PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 18 JUNE 1976
DEATH OF LORD CASEY
IT WAS WITH DEEP AND PERSONAL REGRET THAT I
LEARNT TODAY OF THE DEATH OF LORD CASEY IN MELBOURNE. HE
WAS ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S GREAT STATESMEN. HE NOT ONLY SERV ED
HIS COUNTRY ABLY IN MANY CAPACITIES, BUT ALSO THE BRITISH
COMMONWEALTH WITH EQUAL DISTINCTION. HE WAS HELD IN HIGH
REGARD AND RESPECT AROUND THE WORLD.
HE BROUGHT TO THE HIGH OFFICES THAT HE HELD,
A SENSE OF PURPOSE ANDi DEDICATION, IDEALISM, AND INTEGRITY.
HE BROUGHT A QUIET SENSE OF DIGNITY TO THE ' AUSTRALIAN.
POLITICAL ARENA. BOTH AUSTRALIA AND THE COMMONWEALTH ARE
THE POORER BY HIS DEPARTURE FROM PUBLIC'OFFICE.
R. G. CASEY, BEFORE THE SECOND WORLD WAR, BEGAN
AUSTRALIA'S DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION ABROAD. LATER, IT
WAS VERY MUCH HIS OWN PERSONAL INITIATIVE THAT LED TO OUR
CLOSE AND WARM LINKS WITH MANY OF THE COUNTRIES OF SOUTH
EAST ASIA. THE INITIATIVES OF LORD CASEY IN THESE DIRECTIONS
HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY OR ADEQUATELY RECOGNISED. HE WAS A
MODEST MAN, AND IT WAS LEFT TO OTHERS TO POINT TO HIS
ACHIEVEMENTS, AND TO THE GROUND WORK THAT HE, AS MINISTER
FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, SO ABLY LAID.