PM Transcripts

1-RICES
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, said today the
policies of the Queensland Government were pushing up prices.
" The States have the power to control prices but
Mr. Bjelke-' etorsen refusob to use this power," Mr. Whitlam
said. " lie ca,; ipaigned against our referendum last year to
give the. national government the power to control prices."
" Yet prices in Queensland arerasing faster than in
any other State." " South Australia, whore there is a Labor Government,
has used its powers effectively to check the land price spiral."
" This is something every State can do."
" If the Queensland Government co-operated with us
in setting up a Land Commission, as the three Liberal States
are doing, we could reduce the price of land for the home
buyer." " If the Queensland Government allowed the Australian
National Line to operate between Queensland ports it could cut
shipping freights. " If Mr. B3jolke-Petersen accepted our offer to take
financial responsibility for State railways, we could cut
the cost of rail freights."
" If he co-operated with our plan to reduce electricity
costs in Queensland we could check price rises over a vast
range of goods." " Hie refuse$ to work effectively with officials from
other States in formulating anti-inflationary policies."
" There is a limit to what any Government can do to
check prices in a world-wide inflationary situation, but
Mr. Bjelke-Petersen does nothing."
Brisbane 16 November 1974