STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
AT CAIRNS AND MAREEBA, OLD.
24 NOVEMBER, 1974
1. THERE ARE FEW CITIES WHICH I VISIT MORE OFTENWHETHER
FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE THAN CAIRNS. IN
MAY I OPENED YOUR NEW CIVIC CENTRE AND CULTURAL
COMPLEX SYMBOLIC OF THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY
OF THIS CITY AND YOUR REGION. SINCE THEN WE HAVE
DONE A GREAT DEAL-MORE FOR THE WELFARE AND PROGRESS
OF CAIRNS. WE HAVE MADE A GRANT OF $ 18,750 TOWARDS
YOUR BASKETBALL STADIUM AS PART OF my GOVERNMENT' S
DRIVE TO EXPAND SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA. WE HAVE APPROVED THE FIRST
DIRECT GRANTS EVER MADE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS
BY AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT. UNDER OUR PROPOSALS
CAIRNS CITY COUNCIL IS RECEIVING $ 176,000 AND
MAREEBA IS* RECEIVING $ 180,000 ON THE RECOMMENDATION
OF THE GRANTS COMMISSION. THESE GRANTS ARE GIVEN
WITHOU T INTEREST; THEY NEED NOT BE REPAID. THERE
ARE NO STRINGS ATTACHED. THEY CAN BE SPENT BY THE
LOCAL AUTHORITIES AS THEY SEE FIT TO IMPROVE THE
SERVICES AND AMENITIES AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
2. IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE IN THIS CAMPAIGN TO BE SUPPORTING
RAY JONES, THE MEMBER FOR CAIRNS, AND BILL WOOD, THE
MEMBER FOR BARRON RIVER. THEY WILL BE VALUABLE
MEMBERS OF A NEW STATE GOVERNMENT LED BY MY FRIEND
AND COLLEAGUE PERC TUCKER. As SHADOW-MINISTER FOR
TRANSPORT, RAY JONEt WILL COOPERATE' WITH MY GOVERNMENT
TO IMPLEMENT OUR PLANS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS SYSTEM 2 l
2
3. UNDER LABOR'S PROPOSALS A HIGH-GRADE ALL-WEATHER HIGHWAY WILL
LINK CAIRNS WITH BRISBANE AND EVENTUALLY WITH SYDNEY
AND MELBOURNE. DESPITE OPPOSITION OBSTRUCTION WE HAVE
PASSED THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE $ 1,126
MILLION FOR OUR NATIONAL ROADS PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT
4k THREE YEARS. WE ARE THE FIRST NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO
UNDERTAKE THIS ESSENTIAL PROGRAM. NO': STATE GOVERNMENT
HAS HAD THE RESOURCES TO DO IT ALONE. No PREVIOUS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CARED ENOUGH TO DO IT EVEN THOUGH
THEY HAD THE NECESSARY CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS. WE ARE
USING THOSE POWERS. WE ARE GETTING ON WITH THE JOB.
14. WE WANT TO SEE CAIRNS PROPERLY SERVED BY SHIPS OF THE
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL LINE. MR. BJELKE-PETERSEN, ALONE
AMONG THE PREMIERS, HAS PREVENTED A. N. L. SHIPS OPERATING
BETWEEN PORTS WITHIN HIS OWN STATE. QUEENSLAND CITIES'
H'VE BEEN DENIED AN ESSENTIAL SHIPPING SERVICE SOLELY
BECAUSE OF THE OBSTINACY AND PREJUDICE OF THE OUTGOING
PREMIER, MR. BJELKE-PETERSEN' S ATTITUDE IS NOT SHARED
BY THE AUTHORITIES IN-CAIRNS. MR. BORZI, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE CAIRNS HARBOUR BOARD, AND A FORMER STATE
CANDIDATE OF THE NATIONAL PARTY ( AS IT IS NOW CALLED)
,) ITD IN HIS 1973-74 ANNUAL REPORT:
" THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL LINE'S WEEKLY CARGO
SERVICES TO AND FROM THE SOUTH BROUGHT
INCREASED TRADE AND REVENUE. UNFORTUNATELY
THE BOARD S SUPPORT OF MOVES TO HAVE A. N. L.
GRANTED THE PRIVILEGE OF CONDUCTING AN INTRASTATE
CARGO SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL TO DATE."
EARLIER TODAY I WAS IN WEIPA, A CITY THAT HAS SUFFERED
AS MUCH AS CAIRNS FROM MR. BJELKE-PETERSEN'S OBSTRUCTIONISM.
WE HAVE SEEN THE FARCICAL SITUATION OF FOREIGN
SHIPS CARRYING BAUXITE FROM WEIPA TO GLADSTONE BECAUSE
AN. L, SHIPS WERE PREVENTED FROM DOING THE JOB.
