wj: R a
PRIME MINISTER
ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENCE
During my meeting today with Mr. Mugabe, Prime Minister of
Zimbabwe, I said that Australia warmly welcomed Zimbabwe's
independence and looked forward to the development of a
constructive and many-sided relationship with Zimbabwe.
My presence here, in company with my colleagues from the
Australian. Parliament, testifies to that.
The road to independence has been a particularly difficult
one for Zimbabwe, involving years of bloodshed and~ mistrust
and affecting thousands of families, both in Zimbabwe

-1 AUSTRALIA , L.
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA TUESDAY 15 APRIL 1980
NATIONAL MARINE SCIENCE CENTRE FOR TASMANIA
The Commonwealth Government is to establish a Marine Science
Centre at a cost of about $ 25 million including $ 9 million
for a research vessel.
The decision follows a special examination by the Callaghan
Task Force.
The move involves:
tra.-s c t-he -omnonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Rearoh Organi_-_-ion ( CSIRO) Division of Fisheries and
Oce-ancgraphy a-present headquartered at Cronulla ( NSW)

FOR MEDIA: TUESDAY 15 APRIL 1980
OLYMPIC GAMES BOYCOTT
STATEMENT BY THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER
The Prime Minister has sent the following telegram to all
delegates attending the meeting of the Australian O]. ynipic
Federation in Melbourne at the weekend:
" The Government has today reaffirmed its view that
because of the continued Soviet aggression in
Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, it is in Australia's
national interest to stand with other countries who
have connemna rhis action and not send a team to the
Moscow Olvmcics.

_%> AUTHS AL& A'f
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA MONDAY, 14 APRIL, 1980
DROUGHT RELIEF
The Commonwealth is taking a major initiative to assist
primary producers to ensure water supplies and to encourage
them to increase their capacity to withstand drought.
At present non-plant capital expenditure on conserving or
conveying water on rural properties such as earth tanks,
wells and bores, and earth channelling for irrigation may
be written off over a period of ten years. The cost of
plant items such as pumps is depreciable over the life

FOR MEDIA 13 APRIL 1980
ADDRESS TO FEDERAL COUNCIL
In this important year, I welcome the opportunity to address
the 1980 Federal Council and, through you, all members of the
Party throughout Australia.
We meet at the beginning of a new decade, as members of a party
in government which has given to the nation an impressive legacy
of achievement. In spite of international difficulties, ours is
a future in which change will provide challenge; in which challenge
will provide opportunity; and in which the seizing of our

PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT SATURDAY, APRIL 12 198~
FEDERAL COUNCIL -EXPORT OF HORSES TO JAPAN FOR SLAUGHTER%~
Question: export of horses to Japan in the conditions in the -wh-ich they
are currently being transported. The Victorian government has*
indicated its concern in the matter, and I would be grateful if the
Prime Minister could indicate whether the Federal Government is
proposing to take any action in the area.
Prime Minister:
Thank you for the opportunity of saying something about this subject.

PRESS OFFICE TRANSCRIPT THURSDAY, APRIL 10 1980
PRESS CONFERE'ICE, CANBERRA
Prime Minister:
I though it might be useful if I called this confer6V.-ir r-ñ ation
to the Office of National Assessments because there h4beKa good
deal' of writing going on about the subject and a good deal of it
as far as I am aware anyway, is not accurate. There are some things
that are certainly inaccurate in relation to my own., views,. and in
fact, do not coincide with what Ihave publicly; stated in the

UTRA( A_ LIaq-AY
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, 10 APRIL, 1980
ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS
The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser,
will be attending the Zimbabwe independence celebrations in
Salisbury on 17-18 April. The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe,
Mr. Robert Mugabe, has extended a personal invitation to a small
number of heads of government including Mr. Fraser.
Other heads of government who have indicated they will attend
so far include President Kaunda of Zambia, President Shagari

FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, -10 APRIL, 1980
VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF FIJI
AND ADI LADY CAKOBAU
The Governor-General of Fiji, His Excellency
Ratu Sir George Cakobau and Adi Lady Cakobau at the
invitation of the Governor-General are to make a State
Visit to Australia from 28 April to 8 May, 1930.
The State Visit will be a significant occasion as
it will be Their Excellencies' first official visit to
Australia and will highlight the strong and historic ties
of friendship existing between Australia and Fiji.

FOR MEDIA MONDAY 7 APRIL 1980
INQUIRY INTO ELECTRICITY AND THE SHARING
OF POWER RESOURCES IN S. E. AUSTRALIA
The Prime Minister announced today that Sir David Zeidler, who
has recently retired as Chairman and Managing Director of ICI
Australia Ltd. had accepted an appointment as Chairman of the
Committee of Inquiry into Electricity Generation and the
Sharing of Power Resources in South-East Australia.
The Committee of Inquiry will also comprise representatives of
the Commonwealth and each of the participating States of New