FOR MEDIA FRIDAY, 3.8 FEBRUARY 1983
BUSHFIRES COMMONW1EALTH ASSISTANCE TO
VICTORIA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The disastrous bushfires, in Victoria and South Australia have
been on an immense scale. The tragedy has affected all
Australians. I have, over the last two days, by visiting
affected areas., seen the stark evidence of loss and
suffering. I have informed the Premiers of both States that the Commonwealth
stands ready to give urgent and sympathetic consideration to
measures they may wish to propose to restore and rebuild

L04
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA FRIDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 1983
WEEKEND OF NATIONAL PRAYER AND MOURNING
The tragic loss of life and destruction of homes and
possessions caused by the bush fires in South Australia and
Victoria is one of the greatest disabtuzt in our history.
I know all Australians extend their deepest sympathy to the
relatives and friends of those who lost their lives and to
those who have lost their livelihoods.
I know all Australians will also join me in expressing their
gratitude to the thousands of firefighters who are fighting

JAL,
PRIME MINISTER 16 February 1983
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FIRES
I have this afternoon spoken to the South Australian
Government about the disastrous fires which broke out
in that State today.
I want to make It clear that the Commonwealth stands ready,
to assist the South Australian Government and the people of
South Australia who ate suffering grievously as a result of
the present bushfires.
Already some 120 Defence Force personnel from Army Woodside
and RAAF Edinburgh are deployed fighting the fires. Additional

FOR MEDIA 16 FEBRUARY 1983
MR HAWKE NEGLECTSHOMEWORK
Mr Hawke often tells us of his great expertise in
industrial. relations. One would have thought he would
know his facts. Given the importance he gives to a
" prices and incomes policy", one would have expected
him to do at least a little homework.
Mr Hawke recently said in a national television broadcast that
there was never a price! s and incomes policy in Britain.
But the facts dernostrate that there was.
Mrs Shirley Williams who ran the policy in-Britain during

A
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 16 FEBRUARY 1983
PRESS CONFERENCE AT HAI( OAH CLUB
HAWKE'S POLICY SPEECH
PRIM4E MINISTER
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Australian Labor Party comes forward
with a policy that would in a sense have made Mr Whitlam appear
like a scrooge because it's $ 2,750 million that's additional
spending and as always, when the Labor Party says they're
going to spend, spend, spend, they don't really say where the
money is going to come from, Mr K( eating said they could get

4
FOR MEDIA 16 FEBRUARY 1983
MR HAWKE NEGLECTS HOMEWORK
Mr Hawke often tells us of his great expertise in
industrial relations. one would have thought he would
know his facts. Given the importance he gives to a
" prices and incomes policy", one would have expected
him to do at least a little homework.
Mr Hawke recently said in a national television broadcast that
there was never a prices and incomes policy in Britain.
But the facts demostrate that there was.
Mrs Shirley Williams who ran the policy in Britain during

AS DELIVERED
J)
PRIME MINISTER
FOR~ MEDIA WEDNESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 1983
BUSINESSMEN'S BREAKFAST, MELBOURNE
I indicated last night that the choice before us all on 5 March
was a very clear one and I would have thought the choice was
also very clear for the business community of this city and
right around Australia. I was talking last night of the
initiatives that we have already put in place to respond to
three things: the world recession hitting Australia after
we had held it off longer than in any other country and

EM k4C: -7
UNTIL 8.3OPM
198~ 3 POLJCY SPT': C11
Australiars havec never had a cloar-ar choice than t thi,.
clectic'n. Only the Liberal Party can preserv'e :; dbuild a
free society, only the I. i w-o~ yrtkT to fulfil
the liopes of all Aus; tralians, only the Liberal Party cz:. n
keep bluildinU for our future. The Liberal Party governis
for all Auntralians whether thuir fariilies hEve lived here
for generations or only a~ fe-w, years. it encourages all
Australians to contribute their best to this gjreat tiation.

EMDA RGO: 5.00 PM
K PREME MINISTER
FOR MEDI[ A SUNDAY, .13 FEBRU7ARY 1983
ELECTORATE TALK
b~ aborls economic policies show ' That conteimpt the Labor Party
has for Australians. It is just a re-run of the tired, tried
policies that Mr Whitlarn forccd on Australia, and which caused
a great deal of hardship for all Australians.
It is Labor's age old answer to any economic question: to spend,
spend, spend. Labor would add according to their estimates,
a further-$ 2.75 billion to the Budgcet deficit, and the real

PRIMVE MINISTER
FOR MEDIA SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12 1983
ASSEMBLY OF LIGHT FIELD GUN AT BENDIGO
I am pleased to announce that Bendigo is to become the lead
factory for the manufacture of parts for, and assembly of,
the Army's new Light Field Gun Project Hamel.
Hamrrel involves production of a towed field gun and is the
largest project since Australian manufacture of the
pounder during the 1940s. It involves the manufacture
under licence of a British designed light gun to replace
the existing 1930 vintage 105 mm Howitzer.