CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY ii 1BARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY PRIMIE MINISTER, DIR. R. J. L. HAWKE,
AT OPENING OF RICHMOND CAMPAIGN, MURWILLUMBAH-,
WEDNESDAY 25 JANUARY 1984
THE THREE IMPORTANT BY-ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON
18TH FEBRUARY FOR RICHMOND AND HUGHES IN NEW SOUTH WALES
AND CORANGAMITE INI VICTORIA FALL ALMOST AT THE END OF
THE FIRST YEAR OF THE LABOR GOVERNMENT THE PEOPLE OF
AUSTFRALIA CHOSE SO CONVINCINGLY ON THE FIFTH OF MARCH 1983.
WE WEL-COME TrHE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRAST OUR PERFORMANCE
IN OUR FIRST YEAR WITH THE RECORD OF OUR PREDECESSORS, IN ALL
THEIR SE\ VEN WASTED, AND ULTIMATELY DISASTROUS, YEARS,
WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNIT-Y TO RESTATE OUR GOALS
FOR AUSTRALIA IN THE YEARS AHEAD FOR THE TERM' OF THIS
PARLIAMENT AND FAR BEYOND.
AND WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH THESE
BY-ELECTIONS OFFER FOR A PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND A PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING AS TO THE ROLE AND RECORD OF OUR POLITICAL
OPPONENTS; BECAUSE IN OUR SYSTEM, THE STANDARDS AND.
INTEGRITY OF OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP ARE A VITAL FACTOR IN
ITS PROPER AND EFFECTIVE OPERATION.
THESE BY-ELECTIONS OCCUR ALMOST A YEAR TO THE
DAY THAT I HAD THE HONOUR TO DELIVER THE POLICY SPEECH
ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY AT THE SYDNEY
OPERA HOUSE ON THE SIXTEENTH OF FEBRUARY 1983.
AND I SAY, WITHOUT QUALIFICATION, THAT NO
GOVERNMENT IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA HAS MOVED SO
PROMPTLY AND SO EFFECTIVELY TO HONOUR THE UNDERTAKINGS
WE GAVE TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA ONLY ONE YEAR AGO.
IT HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROCESS OF HONOURING
OUR PROMISES, BOTH IN THE SPIRIT AND IN4 THE LETTER,
IT HAS BEEN A DOUBLE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING
SPECIFIC UNDERTAKINGS, ONE BY ONE, AND AT THE SAME TIME,
WORKING STEADILY TOWARDS OUR GREATER GOALS AND WIDER
VISION FOR AUSTRALIA AND AUSTRALIANS, WHEREVER THEY LIVE.
AND ALTHOUGH OUR PR01POSALS WERE PUT FORWARD IN
THE CONTEXT OF OUR FIRST PARLIAMENT A THREE-YEAR PROGRAMTHE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY NEARLY 90 PERCENT OF THEM
HAVE BEEN FULLY HONOURED OR SET IN TRAIN WITHIN OUR FIRST
YEAR. IREPEAT: THIS IS A RECORD OF PERFORMANCE
UNEXCELLED IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA.
THAT PERFORMANCE IS AL. L THE MORE REMARKABLE IN
THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSTRAINTS AND BURDENS AND THE
FRUSTRATIONS IMPOSED ON US AND ON AUSTRALIA ITSELF BY
THE ECONOMIC MESS WE INHERITED FROM OUR OPPONENTS IN
GOVERNMENT AND BY THEIR SPOIL. ING TACTICS IN THE SENATE
IN OPPOSITION. 1 1/ 3
THIS IS NOT A TIME WHEN AUSTRALIANS ARE IN A
MOOD TO RAKE OVER THE PAST, OR TO INDULGE IN RECRIMINATIONS,
THE SURVEYS SHOW THIS IS A TIME OF THE HIGHEST
OPTIMISM, AND, I BELIEVE, THE HIGHEST NATIONAL SELFCONFIDENCE
SINCE AT LEAST 1973,
IN A WAY THAT WE HAVE NOT KNOWN FOR MORE THAN
A DECADE, AUSTRALIANS WHATEVER THEIR POLITICAL ALLEGIANCES
ARE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, AND LOOKING TO THAT FUTURE WITH
WELL-FOUNDED CONFIDENCE.
BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE
AN INTELLIGENT JUDGMENT OF OUR GOVERNMENT'S RECORD, AND
AUSTRALIA'S PERFORMANCE IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WITHOUT PUTTING
IT INTO THE CONTEXT, WITHOUT RECALLING WHAT WE FACED WHEN
THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA PUT US INTO GOVERNMENT ON THE
FIFTH OF MARCH 1983,.
AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE INHERITED A PROJECTED.
BUDGET DEFICIT OF $ 9.6 BILLION, AS AGAINST THE $ 6 BILLION
DEFICIT CLAIMED BY OUR PREDECESSORS DURING THE ELECTION
CAMPAIGN. s / 4
IT WAS ON THE BASIS OF THOSE OFFICIAL, SOLEMN,
ASSURANCES BY THE THEN PRIME MINISTER, THE THEN TREASURER,
NOW THE DEPUTY LEADER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY THE THEN
MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, NOW THE LEADER OF THE
OPPOSITION, AND THE THEN MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, NOW THE
LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY, THAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR
TOTAL PACKAGE FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, A PROPOSAL FOR THE
CUTS IN PERSONAL TAXATION.
AS SOON AS SOMETHING OF THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REAL
STATE OF AFFAIRS AND THE ENORMOUS BLOW-OUT OF THE BUDGET
DEFICIT BEGAN TO EMERGE DURING THE CAMPAIGN, WE WARNED THE
PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA ABOUT ITS INEVITABLE IMPLICATIONS FOR
THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL AT LE. AST IN OUR FIRST BUDGET.
THAT WAS THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE COURSE. IT WAS
THE ONLY COURSE OF INTEGRITY.
THEN OF COURSE, AFTER THE ELECTION, THE ENORMITY
OF THE CONCEALMENT, AND THE ENORMOUSNESS OF THE PROJECTED
BUDGET DEFICIT, WAS AT LAST REVEALED.
AND IT WAS IN THAT CONTEXT THE CONTEXT OF A
PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT OF $ 9.6 BILLION THAT WE HAD TO
UNDERTAKE OUR PLEDGE TO BRING ABOUT NATIONAL RECOVERY AND
NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION IN AUSTRALIA.
AND SIDE BY SIDE WITH THAT DAUNTING TASK, WE
HAD TO UNDERTAKE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPECIFIC
PLEDGES I HAD MADE TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA ON BEHALF
OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
LABOR'S PROGRAM OF REFORM, PROGRESS AND EQUITY.
AND NOW, ALMOST ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF
THE PRESENTATION OF THAT PROGRAM TO THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE,
JUST LET'S BRIEFLY RUN THROUGH A CHECKLIST OF THE PROMISES
AGAINST THE PERFORMANCE.
AT THE OUTSET OF THAT SPEECH A YEAR AGO, I
SAID THIS:
" THE FIRST PLEDGE I NOW MAKE, A COMMITMENT WHICH
EMBRACES EVERY OTHER UNDERTAKING, IS THAT EVERYTHING
WE DO AS A GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE THE ONE GREAT GOALTO
REUNITE THIS GREAT COMMUNITY OF OURS, TO BRING
OUT THE BEST WE ARE TRULY CAPABLE OF, TOGETHER, AS
A NATION, AND BRING AUSTRALIA TOGETHER TO WIN OUR.
WAY THROUGH THE CRISIS INTO WHICH THE POLICIES OF
THE PAST AND THE MEN OF THE PAST HAVE PLUNGED OUR
COUNTRY." AND NOW A SHORT YEAR ON, I BELIEVE I CAN SAY,
WITH COMPLETE CONVICTION AND SINCERITY, THAT WE HAVE
FULFILLED THAT UNDERTAKING; AND THAT THE NEW SPIRIT OF
OPTIMISM AND CONFIDENCE WHICH IS SO MANIFESTLY ABROAD / 6
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA AND AMONG ALL SECTIONS OF THE
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY, IS THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE
FULFILLED THAT PLEDGE.
