PM Transcripts

J, AUSTKHA. IA
PRIMVE MINISTER EMBARGOED UNTIL 10 A. M.
FOR MEDIA 1C June 1983
The following message was read on the Prime Minister's behalf by the
Minister for Home Affairs and Environment, Mr. Cohen, at the official
opening of the National Conservation Strategy for Australia
Conference today:
I regret that due to commitments overseas, I will not b. able either
to address you personally or to open this most important Conference
to discuss a National Conservation Strategy for Australia.
You meet together as a group of Australians drawn from differing
situations and backgrounds, representing a diversity of organisations
and with differing outlooks and interests. Your collective purpose
is to discuss, debate and hopefully agree upon a set of Stratecic
principles which will promote the conservation and sustainable
development and use of the nation's living resources. This most
important undertaking should form part of our overall objectives for
the future of our country. You will already know of the Government's
comnitment to achieving sustainable economic growth, full employment
and high quality environment. These objectives are not, as some may
suggest, totally in conflict without hope of reconciliation, In
fact, the World Conservation Strategy points out that to achieve our
goals of social and economic development we need competent
environmental management.
In the course of this Conference, you will be asked to consider and
balance some very complex questions involving Australia's living
resources. Each of you will rightly seek to put your views in a
strong and forthright manner. This I encourage, but above all, I
ask you to keep firmly before you the principle of consensus
building and the responsibility we all have to develop this nation
for the benefit of its own people and with due regard for its place
in the community of nations.
The recent Economic Summit meeting achieved a high degree of
unanimity because its participants brought to that meeting an
awareness of difficult economic circumstances and arrived at
agreement on the fact of the matter. They had a willingness to work
together to achieve agreed objectives. The challenge to you all as
delegates to this Conference is similarly to face realistically the
difficulties posed by living and working within Australia's unique
environmental conditions and to produce a Strategy that will ensure
sustainable development of our living resources.
Be assured that your considerations will be taken seriously by the
Federal Government. The Minister will be elaborating on our current
policies and will provide an indication of initiatives the
Government is considering in regard to the implementation of the
National Conservation Strategy for Australia.
I wish you well in your endeavours in the full expectation that you
will provide to the community and Government in Australia a Strategy
for the sensible and sustainable use of living resources in
Australia for the future.