PM Transcripts

U S r RA 1 IA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA November 27 1985
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR HAWKE, AND THE SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN PREMIER, MR BANNON
An agreement to transfer the Port Augusta-Woomera high tension
power line from Commonwealth to South Australian Government
ownership was signed today.
Mr Hawke and Mr Bannon said the transfer was a significant step
towards transforming the Woomera village from a Defence
Department establishment into a normal Australian town.
They said Commonwealth and State officials had been discussing
the transfer of other facilities such as the water supply.
The long term objective was for the Department of Defence to
relinquish control of Woomera Village to local government.
The transfer of the power line will allow the South Australian
Government to service the development of the Roxby Downs copper
and gold mining project at Olympic Dam.
Construction of Woomera Village, which the power line services,
began in 1946.
The Village was the adminsitrative, technical and residential
centre of the Woomera rocket range which was used for British
missile and space tests for more than 30 years.
The Department of Defence maintains a limited capability at the
Woomera range for short range guided weapons and other trials.
The range area is also used for Defence Force exercises.
Mr Hawke said he expected this Defence use of the range would
continue into the forseeable future and Defence personnel would
continue to live in Woomera Village.
The agreement to transfer ownership of the power line was signed
by the Minister for Defence, Mr Kim Beazley, and the South
Australian Minister for mines and Energy, Mr R G Payne.