* Jj,, AUSTHAL1A
PRM MOHNISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 481
3 April 1975
VIETNAMESE'CHILDREN
The Prime Minister, Mr ' Whitlam, said today that the
Government of the Republic of Vietnam had agreed to
facilitate arrangements for Vietnamese orphans to come
to Australia. In a special message to State Premiers, Mr Whitlam
repeated his appeal for the States to finalise as
expeditiously as possible decisions on applications for
permi ssion to adopt Vietnamese orphans. Children would
be flown from Saigon to Australia by the R. A. A. F. as
soon as the States gave certain guarantees about their
adoption and child welfare procedures in relation to the
orphans who would go to their States.
In his message to the Premiers, Mr Whitlam said:
" The Australian Government is in close touch with
the Government of the Republic of Vietnam through the
Australian Embassy. That Government has now advised my
Government that it is prepared to facilitate arrangements
for the exit of orphan children. There is, however, as yet no
precise figure on the number of children in Vietnam for
whom Australia is intended as destination. We also have
advice that in some cases children will not be accompanied
by documentation normally required for adoption. I am
however in the present critical circumstances prepared
to accept this situation. There remains one further
problem: that-we have no way of guaranteeing prior
to the orphans'departure that their physical and medical
condition will be such that they will necessarily be
accepted by adoptive families. In these circumstances,
therefore, I need your assurance that in the event that
children destined for your State are not chosen for
adoption by approved families your State will nevertheless
receive those children and guarantee their accommodation
and care..." " I should be grateful, therefore, for your agreement
that you will receive the number of children for whom
there are approved families whatever their condition and
that you concur in my Government's action in wajvivA
the normal medical requirements.
4_ -2-
I w'julJ. also be grateful if your State authority responsible
tr adoption couIld mai. ntaiii clos; e liason with the
/' Lt ral ian p. tment o L,. ibor ind Immigration in your
tLe in the norm^." vryV for overseas adoption cases.
L or an. wil for its part, proceed as
qiuickly s r. idc keep in touch with the
situation in Vietnam Lhrough our Department of Foreign
Affairs." TOWNSVILLE CANBERRA FAMILIES APPROVED AND AWAITING CHILDREN
FROM SOUTH VIETNAM FOR ADOPTION
NEW SOUTH WALES
VICTORIA QUEENSLAND SOUTH AUSTRALIA
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
TASMANIA 100 2
D4 f
TOTAL
FIGURES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND IMMIGRATION AS AT 0. 2/
APRIL 3, 1975.