WE PROMISED THAT THE WHOLE BASIS OF OUR
ECONOMIC POLICY WOULD BE TO MAKE A COMBINED ATTACK
ON THE TWIN PROBLEMS OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION
SIMULTANEOUSLY. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE UNDERTOOK TO ESTABLISH THE PRICES AND
INCOMES POLICY, AS AN EXTENSION IN THE FIELD OF NATIONAL
ECONOMIC POLICY OF THE PRICES r" ND INCOMES ACCORD
ALREADY REACHED BETWEEN THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY AND
THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS. THE ACCORD IS
WORKING, BECAUSE ALL THE PRINCIPAL PARTIES TO THE
ACCORD ARE DETERMINED THAT IT SHALL WORK. ,/ 7
UNDER THE AC-CORD THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO
ANNUALLY REVIEW INCOME TAX SCALES SO THAT THE TAX BURLEN
WILL NOT RISE AUTOMATICALLY WITH INFLATION,
IN THE AUGUST BUDGET my GOVERNMENT WILL AIM TO DO
TWO THINGS: TO CONTAIN THE BUDGET DEFICIT AND TO PROVIDE,
TO THE EXTENT WE ARE ABLE, SIGNIFICANT INCOME TAX REDUCTIONS
TO LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME EARNERS,
THESE TAX REDUCTIONS WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY
GENERALLY AND THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT SPECIFICALLY TO CONTINUE
TO MAINTAIN THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ACCORD AS THEY HAVE BEEN
DOING SO WELL TO DATE.
WE UNDERTOOK TO ESTABLISH THE ECONOMIC PLANNING ADVISORY
COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL IS NOW OPERATI; NG EFFECTIVELY#
WE PROMISED TO RESTORE ECONOMIC GROWTH TO THE
AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY, THAT IS BEING ACHIEVED,
DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR -FOR WHICH THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE -THERE WAS NEGATIVE
ECONOMIC GROWTH THE ECONOMY WAS -GOING BACKWARDS,
THAT WAS THE LEGACY OF SEVEN YEARS OF CONSERVATIVE
MISRULE. BUT THROUGH THIS FINANCIAL YEAR WE EXPECT ECONO0MIC
GROWTH APART FROM FARM PRODUCTION OF ABOUT 6 PER CENT, AND
TOTAL ECONOMIC GROWTH INCLUDING THE RURAL SECTOR OF ABOUT
8 PER CENT. CLEARLY THIS IS A DRAMATIC TURNAROUND,
ECONOMIC RECOVERY IS ALREADY OCCURRING.
19814 IT WILL BECOME EVEN STRONGER.
WE PROMIS'ED TO ARREST THE DECLINE IN EMPLOYMENT
THAT WAS OCCURRING UNDER THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
OVER 150,000O NEW JOBS HAVE BEEN CREATED SINCE
WE CHANGED THE COURSE OF ECONOMIC POLICY AT THE ECONOMIC
SUMMIT IN APRIL, UNEMPLOYMENT HAS ALREA\ DY STARTED TO FALL.
WE PROMISED TO CREATE 500., 000 NEW JOBS IN OUR
FIRST THREE YEARS OF GOVERNMENT. WE ARE WELL ON TARGET.
WE PROMISED TO REDUCE INFLATION. THAT IS BEING
ACHIEVED. INFLATION IS NOW BELOW DOUBLE DIGIT RATES AND
WILL CONTINUE TO FALL.
THE ECONOMIC HEALTH of: AUSTRALIA IS BEING RESTORED.
WE PROMISED AN ACCELERATED CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE. 1/ 9
PROGRAM. WE PROMISED TO0 ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY WORKS
THAT HAS BEEN DONE,
WE PROMISED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRIVATE SECTOR
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
WE UNDERTOOK TO ESTABLISH THE JOBS ONi ROADS PROGRAM.
THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
BUSINESS, W4E OFFERED SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SMALL
THAT PROGRAM IS BEING PROGRESSIVELY IMPLEMENTED,
WE PROMISED A PETROL PRICE REDUCTION. IT' S HAPPENED.
WE PROMISED A MASSIVE BOOST FOR THE HOUSING AND
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, WE HAVE PROVIDED IT.
WE PLEDGED ASSISTANCE FOR FIRST HOME BUYERS TO
BRIDGE THE DEPOSIT GAP, WE HAVE GIVEN IT.
