Q: First of all, Prime Minister, congratulations on the result.
PM: Thank you very much.
Q: What is your reaction to the result?
PM: It was such a good result, I think, that It makes you feel you really must reinforce your determination to try and justify it to the people who have expressed thair confidence in that result.
Q, Do you take it as a vote of confidence in the Government, Mr Gorton?
PM: I think it must be regarded as a vote supporting the Government's policies, yes.
Q. Would you care to comment on the DLP the fact that they didn't have a candidate and you got an increased majority over the former Prime Minister?
PM: Well, I haven't been able to work the exact figures out on that. I think it Is probable that part or may be all of t ' he increased majority might be attributable to the fact that the DLP previously had a candidate and this time they didn't. But I think until we analyse it, we won't know. And I don't even know what the end result is going to be because there are a lot of postal votes to be counted. I would like to just wait and see what the final wash-up is.
Q. Now that you are a Member of the House of Representatives and have virtually overcome the last obstacle, is there likely to be any change or are you likely to make any kind of statement
PM: Any change?
Q. Any change in running the office?
PM: Oh, well, we will be saying all those sorts of things in the next few days. I am making an announcement on Monday as you know, and will be talking about administrative rearrangements and that kind of thing later.
Q: Are you going to have yourself re-sworn in as Prime Minister, Sir?
PM: I think . that is probably the way I would be advised to do it but it depends a good deal on the advice of those who know all the constitutional facets of this. But I gather that is the way their minds arc working.
Q: You may not be able to answer this, but have you actually been in the Chamber of the House of Representatives to have a look at it since you became Prime Minister?
PM: I don't believe I have
Q Have you been in it very often before that while you were a Senator?
PM: Oh, from time to time. Very often. I have been a Senator for a long time and I haven't counted up the number of times I have been in, and divided it into the number of years, but I have had a look at it from time to time.
Q. I thought perhaps you hadn't actually seen it?
PM: Oh, heavens, yes.
Q. Will you be spending this afternoon on the phone to prospective Ministers?
PM: Well, we will be going back to the Lodge and having some lunch and then we will just be spending the afternoon.
Q. Will you make a comment on the New South Wales election result?
PM: Yes, I can. I can say how delighted I am that the Liberal Party in New South Wales has been returned with what appears to be a considerably increased majority. There were two elections, of course on Saturday, and that, I think, reinforces my belief that there is support for the Liberal Party and its policy rather than some personal support, because in New South Wales in a State election they have done extraordinarily well.
Q. Do you think this might be a rportent of things to come in South Austraiia and Western Australia?
PM: Cne thing I think you will agree with me about is that I never try to forecast the results of any election. I always like to wait until the numbers come up!