SPEECH BY THE HRilf 1EfINIiSTERT
TUE HON, E. G. WHITLAN,
FOR THE ONEThING OF THE 18THl BIENNIAL CONFEREINCE
OF THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATIo~ OF AUISTRALIA
H1E L3 OUIN~ E. 24 AUGUST 1975
ICONGRATUL ATE . THE ORGAN ISERS OF THIS CONFERENJCE O N
BRI-NGING TOGET,-]"-HER SUCH A R EP RE SETAT I~ A ND. D IST INGUISHED
* GATHERING OF LIB3RARIAiNS, ADM' N1STRATORS AIND AL L T HOSE CONCERN'ED
W IT H T iiE 2/ LOPMENTf OF LIBRARIES IN LlUS RA L IA, THE_ SIZE AND
SCOPAES SOCr" IT TY, O U% HCEF RV IGOUNRC P OFA R-EY OUER0V IDENCFES IN0C F THE NS TRETNH'\ EG THP U-OBFL IC'( O'SUR
F TE OLEr Or: IRAV IN A FREE SOCIETY,
I P3i-YEAPS THERE HAS B EN A MIARKED CHANGE IN
CTFH E 1ZEDUi. T2VV3 LrCG I CH PEDCE PTIO TO 0OFP R'OyIVHAIDTE , A LII1NBE RAN RO Y LOSNHGOEURL. D THBEIN KA N" OD F-W LHIABTR ASRO RIETS
AS CQLt rCER3 j5O OOKS, ITI O OUUHTHE t'IATERIAL'
O1R1 C S OF A L T D THAT COUNT 7IMPORTANT AS. THESE. ARE
BU: TH Ci 0UR ESARE USED AND HOGW T HE Y ARE M1ADE AVAILABLE
TO0 THOS E lWHO2-N' ED THEi', THE LIBRARY' S FUNCTION IS TO PROV/ IDE
INFO, A-f I' TB'ARIAN IS FUNCTIONI IS TO ORGANISE THAT
INFORNATIGN AND ENSURE" THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT,
IHOPE THIS WI LL NOT SOUND TOO ELITIST A V/ I EWf ORA
T HE M E TOO R EMOT E FIROM YOUR P RLES ENT P R EOCC UP AT I OINS TH E
FREEDC; TO DtE iGNORANT MlAY WELL BE -AS PRECIOUS AS* THE RIGHT
TO N~ r4. DO3THOWEVER, IF LIBRARIANS WOULD ACCEPT THAT.
CCE R A' 0h NOT. IMPLY MAKE THE POINT THAT WHEREA
O3, CSRE A FUNCTION OF LITERACY.', THEY ARE RIGHTLY
S . A 3 A FU iC T nIN IF LI1B E RT Y. NOTICED THAT IN YOUR. SUBMISSION
TO THE C OMI 4T T F: G F UIRY INTO PUBLIC LIBRARIES AN INQUIRY
ISHt-: AL DEAL 111T! H L'TER YOU QUOTED SOME WORDS OF ONE OF MY
FO3. ADVITSSEL LSY., L YOR OF COURSE, THE DISCIPLES QUOTE THE
:~ SERBUTIN HISCAS IQUOTE THE DISCIPLE JIM SPIGELMAN
u 1972 AT 5O) TH SUMIMER SCHOOL. OF FEASRLA
NS TlTU TE 0OF P OL TIL S C I ENC E
" REE-CM~ OF INFORIMATION IS AS VITAL TO DEMOCRACY
AS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, YET THE ORFHA EER
ATTRACTED THE SAME DEGREE OF ATTENTION OR
E. M'OTIOPN AS THE LATTER," .1/ 3 S 0
THESE FUNCTIONS ARE BASIC TO ANY CONCEPT OF T-RUE
D EOCAY LBARE THAT ARE FREE, OPEN AND ACCESSIBLEAE
JUST MUCH BASTIONS OF FREEDOM AS UNIVERSITIES OR
PARLIAMENTS. FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A PRECIOUS FREEDOM, BUT
IT HAS A i U1CH HIGHER VALUE,, A MUCH RICHER SIGNIFICANCE, VIHEN
FREEDOil OF INFORMATION GOES WITH IT. EVERYONE HAS TfHE RIGHT
TO AN ILL-INFORM" ED1 OPINION, BUT ONLY THROUGH ACCESS TO
