SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
THE HON. E, G. lIWHITLAM, P, P,,
TO THE 1975 ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION,
OF THE A, L. P, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH,
ADELAIDE, SUNDAY 15 JUNE 1975
FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF ADDRESSING
YOUR ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION, IT IS NOT A PLEASURE
I WOULD READILY FORGO, SOUTH AUSTRALIA IS THE STATE:.
THAT BEST EXEMPLIFIES THE SUCCESS OF LABOR'S POLICIES.
IT'S HERE IN THIS PROGRESSIVE AND ENLIGHTENED STATE....
THAT WE SEE THE REAL FRUITS OF A GREAT LABOR PARTNERSHIP.
IT's A PARTNERSHIP THAT INVOLVES ALL OF US.-OUR PARTY,
YOUR BRANCH, SON DUNSTAN'S GOVERNMENT, MY GOVERNMENT,
OUR OFFICIALS, OUR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS. YESTERDAY
IN SYDNEY I FAD SOMETHING TO SAY TO THE NEW SOUTH WALES
BRANCH ABOUT THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S OBSTRUCTION AND
THE COST OF THAT OBSTRUCTION TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW SOUTH
WALES A COST MEASURED IN POOR SOCIAL PLANNING AND
DETERIORATING PUBLIC SERVICES, HERE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
WE CAN SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, IE CAN SEE
WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY READY COOPERATION BETWEEN
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE STATES, i r
SINCE I LAST SPOKE TO YOU THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS MADE GREAT PROGRESS WITH ITS PLANS FOR
A BETTER AND FAIRER SOCIETY, I DON'T WANT TO GLOSS
OVER OUR DIFFICULTIES, BUT EQUALLY THERE IS NO POINT
IN UNDERRATING OUR SUCCESSES. I WAS TAKEN TO TASK
IN THE PRESS THE OTHER DAY FOR POINTING TO THE REAL
GAINS IN INCOMES MADE BY EMPLOYEES UNDER A LABOR
GOVERNMENT, NO ONE SUPPOSES THAT MONEY INCOMES ARE ALL
THAT MATTER IN DETERMINING LIVING STANDARDS LEAST
S OF ALL WOULD A LABOR GOVERNMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THAT
VIEW, BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT UNDER LABOR THE
REAL GAINS IN PERSONAL INCOME HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL
M; ORE THAN 7 PERCENT SINCE WE CAME TO OFFICE.
PENSIONERS AND THOSE MOST IN NEED HAVE HAD BIGGER GAINS
IN THEIR REAL INCOMES THAN EVER BEFORE. A LABOR
GOVERNMENT A TRUE LABOR GOVERNMENT NATURALLY TAKES
PRIDE IN ANY REAL SHIFT IN WEALTH TOWARDS THOSE SECTORS
OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST IN NEED, AND OF COURSE
ALONG WITH THIS IMPROVEMENT IN MONEY INCOMES THERE HAS
BEEN A VAST AND PERMANENT EXTENSION OF THE RANGE OF
SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO ALL
AUSTRALIANS THE SORT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE
FOR A GENUINELY FAIR SOCIETY, FOR TRUE SOCIAL EQUITY,
WE WOULDN'T BE HUMAN IF WE WEREN'T WORRIED BY
THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WE SHARE WITH ALL OTHER
COMPARABLE COUNTRIES, IT IS NO EASY TASK TO FRAME
A NATIONAL BUDGET WHILE THESE PROBLEMS CONTINUE,
RECENTLY I HAVE DRAWN ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS OF
IMPROVEMENT ALREADY APPARENT IN THE ECONOMY
THE UPTURN IN THE DEMAND FOR HOUSING, THE CONTINUING
FALL IN UNEMPLOYMENT, THE GROWTH IN CONSUMER DEMAND,
WHAT WE ARE DETERMINED TO DO IN OUR EFFORTS TO
BEAT INFLATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT-IS PROTECT THOSE WHO
. MOST NEED PROTECTION. A LABOR GOVERNMENT IS ESSENTIALLY
