PM Transcripts

PRIME MINITE
FOR M~' EDIA MONDAY, 4 JANUARY, 1982
SIR WILLIAM McMAHON
I would like to express my best wishes to Sir William McMahon
on his retirement and to express the appreciation of the
Government, the Parliament and the people of Australia for
a life-time dedicated to the service of his country.
Sir William retires as Father of the House after 33 years
in the Parliament, 21 years of them as a Minister of the
Crown, first as Minister' for the Navy and finally as
Prime Minister. His application and his energy have always
won the respect of his colleagues. He was a distinguished
Treasurer and Foreign Minister in a career which covered
seven portfolios before he was called on to lead the
coalition Government in March 1971.
I served with Sir William in the Ministry for six years.
I have greatly valued his support over the last seven years,
since I became Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party
and I always appreciated his suggestions to me in the office
I now hold.
Sir William has served his country with dedication and his
Party with loyalty. He will be greatly missed in the
Parliament and in the Party room.
I wish him and Lady McMahon many years of happy retirement
after the responsibilities of public life.