FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 2/ 1970
PRIME MINISTER'S TELEGRAMS TO NEW GUINEA IN REPLY
TO COMPLAINTS OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY' MR. WHITLAMStatement
by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
Following are texts of telegrams received yesterday by the Prime
Minister from the Planters' Association of New Guinea and Bali Plantations
Ltd.
Planters' Association of New Guinea:
" THIS ASSOCIATION IS SHOCKED THAT THE LEADER OF
THE OPPOSITION PARTY PUBLICLY SUPPORTS CONVICTED
LAW BREAKERS WHO ARE AGAINST THE BASIC TENETS
OF SELF GOVERNMENT THAT IS THE ORGANISATION
ELECTION AND WORKING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
COUNCILS. FURTHER THAT IN VISITING ANOTHER
COUNTRY THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION AND HIS
ASSOCIATES HAVE SHOWN GRAVE DISCOURTESY IN
CRITICISING THIS COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT AND
LEADERS WITH LITTLE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE
PEOPLE'S CULTURE, UPBRINGING AND BEIEFS.
MR. WHITLAM'S VISIT HAS CAUSED GRAVE DISQUIET
LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE BY ALL
RESIDENTS INCLUDING THE MAJORITY OF PAPUANS
AND NEW GUINEANS AND IT IS THE CONSIDERED
OPINION OF THIS ASSOCIATION THAT EVERY EFFORT
BE MADE BY YOU TO VISIT THIS TERRITORY AS EARLY
AS POSSIBLE TO COUNTERACT THE DAMAGE WHICH
HAS BEEN DONE. WOULD APPRECIATE ACKNOWLEDGMENT."
Bali Plantations Ltd.:
" THIS COMPANY DEPLORES THE LABOR PARTY
PROMOTION ACTIVITIES OF LEADER OF THE
OPPOSITION IN THE GAZELLE PENINSULA AS A
FURTHER AGGRAVATION TO RECENT TROUBLES
HERE WHICH MUST RESULT IN A COMPLETE NEGATION
OF COSTLY OFFICIAL ACTION IN RESTORING LAW AND
ORDER. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN INCREASED LACK
OF CONFIDENCE IN INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA BY
BOTH INDIGENOUS AND OVERSEAS INVESTORS. WE
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE PRIME MINISTER
VISIT THIS DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY TO REFUTE THE
PROMISES MADE BY MR. WHITLAM WHO IS REGARDED
BY THE TOLAIS AS THE LEADING GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL / 2
2-
TO VISIT RABAUL FOR MANY YEARS PARTICULARLY
WHILST HE APPEARS TO SYMPATHISE WITH THE
REBELLIOUS ATT7ITUJDE OF THE MINORITY REPEAT
MINORITY OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION."
Today the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton, sent the following
reply to each of the above:
" YOUR TELEGRAM RECEIVED. I BELIEVE MR.
WHITLAM'S STATEMENTS ARE CALCULATED TO
WORSEN THE DIVISIONS AMONGST THE TOLAI
PEOPLE IN THE GAZELLE PENINSULA AND TO
ENCOURAGE EXTREMISTS.
THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THE LEGALLY
ELECTED MULTI-RACIAL COUNCIL, WHICH
INCLUDES 34 NATIVES AND 4 NON-NATIVES, IS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY OF THE TOLAL
PEOPLE AND IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF GOOD
GOVERNMENT IN THE GAZELLE PENINSULA. THE
GOVERNMENT WAS PREPARED TO TEST THIS
BELIEF BY A REFERENDUM HELD BY SECRET
BALLOT. THE MATAUNGAN ASSOCIATION REFUSED
TO AGREE TO SUCH A SECRET BALLOT REFERENDUM
BEING HELD AND SAID IT WOULD NOT, IN ANY CASE,
ABIDE BY THE RESULT OF SUCH A BALLOT. THE
MATAUNGAN ASSOCIATION HAVE WITHHELD TAXES,
REFUSED TO JOIN IN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION,
AND HAVE RESORTED TO VIOLENCE.
MR. WHLTLAM'S SUPPORT OF THIS ATITITUDE AND
ACTION IS EMPHATICALLY REPUDIATED BY THE
GOVERNMENT AND WE WISH THIS TO BE KNOWN
TO ALL IN THE GAZELLE PENINSULA. THE
GOVERNMENT'S ATT'ITUDE HAS BEEN EXPRESSED
BY THE ADMINISTRATOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE BREACHES OF THE LAW,
WILL INVOKE THE LAW AGAINST THE USE OF FORCE,
AND CALL UPON ALL GROUPS TO CO-OPERATE IN
RESTORING A PEACEFUL SITUATION.
