THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE
AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 27 MARCH, 1973
PRIME MINISTER: Ladles and gentlemen, because it was
anticipated that the statement on political terrorism would
be made in the two Houses at the ordinary time at which I give
this Press Conference on Tuesday I'd arranged with you to give
the Press Conference at 3.30 p. m. There was a procedural
change in the Senate and so I've therefore waited until
the statement was concluded in the Senate before coming down
here. Nevertheless, this will probably have to be fairly
brief because I've made other engagements on the basis that
I'd be seeing you all at 3.30 p. m. and I've put off everything
as long as I can, but I have got other commitments.
There will be a few statements, some of them I think
already given to you, about visits that I'll be making
overseas. You probably know that I'll be visiting Apia
for the South Pacific Forum I think that's already been
announced hasn't it in the week before Easter all the
Commonwealth countries. Then over Easter, I'll be visiting
England. There will be a press release given to you within
the next few minutes. It might even come while we are still
here. The essence of it the chief points in it are that
I'm to stay at Windsor on Good Friday night. It's the Queen's
birthday the following day, and I'm seeing Mr Heath on the
Tuesday and there will be other appointments made in that week
after Easter.
Then I mentioned to you earlier that I was hoping to be
able to accept Mrs. Ghandi's invitation to visit India. We've
pursued those arrangements and I'll be making the visit from the
4-7 June. There is a statement which Foreign Affairs has put
in your boxes already. I think I mentioned to you previously
that this is the first time that an Australian Prime Minister
has visited India since 1959, so it's certainly long overdue.
Perhaps I might add that it will be the seventh occasion that
I have been there in that time.
I'd like to point out that in visiting Indonesia and now
India1. I'm not overlooking the ASEAN countries to which we
continue to attach the greatest importance. Tun Dr. Ismail,
the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has just made a very
welcome visit to Australia and New Zealand. The Foreign Minister
of Singapore and the Foreign Minister of the Philippines are
also expected to visit Australia this year. I'm hoping to
visit the ASEAN countries as soon as I can but, because of
other arrangements of which you are already aware, it will
be impossible to do so this year. Those are the things I
wanted to mention: the South Pacific Forum, England and
India.
When you go to Windsor, ill you discuss the future
Governor-Generalship?
PRIME MINISTER: I saw it as a suggestion but I wasn't
expecting to.
Is it likely you will?
PRIME MINISTER: I don't think so. I think any speculation
on the Governor-Generalship is quite premature.
Will you be taking a short list with you?
PRIME MINISTER: No. But it's quite premature to discuss
the question of the next Governor-General.
Would you as Prime Minister and leader of the country
make a general comment on the statement that has just been made
to Parliament by Senator Murphy and do you believe that there is
a case to answer for the previous Government or Opposition, Sir.
And in particular the Attorney-General, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: Certainly it's a case to answer as I'm sure
you will have noticed from the statement, but I don't think
since both Houses will be discussing this matter I expect
they'll be debating it not only today but possibly on other
days I don't want to duplicate what will be said in
Parliament maybe by me among others.
When will legislation come in, Sir, to deal with ASIO
the reforming or re-organising?
PRIME MINISTER: There was no mention in the statement about
legislation on ASIO.
No, but you said there would be Changes in the legislation
in the law?
PRIME MINISTER: I think it was referring to legislation which
in fact was recommended to the previous Government to give
Commonwealth law enforcement agencies the Police, for instanceauthority
to investigate crimes under Commonwealth legislation.
As you realise, the Commonwealth Police can only investigate
crimes under Commonwealth legislation, and there are some
particular crimes for which the Commonwealth could legislate
and I expect there will be recommendations to Cabinet-on this
as there were to the former Government.
Was there any recommendation made today in Cabinet on this?
PRIME MINISTER: No.
Were there any Cabinet decisions or referrals today, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: The only matter discussed by Cabinet today
was the statement that Senator Murphy has just made and which
Mr Enderby will be making later.
Prime Minister, there has been a lot of speculation
as to why the Attorney-General found it necessary to go to
the ASIO headquarters in the fashion in which he did
PRIME MINISTER: Now I said I will not duplicate ' anything...
He made no mention of this, Sir. It was singularly
absent from his speech...
PRIME MINISTER: I was asked questions about this in the
House of Representatives today. There may easily be questions
asked again on this matter. I don't propose to duplicate
anything that can arise in the Parliament. This Press
conference is not a substitute for the Parliament.
If I could ask you about something, Sir, which you
yourself said last Wednesday when you spoke before Mr Bijedic,
the Yugoslav Prime Minister, you spoke of the possibility of
the reorganisation of the Australian Security and Intelligence
Services.
PRIME MINISTER: Yes.
Now did that mean ASIO, or did that mean what it
literally said: that our security services and our intelligence
services encompassing JIO and ASIS and other services?
PRIME MINISTER: I had in mind ASIO and the Commonwealth Police.
Sir, on quite a different subject...
PRIME MINISTER: By the way I was asked about OMEGA. Mr Jones
has it in mind we didn't reach it today to recommend that
we refer to the Joint Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and
Defence which I'm told by Mr Bowen, who has the conduct of the
matter on behalf of the Opposition, will not be opposed by the
Opposition. We have it in mind to recommend that that Committee
should inquire into and report upon any Foreign Affairs or
Defence aspects of OMEGA.
That Committee is not formed yet?
PRIME MINISTER: No. But it will probably come up tomorrow
tomorrow night. Mr Bowen asked that it come on tomorrow
night. We've agreed. I asked whether he would be opposing it.
He said he wouldn't.
Mr Whitlam, has your Party chosen its membership?
PRIME MINISTER: No. But we probably will tomorrow knowing
that it will not be opposed.
Sir, on another subject, in one of his more recent
statements on Foreign Affairs, Dr Cairns, the Minister for
Overseas Trade and Secondary Industry said that Australia would
be represented in any fleet of ships which sailed into the
French testing zone, and that he felt Australia should supply
a tanker for such a fleet of ships. As Minister for Foreign
Affairs, do you think Australia will be represented, or should
send a tanker?
PRIME MINISTER: I've not decided. The Government hasn't
decided. I don't propose to make any statements on contingencies
until after we know the result of the negotiations the
ministerial discussions which will take place in Paris just
before or just after Easter, and contingent on those discussions,
proceedings in the Court.
Although the next set of tests might well have taken
place before the
PRIME MINISTER: I don't believe they will.
Mr Prime Minister, as you are going to Britain at Easter
time, it won't be very hard to fly across to Paris. Will you
do so?
PRIME MINISTER: I'd love to, but I don't think I can....
I don't think it's likely.
Well the French Government is quite anxious to welcome
you, Sir.
PRIME MINISTER: That's very nice.
We got the cable this morning, Sir.
Sir, on the question of the tests, are we to understand
that the Government's not planning any direct action other
than discussions and the I. C. J. case?
PRIME MINISTER: I'm not going to say anything more on this
subject. I do this on a full consideration of the legal
implications of anything that I say on occasions like this.
I can assure you I will not be making any comment on this
subject until after we know the result of the discussions in
Paris or proceedings in the Court.
Will you be going to Washington in the near future, Sir?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll be in North America in August. It's
very likely I'll be going to Washington and/ or New York.
Would you be visiting the President in Washington, Sir?
Do you have an invitation there?
PRIME MINISTER: Well one would expect one would, but there
have been no arrangements no approaches.