PRIME MINISTER'S QUEENSLAND BROADCAST NO.
QUALITY OF LIFE
SUNDAY. 3 AUGUST 1975
IT'S NO SECRET THAT OUR. NEXT BUDGET WILL PUT
SOME PRETTY TIGHT RESTRAINTS ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING1
BUT THAT DOESN'IT MEAN WE WON'IT BE SPENDING ON THINGS THAT
MATTER, OUR OPPONENTS ARE VERY FOND OF KNOCKING ANY
SORT OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE, AS IF ALL GOVERNMENT
EXPENDITURE WERE WASTEFUL AND UNNECESSARY, WE HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT THE LIBERALS IN OFFICE WASTED MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN GRANTS TO WEALTHY SCHOOLS, EXPENSIVE SUBSIDIES
TO CERTAIN INDUSTRIES AND SUCH EXTRAVAGANCIES AS THE
F-ill. IT'S QUITE ABSURD WHEN THE QUEENSLAND PREMIER
AND THE COUNTRY PARTY PUBLICLY ADVOCATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
AND MISSILE SYSTEMS FOR AUSTRALIA THE SORT OF THINGS
THAT WOULD COST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF WE'WERE MAD ENOUGH
TO TAKE THEIR ADVICE AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT' LABOR'S
SOCIAL WELFARE PROG RAMS AND GRANTS TO THE ARTS. THIS
CONSTANT WHINGEING ABOUT GRANTS TO THE ARTS IS ONE VERY
GOOD EXAMPLE OF OUR OPPONENTS HATRED OF ANYTHING THAT
REALLY IMPROVES THE LIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF ORDINARY
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY MINORITY GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY,
2.
THE FACT IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A NUMBER
OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MAKE LIFE HAPPIER AND MORE
ENJOYABLE FOR PEOPLE IN SMALL, AND SOME WOULD SAY,
RATHER UNUSUAL WAYS. WE SEE THESE AS AN ESSENTIAL
PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S WORK. GOVERNMENT ISN'T
JUST A MATTER OF PROVIDING ROADS AND PENSIONS AND
EDUCATION, WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO ENLIVEN AND
INVIGORATE PEOPLE'IS LIVE* S, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
REWARDS AND SATISFACTIONS OF THE ARTS, AND DECENT
OPPORTUNI-TIES FOR SPORT AND RECREATION AND HOLIDAYS,,
ARE SHARED BY AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND NOT JUST
BY A FORTUNATE ELITE. AND THE TRUTH IS THAT IN THE
TOTAL SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE THESE EFFORTS
ARE ACTUALLY VERY, VERY INEXPENSIVE. OUR TOTAL BUDGET
FOR THE ARTS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BEEN $ 20 MILLION. THAT'S
LESS THAN ONE-TENTH OF ONE PER CENT OF THE GROSS
DOMESTIC PRODUCT. THE IDEA THAT SUCH EXPENDITURES ARE
INFLATIONARY IN THEMSELVES IS TOO SILLY FOR WORDS,
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER ANY SUCH EXPENDITURE SHOULD BE
A PART OF A GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL ACTIVITY, I CERTAINLY
BELIEVE IT SHOULD. THE FACT THAT THE LIBERALS DID NEXT
TO NOTHING IN THESE FIELDS DOESN'IT MAKE THEM UNIMPORTANT,
t v s/ 3
3.
I SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT
ITSELF DOESN'T DECIDE WHAT GRANTS SHOULD BE MADE FOR
THE ARTS, THIS IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE AUSTRALIA
COUNCILI AN INDEPENDENT BODY IT USED TO BE CALLED
THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THEARTS WHICH THE
GOVERNMENT SET UP AS A STATUTORY AUTHORITY, OF
COURSE IT RECEIVES AN ANNUAL BUDGET FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
BUT JUST HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE SPENT IS FOR THE COUNCIL,
WITH ITS OWN BOARDS AND EXPERT ADVISERS TO DECIDE, I
RECALL SOME LOUD CRIES OF ANGUISH NOT LONG AGO WHEN
THE COUNCIL MADE A GRANT OF $ 500 TO A DAHLIA FESTIVAL
IN VICTORIA, WELL, I SUPPOSE IT'S EASY TO MAKE FUN OF
PEOPLE WHOSE INTERESTS AREN'T CONFINED TO RACING AND
THE STOCK MARKETI BUT THE PARTICULAR FESTIVAL TO WHICH
THAT GRANT WAS APPLIED HAPPENS TO BE THE ANNUAL OCCASION
OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE IN THE LIFE OF THE WHOLE BENDIGO
REGION, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES AND INTERESTS
AND IT'S PART OF OUR POLICY TO GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT AND
EXPRESSION TO DIVERSE AND EVEN OFF-BEAT ACTIVITIES
IF THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE FOLLOWING AND CAN ENRICH
THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS, IT DOESN'T COST MUCH,
BUT THE RETURNS ARE VERY GREAT, 1 1/ 4
LET ME GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE
AUSTRALIA COUNCIL HAS DONE IN QUEENSLAND, THE MAJOR
ARTS GRANTS GO TO THE BIG THEATRE AND BALLET COMPANIES
AND ORCHESTRAS, BUT IT ISN'IT JUST A MATTER OF FUNDING
HIGHBROW PURSUITS IN THE BIG CITIES. SMALLER GRANTS
HAVE GONE TO THEATRE AND DANCE COMPANIES IN OUTBACK
PARTS OF THE STATE, SUCH AS THE PIAREEBA REPERTORY
SOCIETY, THE TOWNSVILLE LITTLE THEATRE AND THE FAR
NORTH QUEENSLAND AMATEUR THEATRICAL-ASSOCIATION.
