PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS P. M. No 30 / 9L6' 1
ROYAL C( OMiIS io, ON NAVAL DISASTER
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Hon_ S. ir Robert Menzies
We have decided that the investigation of the
" VOYAGER" tragedy should be conducted by a judicial Commissioner
appointed under the Royal Commission Act, thQ Hon.
The Commissioner will be/ Sir John Spicer the
Chief Judge of the Industrial Court: There is no provision
under the Royal Commission Act for the appointment of assessors.
The Commissioner will be assisted by Counsel who will, of course,
be assisted in their turn by technical experts. The function of
Counsel will be to help in the most thorough-going examination
of all relevant circumstances, My colleague, the Minister for the Navy, is
discussing with the Naval Board the appointment of Counsel to
represent the Board. Should any other applications be made for
representation, the Commissioner will decide them,
A good deal of preliminary work will, of course,
be necessary, but there will be no avoidable loss of time.
The Terms of Reference will be as follows
" To inquire into and report on
the cause or causes of the collision that occurred
on the tenth day of February, One thousand
nine hundred and sixty-four, between the ships of
our Australian Navy, " MelbTourne" and :' Voyager"
and the resulting loss of " Voyager" and of the
lives of persons on board " Voyager";
the facts and circumstances leading up to,
contributing to or otherwise relating to the
collision and the loss, including, so far as
relevant to the cause of the collision, the
nature of the exercise on which the ships were
engaged and the suitability and preparedness
of the ships and of their equipment and crows
for that exercise; and
the facts and circumstances relating to the
rescue and treatment of survivors."
These terms should enable a speedy but
thorough judicial investigation to be made. No effort will be
spared to bring all the facts to light so far as they relate to
this most tragic event.
CANBERRA 13th February, 1964.