PM Transcripts

1!,, AUISTi{ A IA*
PRIME MiNiSTER
FOR PRESS 9 DECEMBER 1977
STATEMENT TO PRESS CONFERENCE, KIRRIBILLI HOUSE, SYDNEY
This election contest has been hard fought. Opposing policies
and proposals have been argued over in detail across Australia.
People have a clear choice in this election between the
consistent, coherent and responsible policies of the Liberal
National Party Government and Labor's policies.
We have laid the framework for a real advance into the future
in which Australia can be an example to the world. In which
we can'establish an economy we can be proud of, social justice
for all Australians, care and concern for the disadvantaged,
encouragement for initiative and reward for achievement.
It has sometimes been a hard road getting to that point, because
of the situation we faced when we came to Government. But
our policies are working.
A vote for the Government will take Australia forward confidently
into the future, into a new period of prosperity and development.
During election periods, there is a tendency to divide this
great nation, and in politics-too often people seek to divide
where they ought not. They bring issues, that should not be
matters of Party political debate-, into the political arena.
All Australians, in whatever office they may hold and wherever._
they may be, have a duty to reach out beyond the bounds of
politics, to seek to understand and to define those issues
that unite Australia as one people with a common purpose and
commrdn-objectives, so--that: we. may achieve a greater, a better,
a more just society.
-The-most important thing now for Australians is to have this
country well governed.-We need to emphasise those things~ that
unite us, not those that divide us.
We have an excellent chance now to push through into the 1980' s
and beyond with a new found cqnfidence; a new found spirit, a
new sense of security and a new sense of national purpose. By
going beyond political conflicts to the real basis of shared
values and shared interests we can work together in
a single minded and united effort to make Australia the great
country we know it can be.
The Government asks Australians for their support on December
for their help in doing the job of building a better Australia.