A. B. C. BROADCAST BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. E. G. WHITLAM, QC, MP,
CANBERRA, TUESDAY 20.11.73
On 8 December less , than three weeks from now you
will be voting on two questions of great importance to Australia's
future and the prosperity of each one of us. You will be voting
in two referendums to decide whether to give the Australian
Parliament the power to make laws about prices and incomes.
I want you to vote YES on both questions. If you do,
you will be giving the national Parliament and the national
Government an essential weapon to fight inflation and to help
keep prices down.
Rising prices are a problem in almost every country
in the world. Indeed, much of Australia's inflation has been
caused by inflation in larger, wealthier countries. The
Australian Government has done much to counter it. We have
introduced a Prices Justification Tribunal. We have cut tariffs.
We have revalued the dollar twice. And we have introduced a wide
range of other fiscal and m9netary measures.
Despite these efforts, the battle is not yet won.
For there is no simple magic cure for inflation especially when
the national Government is denied the full armory of economic
weapons. Don't let us fight inflation with'one arm tied behind;
. our backs. The powers we seek are essential powers. The national
SPariiaments of all comparable countries have these powers and
use them. In Australia, the States have the powers but they
have not used them.
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They have refused to refer them to the national Parliament.
We believe that if such powers are to be effective they must
be uniform, immediate and unchallengeable in their application.
Only the national Government cqn act in this way. Inflation
is a national problem which demands national answers. This
is accepted by the Governments of the. United Kingdom, the
United States, Japan, and all other western countries.
Our opponents say that the national Parliament should
not be given powers over prices and incomes. Yet in the same
breath they have called for a prices and incomes freeze. I don't
blame you for wondering just what they believe in. But you can
be quite clear about what my Government believes in. We will
not impose any overall, arbitrary freeze. Our powers, if you
grant them to us, will be used carefully, selectively, with
restraint and discrimination.
The simple truth is that the States have refused to
act together against inflation. Our opponents know, although
they will not admit it, that the largest States have refused at
a special conference and at subsequent meetings to co-operate
with the Australian Government. One Premier would not even
come to dinner with me to discuss the problem. The time has
now come for positive and decisive action.
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On 8 December you can help fight inflation by
writing the word YES in both squares on the ballot paper.
You can ensure that pension increases and the savings of people
on fixed incomes have real value. You can ensure that the new
wage today need not mean inflated prices at the supermarket
tomorrow. You can ensure . that all incotnes not just wages
will be subject to fair and equal scrutiny. You can ensure,
by voting YES, that the national Government is given every
possible weapon to fight inflation and help keep prices down.
In this way you will help to strengthen and safeguard the very
real prosperity we are now enjoying.