THE PRIME~ MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE
AT IARjIA~ qENT HOUSE, CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 29 MAY. 1973
PRIME MINISTER: I thought it might suit you to-have
another conference in the morning. The Cabinet met yesterday
morning and afternoon and most of the Ministers concerned
issued statements to you. There was one which wasn't issued
so perhaps I can give you the gist of it now. Cabinet
approved the establishment of a task force to draw up uniform
national housing standards in co-operation with the States.
You remember this was forecast at the Premiers' Conference
about three w.-eeks ago.
An expert technical unit will be established in the
Departmeiat of Housing and we have invited the States and local
Government authorities to co-operate with the Australian
Government in establishing a national Housing Standards
Committee. h-1r Johnson is releasing a statement to you on it
and my Press Office will release the text of my letter to the
Premiers later in the day, that is after they have all got
the letter themselves. Are there any questions?
Q: Do you oppose the U~ nited States bombing in Cambodia?
Do you intend writing to President Nixon protesting against
this bombing in similar vein to the protest over LJ. 0
bombing of North Vietnam, and if not, why not?
PRIMECC MINISTER: My general attitude about the withdrawal
of American bombers from Thailand where this operation is baoned
is well known. It's knowin to all the relevant authorities.
Q: Do you plan to go to Washington later thais year? If so
will your visit be official or unofficial? -Do you intend to
go to W ashington even if you are not invited there by
President Nixon?
PRIH/ E MINISTER: Yes, I'll be going through the United i. tates
As you know there is a meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of
Government in Ottawa early in August. As you also know,
I was able to accept one of the invitations from Latin American
countries to make official visits to them. I accepted the one
to ": exico that will be late in July. Clearly, going from
Mexico to Canada, I will go through, or across the United
States. I have many invitations to address " bodies in New York
and Washington. Now, I think, if I may say so, it's about
time people took these things a little more rationally. The
relationship between Australia and the United States or the
relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom are so
long-standing and so intimate that a Head of Government does
not wait for an official invitation. That may be the case,
for instance in some of the other visits that T am making
this year, such as Indonesia or India, where I am going next
week, or Japan, or China later in the year. Visits by
Australian Prime Ministers to the United Kingdom and the
United States are common place.
Q: Has Cabinet reached a decision on the size of the Army
and will 1, lr Barnard be making a statement to Parliament
this week?
PRIME INTISTER: I expect Mr Barnard will be making a
statement to Parliament on this subject this week. The Cabinet
is making the following recommendations to the Caucus so that
the plarnned growth of the regular Army that is the volunteer
regular army should be increased from 31,000 to 34,000
over the course of the next three years. The field force
should be organised on a divisional basis of six regular
battalions, in three task forces of two battalions each, with
combat and logistic support. These task forces should be
Townsville, Ennogera and Holdsworthy. There should be a
further major review of ground force capability in 1976.
Q: How important is it to you to be invited to see -' resident
Nixon when you are in Washington. Do you have specific matters
you wish to discuss with him and if so could you tell us what
they are? Are you concerned with the appearances as far as
the Australian electorate is concerned if you don't get an
invitation?
PRI= LfINISTER: I would be very happy to discuss with President
Nixon anything that he would like to raise and I imagine he would
be happy to discuss with me anything that I would lihe to raise.
But I repeat official invitations are not necessary in these
circumstances. I would hope that when the Australian Prime
Iinister was visiting Washington it would be as natural for him
to discuss matters with the Tresident as it used to be in
Sir Robert Menzies' time. All this hoohah that has accompanied
visits by Sir Robert fenzies' successors is psychophantic.
Q: You said that you would hope that it would be natural
for the Australian Prime '. inister to discuss things with the
President while he was in Jashington. There has been speculation
from Washington that you won't be getting an invitation because
the President is still angry with the Australian Government over
protests by Australian Miinisters on the bombing of Vietnam.
Do you think there is any basis for that speculation and
certainly do you think it would look that way if you don't get
an invitation while you are there?
PRIM LINISTLR: Speculation is the operative part of your
question. There is no change in any of these circumstances
I have not said anything on any of these subjects for a very
long time. Now President Nixon doesn't hold press conferences.
He doesn't answer to Parliament. I can't be expected to be
any more forthcoming in these matters than he is in these
circumstances. ' I give him credit for being mature and courteous.
Q: In the discussions on the size of the Army was there any
proposal that a task force base or some Army base be established
in Perth or Western Australia.
' RI. E , INIlTLR: No.
Q: Senator Murphy said some time ago that he intended to
introduce the trade practices legislation this Session. When
in fact will it be introduced?
