PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Fraser, Malcolm

Transcript 5588

PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 17 MAY 1981
ELECTORATE TALK
A fortnight ago the Commonwealth met with State Premiers in
Canberra for the first Premiers' Conference and Loan. Council
Meeting in 1981.
Tonight I would like to step aside from the predictable bickering
that surrounds such conferences and talk to you about the real
issues involved. They are fundamental issues about the role
of government in a free society about cutting back on bloated
bureaucracy; about streamlining and modernising government and

Transcript 5587

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIASUNDAY, MAY ] 7 ] 98]
The Prime Minister sent the following telegram to Her
Royal Highness, Princess Anne, and Captain Mark Phillips:
" On behalf of the Government and people of
Australia, I offer heartiest congratulations
to your Royal Highness and Captain Mark Phillips
on the joyful occasion of the birth of your
daughter. Malcolm Fraser".
-o0o---

Transcript 5586

__ EMBARGO: 9.30PM
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY II
i . PRIME-ME INISTER
FOR MEDIA FRIDAYMAY 15 981...
MELBOURNE
ANNUAL DINNER OF THE
AUSTRALIAN LIBERAL STUDENTS' FEDERATION
For more than a century, the Socialists have thought that
history is on their side. Their view has been that nothing
-" can-, top -ocialism-from-coming-in the end. . This9doctrine.--'
is one of historical inevitability, a comforting doctrine
to some kinds of people, and one that has assumed several
fonrms.
In Australia, the doctrine has, in the mainb assumed a

Transcript 5585

L ~ PRIME
FOR MEDIA MONDAY, 11 MAY, 1981
SIR JOHN WILTON
I was saddened to learn of the death of Sir John Wilton.
He was an outstanding Australian who served his country well
in war, as a fighting soldier and in peace, as a military
strategist, administrator and diplomat.
Hie had a most distinguished career. After active service in
the Second World War and in Korea, he occupied the highest
military posts in Australia.
I first came to know him personally in 1966" when he was Chief
of the General Staff at the time that I was appointed Minister

Transcript 5584

JAL
FROMAL MMSTE
FOR MEDIA MONDAY, MAY 11 1981
MESSAGE TO FRENCH PRESIDENT-ELECT MITTERAND
The Prime Minister tonight sent the following telex to the
President-elect of France, M. Francois Mitterand:
" Dear Mr President-elect,
on behalf of the Australian Government and on my own
behalf, I would like to extend to you warmest
congratulations and best wishes on your election as
President of France.
Australia attaches grec'it importance to relations with
the countries of Western Europe and with none more so

Transcript 5583

FOR MEDIA SUNDAY, 10 MAY, 1981
ELECTORATE TALKOver
the last two weeks the Government has taken a number of
decisions designed to set Australia firmly on course for
the 19.80s and beyond. These decisions relate to the Review
of Commonwealth Functions, the new health arrangements, and
the new financial arrangements-with the States determined at
the Premiers' Conference last Monday.
The Government is determined that Australia not go the way of
other countries whose prosperity and future have been undermined

Transcript 5582

I
EMBARGO: 8: 00 pm
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIAFRIDAY, 8 MAY, 19 81
ADDRESS TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT CONFERENCE
ON SCHOOL GOVERNANCE
I am very pleased to be with you tonight, and to have the
opportunity to address a conference whose theme is the
governance of schools.
The matter of governance, in a general sense, is one in which
I suppose I have some experience. I. can only hope that school
governance is free of some of the problems that-atise in

Transcript 5581

FOR MEDIA FRIDAY, 8 MAY 1981 1J-
PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS SECRETARY
I express my disgust at the remarks made in the Parliament
yesterday about my Press Secretary, David Barnett. Mr Barnett
is a responsible and professional journalist and has carried
out his duties in a proper and professional manner. The
remarks made about him, if made outside the Parliament, would
be libellous.
The Opposition is abusing Parliament by making use of
Parliamentary privilege for a cowardly attack of this kind.
Anyone who knows David Barnett will condemn it. S ~ C~ L

Transcript 5580

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA flPJRSDAY, MAY 7 19 81
TELEX TO THE PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
The Prime Minister has sent the following telex to the
Premier of South Australia, Dr Tonkin, with copies to all
other Premiers and the Chief Minister fn. r.. the Northern
Territory: " My dear Premier,
I refer to your telex today relating to the public
discussion in the last 48 hours on the outcome of the
Premiers' Conference last Monday.
I believe that there has been significant misunderstanding
of these matters.

Transcript 5579

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY
Joint Statement by the Prime Minister and Minister
for Defence ,7 MAY .1981
Defence Review
Mr John Utz, Chairman and Chief Executive of Wormald-
International Limited, will chair the major Review of Defence
Qrganisationf announced by the Prime Minister as being part
of the Review of Commonwealth Functions. The other members
of the Review committee will be General Sir Arthur MacDonald,
former Chief of the Defence Force Staff, now retired;
Sir Frederick Wheeler, company director, former Head of the