CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
PRIM AUMAIAISTE
PRINCE PHILLIP PRIZE FOR AUSTRALIAN DESIGN 1984
SYDNEY 28 NOVEMBER 1984
I HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN BEING HERE TODAY FOR THE
PRESENTATION OF THE PRINCE PHILIP PRIZE FOR AUSTRALIAN
DESIGN 198' 4.
QUALITY IN DESIGN IS CRUCIAL FOR DEVELOPING EFFICIENT,
COMPETITIVE AND GROWING AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIES.
ONLY IF WE HAVE SUCH INDUSTRIES CAN WE HOPE TO CAPTURE AND)
HOLD NEW MARKETS BOTH HERE AND ABROAD. THIS IS ESSENTIAL
IF WE ARE TO ACHIEVE THE NEW JOBS AND THE HIGHER LIVING
STANDARDS WE ALL WISH TO SEE.
THIS GOVERNMENT HAS RESTORED STRONG ECONOMIC GROWTH
TO THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY NOW THE STRONGEST OF ANY
INDUSTRIAL COUNTRY.
TO HELP PROMOTE GROWTH WE HAVE FORMULATED SPECIFIC
COUNTRY " ACTION PLANS" TO TARGET PARTICULAR MARKETS FOR
EXPORT EXPANSION. BUT WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT PRODUCTS TO
SELL. AND TO COMPETE ON WORLD MARKETS OUR PRODUCTS MUST BE
BETTER THAN THOSE OF OUR COMPETITORS.
WHILE COMPETITIVE PRICING IS IMPORTANT, THE SCOPE FOR OUR
INDUSTRIES TO GAIN NEW MARKETS BY PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY,
WELL DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED PRODUCTS IS TOO OFTEN
UNDER-ESTIMATED.'
2.
I KNOW THAT AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY HAS THE CAPACITY TO
PRODUCE GOODS THAT ARE EQUAL TO, OR BETTER THAN, THOSE
OF OUR COMPETITORS.
BUT BOTH AT HOME AND OVERSEAS WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT
" AUSTRALIAN-MADE" IS SYNONOMOUS WITH SUPERIOR DESIGN AND
QUALITY$ THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IT CAN ACT AS A CATALYST IN THE
ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS OBJECTIVE.
-IN MY RECENT POLICY SPEECH I ANNOUNCED OUR INTENTION
UPON RE-ELECTION TO PROVIDE 150 PER CENT TAX WRITE-OFF
OF ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES IN THE AREA OF RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENTS
-WE HAVE PROVIDED UP TO $ 150 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS FOR
AUSTRALIAN DESIGN AND RESEARCH IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE
INDUSTRY.
-WE HAVE PROVIDED $ 190,000 IN 1984/ 85 FOR THE INDUSTRIAL
DESIGN COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA TO ASSIST IT PROMOTE
INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
GOOD DESIGNS
HOWEVERi THE BOTTOM LINE WHICH WE SHOULD NEVER LOSE
SIGHT OF IS THE NEED FOR INNOVATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE
PRODUCTS. a 3/ U
AWARDS SUCH AS THE PRINCE PHILIP PRIZE HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT
OF NEW PRODUCTS.
THESE AWARDS DIRECT ATTENTION TO THE BENEFITS TO BE
DERIVED FROM EFFICIENT INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND INCREASE
AWARENESS OF THE ROLE DESIGN HAS TO PLAY IN THE
SUCCESSFUL MARKETING OF AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTS.
MANY OF THE COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE AWARDS, EITHER
AS FINALISTS OR PRIZE WINNERS, HAVE BENEFITTED CONSIDERABLY
FROM THE PUBLICITY FLOWING FROM THIS COMPETITION.
THE COUNCIL IS TO BE COMMENDED ON ITS WINNING FORMULA.
THEIR PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS NOT ONLY ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY'S
AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD DESIGN, THEY ALSO
HELP SELL THE PRODUCTS WHICH IN TURN, ALLOWS AUSTRALIAN
INDUSTRY TO GROW TO THE BENEFIT OF US ALL.
I KNOW I SPEAK FOR ALL OF YOU IN EXTENDING MY HEARTIEST
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS.