* 1~ AUBTRIA. L
PRIME MiNISTER
FOR MEDIA WEDNESDAY, 14 JULY 1982
VISIT OF USS GOLDSBOROUGH
Attached are copies of correspondence between the Premier
of Victoria, Mr John Cain and myself concerning the visit
to Melbourne of the United States naval vessel,
USS Goldsbo: ough.
PRIMIN AA61616L Q
PREMIER AA32-636
MESSAGE NO: 1691
12. 7.82
TO: THE RT. HONBLE. J. M. FRASER, CH, MiP, PRIME MINISTER OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA DEPT. OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND
. CABINET, CANBERRA.
MY DEAR PRIME MI N ISTE,
I HAVE SEEN MEDIA REPORTS THAT A VISIT BY THE USS
GOLOSBOROUGH IS PLANNED FOR MELBOURNE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
I HAVE ALSO SEEN REPORTS IN WHI2_ H YOU ARE REPORTED TO HAVE
SAID THAT THE VISIT OF SUCH VEs-SSELS IS iiOT THE CONCERN OF STATE
GOVERNMENTS. THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED TO PROTECT
VICTORIANS FROM THE DANGERS OF NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION AND IN
THAT CONTEXT VISITS BY NUCLEAR-' P 4E RE D OR NUCLEAR-ARMED WARSHIPS
TO VICTORIA FROM ANY COUNTRY ARE NOT WELCOME. IF IT IS TO BE
YOUR POSITION THAT YOU WILL NOT SEEK TO EN2UIRE IF ANY VESSEL
MIGHT CARRY NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND THERE IS ANY DEGREE OF PROBABILITY
THAT IT WOULD, IT SHOULD BE NECESSARY TO ASSUME THAT IT
WOULD CARRY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES HOWEVER, THAT THE
COMMONWEALTH HAS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN THESE MATTERS AND SO
WOULD NOT PREVENT SUCH VI SITS. SHOULD THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT
AGREE TO A REQUEST FROM A FOREIGN POWER FOR A VISIT IN THIS CATEGORY,
THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT MUST ASSUME FULL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FINANCIAL
ASPECTS OF SUCH VISITS.
I WOULD APPRl* ECIATE DETAILS OF ANY VISITS BY WARSHIPS
k4ICH HAVE BEEN PLANNED As I SELIEVE VICTORIANS ARE ENIITLED
TO BE FULLY INFORMED OF THE DETAILS OF THESE VISITS AND THE
ARRANGEMENTS THE COMMONWEALTH WILL MAKE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
ALL VICTORIANS.
JOHN CAIN,
PREMIER OF VICTORIA
PRIME MINISTER CANBERRA
1 4 JUL982
Dear Mr Cain,
In your teleprinter message of 12 July 1982, you state
that " vis-ts by nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed
warships from any country are not welcome". I can
only express surprise that you continue to pursue such
a policy _ in the face of the decisions taken at the ALP
General Conference only last week and in the face of
your recognition of the Commonwealth's Constitutional
position. Your message contains several misconceptions which I
should rectify.
First, the USS Goldsborough is an Adams class destroyer,
very similar to HMA ships Brisbane, Hobart and Perth.
It is conventionally powered, not nuclear powered.
Second, you characterise the Commonwealth Government's
position as one of not seeking to enquire if any
vessel might carry nuclear weapons. That is not so.
The Commonwealth Government's position is that it
endorses the policy of our allies of neither confirming
nor denying the carriage of nuclear weapons. As I
pointed out in my message of 3 June 1982, to identify
which warships might carry nuclear weapons would have
implications not only for the security of our allies'
forces but also for the effectiveness of deterrence.
Consequently, as I pointed out in my message of
4 June 1982, one cannot assume that warships of our
nuclear weapon state allies are not nuclear armed.
Third, your reference to the dangers of " nuclear
contamination" implies that Victorians are being exposed
to unacceptable risks. That is not so. The risk of
a reactor incident in nuclear powered warships is very
remote. The risk of a nuclear weapon malfunction is
even more remote. The smallness of these risks
notwithstanding, appropriate precautions are always taken.
2/
Fourth, I do not understand your reference to the
" financial. aspects" of visits by allies' warships.
The major costs associated with such visits are met
by the government of the nation whose warship makes
the visit. The financial benefits to the State
deriving from port visits far exceed such incidental
costs as the State may incur.
You also requested details of planned visits by
warships. Apart from the visit of USS Goldsborough
on 5-9 August the Australian Government is pnaware
of any other visits at present. Your Government
will be advised of future visits through normal
channels. I assume that arrangements for the USS
Goldsborough, and any other vessels in the future,
will accord with those that have normally been made
for Allied warships visiting the Port of Melbourne.
Yours sincerely,
( Malcolm Fraser)
The Hon. J. Cain, M. Ib. A.,
Premier oE Victoria,
MELBOURNE Vic 3000