PRIME MINISTER
' TRANSCRIPT ABC TV ( NORTHERN TERRITORY) PROGRAM: TERRITORY TRACKS
MONDAY OCTOBER 22 1984 HOSTED BY RUTH DEXTER
Well last week also saw the visit of the Prime Minist~ er, Bob Hawke, to
strike the first major blow In the Labor Party's election campaign in
the Northern Territory. Geoff Adlide reports;
GA: A bulldozer clearing the way for a Labor victory in the Territory
at least that's the hope of its driver, Prime Minister Bob Hawke. The
Prime Minister spent the first day of his national ciampaign here-in the
Territory on the hustings in support of Labor Member, John Reeves. Not
surprisingly he was selling his Government by displaying some of the benefits
to the Territory since Labor camne to power. Namely, the $ 90 million upgrading
of the Darwin Airport and the several hundred million dollar Tindal Air
Force Base. This Is Bob Hawke's second visit in less than a year. Last
time he was here to campaign for the Territory elections, In which the
Labor Party was devastated. Many of the issues are still much the same,
with uranium, land rights and the like, so how does he believe he'll turn
the tide of' Labor Party fortunes.
BH: All our research shows that the people of the Territory have a different
perspective than they bring to bear on a Northern Territory election than
what they do when they talk about Federal elections. We're encouraged
by the indication that the people of the Territory firstly recognise what
we've done for Australia* secondly particularly recognise the fact that
we've put in about $ 1.8 billion In our two budgets to the future of the
Territory. We've given about a 12% increase in tax repayment money to
the Territory as compared with about 6% to the states,, and thirdly, they
recognise the great job that John Reeves has done in prodding us. As
a member of the Government he can do that.. And I think all t ~ ese things
will go In our favour.
GA: But Mr Everingham is a tough opponent.
EHt Oh yes, of course I can see that he'll be a tough opponent. I mean,
I'm a relaist In politics, he's well known, but I also recognise the great
job that John Reeves has done for the Territory and I believe that the
Territorlans will be sensible about that. We're not now talking about
Mr Sveringhan, the Chief Minister, but we're talking about someone to
be in Canberra either as a member og Government, returned to power as
Mr Everingham says it will be, someone to be there directly and intimately
involved in that, or someone over there on the Opposition,
GA: If' Mr Everingham does win, will the Territory suffer, or will the
Government be less responsive to the Territory's needs?
BH: You see, it's not a question of I think my s; ort of attitude to
life is well known. I'm not a vindictive person, I don't operate like
that, but it's just a fact of life that if you've got a person that's
a member of your party, part of the whole process, and in the nature of
things he can just wander in to see you, because he is your own party,
and he can wander into ministers' offices, he's an intimate colleague
of them. That person has got, just in the nature of things, a much greater
capacity to get the view accross than someone in the Opposition. It's
true whether we're in Government or the other people are in Government
that members from seats and areas of the Government have a better access
to and capacity to Influence their own Government than they have if they
are in Opposition just as a fact of life.
RDt Geoff Adlide talking to Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.
-ends
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