WE SAID *, WE WOULD M. AIN! TAIN A VIABLE STEEL
INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA. WE FULFILLED THAT PLEDGE.
WE GAVE UNDERTAKINGS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE MOTOR
VEHICLE INDUSTRY. WE ARE HONOURING THOSE UNDERTAKINGS.
WE GAVE UNDERTAKINGS FOR SUPPORT FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRIES. THOSE UNDERTAKINGS ARE BEING HONOURED, ' in
IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD, WE UNDERTOOK TO BRING
THE BASIC PENSION RATE PROGRESSIVELY UP To 25 PERCENT OF
AVERAGE MALE WEEKLY EARNINGS. THAT PROMISE IS WELL ON
SCHEDULE, WE HAVE HONOURED OUR PROMISE TO CUT THE LAG ON
PENSION ADJUSTMENTS, ACCORDING TO CPI MOVEMENTS, FROM
FOUR MONTHS TO ONE MONTH.
WE HAVE HONOURED OUR PROMISE TO INDEX PENSIONER
FRINGE BENEFITS. WE HAVE HONOURED OUR PROMISE ON THE INCREASE OF
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS,
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING OUR PROMISE TO DEVELOP THE
CHILDREN'S SERVICES PROGRAM.
FROM THE 1ST FEBRUARY, MEDICARE WILL OPERATE
AND AT LAST THERE WILL BE A RETURN TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLE
OF THE RIGHT OF ALL AUSTRALIANS TO HEALTH SERVICES ACCORDING
TO THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS.
ALL OUR UNDERTAKINGS ON EDUCATION, INCLUDING
OUR ASSURANCES TO THE PARENTS Of: NON-GOVERNMENT AND
GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS ALIKE, ARE BEING HONOURED.
OUR SPORTS AND RECREATION PROGRAM IS BEING FULLY(
IMPLEMENTED.
SO TOO ARE OUR UNDERTAKINGS OF SUPPORT FOR THE
ARTS; OUR UNDERTAKINGS ON BROADCASTING AND COMMUNICATIONS,
ESPECIALLY AS THEY AFFECT THE RURAL AND MORE REMOTE
COMMUNITIES OF AUSTRALIA; OUR SUPPORT FOR THE TOURIST
INDUSTRY, EVERY UNDERTAKING WE MADE TO THE ABORIGINAL
PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA IS BEING HONOURED.
WE HAVE PASSED THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION,
AS !' ROMISED. WE ARE HONOURING OUR COMMITMENTS TO ELECTORAL
REFORM, LAW REFORM, AND PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM,
IN TWO GREAT AREAS OF REFORM CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORM AND TAX REFORM WE HAVE HAD TO STRUGGLE AGAINST THE
SPOILING TACTICS OF THE OPPOSITrION IN THE SENATE.
IN THE POLICY SPEECH A YEAR AGO,, I COMMITTED A
LABOR GOVERNMENT TO WIPE OUT TAX AVOIDANCE AND TAX EVASION,
I NOW REAFFIRM OUR UTTER COMMITMENT TO THAT PURPOSE.
THE MANDATE GIVEN BY THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA A YEAR AGO ON
THAT ISSUE, WAS CLEAR AND POWERFUL.
YET THREE TIMES, AN OPPORTUNISTIC COALITION IN
THE SENATE HAS FRUSTRATED VHE CLEAR WILL OF THE AUSTRALIAN_
PEOPLE NOT JUST THE ELECTED AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT BUT THE
WILL OF THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE IN THIS REGARD, TO A COST
TO THE AUSTRALIAN TAXPAYERS OF MORE THAN4 $ 300 MILLION.
