7VUEMBARGO: 8: 30 pm
FOR MEDIA ____ FRIDAY, MARCH 13 1981
" SPEECH ' FOR TBB OPEM'ING OF M-YR SALUTES.
AUSTRAIIA. CAJ~ f4, DE VB= DONZB2RnF
OF THE PPkT kUNISTER BY MH MINISTER FOR
FINANCE, SENATOR DAME MARGARET GUILFOYLE.
0 I am' glad to be here at the official opening of the " Myer:'
Salutes Australia" fortnight
I think that Australia ought to be saluted more often than
it-i: s. Australia is the bezountry_' ijithe world to live
in, and much the best for brin-Cjing up a family. We all know
this, even the ' knockers' know it. It doe-s. us no harm to have
a few ' k" ockers', But I sometimes think it might do us some
good ilz we hadI a few more -7salufLers'l--P7opl Veparedto Say
straigt out how good ihis country is.
But althou.--h we don't alway-.--y t,--utt--n are--proud
of: hir nation. We are proud to be called Australians.
Arid there are many thing that we are entitled to be proud of.
This fortnight when Australia is being saluted offers us a
good excuse to beat our own drum more loudly than usual, and
Iam pleased to m ke the most of the opportunity.
There was a time vffien-many Australians tended to think an
imported article would be superior to one rilade in Australia.
Our igclation from Europe an, ri& fr-ba-y aC. amour
to their products. And our small local market made it difficult
for local f irms to manufacture a wide range of high quality
g oodls.
But now the picture ig different. We now have behind us a
wealth of. exp~ eri ence, and in tile primiary, ranuf acturi-ng and
* service sections a well-earn-tid-r-putati. on-for wlality. Weic still
have a comparatively small domestic market, but the initiative
of Australians has led to some_ brilliant ideas and designs.
Some of our manufactured goods have hd n~ in u~ s~ i
managing to break into international markets, even if sometimes
only in a.. small way. Who would have thought that Australian
cultured pearls are exported to Japan? Who would have thought
that we sell shirts in Hong Kong, or " hI668 ' 61cT s inw
Singapore? Who would have thought that German equestrians
would be passing up local saddles for Australian ones? But
you will niot be surprised to-harthat--ei-exp-4---cricket---.-
helmets to England.
t
' I
12 I. I, Ii It i I 2 I 2 4e, all know that on display in this store are Australian-m-ada
roductes as good as any of their kind, in the world. Australian
foods ar-e. outstanding by any standards. It-is a-pity that the
governr~ nts of Europe are not welcomiung towards them. Mcany
) f our manufactured goods can stand conarison anywhere.
Elnd we are winning increasing recog-nition in overseas
narketB because of this.
kustralian wines have recently won important international
3marcls and there is a growing recog4-n ove-x-seas. Athat
top wines are amongst the best in the world.
The Government has been anxious to foster greater public
awareness of these developments, of ' the qualit. y of AUstaln
products. It has sought and encouraged Australians to show
support for their country in a practical way. And what better
way is there to salute Australia tha~ tl-buY-MAtral-i.-Fr,--
not only does this foster national pride but also it helps-
Australiani industries and creates more jobs for Axvstraliai
workers. Since August 1979, the Government har, funded the " Project
Australia Campaign" through the Project Australia Committee
a national comittee of people who are : Lead& T9in-T;-tr
individ-aal fields. When Project Australia began, there were
Tnany setc. There were smart article s which said thecre
was no -: ni it. But we stoodbytiea-Ad---wy
it has taken hold, as pride in Auistraliwi achievement grows.*
The objjectives of " Project Australi" Lare-beinguZSued throu( 3gh
a variety of means including nation-wide adverti-sing, shop-front
displays and prorimtional events, Project Australia awarda
have -been given for inventions ranging from an int-ernzatiJonal.
language of symbols for handi capped c19Mhi& n t6d-le TV-Tai: T-
. wine cask, and for contributions ranging from children's
literature to solar energy technology.
A promotion to salute Australia f its in very well with the overall
thrust of our * campaign to ' project Australia. -It focusses again
on the need to nake Australians, more dwsie of. What Our country
bas to offer, and what we, in our turn, can do or our country,
As employers and employees, as producers and consulners, we
have common objectives. We do ourselves no good if vie forget
that we are working for t%-he good of Aust ra~ ia and-o-f ,-r
Australians and not just for our oern good.
The Project Australia campaign is eempementd-by-other
measures such as the work of the Industrial Design Council
of Australia. This council ainis to create an awareness and
an appreciation of good design so that PAstralian industry
can. produce better and more internationally
goods. The council offers a wide range of services to
industry and bag initiated two important, and much coveted
design awards . the Australian r,-an-ediF-te--P-rtnce
Philip Prize. The Au-stralian Design Award ise what it suggeatn,
a recognition and a promotion of well desigiied, high quali. ty.
Australian products. The Prince Phi-14-p-Prize--take5a-thi-s..
step fuirther. Productsi are scrutinized for factors essential
to good design but in the awarding of this prize, the 5udg; 1:-N \. 41'
Is9 1
are looking for innovation as well. The iirpact of both
hs-wade-nAutain aepoucswlub ie~
felt in the years ahead. Consumers -wilL become more disctiminating
as innovative design becomes more widespread, and this will
p8ur o-mnuaturers to offer constantlyipoig
products. -I
This kind of process can become a strong force for progress. A
xh* GO,* r~ t-lo* ptiie funding to encourage industrial:
research and development. Research and developznment grants:
are a recognition of the fact that to maintain efficiency
-4dustr-al-r~ eai; 4 ch -i-s-essential in matters relating to
science and new technology.'
We cannot afford to iag_ b ehind, for the major basis of
our success has been a capacity to initiate, -Above all, the
Go* avse mtmnett wants to see industry become as outward looking
possible. We already offer much to Other countries,. but
Il wiT1tbe1s~ tñ tfromffarther expansion.
In February 1979, 1 launched the " Export Now" campaign,
-oneof-apac> of exmort-development initiatives to encourage
Australian firmz to pursue export opportunities actively.
The ca9pn_ is Austral ia-wide.
It is desize to inc-ease awareness in indu~ itry and the
commfunitv" a-large, of tle henefits to ' e obtained from developing
~-epot&-~-enfita-of export-orien-ated industries extend
directly C-0 Australian consumers bacavse in order to compete
successf-1r, in overseas markets, greater efficiency is required,
~ anl. an-. ei--aninf sales . through the generation of ex-ports
will someti: as bring about economier, of scale as well.
This f1ds to more competitive prices for the Australian
con sumer to6gzeer wi ti greater, exposure of Avustralian * induat, r y
0to~ the latest ideas in % worldr iarkets.
-As---h~ e-~ 4d-~ the--Government maintains programmes to
generate new demandB for Australian products. It is good
when coirmrc itself contributes to the same cause,
Australians are obviously developing a much stronger awareaess
of what this couintry and its people have to offer of the
high quality and the real value of Autralian products.
Prorn~ tions such as this can only further that cause.