12 NOVEMBER, 1970
SENA T E C A M P AI G N 1970
TV AND RADIO TALK NO. 2 BY THE PRIME MIiISTER
MR. LOHN GORTON
( To be broadcast by ABC and commercial TV channels at 8. 30 p. m.
local time on Thursday 12 November and by the ABC Radio Network
at 7. 15 p. m. E. S. T. Friday 13 November.)
EMM B A R G 0 8. 30 PM. THURSPAY
When I becamne Prime Minister a little less than three years ago, I spoke of
my wish to help the old and the ill and the handicapped. Now it is undoubtedly true
that a great deal remains to be done in this field, a very great deal. Bu* It it Is also
true much has been done.
We have done a number of things, and if you will bear with me ! or a moment,
I will outline some of them.
We have removed the fear of the cost of long illness in hospitals. Our Health
Scheme has removed the fear of the cost of expensive operations, or expensive
specialist attention.
It is a scheme, moreover, which provides that the community will pay insurance
for low-income families, and it is a scheme under which the contributor pays, in
general, less, and receives, in general, more, than was offered under Labor's
scheme. We have brought in the Tapered Means Test, under which pensioners who can
earn, or who have saved, can receive some of the benefit of their self-help
without losing their pension entirely.
We have brought in a Home Care Programme for the care of aged persons, or
others with special needs, in their own homes.
We are providing $ 5 million a year to the States to build low rental housing
for pensioners. We are providing capital for buildings and equipment for homes for
handicapped children.
We have raised pensions for TPI repatriation pensioners by $ 8 a week, or
more than 25 per cent.
And we have increased the base rate of penisions by $ 2.50 a week for a single
pensioner and $ 4 a week for married pensioners, during a period when the Cost
of Living Index shows a rise of $ 1 a week.
In fact we have raised benefits, or taken entirely new initiatives in more than
different areas of social welfare.
As a result, social welfare now makes up the second greatest item in our
Budget, and will cost this year 800 million, which is a 25 per cent increase on
the Budget of two years ago.
But we still must overcome the problem of long-term illness in nursing homes
as distinct from hospitals. We still must redeem our promise to help low-income
earners with young families. We need to initiate a scheme for pre-school care for
the children of working mothers. And we must continue to improve the lot of the
base rate pensioner, but without losing sight of the needs of other area-" of social
welfare. / 2
2.
We will do these things as soon as they can be done with financial responsibility.
I have not changed the aim I had when I became Prime M. nister, and I believe
that what we have done in a short time is evidence that we shall continue with the
task. Australia must and will win the war on poverty. We shall not win it in one
battle or in one year. It must be fought on many fronts. It will take time and it
will take effort from all Australians, for after all, it is only from the production of
Australians that Governments can divert resources to these ends. But my
Government is determined we shall win it, and I believe I can claim that the record
shows we have advanced.
Indeed, in this as in other fields, I think that I can truly say to you what we
promise we perform.
Goodnight.