AND THAT ISSUE AN ISSUE OF FIRST RATE IMPORTANCE
TO THE WELFARE OF AUSTRALIA ENCAPSULATES THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE LABOR GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA AND THE PRESENT
OPPOSITION IN THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT,
ON THE ONE HAND, YOU HAVE AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
DETERMINED TO HONOUR ITS UNDERTAKINGS TO THE PEOPLE OF
AUSTRALIA, AND DOING SO I REPEAT IN A WAY NEVER EXCELLED
OR INDEED, NEVER EQUALLED BY ANY, GOVER1NMENT IN THE HISTORY
OF AUSTRALIA, ON THE OTHER HAND, AN OPPOSITION OF OPPORTUNISM,
CYNICISM, NEGATIVISM AND, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, AN
OPPOSITION OF IRRESPONSIBILITY AND LACK OF INTEGRITY,
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE POLICIES OF THIS OPPOSITION
WHAT PASSES FOR THEIR POLICIES AND WHAT PASSES FOR AN
OPPOSITION -GO FAR BEYOND THE LOSS OF $ 300M THEY HAVE
INFLICTED ON THE ORDINARY, DECENT TAXPAYERS OF AUSTRALIA BY
THEIR MISCHIEF-MAKING IN THE SENATE.
THEY HAVE OPPOSED THE BUDGET MEASURES W~ E HAVE
HAD TO TAKE AND AS A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, WERE OBLIGED
TO TAKE TO REDUCE THE BUDGET DEFICIT THE INHERITED
BUDGET DEFICIT AND TO KEEP INTEREST RATES DOWN AND REDUCE
INFLATION, ./ 13
THAT IS, THEY HAVE OPPOSED AT EVERY STEP OUR
EFFORTS TO HONOUR OUR CENTRAL COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE
OF AUSTRALIA TO FIGHT UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION
SIMULTANEOUSLY AND TO ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
A RECOVERY THAT WON'T BE LOST IN ANY NEW BOUT OF INFLATION
OR ANY BALANCE OF PAYMENTS CRISIS.
IF ONE COULD TAKE THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
SERTOUSLY, THE COST OF THEIR OBJECTIONS TO THE MEASURES
WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE AS A RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, WOULD B3E
$ 1.6 BILLION IN THE CURRENT BUDGET AND $ 3 BILLION IN A FULL YEAR.
AND THIS AT A TIME WHEN BUSINESS IS AT LAST,
IN RESPONSE TO OUR GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES, BEGINNING TO
RECOVER FROM THE WORST RECESSION FOR FIFTY YEARS, AND WHEN
THE FARMING COMMUNITY IS STRUGGLING BACK TO ITS FEET AFTER
THE WORST DROUGHT IN HISTORY.
AND IT'S THAT SORT OF GROSS IRRESPONSIBILITY
THAT EXPLAINS COMPLETELY WHY THIS OPPOSITION LACKS ANY
CREDIBILITY WHATSOEVER NOT ONLY WITH THE AUSTRAL. IAN PEOPLE
AS A WHOLE, BUT IN THE TWO GREAT AREAS WHICH THE LIBERALS
AND THE NATIONALS USED TO CLAIM AS THEIR SPECIAL CONSTITUENCYTHE
GREAT BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF AUSTRALIA, AND THE GREAT
RURAL SECTOR OF AUSTRALIA,
CREDIBILITY IS AN ISSUE IN THESE BY-ELECTIONSTHE
CREDIBILITY OF POLICIES; AND CREDIBILITY IN LEADERSHIP,
I AM NOT HERE TO INDULGE IN PERSONALITIES, EVEN
AT THE EXPENSE OF THE NEW LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY,
BUT THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE NATIONAL PARTY AND
THE LIBERAL PARTY ARE NOW SUCH THAT THE NATIONAL PARTY'S
CHOICE LAST WEEK HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COALITION;
AND IT HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THE
COUNTRY PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA ARE GOING TO BE REPRESENTED
IN THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT.
BECAUSE, MR SINCLAIR'S ELECTION PUTS THE FINAL
SEAL ON THE SELL-OUT OF THE COUNTRY PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA BY
THE NATIONAL PARTY A SELL-OUT OF WHICH MR SINCLAIR HAS
BEEN THE PRIME ARCHITECT AND THE PRIME MOVER FOR A DECADE.
THE NATIONAL PARTY HAS LONG CEASED TO REPRESENT
THE TRUE INTERESTS OF AUSTRALIA'S FARMING AND RURAL COMMUNITY,
THEY HAVE SOLD OUT THE AUSTRALIAN FARMER. IT GOES MUCH
DEEPER THAN THE DROPPING OF THE TIME-HONOURED " COUNTRY PARTY"
NAME. THEY NOW REPRESENT ONLY THE BIG INTERESTS MAINLY
FOREIGN INTERESTS WHICH BACK THEM FINANCIALLY.