PRIM M. INISTER: Next Session. Gentlemen, there have been
more Bills introduced and in fact more Bills passed in this
Session than in any autumn session in the Parliament's history.
It's just not possible to introduce and I don't think undertakings
were given to introduce all the Bills to which the Government
is committed in this first Session.
Q: As your Office was involved were you consulted on the
Everingham expulsion, and further, as the man's livelihood
is involved and also the prospect of future employment, would
you consider asking Mr President or Mr Speaker to re-examine the
situation so that he can if he so desires bring any evidence that
he may have to ( inaudible)? Would you also consider if that
course is not followed would you consider asking h ir Speaker
to reconsider the severity of the penalty as it could involve
the man in possible employment for a very long time?
PRIIUv NINISTER: Both the President and the Speaker consulted
with me I suppose it was some six weeks ago at any rate on this
matter. It happens that Tdr Everingham was found in my office
I think it was the VWednesday it might have been the Tuesday
before the last polling day. At any rate it was the day after
I'd spoken at the National Press Club and no member of my staff
was in imiy office when he was there. The only member of my staff
who: had been in the office had left shortly before he was found.
He was found there when she came back. The fact that it was my
office is immaterial. M embers of the Iress Gallery are given the
freedom of this building more than any other of their citizens.
If a member of the Gallery is found in a room where he is not
prima facie entitled to be found I believe it is incumbent upon
him to give an explanation. He has not given me an explanation.
The explanation that he has given the presiding officers I would
not regard as satisfactory. But it's immaterial that it is my
office. Every member of Parliament could be equally concerned.
Q: ir Connor, the Minister for Minerals and Energy, announced
I think it was last week that there would be a national pipeline
grid and he said that it would extend virtually right across the
country to Port Hedland and across to Sydney and down to LIelbourne
and up to the Queensland coastal towns. Is this plan subject to
some sort of feasibility study of the economics of it his only
justification amounted to about eight or 15 paragraphs in the
Second Reading Speech.
PRI,-iE MINISTER: Yes, anything that the Government does is
done on the basis of proper investigations which are made
public. Kr Connor I am certain would be very happy to dilate
further to you on this matter.
Q: Supplementary to Mr Thomas's question, has a feasibility
study been made or will it be made before the Government acts
to go ahead with The scheme.
PRIE INISTER: You had better ask Mr Connor. I don't think
one has been made but I think one will be made. I would be certain
that one would be made. The Pipeline Authority Bill as you know
is the necessary legal basis for these things but the Government
has taken the quite clear attitude that in respect to all
public investments for which it. is responsible wholly or in part
that there must be a proper economic and environmental study
and that that study should be published. Nobody doubts the
economic aspects of the pipeline from South Australia to
New South Wales which will be the first enterprise undertaken
by the Authority. The environmental aspect is still under study
by the appropriate New South Wales authority and the relevant
Australian Ministers had evidence or submissions nade to that
New South W/ ales authority. It's decision I believe has not yet
been delivered.
Q: Have you made any representations to the British Government
about their treatment of the State Premiers or their
representatives in London? Have you reminded the British
Government that there is only one Australian Government
and that it resides in Canberra?
PRIL!' E I: NISTER: I hope you'll forgive me if I don't want uo
say what representations pass or in what form representations
pass between me and other Heads of Government. I believe that
the British Government takes the attitude today that it has for
a long time past that there is one Australian Government.
It becomes farcical if the British Government were to deal
individually with such members of the Commonwealth as are
federal nations such as Canada, Australia, India and i1alaysia.
International business becomes anarchic if national Governments
don't deal :. ith each other.
Q: Just to revert back to resources policy, yesterday in
Sydney the Chairman of Queensland Uranium told his annual
general meeting the '! hitlam Government had written after
December 2 assuring his Company that all the agreements in
respect of Iarbolic entered into by the previous Government
would be honoured by this Government. Now this seens to cut
across your policies expressed at the election in respect of
the environment I understand there is something about
national parks up there and also in respect of Aborigines
I just wondered what the position is in respect of Queensland
Uranium. Is it correct that your Government will honour these
agreements? PRI?'. E 1VINISTLR: I didn't see the statement. I don't remember
writing to them. I don't remember having any conversation
with any of their representatives. But as a general proposition
naturally the incoming Australian Government honours obligations
which its predecessors entered into. There are some cases,
and Mr Connor is the proper one to give you the details, ; here
there were arrangements between the preceeding Australian
Government and some of the State Governments with various
companies. And as I understand the position those companies
haven't honoured their part of those arrangements. They have
failed, or in fact refused, to give the information to the
State and Australian Government, which they undertook ; c provide.
