PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Menzies, Robert

Period of Service: 19/12/1949 - 26/01/1966
Find more information on Menzies, Robert on the:
Release Date:
30/10/1962
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
639
Document:
00000639.pdf 1 Page(s)
Released by:
  • Menzies, Sir Robert Gordon
FOR PRESS: PM 78/1962 - AMPOL TANKER - ACTU REPRESENTATIONS

P. M. No. 78/ 1 962
FOR PRESS AMPOL TANXER ALXT. LTO REPRESENTATIONS
The Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, today received
a deputation from the A. C. T. U. led by its President, Mr.
A. E, Monk, on the question of manning the Ampol tanker, " IP. J,
Adams." t The deputation proposed that the Commonwealth
Government should subsidise wages by at least œ Q5,000 a year so
that the operating company could use an Australian crew.
The Prime Minister rejected the proposal and,' in
doing so, drew the deputation's attention to Clause 21 of the
Agreement between the Commonwealth and Ampol covering the registration
of the s hi p. The Clause reads
" 121( 1) The said vessel shall be registered as a
British ship. The company may, but shall
not be obliged to, register the vessel in
Australia but should the vessel be registered
outside Australia the port of registration
shall be London in the United Kingdom.
On or before delivery of the vessel the
Commonwealth shall deliver to the company
all documents necessary to enable the vessel
to be registered in the Registry selected
by the company."
Mr. Menzies pointed out to the A. C. T. U. representatives
that when the proposal to subsidise the building of
the " 1P. J. Adams" was before Cabinet, Ampol made it a condition
to the placing of an order for building the vessel in Australia
that they should not be obliged to register the vessel in
Australia. The Government decided that it should, nevertheless,
agree to subsidise the building of the tanker at 4hyalla because
of the substantial employment this would create in the shipbuilding
and related industries.
Mr. Menzies further noted that Ampol's intention
to operate the vessel on the British registry had, in fact,
been known for a long time and had been the subject of questions
in the House of Representatives in 1958.
The Prime Minister added that, having entered into
an agreement with the company in the circumstances outlined, he
could not agree that the Commonwealth should now consider a further
and continuing subsidy towards the operation of the vessel.
CANBERRA, October, 1962.

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