M'ONEY HAS GONE TO LOCAL FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITY ARTS
FESTIVALS ALL OVER QUEENSLAND, !, WE HELPED THE QUEENSLAND
BALLET TOUR IN REMOTE AREAS LIKE COOKTOWN AND THURSDAY
ISLAND. JAZZ, FOLK MUSIC AND ABORIGINAL ARTS ARE SUPPORTED
AS WELL, ALTOGETHER, IN 19714, THE COUNCIL MADE 259
GRANTS IN QUEENSLAND WITH A TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF JUST
UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE OTHER AREA WHERE WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE
QUALITY OF LIFE AND PEOPLE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FULFILMENT AND ENJOYMENT IS TOURISM AND RECREATION,
WE SET UP A NEW DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND RECREATION
AS SOON AS THE GOVERNMENT CAME TO OFFICE. IT'S
SURPRISING HOW MUCH CAN BE DONE WITH SMALL SUMS APPLIED
CAREFULLY FOR LOCAL PURPOSES. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A
MATTER OF BUILDING VAST STADIUMS THOUGH SOMETIMES BIG
PROJECTS ARE INVOLVED BUT MAINLY IT IS HELPING LOCAL
GROUPS AND AUTHORITIES IMPROVE EXISTING FACILITIESA
NEW CHANGEROOM, AN EXTRA TENNIS COURT, FLOODLIGHTING
FOR AN OVAL. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES: $ 4000 TO PURCHASE
A BUILDING FOR A YOUTH CENTRE AT CHARTERS TOWERS.
$ 6000 FOR SQUASH COURTS AT WINTON, $ 42,000 FOR TENNIS
AND BASKETBALL COURTS AT GLADSTONE, $ 8000 FOR A STADIUM
AT rARYBOROUGH. IN ADDITION, WE' RE DEVELOPING A NUMBER
OF NATIONAL PARKS, MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES IN QUEENSLAND
TO IMPROVE THEM AS TOURIST RESORTS SO THAT ALL AUSTRALIANS
CAN ENJOY THE NATURAL BEAUTIES AND PLACES OF HISTORIC
INTEREST WITH WHICH THIS STATE ABOUNDS. ALTOGETHER
THIS PROGRAM IS COSTING. SOMETHING OVER $ 230,000 IN
QUEENSLAND A TINY SUM As GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES GO.-
BUT ONE THAT IS GETTING RESULTS AND BRINGING PLEASURE
TO GREAT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE. i m v/ 6
QUITE FRANKLY, WE DON'T SEE THIS KIND OF OUTLAY
AS FRIVOLOUS OR UNNECESSARY, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE,
THESE EXPENDITURES HAVE TO BE REVIEWED AT BUDGET TIME, BUT
GRANTS OF THIS KIND HAVE AN ESSENTIAL PLACE IN THE
GOVERNMENT'S THINKING, FOR ONE THING, OPPORTUNITIES
FOR SPORT ARE BUILDING A MUCH HEALTHIER GENERATION
FO YOUNG AUSTRALIANS, WE OUGHT TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST
MEAN-SPIRITED PEOPLE WHO RESENT THE IDEA OF GAMES AND
PLEASURE FOR COMMUNITIES WHICH LACK DECENT FACILITIES
FOR SPORT AND RECREATION. IN THE SAME WAY, LET'S BE
WARY OF THE PHILISTINES IN OUR iMIDST WHO OBJECT TO
ANY GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE ARTS. WE CAN BE A
PRETTY TOUGH AND CYNICAL PEOPLE WHEN IT SUITS US,
BUT THERE HAS TO BE A PLACE IN ANY HEALTHY SOCIETY FOR THE
INTANGIBLE THINGS THE MENTAL, INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL
REWARDS THAT THE ARTS CAN BRING, ONE DAY WE MAY COME TO
SEE THAT THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OF ALL,