AUSTALIA
PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 368
14 November, 1974
PLAGUE LOCUSTS
The Prime Minister today released the text of a
letter of appreciation from the Queensland Graingrowers
Association. This follows Mr. Whitlam's announcement on Monday
that the Australian Government would participate on a
dollar for dollar basis in a $ 720,000 scheme for locust
control in Queensland.
The letter reads as follows:
Dear Mr. Whitlam,
On behalf of the Grain Industry in Queensland I wish to
express appreciation for your Government's offer of financial
assistance to aid locust control in Queensland.
The control programme proposed by the Queensland Goverrnent
is a most realistic plan and we feel that it is a good chance
of achieving effective control over our very serious locust
infestations this summer. Your Government's financial
commitment to assist this plan is most welcome and will make
a really constructive control effort possible.
My association looks forward to working with the Queensland
Department of Primary Industries in making the best possible
use of available funds.
The Central Highlands Locust De-. truction Committee and the
Near South West Region Locust Co-ordinating Committee have
asked me to express their thanks also for the significant
assistance effort by your Government.
L. V. Price,
General President,
Queensland Graingrowers Association.
Mr. Whitlam said he was pleased to have such a
response from an organisation so much affected by the locust
problem.
-2-
He said he was surpresed that the Queensland Premier had not
yet responded to the Australian Government's offer to set up
an Australian Plague Locust Commnission as recommended by the
Australian Agricultural Council.
Mr. Whitlam said that his letter to Mr. Bjelke-
Petersen on the matter had outlined proposed funding for such
a Commission. The Australian Government was prepared to
provide 50% and had suggested that Queensland's share of the
remaining 50% should be only 2
Mr. Whitlam said he could not understand the Queensland
Premier's delay in responding to this initiative which was
clearly of great potential benefit to Queensland's grain
growers. CANBERRA, A. C. T.