PM Transcripts

' k VER'. S
CL
( y lJNOyi% 7
STATEiIENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
THE RT. HON. HAROLD HOLT, M. P.,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2nd NOVEMBER, 1967
FUTURE PROGRAMME OF BZF ROAD DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH
I am pleased to announce to Honourable Members that the
Premiers of Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia
have accepted a Commonwealth offer to provide, over the seven
year period from 1st July 1967, non-repayable grants totalling
350 million for the further development of beef roads in
Northern Austrelia.
Of the total amount, $ 39.5 million will be made available
to the State of Queensland, ' 9.5 million to the State of
Western Australia and l million to the State of South Australia.
The programme to be undertaken in Queensland will provide
for the construction of selected roads in the Channel Country
and the Gilbert, Burdekin, Fitzroy, MIitchell, Cape York and
Gulf Regions. In Western Australia the programme will cover
selected road works in the Kimberley Region and in South
Australia permanent work on the Biidsville Track. The overall
programme in each State will be capable of some variation if this
is desirable. Each State will be the constructing authority for
its roads and will be solely responsible for necessary maintenance.
Honourable Members will recall that the Commonwealth,
in collaboration with the appropriate State Governments, has
been continuously associated with beef road development in the
North since 1961. The Commonwealth has spent ? 10.4 million
since 1961 on its own initial beef roads programme in the
Northern Territory, linked with the developments in the States,
and has begun work on a further programme estimated to cost
$ 14.3 million. As well, the Commonwealth has provided by
way of grants and loans to the States, ' 28.9 million, in a
programme which has triggered-off an expansion of private
investment in the beef industry. This in turn will result
in greater beef production, in increased prosperity in the
North and in greater export earnings for Australia as a
whole. The further programme I now announce is evidence of
the Commonwealth's desire to foster the further development
of the beef industry and the North generally, I am confident
that the next seven years will see tremendous benefits from
this programme, not only to the North, but to the Nation as
a whole.