INFORMATION CAIN THE FIR EEDO0M TO EXPRESS OPINIONS HAVE GENUINE
VALUE, ONLY' THROUGH ACCESS TO liNFORMATION C AN FREEDOM OF
C D C f' -0 D H V D1 I % A N rT N1 A T) CM r ' D A T r Q C zTV
IT IS ONLY LATELY THAT GOVERIiIENTS HAl~ VE COME
TO RECOGNISE THE FORCE OF THIS ARGUMIENT3 MENT1INl 1f
HERE BECAUSE IT IS RELEVANT INOT ONLY TO0 THE WORK OF YOUR
PROFESSION BUT TO ONE OFr TIHE BASIC POLICIES OF NiY
Go0V EE isi'l 1rT. THE RE I S NO0 PART OF OURI) PHILOSOPHY; NlO
PHRASE IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL VOCABULARY, SO POORLY
UNDERSTOOD AS " OPEN GoVERMEii", IT IS REGULARLY QUOTED
BACK TO ' E BY JOURNALISTS 14E.. E MINISTERS REFUSE
TO ANSWER A QUESTION AT A PRESS CONFEER-JCE OR REFUSE
TO DIVULGE THE DETAILS OF A CABINET DECISION. I SUPPOSE
IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT IN AN iD, E' AL SOCIETY THERE W4OULD
BE NO SECRETS OF ANY KIND. FOR ALL THE PROGRESS WIE
H AV. E M ADE SI iC E D EC EM 3ER 1972; 1 CONFESS THFAT THE IDEAL
SOCTY A ETT ATTA INED, SO WE SHALL HAVE TO
~. CETsoMECi= TALT I N PUBLIC AFFAIRS, By
QE G HOW EVER, WE INTEND SOME: THING DEEPER
A iD MNORE IllDPORTANT THAN CON" TEM?"', OR'AiNE'-OUS DISCLOSUREl";
MEAN TIE WIDE . ST_ POSSIBLE ACCESS TO REPORTS, TO
STATI1STICS, TO DC*% Jo=., TS, TO THE RESULTS OF OFFICIAL
CUlU TRIESJ TO FACTS, TO RECORDS OF EVERY KIND, WE PlEAN
SOMEITHING NO R E PEi OUS GOVE~ rNME'l\ lNTS FREQUENTLY AVOIDED
RESPONSI3I1LITY FOR CERTAIN THINGS BY SAYING THEY WERE
3. A T E PMA T TCERD\ S INEVITABLY THIS IMAT1HAT VERY
LI TTLE EXPERT PUBLI C SERV/ ICE ADVICE OR INFORMATOWA
AV. AILA8LE ON THESE SUBJECTS TO THE NATIONAL GOVERNIMENT.
BY BRINGING TOGETHER THE BEST TALENTS IN THESE AREAS.,
B_ 3Y OPEN'IN,\ G U. P THE WIDEST RA NG E OF AD'/ ICE. 1 AND BY MAKING
THAT ADVICE AVAILABLE TO ALL. WE HAVE VASTLY WIDENED
THE VOLUME OF PUBLIC INFORtMATION, LIBRARIES AND
LIBRARIANS HAVE HELPED IN THAT PROCESS, ~ i S I . dll
3A.
OPEN GO-VERNMENTS t" EANS FREEDOM 0O: INFORMATION. AS
SURELY AS THE PARLIAMENT ENSHRINES., DEFENDS AND
MAINTAINS THE-FREEDOM OF SPEECH.) THE LIBRARY ENSHRINES,
D EFE N DS AND 11A IN TA. NS T HE FREDOM 0OFINFORMATION1
IN MlY POLICY SPEECH INf, 197 2 1 DEF-INi-D LABOR'S BASIC
O3J'ECTIVES IN THESE TERMS
TO PROMOTE EQUALITY i
TO INVOLVE-THE PEOPLE OF IN THE DECISIONMAKING
PROCESSES
TO LIBERATE THE TALENTS AND UPLIFT THE HORI1ZONS
OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE
QUITE CLEARLY THE FULFILMENT OF THESE OBJECTIVES.
DEPNDSON THE CULTIV'[' ATION OFr A ORE AWARE A" ND BETTERIOME
ELETORTEII~ MLR PPOTUNTIS IN EDUCATION ARE A LONG-TR
A\ SPE-CT OF ' THIS PROCESS, IN TH E SHORT TERM IT IS CLEAR THAT.
