PRESS BRIEFING GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
MR WILLIAM McMAHON TO HEADS OF BUREAUX IN
THE PARLIAMENTARY PRESS GALLERY,
CANBERRA 26 JANUARY 1972
PRIME MINISTER Just before Christmas, David Solomon asked me
' if I would have a meeting of the Press Gallery to give them
a briefing on those papers that had been considered by
Cabinet and to which I could give a press release. And I
said I would do my best to meet the wishes of the Gallery.
This is the first attempt. We have sat until rather late

fl ./ 2
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS: PM No. 10/ 19072
PRESIDENT NIXON'S PEACE PROPOSALS
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. William McMahon
The Prime Minister, Mr. William McIAahon, commented
this evening on President Nixon's statement made earlier today,
Australian time, on efforts to-7.7ards peace in Indo-China.
Mr. McMahon said all Australians would be pleased that
President Nixon had made Public his imaginative and far-reaching
propo~ sals for ending the fighting irn Indo-China on honourable

E0T0AB0R1( 0 : h ours 26/ 1/ 72
FOR PRESS: PM No 6/ 1972
AUSTRALIA DAY 1972
Message from the Prime M4inister, r.! Wr illiam Mc! 1ahon
Australia Day is our own National Day. it is a day for
Wreflection. A day when we should forget we live in States, cities
and towns, and remember we are all citizens of one great nation,
recognising no frontiers other -than the seas around us.
In defying and defeating the worst floods, fires and
droughts and winning the best from the seas, soil, iron ore
mountains and our factories we have built a wonderful country

PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS: PM No. 7/ 1972
RETIREMENT OF THE HONOURAXBLE C. E. BARNES, MA. P.
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. William McMahon
I announce the retirement from the Ministry of the
Honourable C. E. Barnes, Minister f'r External Territories.
I propose, in conseqavence, to recommend to His
Excellency the Governor-Gefieral the following appointmients:.-
The TIon. Andrew Peacock, to be Minister for
External Territories;
Mr. R. C. Katter, to be Minister for the
Army.
I am proposing to His Excellency that the swearing

EMBARGOED Until 0001 hours 18/ 1/ 72
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PPESS: A 2 5 PMN No95197
AWARD OF GEORGE CROSS ( POSTHUMOUS)
Statement by the Prime Minister, M~ r William McMahon
Her Majesty The Queen has approved that the George Cross
be awarded posthumously to the late Errol John Emanuel in recogqiti~ on
of the conspicuous courage he displayed as District Commissioner for
the East New Britain district of Papua New Guinea.
As Deputy District Commissioner at Rabaul from July 196~ 9 and
later as District Commissioner for the East New Britain District, Mr

FOR PRESS: PM No
PREMIERS' CONFERENCE
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr William McMahon
On 17 December last I announced that I had suggested
to the Premiers that the next Premiers' Conference should be
held about mid-February as, by then, all parties would be in a
better position to assess the impact on the economy of the
measures that had already been taken.
I have now received the agreement of all Premiers
to the Conference taking place in Canberra on Monday, 14
February, and continuing, if necessary, on Tuesday,
February, 1972.

FOR PR~ LESS: PM. No 3/ 1972.
STATEMENT BY THlE PRIME MINISTER, ZIR WILLIAM McMAHON
RELEASE OF SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN
We welcome the decision of the Government of Pakistan
to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahinan.
The Australian Government has sent several messages to
the Government of Pakistan designed not only to ensure the safety
and welfare of the Sheikh, but also to promote direct negotiations
with Awami League leaders, including the Sheikh in particular.
This was done in the interests of promoting a settlement

~ 2 / i
r V
FOR PRESS: Statement by 1? % o PRIMAE MINISTER, CAN BE R RA.
PM. No 2/ 1972
STATE FUNERAL
the Prime Minister, Mr. William McMahon
The Prime Minister ( Mr. W. McMahon) announced today
that a State Funeral wbuld be accorded the late Hon. Benjamin
Courtice, Senator for Queensland' 1937 to 1962, and Minister
for Trade and Customs in the Chifley Government.
The State Funeral will be held at Christ Church,
Church of England, Central Avenue, St. Lucia, Brisbane, at 11 a. m.
on Tuesday, 11 January.
CANBERRA, January, 7 1972.

FOR PRESS PM. No 1/ 1972.
VISIT BY PRESIDENT SOEHARTO
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. William McMahon
It was confirmed in Canberra today that the State Visit
by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and Madame Soeharto
is to take place in the early part of 1972. The visit will begin
in Canberra with an evening arrival from Djakarta on Sunday 6
February and last four days. During that time the President and
Madame Soeharto will have Monday 7 February in Canberra, leave for
Melbourne on the morning of Tuesday 8 February, and travel from

T1HE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS GIVEN riO THE PRESS ON 6/ 1/ 1972 IN THE
NAME OF " A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PRIME MINISTER
ACCESS TO COMMONWEALTH-ARCHIVES
The recent release by the British Government, under its
' archives policy, of official records including Cabinet papers from
the Second World War, has given rise to questions about access to
Australian Government records, a spokesman for the Prime Minister
said today. The archives policy of the Commonwealth Government was
reviewed in December 1970. A statemcnt announcing the new policy