I 41* SPEECH 3Y THE PRIME MINISTER, THE RT.
HON. R. G. MENZIES, IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES ON 8TH SEPTEM3ER, 1960
Sir, I do not propose to take very long over this
matter because my colleague, the Minister for Territories ( Mr.
Hasluck) has made, I think, a very comprehensive statement,
with every word of uhich I agree. It might be quite adequate
for me to say that I have heard the Ministerts statement that
I have nothing to add to it, that I agree with it, and sit
down.
Mr. Pollard Why not do that?
MR. MENZIES I will do the next best thing: I will stand.
One aspect of this matter which was referred to by
the Deputy Leader of the Opposition ( Mr. Uhitlam) deserves a
little mention. The activities of the 7Tniversity Staffs
Association and certain comments that have been published rather
suggest that academic freedom is involved in the exclusion of
this man from the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. I want
to refer to that because it exhibits a complete misconception
of this problem. Academic freedom yes. The Australian National
University enjoys it in the fullest possible measure; We do not
appoint people to the staff of that university. The university
authorities do so according to their own untraimmellod judgment.
I Ta not asked, as the relevant Minister, to approve of any
appointment made by the Australian National University authorities.
N Curtin It t8 just as well!
M. MENZIES: Indeed it is just as well, because perhaps a few
of the appointments that have boon made would not have received
my approval. But I believe in academic freedom, and therefore
I have maintained the view that when the university is appointing
people professors, lecturers, readers or whatever they may
be, it is the university's oinm business. But academic freedom
does not carry with it the right to enjoy immunity from the
immigration restrictions of the Territory which apply to other
eople. Although academic people occasionally confuse the
ssue, it is quite clear that you do not rise above the law
simply because you attain academic freedom, and whether a man is
free acad-mic or not, when he desires to enter this Territory
he must secure a permit to do so. I eaphasize that point.
Mr. Cairns No one put that proposition.
MR. MENZIES: On the contrary, it was put in the letter written
by the Staffs Association to the Minister. It was put as a
matter of academic freedom.
Mrb Whitlam I did not quote it.
MRa MENZIES I know you did not. but it has boon quoted, no
doubt. I am referring to the way ii % i it put by the_
University Staffs Association. The speech of the honorableao " y
member for Werriwa ( Mr. Whitlan), conta~ neo ht was
a glancing reference to that topic.
Mr Whitlam I was coning to it, in order to endorse it.
M MENZIES I an glad to hear that, because now I have come
to it in order to un-endorsc it. The first law of physics, of
course, is that action and reaction are equal and opposite.
The only other cosment I wish to make is this: the
honorable member for Verriwa has given us a great number of
testimonials. I do not know what those testimonials have to do
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with the case. Honorable nembers opposite can produce a
string of testimonials to say that this can is very able, as
he undoubtedly must be, or that he is distinguished in his
profession, as I willingly concede, or that the persons who
gave the testimonials like him, but what have testimonials to
do with the point at issue? To send newspaper representatives
prowling around irrelevant departnonts in Great Britain, asking
spokesmen whoever those n: ysterious persons nay be whether
they have certain things in nind, is to prepare the . akings of
a ludicrous case. The essence of this natter is not what
somebody else thinks about this nan or what his technical
qualifications are; it is whether the Administrator was wrong
in refusing hin a permit, on the information that the
Administrator had before him.
Mr. Barnard What is the information he had before him?
MR. MENZIES To find that out, of course, is one of the
objects of the exorcise. All we have to do is to publish the
information, and then Security can close up. That is the idea
motivating some honorable members opposite. I do not mean all
of then. I do not mean the Leader of the Opposition ( Mr.
Calwell) or the Deputy Loader. They take a different view.
But there are honorable nembers opposite who would dearly love
to force the publication of information coning to the Government
in relation to the proper security interests of this
country or-its Territo. ry, in order that its sources of
information would thereafter dry up. Lot ie say that I,
accepting all the responsibility that attaches to my office, am
not going to take any step which would involve us in the loss
of access to infornation bearing on the security, the territorial
integrity and the political integrity of Australia.