: A GOVERNMENT THAT CARES FOR PEOPLE ESPECIALLY
. THOSE WHO STAND IN GREATEST NEED. THIS HAS BEEN
.: THE THEME OF ALL OUR EFFORTS, ALL OUR MEASURES, ALL OUR
PRIORITIES, WE'LL STAND BY THAT, IT'S-ALL TOO EASY TO
BE DISHEARTENED BY THE PROBLEMS WE FACE, THIS IS. NOT
THE FIRST TIME LABOR HAS BEEN IN POWER IN A TIME OF
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS, THIRTEEN MONTHS AGO WE
FOUGHT AN ELECTION IN A TIME OF IMMENSE ECONOMIC
DIFFICULTY; WE WON THAT ELECTION; WE CAN WIN AGAIN,
I CANNOT STRESS TOO OFTEN THE BASIC STRENGTH OF THE ECONOMY,
THE STRENGTH AND ABUNDANCE OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES,
THE IMMENSE GCODWILL WE ENJOY AROUND THE WORLD,
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IN PUSHING AHEAD WITH OUT PROGRAMS W\ E NEED THE
COOPERATION OF THE STATES, THIS WEEK, AS YOU KNOW',
I SHALL BE MEETING DON DUNSTAN AND THE OTHER PREMIERS
IN CANBERRA AT THE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE. I DON'T WANT
TO PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF OUR TALKS,
BUT THE POINT TO REMEMBER IN.
-THIS CONTEXT IS'JUST HOW MUCH THE? CAN SAVE, HOW
.:: MUCH THEY CAN EASE THEIR FINANCIAL BURDENS, BY
: COOPERATING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IN ITS
' SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, -THAT IS WHAT THE
LABOR GOVERNMENT HAS DONE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF KNUCKLIMG UNDER OR GIVING WAY
TO CANBERRA, IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING TOGETHER OF
HEALTHY NEGOTIATION, OF READY COOPERATION IN A
SPIRIT OF TRUST AND GOODWILL. . r. s
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THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPAL BURDENS ON ALL STATE
BUDGETS RAILWAYS AND HOSPITALS. OUR POLICIES ARE
DESIGNED TO RELIEVE THOSE BURDENS. IT'S WORTH
REMEMBERING THAT MEDIBANK, FOR EXAMPLE, INVOLVES
MUCH MORE THAN FREE MEDICAL INSURANCE. IT MEANS
A NEW DEAL FOR STATE HOSPITAL FINANCES, OFFICIALS
OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING STEADILY
. TOWARDS THIS AGREEMENT SINCE NEGOTIATIONS STARTED IN
OCTOBER. LAST YEAR. THE AGREEMENT IS NOW READY FOR
: SIGNINGA IT MEANS THAT THE NET COST OF OPERATING
::: iSOUTH AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC HOSPITALS WILL BE SHARED
. ON A 50-50 BASIS BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, I DON
HAVE TO REMIND YOU OF THE BENEFITS TO THE PUBLIC
OF THE HOSPITAL SIDE OF MEDIBANK FREE STANDARD
WARD TREATMENT, FREE OUTPATIENT SERVICES, LOWER
HOSPITAL CHARGES FOR INTERMEDIATE AND PRIVATE WARDS,
AN ADDITIONAL $ 16 A DAY IN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
PAYMENTS TO PRIVATE HOSPITALS FOR THEIR PATIENTS, x J ' rc . r-
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THOSE ARE BENEFITS FOR PATIENTS, FOR THE PEOPLE. THE
IMPORTANT THING FOR THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS A
SAVING OF $ 28 MILLION A YEAR UNDER THE MEDIBANK HOSPITAL
ARRANGEMENTS, MONEY WHICH THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILL BE
ABLE TO SPEND IN ANY AREA OF ITS RESPONSIBILITY, ONLY
ONE OTHER STATE TASMANIA WILL BE INTRODUCING THE
MEDIBANK HOSPITAL ARRANGEMENTS FROM 1 JULY, ALL THE
ANTI-LABOR STATES HAVE DITHERED AND DELAYED AT GREAT
COST TO THEIR STATE BUDGETS AND AT GREAT COST TO THE
WELFARE OF THEIR CITIZENS,
THE OTHER AREA WHERE WE ARE EASING SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S
