E M B A R GO NOT FOR RELEASE BY ANY MEDIA BEFORE
7.15 PM, WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1970
SENATE CAMPAIGN
SUMMING UP BY THE PRIME MINISTER
MR. JOHN GORTON
EMIBARGO: 7. 15 pm, Wednesday 18 November, 1270.
The Senate Election is nearing its end. And it is time to sum up the
matters at issue. The results of the election will not change the Government, But
it is, not like an ordinary by-election. For if Labor were to wvin they could frustrate
the Government's programme, delay legislation inordinately, and even refuse supply.
That is why it is just as important to vote for the Government at this
election as it would be to vote for it at a general election. The election itself has
not been an occasion for new policies or new specific promises. For as I said to
you fourteen days ago, when the Campaign opened, the occasion for that was at the
general election last year.
Rather has this election given to Australians the opportunity to consider
the great differences between the Government and the Opposition on matters which
affect Australia's future. Those matters ar-defence, th e makitenance of our
alliances, the management of our economy, and the future of our rural industries.
The differences between us in these fields have become even more
marker' as the Campaign has progressed. For the Opposition would withdraw from
Vietnam regardless of whether or not the South Vietnamese had sufficiently built up
their strength to defend themselves. They would quit as we are in sight of our goal.
We will not. They would withdraw from the Five Power Agreement with Britain, New
Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore. We will not. They would reduce the fighting strength
of our Army by a half by abolishing national service. We will riot. They would
damage the AINFUS Treaty by refusing to have joint Australian/ U. S. Defence bases
in Australia. We will preserve and strengthen the Treaty for the sake of our owin
security. They would seek to bring in a 35-hour week. We will not. Our concern
is to raise real wages and living standards, and to get production from which the
requirements of the public in schools and hospitals can be met.
They have no policy to assist rural industry. We have. And we have
spelt it out. There has been some attempt, during the Campaign to put pressure on
me to give specific promises on pension rises. I think it would be wrong to do that
in the course of an election campaign.
Elections are not auctions. / 2
And I have not once commented-on-the mater of -whether or not pensions
Will be raised in the near future. But I think I can fairly claimi this.... our record
in improving social welfare is better than that-of any other Government over a
comparable time. On that record I believe it fair to ask you to conclude that
improvement in social welfare is important to us and improving it is a course we
will pursue in the future, as and when we can responsibly do so.
Besides the diff erences in policy there is another difference between us
and the Opposition. I have tried, in the course of the campaign, to state clearly
and unequivocally our policies on defence and internal economic management.
I believe Australians are entitled to unambiguous statements of policy
from both the Government and the Opposition. That is surely essential to the
proper working of a democratic system. But Mr. Whitlam will not adopt this
course. He has evaded, and refused to answer direct questions on matters of great
moment to Australia's future.
He has refused to answer questions as to whether he favours a 35 hour
week and on whether he will conduct a political campaign, in conjunction with
Mr. Hawke to bring it about. The honest answer he could give to that would be to
admit that he was bound to conduct such a campaign and that he would do so.
But he evaded giving that answer.
He has refused to admit that he would withdraw from the Five Power
Agreement and Agreement entered into for the defence and sta,-bility of our near
north. When questioned recently he evaded the issue and talked instead about the
value of having Indonesia as our defence umbrella. And a bulwark against
Communist China.
Again an honest answer he could have giver, would be that he would
withdraw from this Agreement, because Labor's policy would force him tq. But
he avoided giving the direct answer.
He began this campaign with a number of false statements. I publicly
branded them as false. He has not tried to sustain them. Since the opening he has
made additional false statements. For instance one was that we had provided no
money in the Budget for railways in South Australia.
He began to post late in the campaign as a champion of higher
pensions. And we were at once told by Mr. Griffiths, a Labor Party Member -that
when he, Mr. Griffiths, sought a programme of higher pensions in caucus, Mr. Whitla
rebuked him and said Mr. Griffiths was trying to featherbed the pensioners.
All these matters, taken together, must surely raise some doubts as
to our opponent's credibility and as to his readiness to deal openly with the
Australian people. // 3
31.
1 believe this, too, should be carefully weighed by electors.
I was asked, at one stage in the Campaign, to tell Australians what I am
for. And I am glad to do so. I am for an Australia which keeps its alliances, and which
helps to maintain stability in its region, an Australia which is not left friendless and
isolated. I am for an Australia which will provide adequate defence for itself. I
am for an Australia which will develop its resources and retain the greatest -possible
Australian owinership of those resources while it does so.
I am for an Australia whose citizens will seek more production, reder
than more leisure, so that prices can be kept down, real wages can rise and the
public facilities required by Australia, including adequate social welfare can be
provided. I am for an Au~ stralia which will continue the war on poverty, and seek
to relieve the neglect and loneliness which some old people who may not be poor,
may row feel. I am for an Australia where ordinary citizens can exercise their
civil rights to use the streets and other public facilities without having those rights
denied them by a minority. I am for an Australia where the performing arts are
encouraged to develop.
And in this and other fields my government has acted to achieve the goals
for which we stand. But I am against a political Party which would destroy our
alliances and our own defence. I am against a Party which seeks leisure rather
than production. I am against a Party whose Leader must follow policies
dictated by an outside body which has never faced the electors.
I am against a Party which is so deeply influenced by communist elements
as is our opponent. I am against a Party which mocks at the maintenance of law and
order, whose Leader advises young servicemen to refuse to obey a legitimate military
order. I am against a Party whose every utterance ignores the danger of inflation,
and urges courses which must create inflation. I distrust a Party as openly and
deeply divided as is the Labor Party today.
We have policies before you we believe in We think that no nation1-which
puts ease before effort can be great. We think no people which talks only of its rights
and not of the duties and the responsibilities that go with rights will ever be secure,
and we do not think Australians are this kind of people. And so at this crucial
election we asIk you to, give us Government Senators and let us get on with the job.