C I
SPE BY TI-H!-PRI[ I iNISTI., fi, E. G. liiTlfLAl NM. P.,
AT TihE OP IN IG OF TihE I IPAfP. DS . IF IELD DAYS AT BI\ AID1E B, iS,
VICFORIA, TiFSDAY, 19 I: EBRUAL! RY
NOTHING PROVES MORE CLEARLY THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF
PRIMARY INDUSTRY TO AUSTRALIA THAN AN EVENT OF THE KIND
BEING STAGED HIF. RE TODAY, To SEE THE DISPLAYS OF FARM
EQUIPMENT, THE DEMONSTRATION OF NEW TECHNIQUES AND THE
EXHIBITIONS OF STOCK IS TO CONFIRM THE VITALITY,
SOPHISTICATION AND DURABILITY OF FARMING IN AUSTRALIA,
NO GOVERNMENT CAN FAIL TO BE IMPRESSED BY THIS VITAL ASPECT
OF OUR NATIONAL LIFE. CERTAINLY THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT
RECOGNISES THAT WITHOUT THE RURAL ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE SO
VIVIDLY ON SHOW TODAY AUSTRALIA COULD NOT HOPE TO CONTINUE
AS A PROSPEROUS AND GROWING NATION.
I AM GLAD TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFIRM THE
GOVERNMENT'S GREAT CONCERN FOR THE CONTINUED WELL-BEING
OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE DEBATE SURROUNDING
THE LAST FEDERAL ELECTIONS INVOLVED ISSUES AFFECTING OUR CITIES,
THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY IN SOME QUARTERS TO BELIEVE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT ATTACHES A DIMINISHED IMPORTANCE TO OUR RURAL AREAS.
I WANT TO SAY QUITE UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT ANY SUCH BELIEF IS
UNFOUNDED. THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IS AS DEDICATED AS ANY
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT TO THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SELFSUFFICIENT,
PROSPEROUS AND EFFICIENT PRIMARY INDUSTRIES,
INDEED, I BELIEVE THATI WE HAVE GIVEN A NEW AND HEALTHY EMPHASIS
TO THCESE INDUSTRIES,
11o 600RwNME'T HAS DOME SO MIUCH 10 REDJUCE THE DUJPDEN WHIJCH
RURAL1 INDUSTRIES HAVL HAD TO CARRY AS A RESULT OF EXCES; SIVE
TAR IFF PROTECTI1ON, No Gov0RHIMET HAS DONE SO MU~ LCH TO IN'SUPcL
THAT MOST PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GOES TO THOSE FAR~ M FAMILIES WHiO NFLD
IT MOST. No GOVERNMENT HAS DONE SO MUCH TO OPEN UP NFAW AND
EXPANDING OVERSEAS MARKETS,
DESPITE WHAT WE HAVE DONE, THERE IS STILL MISUNDERSTANDING,
AND CRITICISM OF THE THRUST OF OUR RURAL POLICIES IN SOME
QUARTERS, OUR CRITICS HAVE SEIZED UPON THE ABOLITION OR
REDUCTION OF SOME SUBSIDIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO ARGUE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT IS ANTI-RURAL. THEY HA\' E NOT BOTHERED TO CONSIDER
WHETHER THESE SUBSIDIES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR ECONOMY OR
HELPFUL TO OUR FARMERS. THEY HAVE NOT STOPPED TO CONSIDER
WHETHER THESE SUBSIDIES HELP ALL FARMERS OR WHETHER THEY
OVERWHELMINGLY FAVOUR THE LARGEST AND WEALTHIEST PRODUCERS
ANDj IN SO DOING, DEPRIVE. THE GOVERNMENT OF MONE Y WHICH
MIGHT BE BETTER DIRECTED TO AID FAMILY . li THEY HAVE NOT
STOPPED TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE SUBSIDIES HAVE STOOD IN
THE WAY OF ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS WHICH PROMISE GREATER
LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS. THEY HAVE NOT STOPPED TO
CONSIDER WHAT WERE THE MOTIVES BEHIND THEIR INTRODUCTION,
ANY ANALYSIS OF OUR PRIMARY INDUSTRY POLICY WILL SHOW THAT
WE ARE STRIVING TO SEE THAT OUR RURAL AREAS ARE NOT CYNICALLY
EXPLOITED BY PORK-BARREL POLITICS. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT
THEY ARE GIVEN A FIRM ECONOMIC BASIS SO THAT COUNTRY PEOPLE
CAN BE SURE OF SHARING THE SECURITY AND WEALTH OF OUR NATION.
