FOR PRESS 8 SEPTEMBER 1978
OPENING OF NORTHERN TERRITORY
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Your Excellency, Your Honour, Mr Speaker, Honourable
Members, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
This is an exciting day for the Northern Territory.
Just three months ago, the Commonwealth Parliament
passed the historic Northern Territory ( Self-Government)
Act 1978.
That Act established this Territory as a distinct body
politic within the Australian federation. It vested, in
the new Government of the Northern Territory, executive

-1 AUSTVPALIA
FOR PRESS 8 SEPTEMBER 1978
Gift to Northern Territory Government
The Commonwealth gift to the Northern Territory Government
comprises ten chairs for use in the Cabinet Room.
The Prime Minister presented the chairs to the Chief Minister
of the Northern Territory, Mr Paul Everingham, on oehalf of
the Government, in a gesture of good-will to the first
Government of the Northern Territory. 000---

EMBARGO: 7.00 p. m. ,, AUSTKALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 7 SEPTEMBER 1978
Address at
Dinner for Northern Territory Ministry
and
Legislative Assembly
This is an historic occasion for the Northern Territory and
for Australia's development as a nation, for tomorrow marks
the opening of the first sittings of the Legislative
Assembly since the attainment of self-government.
This is therefore a most opportune and appropriate time for
me, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government and in the

PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 7 SEPTEMBER 1978
INDIAN FLOODS
The Prime Minister has sent the following message to the
Prime Minister of India, Shri Morarji Desai:
" On behalf of the Australian Government and people,
I wish to convey my deep sympahty and concern about
the losses that your people are suffering in the
floods that are ravaging areas of your country.
Although the full-extent of the losses of life and
destruction on property cannot yet be known, this
is clearly a disaster of major proportions. My

PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT -7b/ 107T
Prime Minister Interviewed at Fairbairn on departure to Darwin
7 September 1978
Question: Prime Minister, how real is the danger of the Uranium development
being set back by the-Northern Land Council?
Prime Minister:
I wouldn't think so. The stories in the paper this morning
were imaginative. One of then, said " Fraser is rushing up
to have discussions and negotiations". Well I've been planning
to go up for the opening of the Northern Territory Parliament

3 SEPTEMBER 1978

Australia today is now poised to move into the 1980' s with vigour, vitality and new spirit. There is a light on the hill for Australia. An inflation rate of 5 percent by May or June next year is a reality and not just wishful thinking. That will lead to a continuing fall in interest rates arnd to greater confidence both here and abroad.

PRESS CONFERENCE AT BOULEVARD HOTEL, SYDNEY,: COMMUNIQUE
1 September 1978
Communique: ( Ke-c. 6,_
LThe Liberal Party Parliamentary and Organisational leaders
meeting in Sydney on 31st August and 1st September discussed
the longer term objectives for Australia now that substantial
progress has been mad e in breaking the back of inflation.
It has been inflation that has been the biggest single factor
preventing Australia's economic recovery.
The leaders agreed that it would be dangerous to lower the

STATEMENT BY THE HON. WAL FIFE
MINISTER ASSISTING THE PRIME MINISTER IN FEDERAL AFFAIRS
THE STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS COMMISSION
IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA HAS DETERMINED THE DISTRIBUTION OF $ 16.85
MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN WESTERN
AUSTRALIA. DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION ARE
ATTACHED. THE FUNDS ARE PART OF A NATIONAL ALLOCATION OF
$ 179.43 MILLION MADE AVAILABLE BY THE COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT
TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA THIS FINANCIAL YEAR.
31 August 1978

_ 4> JS~ U ALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 30 AUGUST 1978
Retirement of Chairman of Public Service Board
The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, announced today that the
Chairman of the Public Service Board, Mr K. C. O. Shann, CBE,
had decided to retire from public office for personal and
family reasons.
Mr Shann, who is aged 60, was appointed as Chairman of the
Board in March 1977, following a distinguished diplomatic
career which included postings as Australian Ambassador in
Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, and other postings in

FOR PRESS 28 AUGUST 1978
ADDRESS TO FIFTH CONFERENCE OF CONMONWEALTH SPEAKERS AND
PRESIDING OFFICERS -CANBERRA
Australia is particularly pleased to host this Conference,
the second Commonwealth meeting to be held in this country
this year.
The great success and personal warmth of the first Commonwealth
Heads of Government Regional Meeting last February, augurs
well for this and future Commonwealth meetings.
Amicable, open and candid discussions at these Conferences
consolidate and extend the ties which bind us together.