September 22, 1976
I am delighted to be here today at a function that helps celebrate the 50th birthday-of an old acquaintance.
I have been reading the Canberra Times for around 21 years. That is what happens when people come to Canberra as politicians they have to read the Canberra Times. It is almost the golden rule. I must confess that over the years the Canberra Times news and comment pages have filled me with a variety of emotions.
They still do.
There is not a politician alive who will admit that his only real enjoyment left in life is waiting for the morning newspapers to arrive. Newspapers are not meant to make politicians happy.
In many-ways, . a newspaper is the single most important institution in a communit y. It symbolises so-many other things and if it were not for newspapers, so many other things that are important would also not exist in our community. Newspapers are Vehicles that inform, enlighten, entertain, and often actas'a social and political conscience.
For 50 years, the Canberra Times has played just this traditional role, and it has played it well. But of course its influence has been felt far beyond the geographical boundaries of the National Capital.
By its very nature, the newspaper of any political capital has influence far wider than other locally circulated newspapers.
It not only has the ability to report the political events of the day, it has the unique capacity to report the people the politicians, the advisers, the public servants behind the great events. The Caucberra Times is certainly no exception.
It does have a special behind the scenes insight into the workings of Australia's National Capital. It is in a better position to have that insight than others which have quarters in other cities. That is why it's required reading for politicians and that is why its influence is considerable.
This occasion is appropriate for me to briefly outline a working politician's view of the press.
As you all know, I have always enjoyed very good relations with
the press. Sometimes their relations with me have been a little
strained. And as you know it has never been my fault.
Today, more than ever before, the role of the press and the
politician are interwoven.
Because of the size of modern electorates, no politican can hope to make and maintain personal contact with more than a tiny fraction of his constituency. He must rely on the press. An effective press is, therefore, an essential and integral element of democracy.
Of course, the traffic is not all one way.
Some poeple say we need informed politicians even more than we need an informed public.
Again, the politicians cannot talk personally to all the experts.
Only from the press can he obtain a cross section of expert
comment, letters to the editor, straws in the wind, and that
summary of reflected opinion which derives from the mysterious
alchemy of reporter, coluuniist, and editor.
The role gives the press great power although perhaps not quite as much as it thinks and power carries with it great responsibility.
The press has many facets, but the political role of the press
can be said to keep the public and the politician informed on
matters of public concern. Information goes beyond the bare
facts. It extends to informed comment, some projection and
a little advance warning.
People in a democracy acknowledge the need for a free press.
But there is no such animal as absolute freedom any more for the
press than for the citizen. The limits of one freedom always
clash with the limits of another freedom so boundaries have
to be drawn.
Likewise, with the press and the politician. Information may
be untimely, comment may be premature, and judgement may be
incomplete so there may well be a case for judicious delay
or a case for maintaining confidentiality.
This raises a fundamental question. How do you ensure the
delay is justified, that confidentiality is really in the
public interest and not just in the interest of the politician
or his party?
There is no absolute answer, but time has a habit of catching
up with those who break the rules.
There is more than one party, more than one minister, more
than one newspaper so standards of normal behaviour tend
to become established and observed.
As I indicated earlier, in a democratic society there is a close link between responsibilities of politicans and the press. Indeed, in the political field, their respective roles are in a sense complimentary.
The actions and decisions of government are of vital community
concern. Although speeches in campaigns and in parliament have
their special place, responsibility for informing the nation
of these actions and decisions falls largely on the media.
Clearly, then the politican particularly one holding ministerial office has a responsibility to keep the press as accurately and fully informed as possible on events that he controls. Earlier this year opening the National Press Club I said that
if the Australian electorate is to be able to make valid judgements on government policy it should have the greatest access to information as possible.
The Interdepartmental Committee that reported in December 1974 on proposed freedom of information legislation has been reconvened and has met on a number of occasions.
The task of the Committee is to study and report on proposals for freedom of information legislation,
The Committee has been directed to report as soon as possible.
I hope it doesn't follow entirely some aspects of an act or bill
in the United States-that many people are now calling the
Sunshine Act because I am advised that it will make the oper. ations
for certain statutory authorities utterly impossible. Every word
and every decision or report of decision would have to be made
completely and absolutely covered. One chairman of a noted
organisation in the United States, in talking to members of Congress,
who were promoting the Sunshine legislation, said that it would
just make the institution of the government unworkable and then
members of Congress are meant to have said that you could even
have people to dinner and make decisions there and just record the
formal decisions and that would be all you would have to tell us.
