THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE
WITH MR. MICHAEL SOMARE
CHIEF MINISTER OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA
WEDNESDAY, 17 JANUARY 1973
PRIME MINISTER: Ladies and gentlemen: the Chief Minister and
the Minister for External Territories and I have had discussions this
morning and this afternoon on matters concerning our two countries.
You have a copy of the communique which we prepared. Are there
any questions yo'd. like to ask us?
Have you all finished reading the communique?
A. Yes.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE
AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 16 JANUARY, 1973
PRIME MINISTER: Ladies and gentlemen: there were several
appointments which the Cabinet made this morning. Three of them
required Executive Council action which took place at half past one
today. Mr George Warwick Smith who was previously Secretary of the
old Department of the Interior has been appointed as a Special Trade
Representative to represent Austra ' lian interests in the forthcoming
multi-lateral trade negotiations under GATT. Dr Cairns is issuing

J
P~ ES3 STATMIENT ITO. 36
16 January 1973
IAPOINTL121T OJF SPECIAL TPADE 2E-i7ETATIVE, MR.
G. TARTICK SMITH
The Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Wvhitlam, today announced the appointment of a Special Trade
Representative to represent Australian interests in the forthcoming
multi-late ral rae negotiations under the General Agreement on
Tariff and Trade ( GATT).
" These negotiations" said Mr. , Thitlam " are regarded by
the Government as having a significant bearing not only on Australia's

P__ RZ,, SS. 1. O
January 1973
VI-JIT OF _ CI F iIISz; OF Pl'.-Uh irii c Ii
' he Ch-ief l'inister Paoua New Guinea, 1: r. iiichael
2jorare, will arrive in Canberra tomorrow evenin[ g Ior talks
witha thIe Autaian G-overnment.
Thie 1prime Ilinister, 1-1r. *. Titlrn 2n te 1iiinister Eor
Extern~ al Territories, 1. r. h4orrison will greet hr. Somare wh-Ken
he arrives at the R.... base, Fairbairn, at 5.20 p. m.
The Governmaent is providling a V. I. P. aircraft to fly
Er. Sornare from Bzisbane to Calberra.

0 j AIJS I ,1A PRESS STATEMENT NO. 34
January 1973
DEATH OF THE HON. W. J. RIORDAN
We have all been greatly saddened to learn of the death
of Bill Riordan, one of the few surviving members of the Chifley
Government. He was a staunch friend and a profoundly loyal Labor man.
He maintained a remarkable hold on the loyalty of his
electorate of Kennedy ( North Queensland) which was undeviatingly
a Labor stronghold until his retirement.
Arrangements are being made for a State funeral.
CANBERRA, A. C. T. 0.
F 1 R 9M IFE M 0 N 0 -13 7 E VR

NQ DATE
M/ 21 15 January 1973
GOVERNMENT WELCOMES RELEASE OF FRANCIS JAMES
The Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr
Whitlam, said today that he warmly welcomed the news that Mr Francis
SJames would be allowed to leave China on 16 January.
The Chinese Government had advised the Australian Embassy
Sin Peking that Mr James would be deported, having been found guilty of
espionage. Mr Whitlam added that the Chinese had said that the
arrangement was being made as a friendly gesture now that diplomatic

EMBARGO: 6.00 P. m.
PRESS STATEMENT NO. 33
12 January 1973
INQUIRY INTO PROPOSED INCREASE IN STEEL PRICES
In its election policy speech, the Government promised to
establish prices justification machinery. The initial and timeconsuming
work necessary to give practical effect to this promise
is being undertaken as a matter of the utmost priority, by my
colleagues the Treasurer and the Attorney-General. The Government
aims to introduce enabling legislation into the Parliament very
early in the coming session.

FOR PRESS A special committee of Federal Ministers will investigate
the possibility of establishing an international airport at
Townsville. This was announced today by the Minister for Tourism and
Recreation ( Mr. Frank Stewart).
Such an airport would be expected to boost the tourist
potential of the entire region, Stewart said.
It would also continue to be used by the RAAF as a joint
military-civil vpnturP.
" The committee will carefully study the location and also
the physical requirements for an airport, the anticipated needs

PRESS STATEMENT NO. 32
January 1973
ABORIGINAL ADVANCEMENT
The Australian Government decided today to allocate
a further $ 10.85 million for Aboriginal Advancement projects in
1972/ 73. Federal Cabinet decided that most of the extra
allocation would be divided to expansion of advancement programs
through the States, by way of supplementary Grants under Section
96 of the Constitution. The decision followed a submission to
Cabinet by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Bryant.
Grants totalling $ 14.5 million in 1972/ 73 were

JJ, AUSTAL IA& L
PROME MONISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 31
January 1973
VISIT TO INDONESIA
The Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Mr. E. G. Whitlam, announced today that he would make an official
visit to Indonesia from 20 to 23 February inclusive.
Mr. Whitlam said that he would fly to Port Moresby on
18 February and from there to Jakarta, with a brief stop en route
at Bali. He would be accompanied by Mrs. Whitlam.
Mr. Whitlam said that he looked forward to the visit
to Indonesia with keen interest.