FOR PNE. So. S : P2M4 / 1972.
A. C. T. EVIDENCE BILL
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. William
McMahon, M. P.
Legislation will be introduced as soon as possible
in the new Session to replace the A. C. T. Evidence Ordinance 1971.
This legislation will replace the Australian Capital
Territory Evidence Temporary Provision A~ ct 1971 which was passed
last year as a special measure to give effect to the Ordinance in
statutory form until the 31 March this year.
CANBERRA, February, 1972.
FOR PRESS:

FOR PRESS: PH No. 23/ 1972
SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. lion. William
McMahon, CH, 1-P
Australia will continue its participation in the
South Pacific Forum.
Arrangements are now in hand for a meeting of the Forum
in Canberra on February 23 to 25 which is expected to be attended
by the President of Nauru, the Prime ministers of Fiji, Tonga and
Western Samoa, the Premier of the Cook Islands and delegations
from Australia and New Zealand.
The meeting's essential purpose is to provide an inform4l,

FOR PR~ ESS: PM No. 22/ 1972.
COLOUR TELEVISION
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. William McMahon CHMP.
Colour Television services will be inaugurated in
Australia as from 1st M-arch 1975, with transmission commencing
at any time after that date provided the Broadcasting Control
Board's technical standards are met. The date of 1st March 1975
is in accordance with the undertaking to give three years' notice
of the date of inauguration,-The National service will be
developed on a phased basis in the light of the availability of

PREMIERS' CONFERENCE
/ 4x~ n Oeni' g Statement by the Prime Minister 14 FEBRUARY 1972
IT IS OPPORTUNE THAT WE SHOULD MEET HERE TODAY FOR A
WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY AND YOUR STATE
FINANCES. THE TIMING HAS NOT COME ABOUT BY CHANCE. WHEN THE
COMMIONWEALTH ACTED-IN A NUMBER OF WAYS LAST NOVEMBER TO ASSIST DEMAND
AND MAINTAIN GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY, WE HAD IN MIND THAT IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO REVIEW THE POSITION AGAIN ABOUT THIS TIME TO STAND
OFF FOR A LITTLE AND THEN HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE TRENDS.

" THIS DAY TONIGHT"
INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE RT HON.
WILLIAM McMAHON, CH, MP ON ABC NATIONAL TELEVISION 14 FEBRUARY 1972
Interviewer : Richard Carleton
Q. Mr McMahon, the Premiers' Conferenc& today-. one
cannot help but feel is something of a char-ade. It has all-:
happened before. The Premiers come to Canberra on Sunday
night, breathing fire and brim stone. They come and meet
you in the cordiality of the Cabinet Room and it's all over.
The Commonwealth makes a concession. There is no long-term

1I 6
~ KzK FOR PRESS: Pe N, 2 1/ 197 2
TF17) 1 7 LPPEM1ERS_' ON!! F-F2NN qL
S'tatemtent by the Prime D-in ste-, The Rt Hon. Willl)* a-. MCidon
In my opening stateme(-nt to the Conference ( copie-S of wh-ich
have been circulated) I outlined. the Coutmornwea2th's a., sessmezmc
of the economic sit-oation arid orosP,_ c-L and indlicatcd in boroad
terms the programme of action which the Government Ilad developedt
on the basis of its det'ailed review of the_. eCcomty. This review
Was, of course, consi ~ tent with our commitment tc keep the

FOR PRESS: PM. No. 20/ 1972
RESEARCH CENTRE FOR COMMONWEALTH/ S TATE
FINANCIAL RELATIONS
Statement by the Prime Minister, tn e Rt. Hon. William
McMahon, CHI. 14P
The Commonwealth Government favours the establishment,
within the Australian-National University in Canberra, of an
independent Research Centre to pursue studies in the general field
of Commonwealth/ State financial relations.
Iis in mind that the research should embrace all
aspects of Comnmonwealth/ State financial relationships, should

YOUNG LIBERALS' CONVENTION
SURFERS' PARADISE, OLD.
Speech by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon William McMahon CHMP
11 February,_ 1972
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I want to talk to you today about three thingsfirst
the economy second the role the Government has to playand
third the Liberal Party.
I realise you have dealt with these subjects in
one form or another during your Convention. However, I want to
give you the Government' s view because we are immediately concerned

FOR PRESS, I LIBRARY
LOANS TO AUSTRALIAN WHEAT BOAR~ D PM' no 19/ 1972
Statement by the Prime Minister, mr William McMahon, M. P.
Cabinet has approved the introduction of legislation to
enable the Commonwealth to meet its guarantee to re-pay loans made
to the Australian Wheat Board by the Rural Credits Department of
the Reserve Bank.
Tile loans were obtained by the Wheat Board to finance the
first advance to growers on quota wheat of the 197C-71 season. The
Commonwealth will lond the Board the fundsnaeded to repay the Rural

FOR PRESS: PM No 18/ 1972
FIRST ADVAN4CE ON WHEAT
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr William McMahon, M. P.
The Government is prepared to arrange the provision of
finance under the usual government guarantee to the Reserve Bank
to enable the Australian Wheat Board to pay a first advance at the
rate of $ 1.10 per bushel less freight on deliveries of wheat to the
Board up to 407 million bushels in the 1972/ 73 season.
This is the level of csuota deliveries recommended by the
Australian Wheat Growers' Federation and it has been accepted by