SPEECH BY TIE PRIME MINISTER, THE IION. E. G. WIITLAM, Q. C. M. P.,
AT THE NEW IMELBOURNE HOTEL, SOUTH BRISUANE,
SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 1974
WHEN I UNDERTOOK THIS CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF
PERC TUCKER AND HIS COLLEAGUES I MADE IT CLEAR THAT I WOULD
BE FIGHTING THE ELECTION PRIMARILY ON STATE ISSUES. I CAME
TO ENDORSE PERC TUCKER'S VIGOROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE POLICIES
FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF QUEENSLAND AND PROMOTING ITS
DEVELOPMENT. I WANT TO SEE THIS RICH, IIVERSE, EXCITING
STATE MOVE FORWARD CONFIDENTLY* WITI THE REST OF AUSTRALIA.
I WANT TO SEE ITS RESOURCES DEVELOPED SPEEDILY AND
EFFICIENTLY, ITS PRODUCTS SOLD AIBOAD AT THE BEST POSSIBLE
PRICES, ITS ENORMOUS A( RICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL
DEVELu " D FI , j THE IENEFIT OF ALL ITS CITIZENS, ITS CITIES
I'LANNED TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE, ITS TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
INPROVED, AND ITS PEOPLE PROVIDED WITH TIE BEST EDUCATION,
THE I3EST HEALTH SERVICES, TIHE BEST HOUSING AND THE HIGIIEST
S'TANDARD OF LIVING TIIAT A MODERN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY CAN
AVi,, iD. IN MY CONCERN AND AFFECTION FOR QUEIENSLAND, IN NY
KNOWLji, OF YOUR STATE AND MY LONG-STANDING ASSOCIATION
WITH IT, I Y'IELD TO NO ONE NOT EVEN MR BJELKE-PETERSEN
OR SIR GORDON CHALK.
I CAME HERE WITI NO GRUDGE AGAINST YOUR PREMIEIR,
AND FOR ALL OUR DISAGREEMENTS, I BEAR NO LASTING ANIMOSITY
TOWARDS HIS GOVERNMENT. I HAVE DONE NY BEST TO WORK VITH
IIIl FOR THEI GOOD OF THIS STATE. IF I POINT TO FAILINGS IN
HIS GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE I KNOW YOU WILL UNDERSTAND I
HAVE NO DESIRE TO BUCKET QUEENSLAND OR ITS CITIZENS.
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IF IT ERE POSSIBLE TO CONDUCT THIS CAMPAIGN WITHOUT
RECRIMINATION OR BITTERNESS I WOULD GLADLY DO SO. I AM
IAPPY FOR THE FACTS TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. TODAY I SHALL
CONFINE MYSELF TO SOME SIMPLE FACTS. THEY ARE MORE
ELOQUENT THAN ALL TIE SLOGANS AND CATCIICRIES WE HAVE
IEARD FROM THE PREMIER AND HIS SUPPORTERS.
I ASK THE PEOPLE OF QUEENSLAND TO CONSIDER THE
TRUTH ABOUT THEIR STATE, TO LOOK AT THE FACTS CALMLY AND
THIOUGHTFULLY, TO FACE UP TO THEIR IMPLICATIONS.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN TALKS ABOUT INFLATION AND RISING PRICES.
THE FACT IS THAT IN QUEENSLAND PRICES ARE RISING FASTER
TIAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN AUSTRALIA. THAT IS NO ACCIDENT.
IT CAN BE TRACED TO TIE POLICIES AND ATTITUDES OF THE STATE
GOVERNMENT, AND I SHALL RETURN TO THAT IN A MOMENT.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN TALKS ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT. AGAIN, THE
FACT IS THAT IN QUEENSLAND UNEMPLOYMENT HAS RISEN FASTER
OVER TIE PAST YEAR THAN ANYWIIEIE ELSE BY "' AR IN AUSTRALIA.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN OFFERS NO SOLUTIONS; HE CERTAINLY OFFERS
NO COMFORT TO THE UNEMPLOYED. HIS SOLE REACTION IS TO
IDEPRIVE TIEM OF STATE UNEMIPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND SEEK
SCAPEGOATS IN CANBERRA.
