r" 3
THE PiRIiME MIISTE'S P1S COIFERE~ iCE AT ALBURYS.
T ODOITGA T-HIUSDAY, JAiJUAY 25, 1973
PRIi IM. IiISTE2: Thanks ladies and gentlemen.
Q. Your figure of 300,000; was this in agreement with the Premiers;
would they have said that it may have been less?
PRIiE MINISTER: I think there was the difference between 250,000 and
300,000 which is minute in this context. The fact is that we all have
confidence that a very large inland city can now be created through
our co-operative efforts.
Q. Could you put a price on this development?
PRIME IIICTER IHo. I think one can take a general assessment that
development of a new city like this will cost less per head than a
development of Sydney or Melbourne to accommodate a similar number
of people. It costs Governments C10,000 to nut a new resident in
Cydney or Melbourne. It costs Governments ' 7,000 to put them in a
nev polace like this.
Prime Minister, in the Communique you say after the Governments
have examined the report of preliminary study. Have you set a date
for the start of that report and when you want its findings?
PRIIM MINIISTE2: The study may easily be done within a couple of
months we are informed.
Prime Minister, do you or are you able to estimate the cost of
the early studies of this particular project?
P21IM1 MINIST2J-: It is quite a small amount really a couple of
thousand dollars.
Till it be done by Government departments or will you get
outside opinions?
SIR ROB3RT ASKIN: It is being done by H. U. JR. D. A. but with the
co-operation of the Ctate Planning Authorities of Hev South Jales
and Victoria.
Q. Has the Commonwealth given any commitment that it will send
public servants Commonwealth public servants to live in the
Albury-Jodonga area?
PRI12 MINIT ZT: ITo. ' very Federal Department has been asked to report
on what number of public servants, in what sectors of the Federal public
service can be efficiently established in Albury-Jodonga.
Q. Is there any stage where that could possibly run to several
thousand public servants coming to live here?
PI MINTISTE: I think we can expect that there Aill be several
thousand public servants living in the designated area. / 2
-2-
' Zir, has any cost been put on the acquiring of the land in the
area?
PPII1 MIHISTER: Io.
Sir, how quickly would you like the feasibility study to be
completed'-and the steps taken towards achieving this goal which
you decided on today?
PRIIi. M MIIST. R: Tell I think I have already said that it will probably
be done . rithinr two months. You will notice that the Ministers concerned
Ir. Uren, Mr. Fuller and ir. Murray-Dyrne can meet before there is any
legislation. They can do that straight away and, furthermore, the three
officials wiho will constitute the interim committee, they can meet
straight away. It is not necessary to pass legislation through the
three parliaments before the linisterial Council meets and operates
and before the Interim Officials Committee meets and operates.
0. Could you say, Sir, when you believe there will be 300,000 people
living in this area. IHow many years?
P-Ii. IIlTISTE: In my lifetime.
In about 25 years?
PRIi. E I: IIII: T2: You flatter me.
Q. Were there any discussions on other development regions in either
evw South . Tales or Victoria, like Eathurst or Orange?
P2IIM MIIIST2 In passing, yes. Sir Robert Askin and I are issuing
a statement about a feasibility study on the Bathurst and Orange region
in which the Commonwealth and lHew South Wales are sharing the cost.
2. Did Victoria go for any other development regions?
PRII' 1Ei lISI S: Ho, There was no specific commitment to any other
development regions. The great significance of this region in whose
heart we are meeting today is that it seemed a clear centre where there
was every prospect for success. Therefore, we could get the boosting
of morale to show that Governments, in fact, can create a great new
inland city at this time. It was also an area where you had two State
governments able to co-operate and the Commonwealth for various
historical and geographic reasons can also mak e a very significant
contribution, so this was an excellent place to start it. If this is
a success, as we all believe it will be, then there are good hopes of
success for other regions including inland Australia.
Your commitment to Orange-Dathurst, is this only in the
feasibility studies or is it in the development.
PrIIz MINISTER~: iTo, in feasibility studies. Te are anxious to know
the facts, and if the facts show that it is a good prospect then ' we
will be in it as a Commonwealth.
I
Did Doew South Tales .:; ive you any feasibijlty jfactu's toC: ay onl
Bathust-Orange?
PRM2 ITOiI. S~
W Uill you be stop-. i---g t6he building of Commonwealth build: ings in
Sydney and Idclbourne before you ret ' he results of this feasibility
study? IIE M'IISTE112: ' Jell ire have already announiced that tLhe Strin, 2St-reet
project in 1.1lbourrne is being e-eaie and, as you knmow, the Public
J! orks Committee of tlhe Fee-oral Parliament rejected a proposal fLor a
7. Toolloornooloo projoct for Commonwealth public servants. This is
really another aspect but wi-here Common,, wealth buildings are to be siteed
is one o2 the terms of reference olfa Federal Cabinet committee at
this-moment. And we will, of course, bear in mind not only regional
centres such as Albjry_. Todongav but-also now cities new regional
centres in the existing,, metropolitan areas of Sydney and 1Kelbourne.
Ji nd Canberra?
P~~ ILZ. HIIT't Jl1 tt has al1 ready been done in Canberra.
U~ ill it ston, growth in Canberra?
P2i1J2i2 ITO . Canberra wrould now rgrow i. 2 theo Commonwealth never
undlertookr a further commitmont, 1 but there w-illl be furth-_-er commitments
which' the Commowealth clearly wrill unidertak-: e in Ca-nberra. Ca nberra
is nlow well ane. sureoly launched. It could carry on undler its ol-m
steami if tha was necessary.
