FOR PRESS. Statement by the Rt. Hon, J. McEwen. Deputy Prime
Minister, Minister for Trade and ind~ ustry, Leader
OF t Australian Uountrv Party, at the Annual
Co erence of the Aiustraiñ an Uountr ar Queensland,
DROUGHT RELIEF
A concerted effort to make better provision against
the effects of drought was called for today by the Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. J. McEwen.
Mr. McEwen, the Federal Leader of the Australian
Country Party, was addressing the annual conference of the Australian
Country Party, Queensland, at Warwick.
" All Gnvernments and the entire community must shake
off any thought that may exist that droughts are an act of God,
inevitable and quite inescapable, and that tremendous recurring losses
should result from them" he said,
Mr. McEwen recalled the loss of 25 million sheep in
the drought ending in 1945.
He said that the Commonwealth and State Governments
and representatives of farming and pastoral industry organisations
should consider jointly efforts to alleviate the results of drought.
More dams and the provision of adequate transp~ rt,
subsidised if need be by governments, were ingredients of dealing with
drought. The credit institutions of Australia should also have
policies, the will and the resources to contribute to alleviation of
the problem. In addition, Mr. McEwen called on farmers to take the
opportunities offered, particularly in Queensland, for increased
fodder conservation. Queensland, whose total exports per head were
above the national average, was ton important a State to go on
suffering from devastating, widespread droughts, he said.
COMONVEALTH AID
Mr. McEwen said Queensland had been helped by Commonwealth
financial assistance under Section 96 of the Constitution,
" I believe this is a very proper policy for the
Commonwealth to give additional assistance to those States least able
to cater for their own development need,
" I believe this is partimcularly so where the assistance
will increase the capacity for export, This helps not only the State,
but also the national economy at one of its most sensitive points
exchange earnings. " I am sure both the opportunities and the needs of
Queensland in these respects, are great. I am sure the Commonwealth
policies have been of value arid may be expected to continue."
2.
COALITION UNITY
Mr. MeEwen said he associated himself completely with the
remarks by the Queensland Premier, Mr, Nicklin, in opening the
Conference on Tuesday night.
( Mr. Nicklin, ini a zefeceiict tLo the Country Party's
relationships with the Liberal Party in the Government coalition in
Queensland, said, " Wie have to be fully united in principle and purpose,
even though not in name, to retain the Treasury benches and to do a job
of work for Queensland, and I ask supporters of both parties to work to
that end.") Mr. McEwen said current problems of politics, industry and
finance, and particularly the darkening scene to the North, demanded
the highest quality personnel in political organisations and Parliament,
" Any single thing that-puts a strain upon the internal
Ssolidarity of the Australian nation, or in particular, upon the
Wrelationship between the two parties that form the coalition in Queensland
and in the Commonwealth Parliaments, is an act against the national
interest today," he said, CAPITAL INFLOW
Mr. Mc~ ven said later outside the Conference that Australia
had a vital need for greater export effort to meet its foreign exchange-_
problems and reduce its dependence on thn inflow of overseas -capital0
He said Australia's balance of Daymerts position could be
seriously affected by recent actions of the United States and British
4D Governments. The President of the United States had asked U. S. companies
to take measures which could result in reduced flow of investment funds
to Australia. The President had also requested American companies
Woperating in Australia to remit a higher proportion of their profits
back to the U. S. Mr. McEwen said that an inevitablg consequence of
these new policies of the U. S. Administration would be increased
borrowings raised in Australia to finance American companies in
Australia. The Britishl-Government hrtd now.. asked U. K. companies to
take similar action, which must affect British investment in Australia,
Mr. McEwen recalled that two years ago, at the Country
Party Conference at Lakes Entrance, Victoria, he had stressed the need
for Australia to earn more by exports to pay its way internationally
rather than by " selling a bit of the farm" every year,
Mr. McEwen said today the recent changes of policy by the
U. S. and British Governments had suddenly brought home the risk of
becoming too dependent on the regular inflow of overseas capital in
great volume.
acinIn spetko these things no t 10 bemoanthe US. nUK
actoand hep o h~ mfcreated for Austra la bu o s an the
answer is to increase exports," he said.
CANBERRA, 28th April, 1965.