Mr Connor very properly is requiring that information tc be
given. I don't remember the Naborlic instance.
Q: In view of your statement last week that the Federal
Liberal Party had to get on the wave length for the future....?
PRILE MINISTER: I was quoting I think what -Ir Snedden
said the first time he contested the leadershic of the Liberal
Party. Isn't that right? I think Mr Chipp was his public
relations man at the time and devised that memorable phrase...
Q: Do you think that Mr Fraser would be a disaster as leader of
the Federal Liberal ] arty?
PRIIJ[ MIlISTER: I don't think one ought to engage into
speculation or at least it must be relevant speculation.
As I understand it Mr Fraser's nose is at present out of joint
because a romance has developed between the old prostitute of
the Country Party and the D. L. P. He was aiming to be the head
of a great conservative coalition in Australia. 14ow frankly
gentlemen, I don't want to speculate as to who is going to be
head of the household when the old harlot is churched.
Q: ( Overseas Press Fingleton)
Q: Overseas Press?
Q: ? Iell in this case with your indulgence.., his Lordship
as it were, the Baron of Fleet. You have just mentioned
prostitutes and harlots Sir. You've disowned the state Premiers.
PRI11L 1MINISTER: No, wait a bit, I'm not saying any of them
have fallen into that category. It was a memorable Premier of
Victoria, Sir Henry Lolte, who described the Country 1Party
as a prostitute. Not only in that, but an old one.
Q: cir, have you seen fit to warn the Premiers at present in
London of the inherent dangers that lurk there?
PRI11I iINISTER: I think the only Premiers there are conservative
ones and it's the Tories who seem to fall for the threats in
London. Q: They've found out-let's put it that way. Sir, that's not
my question. The British Prime Minister, Mir Heath visited " aris
last week. Did you get the impression during your talks with
Mr Heath in London that he would strongly support the Australian-
New Zealand protest against the French nuclear tests. The
London Daily Times which is owned. by his Lordship says editorially
that it doubts whether he did convey to the French any serious
criticism of the tests. It says further, the British cultivation
of good terms with France combined with British sensitivity to
the charge of hypocrisy since Britain already possesses nuclear
weapons. Did 1r Heath give you any encouragement? Did be,
to use a word of Mr Chifley, duchess you? And finally Sir, the
last question the ban on French trade. Does this mean the end
of the Concorde as far as Qantas is concerned?
PRIIE I. MINISTER: On the Concorde: that's an English as much
as a French aircraft. I don't want to express a view of the
Concorde. It's a matter which I presume the Government will
consider in due course. Now lir Heath did entertain me very well.
lie's a good host. He's been cordial to me when he was Leader of
the Opposition w; hen I was. And he is now, and this has been so
when he's visited this bountry as Leader of the Opposition.
Now that we are both Prime MIinisters we get on civily,
courteously, cordially. But I didn't make more than passing
reference to the French nuclear tests in our atmosphere.
In my conversations with 1r Heath I was more concerned there
with the matters of the abolition of appeals to the Privy Council,
Britain no longer making her courts available for tice
determination of disputes between Australian litigants.
I discussed the matter of Britain's responsibility in
this region with Sir Alec Douglas Home and HIr Anthony Royal.
the men from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There were
officials around and so on. I didn't put the point of view
on behalf of the Commonwealth countries in the South ' acific
in the South Pacific Forum Australia, New Zealand, Fiji,
Samoa, Tonga, Nauru, the Cook Islands who'. d asked me to
take it up. I didn't put it on the basis that Britain has to
argue our case. After all we are independent States. ' Je are
able to do this and we should do it ourselves. The argument
that I did put on behalf of the South Pacific Forum to
Sir Alec Douglas Home and Mr Royal was that Britain had
responsibilities in respect of non-self-governing territories
in the region. Pitcairn Island, insignificant I suppose i*
terms of population, but to the east of Mururoa Atoll, and
also the Gilbert and Ellis Islands colony, the British Solomon
Islands Protectorate and the Anglo-French Condominium of the
New Hebrides. Now, I put on behalf of the Forum that Britain
internationally had to speak for her wards in those territories.
And I stressed that in our view she should do so. There may
be another form of embarassment of course that Britain carried
out these tests without any great Australian sensitivity twenty
years ago in the ' ontebellos
Q: Was there any harm?
