PRIME MINISTERTUESDAY 24 MARCH 1981
From the Press Office SUMMARY OF ABC'S 7.45 am NEWS
The British Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher has asked for a full
report on allegations that a former British intbilegence chief
was a spy for the Soviet Union. The man was named as
Sir Roger Hollis who was head of the counter es: pionage
service MI 5 from 1956 to 1965. He died in 1973. Sir...
Roger was a leading light in the formation of ASIO.
Report from Tim Clark
Permanent building societies'have expressed dissapointment
with the boost in the interest rate on the new series of
Commonwealth Saving Bonds. The Treasurer, Mr Howard has
announced the interest rate on the bonds available today, they
will rise by three quarters of one per cent, to 12h%. Mr
Howard said the rates on previous bond issues had made them
uncompetitiVe-and the Government wanted to attract monex
to them as part of its monetary policy. The Executive Ohficer
of the Building Societies Association said last night the
societies : already had been under a great deal of pressure
from other Government policies. He said that if society
interest rates did not rise there would be a shortage of
-mortgage money forcing, home buyers to go elsewhere for*
loans. Federal Opposition Spokesman on Economic Affairs,
Mr Willis, said Australia already faced record high interest
rates and-the savings bond rates would damage what prospects
there were of economic growth. The Director of the Australian
Bankers Association said it was a matter of waiting to see what
effect the. savings bonds interest rate would have on the rate
set Lbv banks and building societies. He said he did not
believe bank and society rates would necessarily rise automatically.
The & id Guard ALP administration in Queensland said they are
cautiously optimistic about the Federal Executive's latest
move to-heal the split in his branch. The settlement involves4
the Old Guard dropping legal action. After the Federal body
intervened in Queensland last year the Old Guard took out
Supreme Court writs challenging the National Executive's
power to appoint a new administration. The Old Guard said
they could agree to drop the charges if the total package
offered by the ALP Executive was acceptable. The Federal
ALP President, Mr Wran, said with the Old Guard's co-operation
he hopes to have a fully representative state conference
in June.
The South Australian Government says it will not act to
prevent the take over of Elders GM by the West Australian
Bell group but will let the free market decide the outcome.
The Acting Premier, Mr Goldsworthy says the Government has
received assurances from tqe head of the Bell group that if
the take over bid succeeds Elders GM would retained as a
separate public company with a separate identity, and the
company would continue to provide a broad based service
to the state and that employment opportunities would be
retained and possibly increased. Trading in Elder's shares
-2
was heavy yesterday in Adelaide and Melbourne. The Chairman
of Elders says the South Australian Govearment's decision
not to intervene amounted to approval of a foreign'takeover.
Queensland's Mines.-and Energy Minister, Mr Gibbs, says the
pioneering days for resource developers in the State are
over. He said super levy on resource developers-would be
included in guidelines soon to be outlined by the Queensland*
Government.-A woman and : her three sons died in a house fire in Melbourne
last night and the woman's husband is in hospital with burns
to 65% of his body.
The former world champion racing motor cyclist,. Mike Halewood.,
has died as a result of a car crash.
The Soviet dissident, Dr Andre Sukarov, has accused agents of
the KGB of steeling the manuscript of his autobiography aud
personal papers.
Taiwan has been re-admitted to the Olympic Games fold after
agreeing to stop calling itself the Republic of China. It
has also agreed to stop using the Chinese flag and team emblem.
The Federal Government is planning to set up a system to
compensate authors and publishers whose books are
frequently photocopied at universities and other educational
institutions. Mr Fraser said yesterday the system should
be operating by July1
The Burmese Govenment has given details of a major military.
drive last week against heroin trafficking in which
people were, , killed.
A sculpture which cost Melbourne City Council $ 70,000 is to
be removed at a cost of $ 29,500.