FOR MEDIA 5 JUNE 1991
Heads of Government have agreed that the next special
Premiers' Conference will be held on 30 July 1991 in Sydney.
The Conference was originally scheduled to be held in May,
but was deferred at the request of the Premier of New South
Wales because of the election in that State. July 30 was
the only date that could be agreed by all Premiers.
Unfortunately, I will not, therefore, be able to attend the
22nd South Pacific Forum to be held in Pohnpei, Federated
States of Micronesia, on July 28-30. Senator Evans, the
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, will represent me at
the Forum.
The series of special Premiers' Conferences, which I
proposed in my speech to the National Press Club on 19 July
1990, represents a major initiative to promote a close
partnership between the Commonwealth, States and Local
Government. The first Conference, held in Brisbane on 30-31 October
1990, set in train review processes involving a wide range
of intergovernmental issues. The July Conference will be
the opportunity for Heads of Government to receive the
initial reports of these reviews.
Important issues will be addressed in the areas of
regulatory reform, road and rail transport and the
interstate electricity network in South Eastern Australia.
Heads of Government will also assess progress and guide
further work in areas such as the review of t
Commonwealth-State financial arrangements where reports on
options for reform are to be provided to the third special
Premiers' Conference scheduled for November.
The issues being considered in this process are wide ranging
and of major importance for the future of Australia. They
include: the need to develop a more integrated domestic market
for Australian industry with a better coordinated
regulatory framework and more efficient transport links
to improve efficiency and international
competitiveness; and
2.
the need for better integrated service delivery in the
public sector to enable it to deliver better services
to clients.
I have written to Forum leaders advising them of my regret
at being unable to attend the Forum.