BETTE'R LIRrY AND ' INFORMATION SERVICES, PROPERLY ORGAN ISED
; DEQUATEL Y F; ED CN RAISE THE-LEVELS OF-KfNO!' llEDGc
~ IC ANiDL r-SOP H ISTICATION IN SOCIETY, IF PEOPLE ARE
TO 4 E I' LV. L) iU' T> CISION-MAKING PROCESS THEY MUST KiNOWi
L~ 4 ~ CTSIONSARE ANDu HOW POLITICAL ISSUES CAN B3E JUDGED,
LI RE S M-ItU T IN THIS PROCESS, AN INFORMED COMMUNITY
ETTER EQU IPPED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS#
T " ILE RA. E~~ TAI EIITS ANT) UPLIFT THE HORIZOS O H
T AN PEO PLE iT S ES SE NT IAL THA T PLE BE AWARE OF. THE*
T~ ORU1II~, THE PO'NS3! 3ILITJES FOR B0ETTERMENT AND PEFOP " MJ
THE FAIITYOF CHNETHAT COMES FROM A GRASP OF CURRENT
A. FAIRS I. N'FOROMED AND ENRICHED BY A KNO' 4' _ EDGE OF HISTORY, HERE
AGA"% il THE LIBRARY, AS TiHE PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION, HAS A
CENTPAL ROLE TO PLAY,
FORp A RIEFORMING GoVElINiNENT THEREAi OBSVIOUS
DEFICITENC! VS IN THE LIB3RARY SERVICES POVIDED IN AUSTRALIA,,
THEIil hSoT-OBIOUS DEFICI ENCY LIES IN THEC" IN'EQUALITY OF THEIR
STANDARDS, STANDARDS VARY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM STATE TO STATE
ANDW TI SFA1ES AND WITHIN CITIES, IAM THINKING PARTICULARLY(
HERE OF PUBLIC. LIBRARIES.. WITH NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS PUBLIC.
LIBRARY STANDARDS IN AUSTRALIA ARE LOWER THAN THOSE I1N MAM4Y
OTHER OUTESOF COMPARATIVE ', iEALTH, PUBLIC LIBRARIES R
THE BASIC RESPONSIBSILITY OF LOCAjL GO'IERN IENT AUTHORITIES0
WHC = EC:-' TIVE ASSISTANCE FROM STATE GOVERNMENTS, GENERALLY
SP EAKI fG THAT ASSI1STAN*) CE HAS BENINADEQUATE, LOCAL. AUTHORITIES
HAVE THEIR---T-o 001 4N F INANCI AL PROBE) 13 r-ND THIE RESOURCES ALLOCATED 0
TO DUBLC Ll DRAR ZS HAVE USUALLY HAD A LOW PRITORITY,
ACY.~ D~ ThT HESSTOA TES THE SCALE OF: ASSITACE: TO
_ l ' TD RE C A 3LEi NARKEDLY INCREASED INi RECENT YEARS.,
BU YS CLEr A R> A S7-rRIES OF A" THOR1TATIVE RE P ORT S OVER
YEARS~ A OVERALL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC: LIBRARIES
AR U TOO LO4, CETAINLY THE TASK OF PROVIDING EFFICIENT
? U3L LLI 3DR' SE S i MUCH MOPC) E DIFFICULT IN THINLY
." ATED RURAL AESTHAN IT IS IN COiMlPACT CENTRES OF
9LTI~ oiIN ClUES IANTO) W ! 4S. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE
CITIZCEF NS~ SOULiS D~ HAVE ACICESS TO BETTER LIBRA! t
S ER V CE S 6G EATFER F EE iDC' 1 OF I IFO0R AT 1IN' THFIANI T HE CITIZENS
oi ECHUCttfA oR GrEELOCNG.
ONlE OF THE GOV/ ERNMENT'S CENTRAL AMBITIONS HAS BEEN
TO REDRESS I NEQUALIT IES BETWEEN REG IONS, BETWEEN CITY DWELLERS
AND RESIDENTS OF COUNTRY TOWNS, 11WEB 3ELIEVE THAT A PERSON'S~
STANDARD OF LIVING SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON WRE HE LIVES Of!