AS THE LEADER OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT I ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT OF THIS COUNTRY.
I DON'T SHUFFLE OFF THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON TO MR BJELKE-PETERSEN.'
AT THE SANE TIME MR BJELKE-PETERSEN CANNOT SHUFFLE OFF HIS
OWN RESPONSIBILITIES ON TO NE. HE KNOWS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT
UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION ARE NOW AT CRITICAL LEVELS THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD AND THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVERYWHERE, TO AN
UNPRECEDENTED DEGREE, THESE TWO PROBLEMS ARE OCCURRING
SIMULTANEOUSLY.' MY OWN GOVERNMENT HAS USED EVERY WEAPON AT
ITS DISPOSAL, EVERY CONSTITUTIONAL POWER IT POSSESSES, IN THE
BATTLE AGAINST INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT. WE WILL NOT LET UP
IN THAT BATTLE. TIIE FURTHER ECONOMIC MEASURES I ANNOUNCED TIIS
WEcEK IN PARLIAMENT WILL BOOST BUSINESS CONFIDENCE, SAFEGUARD
JOBS AND LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR CO-OPERATION AND RESTRAINT IN
DEALING WITH INFLATIONARY PRESISURES. WHAT HAS MR BJELKE-PETERSEN
DONE? HE HAS DONE NOTHING. HE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST OUR REFERENDUM
TO SEEK GREATER POWERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST INFLATION. HE
REFUSES TO USE. THE POWERS HE ALREADY FOSSESSES.
LOOK AT TIE CONTRAST WITH OTHER STATES. IN
SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WHERE THERE IS A LABOR GOVERNMENT, THE STATE
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 Ui 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. / 4
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IF HE CO-OPERATED WITH OUR PLAN TO REDUCE ELECTRICITY COSTS
IN QUEENSLAND WE COULD CHECK PRICE RISES OVER A VAST
RANGE OF GOODS. HE REFUSES 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 I REPEAT DOES NOTHING.
LET ME DEAL WITH SOME PARTICULAR ISSUES.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN TALKS ABOUT TRANSPORT. THE SAD FACT
IS THAT BRISBANE HAS THE WORST, THE MOST DELAPIDATED
URBAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA. MY GOVERNMENT WANTS
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE HAVE OFFERED ALMOST
MILLION OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO ELECTRIFY YOUR
SUL I'BAN-RAILWAYS AND UPGRADE BRISBANE TRANSPORT SERVICES
GENERALLY. NO NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS EVER MADE FREE
GRANTS FOR URBAN TRANSPORT BEFORE. PERC TUCKER'S GOVERNMENT
WILL WORK VITH US IN IMPLEMENTING THESE PLANS.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN'S GOVERNMENT WAITED A LONG TIME BEFORE
ACCEPTING OUR PROPOSALS. AS FAR BACK AS 1957 HIS PARTY
SC.:'. PED. THE PREVIOUS LABOR GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR
ELECTRIFICkTION. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING SINCE. IT IS AS
SIMPLE AS THAT. MR BJELKE-PETERSEN TALKS ABOUT TIE DIFFICULTIES
OF HOUSING. THE FACT IS AGAIN THAT QUEENSLAND'S RECORD
IN WELFARE HOUSING IS TIE WORST IN AUSTRALIA. THEY HAVE
DONE LESS THAN ANYONE FOR TIE PEOPLE MOST IN NEED OF HOUSING,
AND EVEN LESS THAN LABOR DID IN QUEENSLAND IN ITS LAST YEAR
IN OFFICE IN 1956-57. IN THAT YEAR LABOR BIJILT 1900 HOUSING
CONMISSION HOMES.
