Jj AUSTRALIA~.
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS17 JANUARY 1978
STANDING COMMITTEES OF CABINET
The Prime Minister today announced changes to the structure of the
Standing Committees of Cabinet. In addition to the Social Welfare
Policy Committee, the establishment of which was announced in the
Prime Minister's statement of 19 December 1977, Committees on
Monetary Policy and Wages Policy have been established as
Standing Committees.
The full list of Committees is:-
Planning and Co-ordination Committee: to facilitate the co-ordination
of the* Governmenlt's m~ edium and long term activities.
Mr Fraser ( Chairman)
Mr Anthony
Mr Lynch
Mr Sinclair Sen-. Withers
Mr Street
Mr Nixon
Mr Howard
Sen. Carrick
FEoreign Affairs and Defence Committee: to consider matters concerned
with international relations and defence.
Mr Fraser ( Chairman)
Mr Anthony
Mr Lynch
Mr Sinclair
Sen. Withers Mr Howard
Mr Peacock
Mr Killen
Mr MacKellar
Intelligence and Security Committee: to exercise policy control and
managerial oversight in respect of internal and external
intelligence and security matters.
Members: Mr Fraser( Chairman) Mr Peacock
Mr Anthony Mr Killen
Mr Sinclair Mr Robinson
Sen. WithersSen. Durack
Members: Members: ./ 2
_ s-2.
Machinery, of Government Committee: to deal with
organisafional and administrative matters concerned
with the activities of the Government.
Members: Mr Fraser ( Chairman)
Mr Lynch
Mr Nixon
Sen. Carrick
Sen. Guilfoyle Mr Robinson
Mr Viner
Mr Staley
Sen. Durack
Monetary Policy Committee: to deal with matters relating
to interest rates, banking policy and currency exchange
rates.
Members: Mr Fraser ( Chairman)
Mr Anthony
Mr Lynch
Mr Sinclair Sen. Withers
Mr Howard
Mr Robinson
Wages Policy Committee: to deal with National Wage Case
and other industrial relations and conciliation and
arbitration issues.
Members: Mr Lynch ( Chairman
Mr Sinclair
Mr Street j
Mr Nixon
Mr Howard Mr Peacock
Mr Viner
Sen. Durack
Mr Ellicott
Mr Groom
Government Purchasing Committee: to oversight Government
purchasing policy in relation to purchases by Departments
and authorities and to scrutinise proposals to purchase
imported goods in preference to Australian-made goods.
Members: Mr Lynch ( Chairman)
Sen. Withers
Mr Street
Mr Nixon Mr Robinson
Mr McLeay
Mr Macphee
Mr Fife
Social Welfare Policy Committee: to oversight and consider
policies and programs in the health and welfare field.
Members: Mr Lynch ( Chairman) Mr Hunt
Sen. Carrick
Sen. Guilfoyle
Mr Robinson
Mr Viner Mr MacKellar
Sen. Durack
Mr Ellicott
Mr Groom
General Administrative Committee: to deal with matters not
involving new major policy initiatives or of significant
economic or financial consequences.
Mr Lynch ( Chairman)
Mr Street
Mr Nixon
Mr Howard
Sen. Carrick
Mr Robinson
Mr Hunt
Mr MacKellar
Mr Adermann
Mr McLeay Mr Newman
Sen. Webster
Mr Staley
Sen. Durack
Mr Macphee
Mr Fife
Mr Garland
Mr Ellicott
Mr Groom
Legislation Committee: to examine
are presented to Parliament and to
Parliamentary Program.
Members: Mr Sinclair ( Chairman)
Sen. Withers
Mr Nixon
Mr Peacock
Mr Viner
Sen. Webster all Bills before they
determine the
Sen. Durack
Mr Macphee
Mr Garland
Mr Ellicott
Mr Groom
Members: / 4
The Prime Minister said that these changes were
based on experience of the last two years and would
facilitate consideration of matters coming before the
Government. Ad Hoc Committees would continue to be
established from time to time to deal with particular
issues that might arise but for which there is not a
continuing involvement for Ministers.
The system whereby certain Cabinet Committees
are supported by Committees of Permanent Heads is being
continued.