PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Whitlam, Gough

Period of Service: 05/12/1972 - 11/11/1975
Release Date:
16/05/1975
Release Type:
Speech
Transcript ID:
3740
Document:
00003740.pdf 10 Page(s)
Released by:
  • Whitlam, Edward Gough
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR EG WHITLAM QC MP, AT THE OPENING OF THE EC CLOSE CENTRE AT GREEN HILLS, NSW ON 16 MAY 1975

SPEBCY TH PA, TI IO TEHEN[ 1I( MjSilTOR / RT 5FCEE GC. LiHSETCLENTI0 CH. P
AT GR EE N HI LLSNN, I S IN!
Oil MAY 16, 1975
I AM~ Df ELIGHTI'. D TO BE HERE W'ITH YOU TODA. tY TO
CELEBIRATE THE OP" ENING OF THIS IM-PREssivE E. C, CLOSE CENTRE,
ALDERP~ i,'\ UNICOMB IS A U'NIQUIELY SUCCESSFUL ADVOCATE OF
INVITATIONS TO V'ISIT THE M~ AITLAND REGION. IHE INSISTED
THAT I COIME WERE FOR THE HEART Olt -rHE HUNT'ER FrESTFIVAL
LAST OCTOBER, AND HERE I AM BACK AGAIN JUST SIX M"' ONTH9S
L ATE. I' ONLY SORRY I DIDN'T MAKE IT FOR THE VINTAGEI
N IACH YOU NIIGHT RECALL THAT IHAD INTEINDED TO ACCEPT
YOUR INVWITA7ION TO LAY THE FOUNDATrIOi. STONE OF THE CLOSE
CENTrRE' A YEAR AGO YIEST'E-RDAY. UNFORTUNATELY I WA" S HIEAVILY
INVOLVED IN. AN ELECTION CAMPAIG'Ni AT THIE TIME THE H1AY 18
FEDERAL ELECTION A YEAR AGO * THIS WNTEEKEND. fYCOLAU
LAiNE BARNARD DEPUTISED FOR ME HERE IN G R EENt HI LLS AND
PROINISED THAT I WOULD BE BACK FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING.
IAM GLAD THAT THE ELECTION RESULT WqAS SUCH THAT I WA S
ABLE TO IKEEP HIS PROMISE JUST ONE YEAR I-ATER. 21..

W. H EN I HEARD THAT DAW, 1N FRASER WOULD BE HER'PE
THIS EVEN ING TO GIVE A DEMONSTRATION SWIM1 ALONG ', I1TH
LAT ER AUSTFRALIAiN GLY," PIANS MIuKE ViENDENJ AIND YOUR O'WN'
WORLD P. EcOR50o YREAIKINGC GRAY,. I w,. As RE113N DED OF ONE
OF fMY EARLIEST DE-CISIONS AFTER BECOMING-10 PRIME 11IINISTER
I N DE CEMIB3E R 1972, FOR, A FEW DAYS * FHEHl, LtilicLE BAR\ 2i--D
AND I WIERE THE WHOLE CABI, 3NET, AND W'E DECIDED THAT THE
AUSTRAL IAN GO0/ V ENT WOUnLDj ENAB3LE DTwN jo . AVn; s--rL:
TO AMilERICA'S SPORTI., G 1HALL OF FAH. E I N FLORDIDA WHERE HER
AMAZN SWIMMIlNG PROWESS HAD ENTITLED HER TO A PLACE OF
HONOUR TH: FIRST AUSTRALIAN WOMAN O, 51 MAN SO HOi\ UREDL
IAM PROUD OF THAT DECISION.
TH. AT~ DECISIO0N WAS THEL-FIRST M,' ANIF: ESTATION OF
THE UNfDERTAKING I GAV'E IN OUR LABOR POLICY SPEECH FOR
T HE 1972 EL. ECTIONS,. NAMNELY THAT MY GO'VERNIMENT WOULD BE
THiE FIR'ST TO IMAKE DIlRECT GRANTS AV'AILABSLE FOR SPORTING
AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. TALKING OF THE ISSUES
RAISED B'jY THE PROSPECT OF IN4CREAoSING LEISURE TIME, I
SAID ' FI[ HERE IS NO GREATER SOCIAL PROBLEM OF ALL MO] CDER-N
AND WNEALTH( COtiMUN ITI ES FOR SUCH URI AN ISED
NATION AS OURS,. THIS-MAY VERY WIELL BE THE PROBLEM1 OF
THE 19o80' s; SO WE 1M1UST PREPARE NOW PREPARE THE
GENERATION OF THE 80" S rHE CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF THE
TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY AND ENRICH THEIR GROWNING HOURS OF
LE ISURE" 3