LAST YEAR TILE I3JELKCE-PETERSEN GOVERNMENT BUILT 1460, YET
HAD ALMOST' $ 12 MILLION UNSPENT IN IIOUSING. FUNDS FROM
CANI3LRRAv DESPITE A 40 PER CENT INCREASE IN POPULATION
SINCE LABOR WAS IN POWER.
bllt BJELK] E-PETERSEN TALKS ABOUT THE MEANNESS AND
WICKNEDNESS OF CANBERRA* TIM, FACT IS THAT QUEENSLAND
HLAS RECEIVED MORE 1IlA'l) CASH FROM THE PRESENT NATIONAL LABOR
GOVERMENT THAN IT HAS RECEIVED FROMI ANY PREVIOUS * GOVERNMENT
IN HISTORY. NO AMOUNT OF HEDGING OR QUALIFICATION, NO
TALK OF RESTRICTIONS OR STRINGS OR TILE VALUE OF MONEY,
CAN ALTER TILE FACT THAT WE IIAVI BE-EN OVERWHELMINGLY
GENEROUS. IN THLE LAST FINANCIAL YEAH OUR TOTAL PAYMENTS
TO QUEENSLAND TOTALLED $ 739 MILLION. NOT ONLY DOES
QUEENSLAND GET MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN z1IE DID FROM THlE
LIW11-UALS IN CANBERRA; SHE GETS CONSID) ERABLY PMORE PER HEAD
OF 1PO14' JL % TION THAN OTHER STATES ( JET NOW. QUEENSLAND
RECEIVED MORE THAN 3382 PER HEAD) OF POPULATION IN 1973-74
COMPARIED WITII .1343 P'ER HEAD) IN AVEL.* AGE PAYNENTS TO ALL
STATES. LAST YE,' AR OUR GRANTS FOR'PilIMARY AND SECONDARY
EDUC. ATION WERE UP 145 PER CENT ON THlE YEAR BEFORE, TER'ITIARY
EDUCATION WAS UP 165 PER CENT, TECHNICAL EDUCATION 110 PER
CENT, lve, 77ARE HOUSING 20 PER CENT, A13011IGINAL A]) VANCEIIENT
NEAHLY 30 PER'I CENT. HEIALTHI AND WELFARE, ROADS AND URBAN
AND HEGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN QUEENSLAND ARE. ALL GETTING
RECORD) AMOUNTS FROM MY GOVERNMENT. e* 1 6
SO MUCH FOR THE HARSH TREATMENT OF QUEENSLAND BY
THE SOCIALISTS IN CANBERRA. W-HAT OF OUR ATTITUDE TO QUEENSLAND'S
. DEVELOPMENT? YOU HAVE SEEN HOV MR BJELKE-PETERSEN ' REFUSES TO
CO-OPERATE WITH US IN MAKING TOWNSVILLE A REGIONAL GROWTH
CENTRE.-ONE OF THE GREAT FUTURE CITIES OF AUSTRALIA, COMPARABLE
IN SIZE AND IMPORTANCE WITH THE BEST PLANNED CITIES IN THE WORLD.
I HAVE GIVEN MANY INSTANCES IN THIS CAMPAIGN OF HIS FAILURE TO
CO-OPERATE WITH US IN INITIATIVES FOR THE PROGRESS AND ADVANCEMENT
OF YOUR STATE. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS QUEENSLAND HAS MISSED OUT
ON AT LEAST $ 50 MILLION IN FUNDS FROM MY GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF
THE ATTITUDE OF THE PREMIER. THAT IS THE COST OF MR BJELKEPETEROEN'S
OBSTINACY. THE FACT IS AGAIN UNPALATADLE THAT.
NO STATE IS MORE IN NEED OF BALANCED DEVELOPMENT THAN QUEENSLAND.,
THE DRIFT FROM COUNTRY TOWNS TO* THE CITIES IN THIS STATE HAS
REACHED A RATE UNPARALLELED IN QUEENSLAND'S HISTORY.