But he had more character than that and more determination as I
am sure many would have here. He said if you pass laws that make
the workings of institutions unworkable I am going to carry out
the letter of that law absolutely and you as a legislator will
then have to bear the responsibility for the institution of being
unworthy. The Sunshine Act has not yet seen the early morning
sunshine. it is still locked within the confines of Congress.
I have also written to Ministers asking them to review secrecy
provisions in legislation for which they are responsible. I want
to make it plain that the purpose of this review is to reduce
unnecessary secrecy. Of course, such a review would be essential
It against the background of freedom of information legislation because
when such legislation is introduced it could be found that provision
of existing legislation would be incompatible with the thrust and
purpose of it.
Ministers should be approachable, available, and accessible.
They have not only been requested to make themselves available
wherever possible to the media, but also to ensure that their
departments make the greatest efforts to supply the public with
information.
Ever since I became a politician and no doubt for many years
before people have spoken and written about the alleged
conspiracy on the part of Governments to withhold information
from the press. The press are seen as knights in shining armour
standing as a guardian of democratic freedom.
Some see the press/ politician relationship as a kind of power
struggle. They see the politican doing his best to enshroud
his actions in secrecy while the reporter uses all his talents
and contacts to penetrate the veil.
The results are seen as a sort of political catechism with some
things unpublished which ought to be published, and some published
which obviously should not be published sometimes in a garbled and
misleading fashion.
While there may occasionally in certain circumstances be an element
o f truth in this, I do not believe this represents the real
situation.
The democratic system is not exempt from the hard realities of
practical day by day administration which demands that some
reticence, at least, must inevitably be applied to when and how
the information is provided.
There are policies which in the making could well be jeo'pardised
if publicised prematurely, or which involve other authorities
including governments, local and overseas.
The maintenance of privacy for the individual must also be
constantly in mind.
In relationships between governments, confidentiality is also often
go quite essential -in the interest of frank and truthful communication.
In our own federal system of government, relationships between
the states require a degree of confidence that would not apply if
every letter between a Premier and Prime Minister were to become
public in the joint decision making process.
Also, there are some matters which for security reasons cannot
be disclosed long after the event.
The politician has to weigh this against his duty to inform the
public of what he is about. This makes for difficult and sometimes
unpopular decisions.
I believe that the responsible press understand that there may be
good reasons why a minister cannot give information at a particular
time.
Having said that, can I again strongly make the point. I want an
unhindered flow of information to the media. I want factual
information provided, to encourage people to make constructive and
useful judgements.
I believe ministers are playing their part. They do recognise
this fundamental need to provide factual information quickly
and accurately.
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Finally, can I return to the Canberra Times.
In these days, when many great international newspapers and
journalists have closed their doors and others are reducing
in size because of cost pressures, it is a most significant
achievement for a newspaper to celebrate a half century.
This milestone was not reached simply as a matter of course.
That it was born in a community with less than 5000 people
and within a few years had survived the great depression and
other setbacks was due largely to the dedication, enthusiasm
and singular optimism of the remarkable Shakespear family.
There is an example of dedication, commitment and determination of
which I believe, any organisation and any newspaper'and any
organisation in the wider field, would be proud.
I understand that an unexpected Government advertisement or
a printing order meant the difference between survival, and
having to close the doors. On* one occasion the winnings-from
a lucky bet paid an account that could not otherwise have been
paid. As we say in this country, the paper was surviving on the smell
of an oil rag and an indefatigable spirit.
For Mrs Heather Shakespeare this month of celebration must
surely bring back vivid memories of a newspaper and a .' munity
growing up together.
Mrs Shakespeare can take pride in the fact that the Canberra
Times part founded by her late husband, Arthur Shakespear
has played an integral role in the development and maturing of
Canberra itself.
The Canberra Times has stood'the test of time. It has reported
local, national and international news without fear, without
favour. I am sure the publisher, editors and staff are looking ahead
to news gathering into the next century with the enthusiasm
that was obviously present on the first day of publication.
I say that the enthusiasm was obviously present on that historic
first friday in September 50 years ago because I noticed a page
one report on the Prime Minister ( Mr Stanley Bruce attending a
function at the Port Adelaide Town Hall.
A Mr Gray, an official of the Waterside Workers' Union walked
up to Mr Bruce and presented him with a writ for 5,000 pounds for
alleged slander.
The Canberra Times report said that Mr Bruce was completely taken
aback and had said the whole thing was so well managed that the
Union should have had a photographer present to take a picture
of the delivery of the writ.
It so happens that I too am going to Adelaide this Friday. I hope
that the Canberra Times ' is equally* well organsed....