MR. BJELKE-PETERSEN HAS REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH US
IN OTHER PROJECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUEENSLAND
AND THE BENEFIT OF HER CITIZENS. HE HAS SPURNED OUR
OFFER OF FUNDS FOR LAND STABILISATION. HE HAS
REFUSED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON OUR OFFER OF FUNDS
FOR ABORIGINAL ADVANCEMENT. MR. BJ'ELKE-PETERSEN HAS
THROWN AWAY $ 50 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THIS
STATE, HIS ATTITUDE IS AT ODDS WITH THAT OF ALL THE
LIBERAL PREMIERS AND ON MANY ISSUES, SUCH AS ABORIGINAL
LAND RIGHTS, WITH THE ATTITUDE OF A FORMER LIBERAL
RIME MINISTER, MR. GORTON.
6. ALTHOUGH RURAL ELECTRICITY COSTS : N QUEENSLAND ARE THE
HIGHEST IN ALL THE EASTERN STATES, THE BJELKE-PETERSEN
GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH US IN SEEKING
WAYS TO REDUCE THESE COSTS. HIGH ELECTRICITY COSTS HELP
v,' 4 UP PRICES OVER A WIDE RANGE OF GOODS AND SERVICES.
THE BJELKE-PETFRSEN GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO USE ITS WIDE
POWERS TO CONTROL PRICES AND RESISTED OUR ATTEMPTS TO
OBTAIN COMMONWEALTH POWER OVER PRICES BY REFERENDUM.
6A I1.~ HS~ iIU~ JTO COUP2M. ATE
IN OjR . LLANO F0iZ j" JjIL P -nfALT!', O I. A6lli.
I IiROTE TO ALL ThnS P., iiIIIRb O1-j 1T TL3a
OFFERING A TOTAL GLANT TO ALL ~ TTSW
11ILLI0ON -2O1t Ai~ q 1NTEP-RIl4. PROGiiAM
UP TO JUNE~ 1976. U1SAjD'AOiFL'
$ 160,000 Ill 1974-75 AND Q-700,000 IN
1975-76 TIL; S HIG' 1' ZTh~ h\ FOR, Y
STATE. TIZ OUTGOING PAi,. IL-11.3 NOT Yi'T
TOLD Uo' V512iTHER RE~ WILL ACC-*, PT OU'L OFF2,11
ALL OTHEiR STATE~ S .2XCJ2PT NEW/ SOUTH WALES
HlAVE3 ACCS;*' PTJED IT.
7. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNZiNT HAS BIEZNOVtWLIdi
GENEROUS T3 QUEENSLAND IN IT; FINANCIAL, ALLOCATIONS.
QUEENISLAND HAS R. iCEIVED XOIcS FRi'i U6~ THA4N IT HIAE
RECEIVED FROM ANY PREVIOUS GOVERNMN'T IN CANB3ERRA~.
OUR TOTAL PAYt1iNTS TO 2UEENSLAND IN ' il LAST
FINANCIAL YEAR WERE $ 739 MILLION or, $ 382 PER
HEAD COi. PARED WITH AVEIRA'GE PjAYPENTS TO ALL STATES
OF " o345 PER HEAD.
8. FROM THE BEGINNING MY GOVERNl--ENT HA6S GIVEN4 THE
HIGHEST PRIORITY TO THlE DEVELOPL*~ ENT O 0i x~ T1E2RNq
AUSTRAULIA. WE ATED A DEPARTNENT OF 110HTii{; RN
DEVELOPiNL2, NT HEADED BY IMY COLL EklUE REX RATTEiLS OS.
WE ESTAELISHED TIM, NORTHERN DE, 1VELOPPIEN'T COUNCIL.
WE ik1? E Ui. D2EATkKING A THOROUGH STuiJY OF TI. E, D. 2VELOPhi2UNT
PRO. SPECTS OF Thii' NOATH-WEST OIf QUEENSLAiD
STRETCHING FROM MOUNT I6A TO THEI GULF OF = AtPENTEi~ RIA,
WE ARE SPENDING 24 MILLION IN THE NEXT TIIL. EE YEARoS
ON EXPORT BEEF ROADS IN QUEENSLAND.
9. AS PART OF A RICIT AND Ili* PC. TA* 6 ; I AkGLICUJ1TURAt, REGION
C~ $ AND M! ArLZEBAk IAV--BE 4.3' ITTED 2Ke7 vil ~~ ID i
C-OVERNIET's RUR-AL POLICIES. IN OUi L ST BUliGET
OUl. Y ON RURA L AS I ST-NC-T ' JTALLED 0? 488 ILIuN
THERE A NET IN~~ 1IN OUI Al ET TO
AGIRICULTUlLE OF -388 ILI3 EiT-LC'. Th1973-74.
