PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA SUNDAY, 27 JUNE 1982
CAIN GOVERNMENT TACTICS -A NEW POLITICAL LOW
The Cain Labor Government's threat to discriminate against the
people of three Federal Minister's electorates by reducing
their health services is a new political low in Australia.
Never before have the people of an electorate had their lives
and well-being directly threatened in this way. It is a form
of political gangsterism which Australians will not stand for.
Compared with its base tax-sharing gra-nt last year, Victoria
got a 16.8% increase this year. How much is enough for Mr CairL?
The Cain Labor Government is also the beneficiary of an extra
million of untied grants and borrowing authorities negotiated
last year by the previous Liberal Government. These are funds
available to Victoria alone, but Mr Cain has not mentioned them.
The kind of threats now coming from the Victorian Goverrnent
against people in particular electorates are not good enough
for the conduct of relations between the States and the
Commonwealth. We all know that these are the tactics of the
Socialist Left. We all know that these are the tactics of
the B. L. F. Wle all know that this is why the B. L. F. has earned
the antagonism of nearly every citizen in this State. Mr
Cain is in effect threatening to penalize the people of particular
electorates if the. Members representing those electorates
don't do exactly what Mr Cain wants. He won't get away with
it. The people of Victoria will rebel at the first opportunity.
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