PRE33 STATEMENT NO. 24
18 December 1972
REPRESENTATION AT I. L. O.
Australia would strengthen its labour representation in
Europe and its relations with the International Labour
Organisation and with other organisations concerned with manpower
and social affairs in Europe, by appointing in Europe a Special
Labour Adviser with the personal rank of Ambassador, to handle
all labour questions, the Prime M1inister and Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Mr. 1hitlam, announced today.
This representative would be Dr. P. H. Cook, at present

4
) PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMlET NO. 23
17 December 1972
PIREFERENCE TO AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIERS
The Prime inister, Mr. Whitlam, announced today a new
system of preference to Australian suppliers in purchases by
the Australian Government.
He has directed that Australian Government contracts should
be awarded to an Australian-owned company in cases where Australian
and overseas-owned firms submit tenders which meet specifications
and are equal in respect of price and availability.
This represents a change from present procedures for

-,,, AUSTRA LIA
PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 22
December 1972
ELIZABETH EVATT
The Prime Minister, Mir. Whitlam, has announced the
appointment of Miss Elizabeth Evatt as a Presidential Member
of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.
Deputy President Evatt is the first woman to hold such
a position. A vacancy on the Bench occurred following the
resignation of the Hon. Deputy President, Vernon Watson, to
take up a position as a Judge on the Industrial Commission of
New South Wales.
The decision to replace Mr. Watson with Deputy

PRESS STATEMENT NO. 21
December 1972
ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS
The Australian Government has decided to hold a judicial
inquiry as the first move towards the legal recognition of
Aboriginal rights in land.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, announced the appointment
of Mr. Justice Woodward as the Commissioner to conduct the
inquiry. Mr. Justice Woodward's commission is not concerned with
whether rights in land should be granted since the government
has already decided that they shall.
His ta~ rk is simply to advise how they shall be granted.

PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATETJENT NO.
December 1972
TAAR RIVER SEWERAGE CONTROL
The new Australian Government today took its first
step against pollution by approving a grant to help clean up
the Tamar River at Launceston.
The Government decided to give $ 300,000 in the current
financial year towards the cost of the first stage of a treatment
plant for Launceston sewerage.
The Senate Select Conmmittee on Water Pollution in 1970
singled out Tamar River pollution for mention in its report.
The committee said " Raw effluent is discharged into

4Jj> AUST HA LIA
PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 19.
December 1972
TERTIARY EDUCATION
The Australian Government has begun moves for greater
decentralisation of tertiary education.
Part of this process will be rationalisation of tertiary
education in Sydney to take into account population distribution.
The Prime Minister, Mr. ' hitlamn, initiated the moves with
letters to the chairmen of the Australian Universities Commission
and of the Australian Commission on Advanced Education this week.

PRESS STATEE'NT NO. 18
14 December 1972
ADVERTISING OF CONTRACEPTIVES
The Prime Minister said today that the Pharmacy
Ordinance 1931-1971 is to be amended to remove the prohibition
on the advertising of contraceptives in the Australian Capital
Territory. He added that a similar amendment to the Pharmacy
Ordinance of the Northern Territory will be placed before
a future session of the Legislative Council of the Northern
Territory. CANB: J. 3 RA. A. C. T.

PRESS STATEMENT NO. 17
14 December 1972
ML,, IBERSHIP OF THE COMMONWEALTH GRANTS COMMISSION.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, announced today that
Professor Russell Mathews had been appointed a Member of
the Commonwealth Grants Commission for three years.
The Prime Minister said that he had consulted with
Mr. Frank Crean about Professor Mathews' appointment.
Professor Mathews has held the Chair of Accounting and
Public Finance at the Australian National University since
1965. He is also the Director of the Centre for Research on

r( 7 PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEIENT NO. 16
14 December 1972
ABORIGINAL EDUCATION ASSISTANCE
The Federal Government will launch a campaign to have
aboriginal children living in distinctive aboriginal communities
given their primary education in aboriginal languages.
The Government will also supplement education for
aboriginal children with the teaching of traditional aboriginal
arts, crafts and skills mostly by aborigines themselves.
The Government will assist in the training of teachers
and teacher aides some of them aborigines in help with the

PR~ IME MINISTERj PRESS STATEME~ NT NO.
13 December 1972
Members of the incoming Labor Ministr y next week
will be able to examine detailed reviews of secret or
unpublished reports or documents prepared by their
departments in recent years.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, has asked the
head of his Department, Sir John Bunting, to have all
permanent heads prepare the reviews for the new ministry.
A full list of items proposed for release will
be prepared and circulated later.
Particular emphasis will be given to the release