FINANCIAL BURDENS IS RAILWAYS, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT YEAR
OF ACHIEVEMENT AND INNOVATION FOR THE RAILWAYS IN AUSTRALIA,
BUT IT HAS BEEN A TIME OF SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR SOUTH
AUSTRALIA, ONE OF MY FIRST ACTS AS PRIME MINISTER WAS
TO WRITE TO D'C DUNSTAN SEEKING DISCUSSIONS ON OUR OFFER
TO ACCEPT A TRANSFER OF THE STATE RAILWAYS TO THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, THAT OFFER WAS MADE IN MY 1972
POLICY SPEECH, ' iE MADE RAPID PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS,
THE PREMIER AND I SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON 21 MAY TO TRANSFER
THE NON-METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS OF THIS STATE, AND THE
NECESSARY LEGI LATION HAS PASSED THE. t-HOUSEE -OF REP. RESENTATL'VES,
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THERE WILL EE A NET FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE STATE'S
REVENUE OF $ 10 MILLION TO BE PAID BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
ON OR BEFORE 1 JULY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA WILL BE RELIEVED OF
CAPITAL DEBTS ON HER TRANSFERRED RAILWAYS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
WILL HAVE A SETTER RAILWAY SYSTEM. THE RIGHTS AND EMPLOYMENT
OF EVERY RAILWAY EMPLOYEE WILL BE PRESERVED,
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THERE IS MORE TO TELL YOU ABOUT RAILWAYS IN
SouTH AUSTRALIA, AND I SHALL RETURN TO IT IN A MOMENT,
BUT THE POINT I MAKE IS THIS: IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA,
WE HAVE HELPED TO RELIEVE THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF TWO
OF ITS TRADITIONAL BURDENS, AND REMEBER THAT WHAT
IE HAVE DONE FOR RAILWAYS AND HOSPITALS THIS YEAR WE
HAVE ALREADY DONE FOR WELFARE HOUSING AND UNIVERSITIES,
AT THE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE A YEAR AGO WE GAVE THE
STATES A VIRTUAL BLANK CHEQUE FOR THEIR WELFARE HOUSING..
NEEDS, THIS RESPONSIBILITY IS NOW SHOULDERED ENTIRELY
.: BY. THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, AT THE JUNE 1974 PREMIERS'..
'. CONFERENCE,' SOUTH AUSTRALIA WAS ADVANCED $ 20 MILLION
FOR THE SOUTH. AUSTRALIAN HOUSING TRUST IN 1974-75
AND $ 18 MILLION FOR LENDING TO MEANS TESTED APPLICANTS
FOR HOUSING LOANS THROUGH THE HOME BUILDERS' ACCOUNT
UNDER THE 1973, HOUSING AGREEMENT, IN ADDITION, UNIVERSITIES,
TEACHERS COLLEGES AND ADVANCED EDUCATION UNDER MY
GOVERNMENT ARE N'OW ALMOST ENTIRELY COMMONWEALTH
RESPONSIBILITIES. HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY GENEROUS
IN FUNDING THEM, AS WE HAVE WITH EDUCATION OF EVERY KIND,
I NOTICED IN THE " ADVERTISER" THIS WEEK THE PLAN FOR A
NEW TERTIARY EDUCATION CENTRE ON THE SITE OF THE EAST
END MARKET, IT'S A SUPERB SCHEME INCORPORATING THE
COLLEGE OF ADVANCED EDUCATION AND THE INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, IT WAS ONLY WELL DOWN IN THE REPORT THAT I
READ THAT THIS WAS-BEINLG FINANCED THROUGH AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THE UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION AND
THE COMMISSION ON ADVANCED EDUCATION IN COOPERATION
WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT,
LET ME DEAL WITH ANOTHER AREA WHERE SOITH
AUSTRALIA HAS SHOWN HOW THE STATES CAN WORK IN COOPERATION
WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WHERE REAL PROGRESS
IS POSSIBLE AND REAL BENEFITS CAN ACCRUE TO THE PEOPLE.