AND AS I SAY, IN THAT PROCESS, MR SINCLAIR HAS
LED THE WAY, AS TO THE LIBERAL PARTY AND ITS RELATIONS WITH
THE RURAL COMMUNITY, LET ME REMIND YOU OF THE POINT I MADE
IN OUR RURAL POLICY SPEECH DURING THE MARCH CAMPAIGN
A POINT THAT IS AS VALID TODAY AS IT WAS A YEAR AGO,
THE LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AT ITS NATIONAL COUNCIL OF
MAY 1982 PLACED ON ITS BOOKS A RESOLUTION WHICH THREATENS
THE EXISTENCE OF EVERY NATIONAL MARKETING AUTHORITY IN
AUSTRALIA, THAT RESOLUTION CALLS FOR THE DISMANTLING OF
ALL THE EFFECTIVE POWERS OF THE MARKETING BOARDS ON THE
GROUNDS THAT THEY ARE CONTRARY TO LIBERAL PHILOSOPHY, THAT
RESOLUTION OF DESTRUCTION IS STILL ON THEIR BOOKS.
AFTER THE ROUT IN QUEENSLAND, THE LIBERAL PARTY
IS MORE THAN EVER A SECTIONAL AND CITY-BASED RUMP,
BUT THE NATIONAL PARTY, ESPECIALLY UNDER ITS NEW
LEADERSHIP, HAS ORIENTED ITSELF JUST AS MUCH TO THE BIG
CITY INTERESTS WHICH FILL THEIR COFFERS.
IT IS AFTER ALL A SYDNEYSIDER, NOT A LOCAL WHO
WILL CONTEST THIS SEAT FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY,
SO FOR THE RURAL COMMUNITY OF AUSTRALIA, THERE IS
JUST NO CREDIBILITY LEFT IN THE POLICIES OR LEADERSHIP'OF
EITHER OF THE COALITION PARTIES,
AND AS FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY, ITS NEW LEADER HAS
BEEN THE SUBJECT OF THE MOST DAMNING, DEVASTATING, COMPLETE
AND COMPREHENSIVE JUDICIAL INDICTMENT OF HIS PERSONAL AND
POLITICAL CREDIBILITY EVER DELIVERED UPON A LEADING
PARLIAMENTARIAN IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA, / 16
16.
BUT IN A SENSE WHICH TRANSCENDS PERSONALITIES.,
THE SINCLAIR AFFAIR ENCAPSULATES SO MUCH THAT WAS WRONG AND
DAMAGING IN THE APPROACH OF THE COALITION TO THE AFFAIRS
OF THIS NATION. THEY SOUGHT TO DIVIDE AND RULE.
THEIRS IS THE POLITICS OF DELIBERATE DIVISION,
THE POLITICS OF CONFRONTATION.
FOR MOST OF THE DECADE UP TO THE 5TH OF MARCH 1983
THERE HAD BEEN TOO MUCH OF THE SETTING OF AUSTRALIAN AGAINST
AUSTRALIAN, GROUP AGAINST GROUP, REGION AGAINST REGION.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE A CLEAR MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIANS
AUSTRALIANS EVERYWHERE, CITY AND COUNTRY DWELLERS ALIKE
SAW THE DAMAGE BEING DONE TO THE VERY FABRIC ECONOMIC,
INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL OF THIS NATION, THAT THEY DECISIVELY
REJECTED THE POLITICS OF CONFRONTATION, THE POLITICS OF
DIVISION AND ITS AUTHORS ON THE 5TH OF MARCH 1983.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED
SINCE THE 5TH OF MARCH SHOWS THE TRUTH OF WHAT WE OF THE
LABOR PARTY SAID DURING THE CAMPAIGN THAT THERE IS A BETTER
WAY THE LABOR WAY AND AUSTRALIANS CAN BE BROUGHT
TOGETHER, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A
BETTER AUSTRALIA FOR OURSELVES IN OUR OWN TIME, AND FOR
THE GENERATION TO COME.