I REGRET THAT I AM UNABLE AT PRESENT TO
ACCEPT YOUR SUGGESTION THAT I VISIT THE
AREA, BUT I HOPE THIS EXPRESSION OF THE
GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS WILL HELP TO
REPAIR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY MR. WHITLAM." / 3
-3
This afternoon, the following telegram was received from the
Gazelle Peninsula Council:
" GAZELLE PENINSULA COUNCIL EAST NEW BRITAIN
DEEPLY CONCERNED AND DISTRESSED BY ILL
CONSIDERED AND ILL INFORMED STATEMENTS
MADE BY WHITLAM LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.
HIS SUPPORT OF THE MATAUNGAN ASSOCIATION
HIS ADMIRATION FOR ITS LEADERS AND ITS AIMS
CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE
PEACE ORDER AND GOOD GOVERNMENT OF THE
GAZELLE PENINSULA AND TERRITORY. WHITLAM'S
CONFIDENT STATEMENT THAT HE WILL BE PRIME
MINISTER 1972 OR EARLIER AND WILL GRANT
IMMEDIATE HOME RULE ACCEPTED BY VERY
MANY TOLAIS AS FACT. IMPLICATION THAT
MATAUNGAN ASSOCIATION WILL ACHIEVE ALL
ITS OBJECTIVES WHICH INCLUDE DESTRUCTION
OF MULTI-RACIAL COUNCIL RETURN OF
ALIENATED LAND MUST BE REFUTED AT ALL
COSTS. FAILURE OF WHITLAM TO SUPPORT
DULY ELECTED MULTI-RACIAL COUNCIL
PARTICULARLY IN COUNCIL TAX ISSUE WILL
HAVE ADVERSE EFFECT THROUGHOUT TERRITORY.
MATAUNGAN MEMBERS HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY
CONTEST JUNE ELECTIONS BUT D ECLINED TO DO
SO. WHITLAM'S STATEMENTS WILL DESTROY
EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT THIS AREA UNLESS
REFUTED. FURTHER BLOODSHED AND VIOLENCE
LIKELY IF NO POSITIVE ACTION TAKEN. COUNCIL
CONSIDERS THAT AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT MUST
RESTORE THE CONFIDENCE OF ALL PEOPLE OF
THE TERRITORY AND IN PARTICULAR GAZELLE
AREA BY CLEAR RESTATEMENT OF YOUR
GOVERNMENT'S POLICY AND PLANS FOR OUR
FUTURE POLITICAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT." The Prime Minister has sent the following reply:
" YOUR TELEGRAM RECEIVED. I BELIEVE MR.
WHITLAM'S STATEMENTS ARE CALCULATED TO
WORSEN THE DIVISIONS AMONGST THE TOLAI
PEOPLE IN THE GAZELLE PEN4INSULA AND TO
ENCOURAGE EXTREMISTS. / 4
-4
THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THE LEGALLY ELECTED
MULTI-RACIAL COUNCIL, WHICH INCLUDES 34 NATIVES
AND 4 NON-NATIVES, IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE
MAJORITY OF THE TOLAL PEOPLE AND IS IN THE
BEST INTERESTS OF GOOD GOVERNMENT IN THE
GAZELLE PENINSULA. THE GOVERNMENT WAS
PREPARED TO TEST THIS BELIEF BY A REFERENDUM
HELD BY SECRET BALLOT. THE MATAUNGAN
ASSOCIATION REFUSED TO AGREE TO SUCH A
SECRET BALLOT REFERENDUM BEING HELD AND
SAID IT WOULD NOT, IN ANY CASE, ABIDE BY THE
RESULT OF SUCH A BALLOT. THE MATAUNGAN
ASSOCIATION HAVE WITHHELD TAXES, REFUSED
TO JOIN IN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION, AND
HAVE RESORTED TO VIOLENCE.
MR. WHITLAM'S SUPPORT OF THIS ATTITUDE AND
ACTION IS EMPHATICALLY REPUDIATED BY THE
GOVERNMENT AND WE WISH THIS TO BE KNOWN
TO ALL IN-THE GAZELLE PENINSULA.
THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE HAS BEEN
EXPRESSED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR'S EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE BREACHES
OF THE LAW, WILL INVOKE THE LAW AGAINST
THE USE OF FORCE, AND CALL UPON ALL GROUPS
TO CO-OPERATE IN RESTORING A PEACEFUL
SITUATION. I HOPE THIS EXPRESSION OF THE
GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS WILL HELP TO REPAIR
THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY MR. WHITLAM."
CANBERRA 9 January 1970