TWO MONTHS AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF OPENING THE FIRST
HOME SITES PROVIDED BY THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LAND
COMMISSION AT HAPPY VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA WAS THE
FIRST STATE TO RESPOND TO THE PROPOSALS MY GOVERNMENT
MADE FOR LAND COMMISSIONS. OTHER STATES HAVE FOLLOWED
SUIT WITH VARYING DEGREES OF ENTHUSIASM BUT IT WAS
SOUTH AUSTRALIA THAT SHOWED THE WAY. IT'S VERY OBVIOUS
WHY THIS COOPERATION ' AS NEEDED IN TACKLING THE
PROBLEM OF LAND PRICES THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS
THE NECESSARY FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND THE STATE GOVERNMENTS
HAVE A JURISDICTION IN LAND MATTERS WHICH MY GOVERNMENT
DOES NOT. ' VE HAVE SOUGHT TO BRING TOGETHER FEDERAL
FINANCES AND S-ATE POWERS TO REMOVE THE EVIL
OF SPIRALLING LAND PRICES AND IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA-WE HAVE
SUCCEEDED IN DITNG SO, THE PRICE OF LAND IS THE SINGLE
LARGEST COMPCNENT N THE COST OF A HOME, OUR LAND
COMMISSION PROGRAM OPERATES ON A VERY SIMPLE AND
FUNDAMENTAL PLANNING PRINCIPLE ADEQUATE LAND SUPPLY
IS NECESSARY T3 PREVENT LAND PRICE INCREASES AT TIMES OF
HIGH DEMAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS COOPERATED IN OUR SCHEME
FROM THE START, BLOCKS OF LAND ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE LAND
COMMISSION FOR ABOUT $ 1,000 LESS THAN COMPARABLE
BLOCKS IN OTHER PARTS OF ADELAIDE, ,1. i' 1
I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD ARGUE THAT RAPID
URBANISATION HAS BROUGHT MANY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ILLS
TO OUR CITIES. IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE GREAT POSTWAR
PROBLEMS IN EVERY DEVELOPED COUNTRY BUT ESPECIALLY IN
AUSTRALIA, TRANSPORT, SEWERAGE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT
SERVICES HAVE BEEN MADE MORE COSTLY AND DIFFICULT.
INDUSTRIES HAVE MET WITH HIGHER COSTS, THE ENVIRONMENT
HAS SUFFERED, AND PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS IN AUSTRALIA
JUST HAVEN'T COPED WITH THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVEN'T
STRIED, TTr, DON DUNSTAN'S GOVERNMENT AND MY GOVERNMENT HAVE
INITIATED A SERIES OF POLICIES RELATING TO LAND USE AND
LAND PRICES, THE OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO REDUCE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF TOO RAPID URBANISATION. THIS YEAR THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED APPROXIMATELY
$ 26 MILLION TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LAND COMMISSION,
BETWEEN ITS EST. ABLISHMENT IN NOVEMBER 1973 AND JUNE 1974, ' 2
IT HAS PURCHASED 1226 HECTARES OF LAND WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES
OF THE ADELAIDE METROPOLITAN AREA. THIS YEAR. IT IS
IMPLEMENTING A FURTHER PROGRAM TO ACQUIRE LAND FOR URBAN
DEVELOPMENT AND OPEN SPACES, THE COMMISSION HAS ENGAGED
THE SERVICES OF PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS IN THE FIELDS OF
PLANNING, ENGINEERiNG, SURVEYING AND VALUING, IT'S ALL
PART OF A SCHEMEi TO BRING TOGETHER THE THREE TIERS OF
GOVERNMENT AND INVOLVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES
IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM, IT'S A MODEL OF WHAT CAN BE DONE
TO IMPROVE OUR SURROUNDINGS AND MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR
AUSTRALIANS AND THEIR FAMILIES,
DON'T IMAGINE THAT LAND COMMISSIONS ARE ALL