Tw/ vr I S THE DAI FOUR CONIT-ifT ASI THE REQ I ON
TAKIN\ G IN INEWCASTLE ANMD filAITLAND, Cr-SsNaC'. ANI) lUSViELL'-R0) K,
THE SIESOr: S INGLETON'l AND PA TrZICK PLAI'NS
LA !, E MA COUAR IE , DUNGOG A1ND) SOE A1: 1-( GLOUCESTE1 HIA S
DE'NEFITED FROlMl THIS POLICY,
tINDTRE .1974// 5 CAP IITAL AS sI STANCE PiROGRAMi
( AND 1NCk'lLUDIfNG IPOEMN RAN!\ TSC) A TOTAL OF $ 406, 500
HAS BEEN ALLOCATJiED TO THOSE CITIES AND SHIRESl~ l BY THE
AUSTRALIAN4 MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND RE--CREATION THIS IS
I N ADDI T ION1-TFHIE ! 3/, 0O0 DE AVAILA"' LE IN 1973/ 74,
Tins YEAR'S GRANTS OtCLUiDE $ LQ 00FO UCONsTRUc" rio1
ANDT. D! RE7SSI!\ NG: FACILITIES AT THE l[ iAITLAND OLY1MP1IC POOL;
W, 000 FOR THnE LUILDIN; G OF A t'U:-LTI-PURPO. SE SPORTING
AND ODC-AN ISA-TIONA L FACI LITY INi TH-E Du! t. 1; oe-SHIRE A-ND
$ 75,000 FOP. A SWMIGCOMPLEX AT CHAf LESTFO! AN IN THE
LAKE JIACQUAR IE SH IRE8 OTHIER. GRANTS HAVE GONE TOWARDS
IMPRO\ VING FACILITIES AT SPORTING, PICNIC AND CAMPING
SPOTS CATERlIN. G FOR THE WH!,-OLE CONJAUNITY.
TRUE, 14o FEDERAL GRANT WAS NM~. TOWARDS THIS
MAGN IF ICENT SPORTS CENTRE WNHICH IS A COMMERCIAL VENTURE
AVAILAB1' LE TO0 THE COM" MUNITY, AND ONE WHICH CANNOT BE
PRAISED TOO HIGHLYLl

I IDiL: D THE PLAINN I NHG AllD OPERAT I ON OF TH IS COM;' PL-EX
MIAY 1E L. L PROV'IDE A LESSON FOR iN1UN IC IPAL I\ UY! lOPRI TI ES
CO NEM L AT NC AN YTfI ING S I IN IL A F OR THfiE IR AR E AS T HE
EMPHASIS KEEIS O. N, PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNIITY FOR PEOPL-[-E
OF AlL AGE--S T0 TAKEl AD j.( AZ TV7 OF SPORTING FACI LITI E--S
WHICOH, W, 1HILE MOT REU~ GTEArI1 PARTI CI PAION, STI LL
ENABLE PE-OPLEr-TO IKEE FPIT AND HEALHY'N MATTER HOW
FAR THllEY NIGHT BE FIRM TEAM SELIECTION STANADArNDS,
IN PAR MU ARLY -PLEASED, If N ITERNAT IONiAL ' NOMEN ' S YEr-AR,
TO INOTE THAT TH ETECATERS FOR ' NWMEN'S RECREA\ TIONAL
NEEDS BY THE PROVISION NOT ONLY OF SPECIAL CLASSES BUT
ALSO OF A CHILD MIN1IG ROOM TO MAKE ATTEND'AINCE AT SUCH
CASSMORE THAN PIlPE: DREAMI'j
To GET BA, 4CK TO FUiNDING,": FOR,") A lf11iGENT, PRIORITY
SIM'* PL-Y t-ULSTl GO IN THE FIRST INSTANCE TO IBUILDIilG UPIN
MANY CSE HELPING TO PURCHASE THE LAND FOR PUB3LIC
SPORTS FACILITIES ' W!' iICH HAVIE LIMPED ALONG FOR SO 1AINY
YEAR'' S WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM 1EITHER STATE o r? FE DE': RA L
G ov miEvr-s, TL--vFPY IDEA OF HAVI! G SEPARATE DEPA. RTMENTS
OF TOURISM AND RECREATION RC'FC N N1QIEBY
THE WILDEST DREANIS OF GENTLE:-ME--N LIKEC-FlR. EDARJD CHARLES CLOSE
AFTER WHO1M THIS C-EN~ TPlz IS NAtM" ED,

BuT-f SO0H; EON; AS AS HE 1VU\ S IN THE
DAY--' rO--DAY ADUN TxTO'] AID D!: YLVLOlP1I: N1' OF THiI S
AREA1 WAS THE 1( 1T NP OF P) ERSON WHOAl1 1C ENTURY LATER/
VIOULD HiAVE APPIREC JATED1 THE NFED TO ESTAD, L I SF1 COMUHI TY
CREKIOK' CETPES FO02 HIS PECLL
IT IS ENTIRELY FITTrING THAT THIS CEiNTRF SIHOULD
D~ E DEDICA* TL! hD TO TH E MORY OF THIS VERY SPECIAL PIONIEER,
IHA". VE G. REAT PLEASURE IN DECLAR''% ING OPEN TH-E , C CLOSE CENTPEI