IS OBLIGED TO LIVE: WE HAVE TAKEN A NUMiBER OF STEPS TO
ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
AUTHORITIES AND PROVIDE MORE ADEQUATE AND UNIFORM PUBLIC
LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES. FOR EXAMPLE, W/ E HAVE.
AMENDED THE GRANTS COMMISSION LEGISLATION TO ENABLE THE
COINMISSION TO RCOMN;. END-GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT 0444
T 2AT'~ LREDRESS SREGIONAL INEQUALITIES IN THE SAMiWAY THAT
* INEQUALITIES 2ETWEEN STATES HAVE BEEN ALLEVIATED. LAST'
FINANCIA'' L YEA $ 56 i'lILLION W/ AS ALLOCATED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bouvs; IN i975-76 ALMOST $ 80 MILLION WILL BE GRANTED
7 ZZE GRANTS S-V. ULD DO MUCH TO IMPROVE LOCAL LIBRARIES:
I~ * ADITIO 1, 7HROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, THE GOVERMMENT IS DIRECTLY ASSISTING' SOME
LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN THE PROVIJSION OF LIBRARY SERVICES.
InM, A. RC H THIS YEAR I ANN-OUNCED THE APPOIN.\ TMENT
OF A WIIDE-RANGING COMMl" 1ITTEE OF INQUWIRY INTO PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
IN AUSTRA LI A. [ HERE HAS BEE. N A FULL NT ENCOURAGING RESPONSIE
TO THIS iNQUIRuuY THE CONITTEEJ UNDER THE CHAIRMAiNSHIP OF
. LA.
HIP. R HORTON, HAS ALREADY HELD 13PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE
STATE CAPITALS, CANBERRA AND DARWIN AND 11' MOIRE HEARINGS IN
REGONL CNTES. IT HAS RECEIVE~ D SOME 350 WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS,
INCLUDING AN4 EXTENSIV/ E AND VALUABLE SUBM" ISSION FROjM YOUR OW4N
ASSOCIATION, WHTWE. ARE SEEKING ARE NOT JUST MORE BOOKS OR
BETTER BUILDINGS BUT A COMPIREHEINSIVE NAT IONAL I NFORII
POLICY, THi.: E IS A L N-TERiMy il D TO C-ORDINATE ANDj.
RATIONALISE ALL L IB R ARY SERVICES, THE RE I S SOI'ME IRONY I N THE
F A CT T HAT C H LD REN OFTEN HAVE A" CCESS TO BETTER LIBRARY SERVICES
* r:~ THEIR PAREllNTS. IN ANY ARE'S THE ONLY LIBRARIES OP ANY*
DID ARE THOSE IN SCHOliOLS. I SOM AEAS THERE I S INOT E VEIN
A S.-Li" OI_ LIBRA" IRY WfiORTHYi OF THE COINSIDERABLE
AUSTlRALliA_. N GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE H,-AS GOIN'E TO SCHOOL AND
TERTIAIRY EDUCATIONAL LIBRARIES BU. LT VERY LITTLE TO PUBLIC
L 1BRA R I ES C LE-A RL Y THERE IS A NEED TO CO-O1RDINATE THE FUNDING
OF SCHOO-3L A111 ' 3 i~ i:' AL LIB-2RARY SEDVICES 11,1 TlHE PE-ST RESULTS ARE'
To PPE ACHIEVED, AGAIN, THE WORK OF CATALOGUlING LliBRARY
MlATER IAL., COMPI LIN.' G B IBLI OGRAPH IES AND REFERENCE SYSTEMS,'-is
FREQUEINTLY DUI-PLICATED IN MIANY LIBRARIESI THERE IS A NEED TO
EXAMINE 1WHETHER A CENTRAL CATALOGUING AND IN1DEXING SERVICE IS'
cEOFR IIN8 TEEAE THE SORT OF QUESTIONS THAT NUST BE
ANSWERED IN EVALUATING THE EFFrECTI'/ ENESS OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES3
AND DETERMINING THE B'EST M" IETHOD OF FUNDING THEM,
_ 78-* ISHOUL D MENTION A FURTHER INITIATIVE INi THE
DIEVELOPMEN-r OF" A NATIOiNAL INFORH1ATION SERVICE, EARLY LAST
YEAR rH~ E GOVEiRNMEiNT APIPOINTED AN INTER-DEPART'MENTAL COMMITTEE