THAT CONCERN US IN THIS FIELD, IN MAKING AUSTRALIA A
BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN WE ARE JUST AS CONCERNED WITH
RURAL AREAS. THE DEPARTMENT OFr URBAN AND REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT DEALS AS IMUCH WITH THE WELFARE OF REGIONS
AS IT DOES WITH CITIES, LAST YEAR WE APPROVED THE FIRST
DIRECT GRANTS EVER MADE BY AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
TO LOCAL COUNCILS GRANTS TOTALLING $ 56 MILLION
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA, $ 4,7 MILLION IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
ALL BUT SEVEN OF THE 136 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES IN THIS
STATE RECEIVED A GRANT,
WE HAVE SAFEGUARDED THE NATIONAL ESTATE, THE UNIQUE
AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS, NATURAL AND MAN-MADE, WORTH KEEPING
IN OUR COUNTRY, IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA WORKS UNDER THE
NATIONAL ESTATE PROGRAM AMOUNTING TO $ 886,000 WERE
APPROVED EARL:' THIS YEAR, I'E ARE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE
FOR ADELAIDE' ;-ATER TREATMENT SCHEME, WE ARE CATCHING
UP FURTHER ! WITH THE SEWERAGE BACKLOG IN ADELAIDE, IN THE
LAST FINANCIAL YEAR THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS
PROVIDED $ 5.7 ! ILLION TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA FOR THIS PURPOSE..
WE HAVE GIVEN $ 1 MILLION TO SOUTH AUSTRLIA TO DEVELOP
LEISURE AND RECREATION FACILITIES, WE HAVE UNIQUE PLANS
TO DEVELOP LE PARK IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AS A MODEL
COMMUNITY, IN; WHICH SCHOOLS, RECREATION AND HEALTH
FACILITIES WILL BE COORDINATED AND PLANNED IN CONSULTATION
WITH THE PEOPLE. WE HAVE ALLOCATED OVER $ 3 MILLION FOR THE
ANGLE PARK PROJECT. I' li ci
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OUR URBAN LOCAL ROADS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND WILL
INCLUDE A NUMBER OF INNOVATIONS TO LIFT THE STANDARDS
OF ROADS IN URBAN AND PROVINCIAL CENTRES, THIS
YEAR AND IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
WILL GRANT SOUTH AUSTRALIA A TOTAL OF $ 102.71 MILLION
FOR ROADS OF ALL KINDS. WE ARE GETTING ON WITH OUR
PLANS FOR A NATIONAL HIGHWAYS SYSTEM LINKING ADELAIDE
WITH PERTH, MELBOURNE AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.
NO-SERIOUS-EFFORT. WAS MADE BY PREVIOUS AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP A PROPER NATIONAL ROADS
. NETWORK. lWE ARE THE FIRST GOVERNMENT TO GET ON WITH
THE JOB AND WE'RE DOING IT BY COOPERATION WITH A LABOR
GOVERNMENT IN THIS STATE, IT IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF
WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF A LABOR
STATE, A LABOR ' SGVERNMENT SHOWING THE WAY. SOUTH
AUSTRALIA HAS COOPERATED IN ALL OUR DISCUSSIONS ON
URBAN ARTERIAL ROADS. IN ADDITION, SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS
READILY ENTERED INTO AGREEMENT WITH MY GOVERNMENT ON
THE UPGRADING OF ADELAIDE'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT. HERE IN
ADELAIDE YOU HAVE BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORT THAN MOST STATES,
BUT IT OUGHT TO BE BETTER STILL, IT WILL BE BETTER,
TO DATE, URBAN TRANSPORT PROJECTS IN THIS STATE HAVE
ATTRACTED MORE THAN $ 15 MILLION IN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
ASSISTANCE,
IN THIS CONTEXT I TURN AGAIN TO THE RAILWAYS,