MR BJELKE-PETERSEN REGARDS THIS TREND AS LESS IMPORTANT THAN
HIS DISLIKE OF THE ELECTED NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
FINALLY, MR BJELKE-PETERSEN TALKS OF THE THREAT TO
DEMOCRACY IN THIS STATE FROM MY GOVERNMENT IN CANBERRA. IN
' ONE REMARKABLE PHIIRA3E HE TRIED TO PERSUADE YOU THAT THIS ELECTION
WILL DETERMINE WHETHER QUEENSLAND " CONTINu S TO EXIST". WHAT
IS THE REAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY IN QUEENSLAND? THE RIGGING
OF ELECTORAL, BOUNDARIES IN THIS STATE IS NOT A THREAT BUT A
FACT OF LIFE. YOU KNOW THE STORY. IT IS A SHAMEFUL ONE.
LAIO0R WON MORE VOTES IN THE 1972 ELECTIONS THAN THE LIBERALS
AND THE COUNTRY PARTY BUT WON FEWER SEATS THAN EITHER OF THEM.
A PREMIER WHO HOLDS OFFICE WITH 19 PER CENT OF THE VOTE IS
HAIRDLY QUALIFIED TO LECTURE ABOUT THREATS TO DEMOCRACY. / 7.
MY GOVERNMENT HAS DONE MUCH FOR QUEENSLAND AND HAS
OFFERED TO DO MUCH MORE. WITHOUT CO-OPERATION FROM YOUR
GOVERNMENT WE CANNOT ACHIEVE OUR GOALS FOR THE PEOPLE OF
THIS STATE. I HAVE SHOWN YOU THAT THE PROBLEMS YOU FACE ARE
IN MANY CASES WORSE THAN THEY ARE IN THE REST OF AUSTRALIA,
AND THAT YOUR DIFFICULTIES ARE INCREASED BY TIHE NEGLECT, THE
COMPLACENCY, THE PIG-HEADEDNESS OF YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT.
IT IS A GOVERNMENT WHOSE ATTITUDES ARE REJECTED BY
EVERY OTHER STATE GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA INCLUDING THE
LIBERAL STATES OF NEW SOUTH WALES, VICTORIA AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
IT IS A GOVERNMENT THAT CLINGS TO OFFICE BY A
FLAGRANTLY UNDEMOCRATIC VOTING SYSTEM.
IT IS A GOVERNMENT THAT WANTONLY FORFEITS $ 50 MILLION
FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES.
IT IS A GOVERNMENT WHOSE RECORD IN MANY FIELDS IS
THE WORST IN AUSTRALIA.
IT IS A GOVERNMENT THAT TOLERATES THE STEEPEST RATE
OF PRICE INCREASES AND THE STEEPEST RISE IN UNEPLOYMENT OF
ANY ST-TE. IT IS A GOVERNMENT THAT REFUSES TO DISCUSS, TO TALK,
TO NEGOTIATE, TO CO-OPERATE.
I TAKE NO PLEASURIE FROM THIS SORRY RECORD. I SUSPECT
THAT IT ALARMS AND DISILLUSIONS MANY OTHER AUSTRALIANS AND
MANY FRIENDS OF OUR COUNTRY ABROAD. I HOPE QUEENSLANDERS WILL
FACE THESE FACTS. ON 7 DECEMBER THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
VOTE FOR A CHANGE OF DIRECTION AND A CHANGE OF HEART. IT WILL
BE A CLEAR CHOICE A CHOICE BETWEEN CO-OPERATION OR CONTINUING
CONFRONTATION, A CHOICE BETWEEN PROGRESS OR CONTINUING
BACKWARDNESS, A CHOICE BETWEEN RATIONALITY OR DOGMATISM, A
CHOICE BETWEEN GOODWILL AND GOOD SENSE OR A CONTINUATION OF
ONE MAN'S HATREDS AND OBSESSIONS, A CHOICE BETWEEN MATURITY AND
ENLIGITENMENT OR THE FORCES OF EXTREMISM AND MALEVOLENCE. FOR
THOSE WITH QUEENSLAND'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART, FOR THOSE WHO
RESPECT THE ENERGY AND IDEALISM OF HER PEOPLE, IT SHOULD NOT
BE A DIFFICULT CHOICE TO MAKE. I