PM Transcripts

1 1 A U! STIAlIALg&
PRIME MINISTER
For Media Embargoed until12.3l a~ m 6 August 1983
Today is the thirty-eighth anniversary of the dropping of an
atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. This event added a new
and terrible dimension to the scourge of war. On behalf of the
Government, I wish to mark the occasion by reaffirming our
dedication to the pursuit of world peace and our commitment to
policies designed to halt and reverse the arms race.
The appalling sacrifice made by the people of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in 1945 is a permanent reminder to us that the
spectre of nuclear holocaust looms over the world and presents
a fundamental challenge to all governments. Australia, under
the Labor Government, is paying special attention to the field
of arms control and disarmament. In the short period since we
came to office, the Government has announced a number of
initiatives in this field. We have appointed Australia's
first Ambassador for Disarmament and are strengthening our
capacity to handle disarmament questions.
Notwithstanding the complexity and divisiveness of many
of these issues, we will do what we can to ensure that the
tragedy of Hiroshima is not repeated.