TO ACHIEVE OUR AIIIS WE ARE STRIVING TO IMPROVE THE
DOMESTIC HARKETS FOR PRIMARY PRODUCERS, TO CONSOLIDATE
EXIST] HG EXPORT M1ARKETS AND TO CREATE NEW MARKETS. AS
I HAVE ALFREADY INDICATED. I } 3ELIEVE WE HAVE HAD A GREAT
DEAL OF SUCCESS IN THESE IERMS IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE,
FOR EXANPLE, NEGOTIATED WHEAT AND SUGAR CONTRACTS WITH
CHINA AND RURAL INDUSTRY WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CLOSER TRADE
TIES WE HAVE ESTABLISHED WITH JAPAN.
WHATEVER OUR CRITICS MIGHT SAY, THE FACT REMAINS
THAT THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN FARM INCOME
IN THE LAST YEAR.
IN THE THREE YEARS ENDED 1969/ 70 FARM INCOME AVERAGED
ABOUT $ 1,050 MILLION A YEAR. THE ONSET OF DROUGHT AND
DECLINING PRICES CAUSED FARM INCOME TO DROP TO $ 885 MILLION
IN 1970/ 71 AND MANY PRODUCERS FACED SERIOUS FINANCIAL
DIFFICULTIES,. LAST YEAR SAW A COMPLETE REVERSAL OF THIS
SITUATION AND, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE ESTIMATE FOR FARM INCOME
IN 1973/ 74 WAS $ 2,885 MILLION MORE THAN THREE TIMES AS
GREAT AS IN 19/ 0/ 71 AND WELL OVER DOUBLE THE AVERAGE INCOME
FOR THE THREE YEARS BEFORE THEN.
THE SAME SORT OF PATTERN EMERGED L-AST YEAR IN TrHE
FIGURES FOR EXPOR~ TS OF RURAL ORIGIN. HS EXPORTS EARNED
AUSTRLIA. $ 2,1419 M1ILLION Im 1971/ 72. THE MOST RECENT
ESTIMATE FOR 197-/ 7/ 4 PREDICTED THAT THEY WOULD BE WORTH
$ 3,874-MILLION A VERY GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
THE DEVASTATING FLOODS WHICH HAVE SW4EPT QUEENSLAND
AND NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES IN RECENT WEEKS WI1LL INEVITABLY
FORCE A REVISION OF THESE ESTIMATES. THEY WILL ALSO MEAN
THAT MANY FARMERS WILL NOT SHARE THE CURRENT BUOYANCY OF
PRICES FOR RURAL COMMODITIES. NEVERTHELESS, IT REMAINS TRUE
THAT THE MARKET OUTLOOK FOR AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY INDUSTRY IS
EXTREMELY FAVOURABLE AND THAT A GOVERNMENT POLICY AIMED AT
MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THIS BUOYANCY IS SOUNDLY BASED.
I WOULD BE MUCH TOO SANGUINE IF I TRIED TO PRETEND
THAT SOME UNCERTAINTIES DID NOT FACE PRIMARY PRODUCERS.
THE FLOODS AND CYCLONES IN THE NORTH INDICATE YET AGAIN
THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF A FARMER'IS LIFE. SOME UNPREDICTABILITY
MUST ALSO RESULT FROM THE CURRENT OIL PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY AS
IT RELATES TO BUNKERING FUEL. THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ALL
THAT IT CAN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THESE NEW
AND SUDDEN FACTORS IN THE RURAL OUTLOOK. IN THE CASE OF THE
QUEENSLAND AND NEW SOUTH WALES FLOODS, IT IS PROVIDING ALL
POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE TO HELP OVERCOME THE DAMAGE CAUSED. IN THE
CASE OF THE INTERNATIONAL OIL CRISIS, WE ARE BACKING UP OUR OWN
NATURAL WEALTH WITH GOVERNMENT POLICIES AIMED AT PROTECTING AND
ADVANCING OUR NATIONAL INTERESTS.
A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S
RURAL. POLICY HAS BEEN THE ROLE PLAYED BY TIHE MINISTER FOR
PRIMARY INDUSTRY, SENATOR KEN WIRIEDT. FARMERS COULD NOT
HOPE TO HAVE A MORE PERSUASIVE AD\ VOCATE IN THE CABINET.
HE HAS INTRODUCED A RAT* IONAL COMMITMENT TO0 THE NEEDS OF PIRIMIARY
PRODUCERS AND THIS COMMITMENT NOWI PERVADES ALL AREAS OF OUR
RURAL POLICY. A RECENT OPINION POLL AMONG PRIMARY PRODUCERS
SHOWED THAT THEY APPRECIATED SENATOR WRIEDT' S WORK; MORE
THAN 70 PER CENT OF THEM APPROVED HIS HANDLING OF HIS
PORTFOLIO. ONE OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES THAT HE HA* S SET IN MOTION
IS THE HOLDING OF AN INQUIRY INTO ALL ASPECTS OF RURAL POLICY
IN AUSTRALIA. THE INQUIRY WILL RESULT IN THE FIRST
GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED REPORT ON OVERALL RURAL POLICY SINCE
THE PUBLICATION OF " AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION: AIMS AND POLICIES"
BY -THE FORMER DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND AGRICULTURE IN 1952,
MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. To CONDUCT THE INQUIRY THE GOVERNMENT
HAS SET UP A RURAL POLICY WORKING GROUP, HEADED By DR. STUART
HARRIS, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT O F OVERSEAS TRADE.
