a P. GS STLTEI'iNT HO. 26
December 1972
TEPORT TO Tr NATION
Good evening. Just over two weeks ago the people of
Australia gave the Australian Labor Party a clear mandate to put into
effect the policies which I had set forth on behalf of the party
during the campaign. The uncertainties and complexities of the
Australian electoral system are such that it was not possible until
this week to assemble the parliamentary party and elect the full
ministry. But I believed it was essential that the new Government
should waste no time in implementing its program, and therefore I
formed an interim ministry with my Deputy, iMr. Barnard, A great
many decisions were made, but I am anxious that it should not be
thought that any of them were hasty or ill-considered. Every
decision was a clear expression of the program on which we were
elected, an expression of our unmistakable mandate. The question
was simply whether there was any good reason for delaying action,
in obedience to the people's will. I could find no good reason.
The most important of our initiatives have been taken
in the field of our relations with our neighbours, our friends and
our allies, and in this area it was particularly urgent that any
doubt or confusion about the intentions of the new Government
should be set at rest immediately. How we have a ministry. I am
delightd with the choice my colleagues have made. I am honoured
and proud to be the Leader of this team. The leader not just of
the ministry but of the many excellent men who have not been chosen
but who will render great service to our nation as members of the
Government. In the past two weeks I have been vastly encouraged by
the help and co-operation given to us by all sections of the public
service. It speaks volumes for the strength of Australia's democratic
system that the loyalty and integrity of the public service can be
transferred without question or qualification to a newly elected
Government after 23 years of equal fidelity to another Government.
A. d in this context I take the opportunity to congratulate ir. 3nedden
t'Le new Leader of the Liberal Party and the Leader of the Opposition.
i') nc knows better than I the burdens and can one say the
rustrations of that high office. And none appreciates more than
its crucial importance to the proper working of our democracy. / 2
-2-
Now the real work of Government begins. I believe exciting
months and years are ahead for all of us. Abroad I believe we are
already forging a new style and image for Australia nothing raucous
or rash or abrasive but Australia is speaking with a firm, clear and
independent voice and I believe we are being hoard with a new respect.
At home we have already begun the restructuring, reinvigoration and
modernisation of administration to equip Lustralia this great urban
nation to meet the problems we face in the last quarter of the
twentieth century. And let's not under-estimate the problems, the
immediate ones, the long term ones. In particular, my G overnmont
will spare no effort to restore genuine full employment in this
country. Yet we must do this while continuing a battle to contain
inflation. I'e are under no illusions about the difficulty of this
double task. One of the worst aspects of inflation is that it is socially
disruptive. It creates tremendous pressures for new wage and salary
Cemands. Inevitably whole sections of the community people such as
the retired, who are dependent on Governments for their income, and
those on fixed incomes struggle behind in the race. And it is these
social aspects of inflation the things that would weakcn unity and
mutual goodwill among our citizens that, for the Australian Labor
Party, give added urgency to the problem. For we do want the great
theme of our Government to be the restoration of national unity, the
ending of the weakening divisions whereby employees have been set
against employers, the young against the mature, the parents and
teachers of pupils at government schools against those at nongovernment
schools. It was this determination, as much as anything
else, that gives us pride in the fact that the first great decision
of our Government was to end conscription, for perhaps its very
worst feature was the way it created needless and harmful divisions
in our community. And for the same reason it has given me tremendous
satisfaction that history will show that our first major appointments
were the highly qualified men and women who have agreed to give their
time and talents to the work of the Interim Schools Committee. This
committee has already set about with great enthusiasm its appointed
task of ensuring that every Lustralian child who embarks upon secondary
education next year will leave school with an equal start in life.
I believe that the futile debate on State aid and State rights in
education, which has divided our society for a century, is now ended.
I last spoke to you. directly on the eve of the elections.
I then said that I would seek and need the help of all sections of
the Australian people in the task of leading this great nation.
Everything I have seen and learnt in the past two weoks confirms
that need. Together we can achieve great and good things for Australia.
Mlay I wish you and your families a very happy Christmas
and assure you that my Government will do its very best to ensure
that we all have a prosperous iTew Year.
CAIBER~ AE. A. C. T.