FOR PRES3: P. M. No 103. 1970
COMMONWEALTH GRANTS CGMMISSION
The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable J. G. Gorto.-,
announced today the re-appointment of Mr. H. J. Gcodes, C. B. a, id
Mr. W. R. Lane to the Commonwealth Grants Commission. Mr. Goodes
has been re-appointed for a period of one year from 1 October 1970
and Mr. Lane for a period of three years.
CANBERRA 12 October 1970

EMBARGO: 10O. 30 _ mSunda, 1__ October 1970
JOH1NGORTON'S FIRST 1, 000 DAYS"
TELEVISION INTERVIEW GIVEN BY TIIE PRIME MINISTER
MR. JOHN GORTON ON CIANNEL 7i'TV NETWORK
Interviewer Peter Martin
Recorded on Wednesday 7 October for screenln on Sunia 11 ctober 1970
P r o g r a m m e opens with film segment showing Mr Gorton speaking to well-wishers
outside Parliament House on the day he became Prime Minister 9 january 196F.
Q. Prime Minister, that was more than one thousand days ago now, more than

FOR PRESS PM No. 102/ 1970
MR WHITLAM'S ATTITUDE ON VIETNAM
Tv-TD7
Comment by the Prime Minister, Mr John Gorton
Mr Whitlam's statement that there is no military
rationale for the presence of Australian troops in Vietnam is
illogical and endangers the chances of success of the President's
peace efforts. The rationale for an Australian military presence
is that it is necessary to have a military presence until a settlement
giving self-determination to South Vietnam is achieved.
A withdrawal of all Allied troops now, merely

FOR PRESS: P. M. Noo-01/ 1970
FJI INDEPENDENCE
The Prime Minister, Mr. Gorton, has sent the following message
to the Prime Minister of Fiji to mark Fiji's independence tomorrow
" ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT A1-, D PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA,
I SHOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY WARMEST CONGRATULATIONS AND
BEST WISHES TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF FIJI ON THE
OCCASION OF THE ATTAINMENT OF INDEPENDENCE AND ADMISSI: ON
TO THE COMMONWEALTH.
AUSTRALIA HAS FOLLOWED RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN
FIJI WITH CLOSE AND SYMPATHETIC INTEREST AND OUR TWC

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MlNSTER ON RECEIPTS DUTIES
Discussions this afternoon centred upon the arrangements to
be applied regarding receipts tax during the four years after 1970/ 7 1.
It was agreed that the total amount which would have been
collected by each State on transactions in 1970/ 71 would be accepted as the
base figure for collections in future years for that State. This figure is to
be the subject of discussion with each State.
It was also accepted that the figure arrived at for each State,

FOR PRESS: No 99/1970 

Every Premier asked the-Commonwealth to agree to their dropping completely the receipts duty as it now exists and to make good to the State Budgets the whole of the loss involved, for this financial year.

They were of the view that to continue imposing receipts duty, even where it was legal, would be inequitable in its incidence and administratively too complex to be at all feasible.

 P. M. No 98/l970

Comment by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton

The Australian Government holds strongly to the belief that a just and permanent settlement can only be finally achieved around the conference table.

For this reason we warmly welcome these initiatives taken by President Nixon to bring peace and tranquility to the states of South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and their neighbours.

EMBARGO: 6. 30 p. m. Saturday, 3 October 1970
" FOUR CCIRNERS"
TELEVISION I\ TERVIEW GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER
KROT OTNO B VEWO
Interviewer : Mike Willesee
Recorded on 2 October for screenin~ g on 3 October 1970
We open our programme this week in Canberra, and it's been quite a
hectic week in the National Capital. The controversy wie might loosely term " law
and order" reached a peak with an Opposition motion ofZ No Confidence in the' : ri.-. ne
Minister; Sir Henry Bolte stepped in and trumped that with a $ 9 million gesture of

OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE SIXTEEINTH CONFERENCE OF
THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION
CANBERRA, A. CT. 2 OCTOBER 1970
Spech y~ the Primne Minister,. Mr. johln Goto
Your Excellency, Mr President, Mr Vice-Chairman, Leader of the
Obpoosition, Mr Premier of Queensland, Mr Speak-er and Parliamentary
Colleagues: Yesterday at a social occasion I welcomed you here to Australia and
extended wishes for the success of this Conference. Now that you are met in the
Chamber in which your deliberations will take place, I extend again on behalf

SIXTEENTH COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
LUNCHEON AT PARLIAMENT HGUO3E, CANBERRI OCTOBER 1970
Seechby the Prime Minister, Mr. john Gorton
Mr Vice Chairman, , arliamentary Colleagues all
It falls to my lot to propose the toast of our distinguished guests. Sir, it is
my privilege today, both as Prime Minister and as a member of the Australian
Branch I hope a financial member: to preside at this Luncheon in honour of
Delegates to the Sixteenth Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. We are glad