SENATOR WRIEDT HAS ALSO TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE WORKING
GROUP HAS READY AND FULL ACCESS TO THE VIEWS OF FARMERS.
HE HAS AGREED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMITTEE OF FARMERS
TO ADVISE AND CO-OPERATE WITH THE GROUP.
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A HiAJOR BASIS FOR THE INQUIRY IS THE GOVERNMNENT' S
\' IEll THAT THERE IS NO0 PLACE IN THE ECONOMY FOR A RURAL
POLICY THAT IS NOT BOTH EQUITABLE FOR PRIM~ ARY( PRODUCERS
AND ECONOMICALLY SOUND. 1IN ANNOU1NCING THE INQUIRY, THE
MINISTER FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRY, SENATOR KEN 14RIEDT, AND
I SAID THE GOVERNMENT WISHES TO AVOID AD HOC DECISIONS
THAT MIGHT APPEAR TO SOME TO BE POLITICALLY ATTRACTIVE
AT THE TIME, BUT WHICH IN FACT MIGHT OFFER NO LONG TERM
SECURITY OR REAL BENEFITS TO THE GENUINE PRIMARY PRODUCER.
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED A BASIS OF EXPERT ADVICE ON WHICH
TO FORMULATE ECONOMICALLY SOUND AND SOCIALLY EQUITABLE
MEASURES THAT WOULD HELP THE RESIDENT FARM FAMILY.
IT ALSO SAW A NEED FOR A RURAL POLICY THAT RECOGNISED
THAT LARGE AND IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF THE RURAL COMMUNITY
ARE NOT THEMSELVES ENGAGED IN FARMING ALTHOUGH THE
PROSPERITY OF MANY DID DEPEND ON THE HEALTH OF THE PRIMARY
INDUSTRIES.
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THE WORKING GROUP WILL DRAFT, FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE Govii-Mrl NFr, A " GREEN PAPER" ON RURAL POLICY, INCORPORATING
ASPECTS FROM PRESENT AUSTRALIANI GOVERNMENT POLICIES SUCH AS
SELECTIVE DECENTRALISATION, CONSERVATION, RURAL. RECONSTRUCTION
AND LONG-TERM INTERNATI ONAL COMMODITY AGREEMENTS. IT WILL
ALSO ATTEMPT TO INTEGRATE THESE AND OTHER FACTORS INTO A SET
OF PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH FUTURE POLICIES COULD BE BUILT.
WE EXPECT TO PUBLISH THE GREEN PAPER BY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY
BUT WITHOUT FORMAL ENDORSEMENT, IN THAT FORM, IT WOULD BE
DEBATED IN CABINET, IN PARLIAMENT, AND IN THE COMMUNITY
GENERALLY PARTICULARLY IN THE RURAL SECTOR. THESE DEBATES
WILL ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT T' 0 CREATE A MORE VIABLE RURAL
SECTOR IN THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY, WE HOPE TO RECEIVE THE
WORKING GROUP'S REPORT BY APRIL,
IN ADDITION TO THE EVOLUTION OF NEW POLICIES TO ENSURE
THE. PROSPERITY OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS MOVED
TO CREATE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RURAL AREAS. THE PRESENT
GOVERNMENT IS THE FIRST TO TAKE POSITIVE AND DECISIVE ACTION
TO PROMOTE DECENTRALISATION IN AUSTRALIA. PLANNING FOR THE
CREATION OF A NEW GROWTH CENTRE AT ALBURY-WODONGA IS ALREADY
WELL ADVANCED AND WE AIM TO MAKE THIS THE PROTOTYPE FOR OTHER
GROWTH CENTRES, DECENTRALISATION HAS LONG BEEN TALKED ABOUT
IN THIS COUNTRY. THE LAST YEAR HAS SEEN THE BEGINNING OF THE
FIRST REALLY CONCRETE PROPOSALS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
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I BELIEVE THAT BY THE APPLICATION OF SENSIBLE
POLICIES ON PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND DECENTRAL.. ISATION WE CAN
ENSURE THAT PEOPLE IN OUR RURAL AREAS SHARE THE BENEFITS
OF THE UNDOUBTEDLY GREAT ! EALTH OF AUSTRALIA, PEOPLE IN
THESE AREAS HAVE CONTRIBUTED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT TO THAT
WEALTH IN THE PAST AND I AM SURE THAT THEIR CONTRIBUTION
WILL REMAIN FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE.