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PRIME MINISTER FRIDAY,' 1-9 JUNE, ' 1981
LIBERAL PARTY ART EXHIBITION, SYDNEY
I would like to thank, because I have not been to many
occasions in New.. South Wales since the last Federal Election,'
Bruce McDonald and the State President, and all of those who
worked so hard during a somewhat difficult period; all thos6
people who * proved the polls wrong and led to a magnificent
result in for the Federal Government. So, thank you al.
very much.
It is great to see Sir Kenneth Anderson, former Federal Minister for
Health, because he has worked for the Liberal Party for so long
and with such effect. Ken, good fortune to you and thank you
for being here.
It is a little changed being here, from. the company of the State Premiers I have
been keeping during the course of the day. I owe them some thanks
because at about 7 o'clock tonight I had-to-say to. them, nw.
you know 1 have this commitment in Sydney which is about 6 months
old, but if you want me to stay on for the Premiers' Conference, or
for the Loan Council, I will. So if you want to go on working all
night, I am prepared to, , otherwise I will come back into the whole
of Saturday and all of Sunday, and most of Monday". Well, probably.
most of them felt that there had been enough work done during -the
course of the day. The Loan Council proceedings were over and
finished. So they said, " you had better get on up to Sydney for
the evening". I think probably a few of them had seen too much
ome during the course of the day and were delighted to be
rid of me. But anyway, it was a reasonably successful day in.
terms of the economy of this country. I cannot say anything i~ ore
than that because we are back there tomorrow. -Today's business is
done, but there is more business tomorrow. So, I do not want
to prejudice that.
I would fike to thank all the artists who have their works hung
around the walls today. I did not have a chance to have a look at
all the paintings, but obviously there are some magnificent works
of art and it is good to see. I saw one that I would have been.
sorely tempted to buy, and then I went forwaid and approached it.-
and started to pull off the red sticker that was already there.
I was told I was not allowed to do that. ./ 2
-2-
One of the great things about the richness of life in Australia
is our artists, our painters, our singers, musicians, the theatre,
the ballet, the opera, and so it goes on. I suppose because of
what we have argued we have had to do over the last five years,
we areoften regarded as just being economic managers with not
much concern for anything else. But in fact, a large part of trying
to run an economy well is so that people will have money to spendon
paintings, so that people will be able to support the opera
and the ballet and all of those things that make the richness
of life in a country.
A large part of trying to run an economy well is so that not only
people will have the resources they want for their own needs, bpt
so that Governments will have the resources to do the things tbnLt
Governments ought to support well. I was happy to be at a dinner
and able to announce a week or so ago that we would be supporting
a new home and a new headquarters for the National Institute of
Dramatic Art, which produced magnificent actors and actresses over
the years but in the most difficult conditions. That again, comes
out of an economy that is better run because it gives us the
resources to do it.
There is a resurgence in the Liberal Party of N. S. W. and
Bruce, I want to congratulate you on what you have already
achieved, and I would like to congratulate you on the way you
are challenging Mr. Wran and making him withdraw from the
challenges. Hopefully there might be many occasions on which
that can be done over the future days and weeks.
I do not under-estimate the task in front-Of Bruc&. It'is a
massive one, because Mr. Wran has had much supporting him. He
has had a honeymoon that has gone on over a long time.
There is a great task, and there is a new heart. I believe that
if people can understand some of the things that Mr. Wran is doing**
that they are going to change their allegiances when the
opportunities are offered. The corruption of the policies of
public funding and the opportunities that opens for the most
improper pressures upon people and individuals and companies, and
tne kind of priorities it exemplifies it is more important to
give money to the Labor Party than to a kindergarten or a chill
care centre or to some other proper purpose. 4ut anyway, Bruce is
in there fighting, on our behalf, for the Liberal Party in this
State, and Bruce good fortune-to y. ou.
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