MORE THAN ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT, THE LABOR GOVERNMENT
HAS RECOGNISED THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL APPROACH TO THE
RAILWAYS THE NEED FOR A MODERN, EFFICIENT, NATIONAL
RAILWAY SYSTEM, NO STATE WILL BENEFIT MORE FROM SUCH
A SYSTEM THAN SOUTH AUSTRALIA ITS TRADE, BOTH EAST AND
WEST, WILL BE INVIGORATED AND STREAMLINED, I HAVE
MENTIONED THE TRANSFER OF THE NON-METROPOLITAN SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, IT
WAS THE FIRST STEP IN THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL
RAIL SYSTEM WORTHY OF A GREAT CONTINENT. THE
AUSTRALIAN ' ATIONAL RAILWAYS, WHICH. WE ARE SETTING UP
UNDER NEW LEGISLATION, WILL HAVE THE ORGANISATIONAL
STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL POWERS TO CONSOLIDATE THE
OLD COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS AND THE STATE RAILWAYS,
INTO A SINGLE SYSTEM, EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST AND
BEST ROLLING SETCK. E HAVE ALREADY BEGUN WORK ON TWO
IMPORTANT NEW . AIL LINKS IN THIS STATE. Two MONTHS AGO
I ATTENDED THE INUGURATION OF THE TARCOOLA TO ALICE
SPRINGS RAILWAY, THE LARGEST RAILWAY PROJECT IN
AUSTRALIA FCO OVER HALF A CENTURY. THIS YEAR, TOO,
WE HAVE BEGUN 3UILDING THE STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY
BETWEEN ADELAIDE AND CRYSTAL BROOK, WHICH WILL REMOVE THE
LAST BREAK CF GAUGE BETWEEN THE MAINLAND CAPITALS, r
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IN NO OTHER STATES HAS THERE BEEN SUCH A
MAGNIFICENT AND SUSTAINED RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT, I
COULD EXTEND THIS LIST WITHOUT DIFFICULTY THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT HOUSING CORPORATION, THE LEGAL AID OFFICE, THE
CHILDREN'S COMMISSION. WE CAN BE PROUD OF OUR RECORD.
IT'S ALL BEEN ACHIEVED UNDER LABOR, IT COULD ONLY BE
ACHIEVED UNDER LABOR, UNDER ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT THESE
THINGS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE AND UNDER ANY
OTHER GOVERNMENT THEY WOULD BE CUT BACK OR DISMANTLED,
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE EVIDENCE OF OPPOSITION
OBSTRUCTION IN THE PARLIAMENT, IN THE NON-LABOR STATES,
IN THE COURTS, IT WAS MADE VERY OBVIOUS I N THEIR
APPROACH TO THE RECENT REDISTRIBUTION AND I KNOW
ELECTORAL REFORM IS A MATTER OF VERY SPECIAL
IMPORTANCE TO T. E PARTY IN THIS STATE. DON DUNSTAN
HAS HAD A L. NGER BATTLE THAN MOST OF US TO GET FAIR
REPRESENTATICO FOR THE PEOPLE, IN THE NATIONAL
PARLIAMENT WE ARE STILL FIGHTING THAT BATTLE. OUR
REDISTRIBUTiON '; AS ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE THE FAIREST EVER
PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT, IT WAS BASED ON OUR LEGISLATION
TO ESTABLISH ELECTORAL EQUALITY FOR EVERY AUSTRALIAN
WHEREVER HE LIVED, THAT LEGISLATION IWAS PASSED
BY THE JOINT SITTING OF PARLIAMENT LAST YEAR; IT WAS ONE
OF THE PROPOSALS ON WHICH THE DOUBLE DISSOLUTION WAS
GRANTED; IT W: AS SPECIFICALLY ENDORSED BY THE PEOPLE,
YET THE LIBERALS, UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE COUNTRY PARTY,
REJECTED THIS OVERDUE AND NECESSARY REDISTRIBUTION,
THEY REJECTED IT EVEN IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA A STATE WHERE
THE COUNTRY PARTY HAS NO REPRESENTATION IN THE NATIONAL
PARLIAMENT, .. L1.
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IASK Y(. U TO REP T ' E Cz4VAIGN OF
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