PM Transcripts

_ j. LJk^ yJ EMPARGO: 6: 00
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, 20 NOVEMBER, 1980
THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA
The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will
visit Australia next year. They will arrive in Melbourne
by air from London on Saturday, 26 September, and will
leave Australia from Adelaide on Monday, 12 October.
The primary purpose of the Royal Visit is to enable the
Queen, in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth to be
present in Melbourne when the Co,-=-onwealth Heads of Government
assemble for their Meeting in 1981 and to meet the
respective Heads of Government.
As already announced the dates for the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting are Wednesday 30 September to Wednesday
7 October 1981.
In addition, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness have accepted
the Goverrunent's suggestion to extend their stay. An
itinerary has been accepted that will take the Queen and
the Duke of Edinburgh from Victoria to Tasmania, Western Australia
and South Australia, in that order.
The precise timing of the Royal Visit itinerary has yet to
be determined.
Consultation between the Commonwealth and States to be visited
will take place to prepare a program of engagements for the
visit. Those details will be announced as soon as practicable
when an approved program has been decided.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Australia in
May this year when 1er Majesty opened the new High Court Building
in Canberra and thereafter made one dCa visits to Sydney and
Melbourne. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness last visited
Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia in 1977, the
Silver Jubilee year of Her Majesty's accession to the Throne.
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