the Premiers of New South Wa les, Victoria
and South Australia seeking their views on the possible extension
of the Government's policy of preference to Australian-made
goods, to Commonwealth authorities jointly own. ed or controlled
by the Commonwealth and other State Governments, such as the
Joint Coal Board, the Albury/ Wodonga Development Corporation and
the River Murray Commission.
While there may well be special reasons for exempting certain
authorities or categories of supplies from the Government's policy,
there appears to be no reason why joint ownership as such should
necessarily result in the exclusion of such authorities.