TO CONSIDER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AUSTRALIAN LIBRARY BASED
INFORMATION SERVICES THIS AROSE FROM A PROPOSAL MADE BY ' THE
NATIONAL LIBRARY. IN THE BUDGET SPEECH LAST YEAR THE THEN
TREASURER ANNOUNCED AN ALLOCATIO'N OF-MORE THAN $ 1MILLION
FOR A FEASI3ALITY. STUDY INTO THE ESALSHETOFSC
S ERIIC E A STAND ING I NTER-DEPARTMENTAL CO" M I TTEE HAS BEEN
A PPOINTED TO SUPERVISE THE SE STUDI ES, ITS INQUIRIES ARE
PROCEEDING. ~ ONE EXAiMIN ES THE RECORD OF TH Is GOVERNMENT ONE_
WILL SEE A BiROAD AND COSSETTEE-AN EMPHASIS ON THE
S F> RED OF ICATOON WIDER ACrCE SS TO INFORMATION), AND
W IT HIN THIS CONTEXNT), A GIENERAL CULTIVATION OF LITERACY AND
C ULT UR E. DO NOT P. REI-TEND, 4. THAT EV/ ERYTHINIG IN THIS AREA
BEARS DIRECTLY CN TWHE WOR. K OF LIBRARIANS) BUT OUR SUPPORT
FOR LIBRARIES -A SUPPORT SPECIFICALLY PROCLAIMED IN MY
POLICY SPE EC H IN, 1,97 2 IS-P ART OF THIS PROCESS. [ HERE IS.)
FFO R EX A MP A CLEAR LINK TO BE SEENl BETWEEN OUR CONCERN FOR
THE MEDIA AND CUP, CONCERN FOR FREEDOM OtF INFORMATIO'N. a89/
IEVIDENCE OUR INITIAT IVES IN ACCCESS RADIO AND ETHN IC RADIO
STATIONS, INi OUR EXPANSION OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AT
ALL LEVELS, IN THPE PRIMACY WE GIVE? TO PARLIAM~ ENT AS THE
HIHST FOGRUPI OF OPEN POLITICAL DEPBATEJ NTH STBISMN
OFITE AUSTRALIA CONCIL WITH ITS LITERATURE BOARD
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENCOURAGEMT o F /-USTRALIAN W'RITING,
IN OUR SUPPORT FOR AUTHORS THROUGH THME GRANTING OF A PUBLIC
LEIND ING RI GHT, IN THE LIBERALISATION OF CIENSORSHIP, IN OURGENERIFAL
FUlP DIN.' G OF THE ARTS IOUCONCERNl FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND THE NATIONAL ESTATE-,
ISUG-GEST TH7A 1T THRO0U GH AL TH'E SE POLICY INITIATIVES THERE
RUNS A CONSI STEN T THR" AD OF ENL IGHTENMENT, IT IS CERTAINLY
M'Y HOPE THA. T GOV/ ERMMEN-TS OF WVHATEVER POLITICAL COLOUR WILL
BE JUDGED AS. > IUCHL BY TEIlR PO L ICrIES I N THESE AREAS AS BY
THI PCITs 7\ -': IrCE PRACTICAL-A-ND CONIVEflTIONAL-FIEL DS,
IT1 HR HA U C-PAiMN T TH HIGHEST V'ALUES OF
D -RACY AjND CIVIIZATION IS REVEALED, las/ lu hf
10
THE FUTURE OF YOUR PROFESSION IS FULL OF PROMISE
OF CHANGE AND INNOVATION. MODERN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND
METHODS OF DATA PROCESSING OFFER REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MORE EFFICIENT LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES,
THERE IS A MUCH GREATER AWARENESS AMONG GOVERNMENTS AND
AMONG THE PUBLIC OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LIBRARY IN
BROADENING OUR KNOWLEDGE, ELEVATING OUR STANDARDS OF TASTE
AND CULTURE AND SAFEGUARDING OUR DEMOCRATIC VALUES, THE
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA HAS A GREAT ROLE TO PLAY
IN FURTHERING THIS PROCESS, IN IMPROVING THE STATUS OF
YOUR PROFESSION, IN PROMOTING, ESTABLISHING AND IMPROVING
LIBRARY SERVICES IN SHORT, IN FULFILLING THE NOBLE
OBJECTIVES OF YOUR CHARTER. w