WE ARE SPENDING $ 56 l-ILLiON A" N AddlAj7lz lLT
LABOl-aTOñ lY A PROJE~ CT JF SOjU i1C-Xh MI* i: POr. TANCE-
TO ALL LIVESTOCK IiNDU6TRIES.
WE VL' OPENED UP NEW MARKET6 FOR T'RE, SUGAR I'fL4USTR?.*.
WE AR'-E NZGOTLj. f . NG A LON',*-TERM SUGAR CONTRACT WITH
CHINA WvOiLTH $ 50 i'ILIN AlAiYSIA HX"' ALSO SdHU4N
INTEl! REST IN LCNG-TERM SUGAR SALES WORTH
WE W4ILL CONTINUTE TO SEEK A NEW 1N'jERNATINAL UCAR
AGREE11ENT TO BRING~ EFFECTIVE XARKET MAqAGEINT TO
THE V1O16LD SU\ CAR TRADE.
WE HAVE RETAINED TiE NITROG EINOUS PiRT-L6ER
SUBSIDY, WORTH i', BOUT $ 13 MILLION A Y2AR, TO
ASSIST SPECIALISE) REGIuNAL G1OWTH, ELU oURE
CONTINUED LOCAL PODUCTION AND TO ! LTA1N A IIIGL;
LEVEL OF SOIL FERTILITY.
11. WE ARE PARTICIPATING ON A DO LAR-FOR-DOLLAR
BASIS WITH QUEENSLAND IN A $ 720,000 PLOGIAN
FOR LOCUST CONTROL IN QUENSLAND.
12, TIE GOVENMENT RECOGNIS] ES THE Ii4PORTANCJi: E OF T"-E
TOBACCO INDUSTily TO YOUR ST. TE AN) T-E IMPORTANCE
OF MAREEBA TO THAT INDUSTRY.* TH, AVERAGE MINII4UN
AESERVE PRICE FOR LEAF OOLD AT AUCTION THIS YEAR
WAS INCREASED BY 36 CENTS TO 288.4 CENTS A KILOGRAM.
THE AVER. AGE PRICE ODTAIN2D AT AUC[ ION IN I-AREE13A
THIS YEAR ffi BEEN 295.13 CENTS. rJ1" GOVENi-MENT
WILL CONSIDER FURTHER PRICEi REVIEWS DURING THE
CUlt ITCY OF TiiiE FIVE-YEAh' TOBACCO ) TABILIIATION
PLAN ' iHICH BEGaN THIS YEAR.
HE M-iARKETING QUOTA FORL 1975 HAS 13ñ. SET AT
15,422,000 kg TIE SAME AS THIS YEAiR.
13. UNDER TH'LE LABOR GOV-R!\ wEi4T YuAVE S17EEN Ti W FIxCLT
SIGNI! 2? ICMLNT POST-Wic'W L i f-i KJY YEAR oi THE
INDEBTE1) NlcJS: S OF RURAL PRODUCEA6. 11%' 1971 THE
BUR. EAU OF AGMiICULT AL SCOiiOL. IC63 FE2O. TEJLT. T; LAT
7,570 AUSTRALIAN FA-iiERS APPLIED ñ Cit ASSISTiai: CE
THE I'iURL RECONbTitUCTION BOAtD. TILTS YEAR
TiL FIGUR E T" DOWN TO 523. 0006/...
14. IN KEN VkIJTFid, 12M HlAViE T1' Hi . LLEST, BEL'T
INFORMED, h,, OST ACTIVE~ AND IW-iELLIGE11T MNi'I ) TER
EVEZ. APPOINTEDI TO AD1,11NIST. EJEk. Pilil-. . iAY IU~ X
IN CUR REL] iT Glt. S" li4 PAPER ON4 Liw'LL IN: DU'.-TRY
FAW, 4E1RS I1AVl* T1113 BL1-' ST AND iñ iOST CW-i.' H2 1 v 7
F~ OR INFOIU4E1 ( GOV-" RUWMNT PuLICIE6 ON
RUliAL INDUSTRY EVfl DRAiWN UP IN AUSTR~ ALIA.
IN OUR INflULTRIEi ASSIMTANCiE CONNL-. SION AWi
MWEi THE 1iOZ'T .1-, PEIZT AND) EFFICI -INT INSTALU~ LJT
FOR. GUAR~ ANTEEING THIS 6TAEiNGTH A1' ND SiTAID'LITY
OF OU,. * kUR-iL INDUSTftI,, S E~ VER APPOIN-. L" D IN
A,, U; i1* MLLIA. ALL Tlii] 6. SF! T. HIN-S Pil' 3ID31i FI~ dh
O1UNDJS FORc C F EX MM~ FAITH -Il TH-, FU-: Jt