PRIM IEINISTER: Yes, there was. As you know it has only just
been possible in the last year or so for people to land on the
Hontebellos and then they also did so at Maralinga, and they
also did so at the Christmas Islands in the Pacific not the
Christmas Islands in the Indian Ocean. So I think Britain
has a certain sensitivity on this because she was doing earlier,
without complaint, as America did earlier again in the
and so on, what France is now doing to the dismay of everybody
in the world, not just in the South Pacific.
Q: Last week Prime Minister, you stated that you believed in
a career public service. Could you explain to me then why
the job of scientific adviser in your own Department is not
being advertised?
PRIIE MINISTER: I thought it was being filled from the
Public Service. I don't know. Thank you, I'll ask about this
straight afterwards. Frankly I don't know the details of
individual positions like this.
Q: ir Prime Minister, on May 18 br Enderby said he would try
to increase the margarine quota for the A. C. T. and continue to
work for the abolition of the quota system. What is your
Government's attitude to the margarine quota system. Are
Mr Enderby's moves an attempt by your Government to break down
the margarine quota system considering Marrickville Holdings
can export margarine to other States?
PRIME . INISTER: Mr Enderby and I think Senator ' Vriedt
have alao been asked questions on this subject over the last
fortnight. These matters have not been discussed in Cabinet
so I can't express a collective view on it and I'm not
ministerially responsible for it, but perhaps you vwould appreciate
my expressing a personal view: I think it's quite absurd that a
wholesome product in popular demand should be artificially
denied to Australian consumers. As I understand it it's quite
possible to make margarine in Australia from Australian products.
There can be no question that it is a healthful food, that it's
not deleterious. I have no patience with those who want to
restrict the production of proper foods from Australian products.
Australia is way behind the times in this. There are a
great number of other dairying countries where the : percentage of
consumption of margarine vis a vis butter is, as I understand,
much higher than in Australia. Now if a product's good it doesn't
need rival products to be suppressed. N'ow that of course is a
perfectly personal view.
Q: What will happen at budget time to the present unique system
of 7cinisters being required to virtually submit their Cabinet
submissions to Caucus committees before these submissions go to
Cabinet? RII.. 1-. INISTLR: It is impossible to summarise the procedure
as briefly as you've done. Obviously there are practical factors
which modify the summary that you've used.
Q: senator Townley remarked yesterday or he was quoted as
saying that he would be calling on 11ir Barbour from ASIC to
appear before this Senate Select Committee. Has Cabinet
considered the question of calling public servants, not only
this Coimmittee, but any other subsequent committee, has it
reached an attitude have you reached an attitude yourself
on this. I believe there's been some approach in the past
about this?
T'RIIR* LINISTER: The Cabinet hasn't discussed this matter.
If any Parliamentary Committee seeks the attendance of public
servants then the-relevant M. inister would consider the position,
if he wvas in doubt he would, I expect, consult his colleagues
in the Cabinet. Now whether the Committee of which the ; enator
you mentioned is Chairman he is not the Committee whether it
seeks the attendance of the distinguished public employee whom
you mention still has to be determined.
Q: The Premiers in London are seeking an advisory opinion
from the Privy Council on the legality of the Federal Government's
offshore legislation...?
PRI -L TINI STKR: Have they? They haven't told us.
Q: this is what they've said their aim is. If they
do that, will the Federal Governiment ; ut a case to the Privy
Council, and, secondly a related matter, the Opposition has
decided to delay this legislation for three months in the Senate.
Would you regard such a delay as very important and, if so,
what.. . how serious?
ii-l' MINISTER: Do you mean to say the Opposition or some
portions of it have resolved not to pass this legislation?
That is, there will be another failure to pass... Which part of
the Opposition has decided this?
Q: The Liberal Party with the agreement of the others I
understand.
PRI1i! 1 1. INISTER: The Senate Liberal Party or the whole
Liberal Party. Gentlemen, these are so speculative, some
fascinating possibilities arise and I certainly will watch them.
Q: M-ay I ask you a personal question that's not serious...?
PRIILa laINISTER: All the previous subjects that you've raised
I hope they're not taken too seriously on this occasion...
Q: You're putting me off a little when you become .1rime
Minister of this great country, you also became ex officio
a member of the Royal Canberra Golf Club...
PRITEE MINISTER: Did I?
Q: Indeed you did. It's the most picturesque course in
Australia. Its woods abound with galaxies of glamorous and
glorious birds this sort not that sort
PRIME 1/ IIISTER: So my wife's told me. She plays there.
Q: They keep on asking up there Sir, when is he coming.
Will you Give thought in the recess to making your first
appearance at this royal course and I hope the term royal
doesn't put you off
PRIME MINISTER: This is the first invitation I think I've
had. Jack, take me there.