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE HUNTER REGION
AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE PLAN
HUNTER REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HAS
RECEIVED $ 29,000 OF $ 40,000 ALLOCATED TO THEM IN
1974/ 75 FOR ADMINISTRATION COSTS.
IN ADDITION $ 8,600 HAS BEEN PAID OUT OF THREE
ADDITIONAL GRANTS OF $ 12,000 PER ANNUM EACH FOR
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS APPROVED FROM 1/ 1/ 75,
LQCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE HUNTER REGION 1974/ 75
DENMAN SHIRE COUNCIL
DUNGOG SHIRE COUNCIL
GLoUCESTER SHIiR COUNCIL
GREAT LAKES SHIRE COUNCIL
GREATER CESSNOCK CITY COUNCIL
LAKE MACQUARIE SHIRE COUNCIL
MAITLAND CITY COUNCIL
MERRIWA SHIRE COUNCIL
MURRURUNDI SHIRE COUNCIL
MUSWELLBROOK MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL
PATRICK PLAINS SHIRE COUNCIL
PORT STEPHENS SHIRE COUNCIL
SCONE SHIRE COUNCIL
SINGLETON MUNICIPAL COUNCIL 37,000 60,000
47,000 20,000
$ 342,000
$ 870,000
$ 228,000 26,000 18,000 70,000
$ 716,000 33,000
$ 130,000 62,000 60,000
$ 2,719,000

RED SCHEIE
MAITLAND CITY COUNCIL PROJECTS APPROVED
GREEN HILLS LANDSCAPING
BROUGH HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS
BOLWARRA LOOKOUT
GILLIESTON HEIGHT PAVILION
JOHNSON RESERVE TOILET BLOCK
KERBS AND GUTTER ( 1)
HAROLD CRIGSON PARK LANDSCAPING
WOODBERRY COMMUNITY HALL
STREET NAME PLATES ERECTION
CLERICAL ASSISTANCE
KERBING AND GUTTERING ( 2)
PARK DEVELOPMENTS
CEMETRIES $ 15,680 4,450
$ 17,495
$ 21,900 6,086
$ 33,980 8,650
$ 99,000 3,140
$ 12,010
$ 56,780
$ 66,668
$ 44,350

GRiANTS MADE~ B1 TDE DEPATM~ ENT OF
TOU0ItSM' AND J~ 2LATiW TO IRiGTION N I. E',
1 973 74 i ba~ nl Ae l2-. co Procz." am
Dungo{ gs re Basketha1ll and tennis
C ourts
Lake MaIo: quariu Sportin g f'i. elds Belmont
8> i. _ c
Lah Macquarie Sj) 2tiflng filc9ds, Warners Bay
ShIre Tot al
1974/ 75 GrVwitalAss istaunee Pio ' iram ( inc: ui n g A 2,0( 0
30,000 5,000
37, 00')
10 j
Ncweasl City
Na: it: Land City
Greater Cessnock
City
Grcatcr Coss ' ock
C i ty
Singl elon
Municipal Shire
Hurrurunldi Shire
Mu rru junci Shire Swi: Lrni. ng cent: c at WaisI Coud
pools and arenitiecs
M': a: i. tlanid Oimp. c : ool
Ieconstruion and dresg i.
fuiaclIitiec3
Lighting Kurr. i spo: rts ground
Facitj.: Lics fCr St. o: rld
iiluthy's Sports Ground
AmelLti. t: es for James Cook Park
Amenities Warkworth Cricket
Ground fImrove fi: Ll. raton3 system
White Memorial. 1FPool
Purad. sc Park amenities and
itmprovement for picnicirig
Picnic faciii. lies and
amenit ies Norvil3 le Memor: ial: i
Park 73,000
' iO 7,500
15,000 30,000 8,000
30,000 8,000 / 2
I

19 7AI 7Caia_ b per ' I~ y C!
Sco-neo r
Great bake ShII r'e
Groeat, * Lak! e ShI-Ire
Gloucester Shire . Dovrc-ow7-c) i of: Bury) aJn
B3u 14 of* e uI~ ros
C, c 1 1 Li Pg li o ;' ga z,. t o nal
fac i; U L
P. LWo sion oa to : 1 t fac : i. 1 s
a-t recr. ftiOn o. er'
Do veIopplant of li~ e ' cs
I~ oo 1 amndLdeoe aprit sof
rec jo ation Pa: i . Liesat
Gloucester District Park
Lake > lacqiizric
S hi e C ~ I'm s t ompe t75 ,000
T ot1al 4/ 06, 500
OVERATLA TPOTAL 18, 000
70,000
15,000
15,( 00
15,000
4' 1500
A. rI-' tfj, 31 ud i. a1r: c
15ThIi2y1

CHILDHOOD SERVICES PROGRAM
Capital Grants Approved
Maitland Nursery School ( extensions) $ 12,000
Singleton Pre School Kindergarden ( extensions)
Currie Currie ( new Pre School) $ 31,000
Recurrent Assistance 1974/ 75 till 31 March 1975
Staff Costs in Pre-School Centres
Maitland Nursery School
East Maitland Kindegarden
Catherine Child Care, East
Cessnock Kindergarden
Singleton Kindergarden $ 2,607
$ 4491
Maitland $ 7953
$ 6699 $ 28,000
$ 6285

3740