C. Prime I1iinister* a personal cuestion. You have been virtually living
with lry-WodonEga, in that even you have called Thitlamabad, for five
' rears I think. How 0. o you feel now after this what you call historic
takstoay* sthis 1how you really alway3.1s imiagined it. Have you got
what you rea~ lly wrant-ed ?
P2I112 I'I SST1E ' U1y word. This has been a very C-reat experience for all
of us. Sure I have mentioned this complex -for quite some years and so
ha-s Eir. Uren the two " tate governments haeas'a-ti nmn
and there have been reprorts in wrhich-it hias been essly cited. How
w ~ t haS e is tha we have all got together and wre hiave found
h~ ow nvich easier it is to do it jointly. ! How 1 don'tat to eject the
narme Aitlanabad but t is was tae one qiuestion in which wre didn't
come to an agreement. I had sugrgested Isulinville and the-in it was
sugge-sted 1Hamerton. Both t-he eponymous heros declined -the honour.
Someone suggested Uronopolis or some less seemly variation still,
but if you insist I will accept WJhitlama'oad.
Q. ir ;' obort, you expressed what might'-be teormed as some reservations
this morning in your opening; speech. kre you satisfLied w-ith the decisions
that ha-ve been made today?
SIR OB2TX ASKIU: I don't remember expressing reservations. I
ref'rred to the need for a careful examination of some of-the
pro itions that were expected to be put up. As to whether I'm
saised or not, I said before the conference that I felt it was an
experient in co-operation between the three parties, and I said at the
conclusion--of the conference in paying tribute to the Prime KMinister in
convening" the -conference and the way he conducted it that I felt the
experimcnt ' nd co-operation had boon eminently successful. I don't
think we could have covered anymore , round and arrived at so many
decisions of principle and auite a few on major detail in such a
comparatively short time having in mind the enormity of the project
. aVt e hnve set about launcinL todayi
Pi2Ii iIiIZT: Sir Robert mentioned that he had made some gracious
remarks about mo, and I appreciate what he said and I'm glad to
acknowledge it here publicly, but I think that perhaps we should say
that we all, at the end of the conference, paid tri'oute to the advisers
that the three Governments have had here and those that they have had
in their capitals, because it would have been impossible to have
covered so many matters and to have decided so many matters but for the
very fine public servants and advisers that the three Governments have
available to them. The 70 per cent of the Australian people who live
in areas over whichi the three Governments here represented preside are
well served by their public servants.
ill the Federal Government accept 7. th1eow outh ' Jales invitation
to consider reducing steel prices in some form?
PRI% IiIIHIST2I2: As you know, the Federal Government hasn't made any
representations to 1r. Justico Mloore in his inquiry. Sir Robert Askin
mentioned this matter to look at. It is certainly a relevant matter.
Zome of you in the Federal Press Gallery may remember that I did raise
this question in about August 1971 the fact that steel prices were
fixed at capital city rates and any provincial centres including say,
so large a one as Townsville iwhich is right on the coast, had to pa.-
so much more, although the delivery cost from s. y Port Ke'nbla or
Howcastle to Townsville is no treater than it is to some other places
where the stooeel costs less. And the a. nswer I got from thie I'inistor for
Trade and Indeustry at that time was that it was a matter for the
commeorcial determination of the company concerned. I don't accept that
proposition myself but it is too soon for me to say anything about it.
Clearly one of the things we have to look at is the ava ilability of
basic products in new centres, and governments can do a certain amount
3ut it is certainly incumbent on large corporations to play their part
as eoll. It is not fair that people should have to spend so miiuch
more for the particular commodity you mention or for other basic
comfmodities outside the State caitals.
S Sir Robert Askin has indeed indicated that Bathurst and Orange
would like to see some accelerated development. A question to Kr.
: armor of r. Byrne:
Jihat areas would they like to see noxt developed in Victoria?
" Tell we have already esignatbed, five areas for ccelerat'ed
( level omc-Int--wzhich ' Jodonga wa-s one and, thei reason for designating
' Jodngnae aso ti , vea s because of i's potential " or growth
jointly with k~ bury ofLOthe" sort wkiich we haL-ve now determined on' today.
0o the, remaininng four, therefore, whiich are Dallarat, Denciigo, the
Lat robe Valley and Portlandl are tUhe -rea-s we have already deosignated
lor accelerat-.-ed developmcn-t adin some respects they are already
achieving it.
1.. UPZ21r: I have hadO-discussionls with -Ir. Ilurray-Dyrne and there is
another one undeiray so -s to balance tlie budget betwreen Victoria and
Ilew South ' Tales. I don't watto ncxme it because there mieht be
speculation in t'-he area.
I0 Leaving-the Loan Council -, nd th2-e PA" remiers Conference aside, w-. ould
you deoscribe today's r.' eeting-as a successful exorcise in federalism?
P; I' 42: y word, I would.
A~ w~ ir: I s up-ort that too.
P1II1IiI1ISTE2: . Gentlemen, both thec Premiers have planes w-aitincg for
them of course, my plane doesn't arrive bac'h-untU'il tomorrow morning
so are thecre any more questions?
have one further question about the Orallge-Bathurst area. ! Hanly
people still feel that you did come here today hoping to got something
for your project in rno-thstand thaat perhaps you may tend to
take theo attitude tihat you wren't prepared to fully support Albury-
' J-odonGa iunless you got more sunport for Or. ange-BL-thurst?
Sj12 R0. BD'. Zc A k3XI: That wrouldl be one hundred per cent wrong,