1. I
Statement by the Leader of the Australian
Friday, 20 June 1975.
President, The Australian Delegation wishes
opportunity of congratulating imDortant
World
like othec
the Mexican which
be General
WaldheiLm, There are some amongst us here today
believe, pessimistically, that this conference
In
NO DATE
M42 24 June 1975
WORLD CONFERENCE OF INTER NATIONAL
Statement by the TLeader of the Australian
Delegation, Ms Elizabeth Rei at Mexico City on
Mr President,. to take this

il L
PIESS SiTA', E'T BY TI} PR~ I IIWISTER
Mi E. G. VIiITLiAM C, N. P.
. LAUT'C,' S1TON 23 JU,' N 1975
TiHE NATIONAL ISSUE Mii', FRASER IGNORIES
The Leader of the Opposition has asserted the national significance
of the Bass by-election but only in general, hypothetical terms.
I agree that the electors of Bass have an opportunity to express
a view on a range of national policies and national issues.
They are not general or hypothetical. They are specific issues
which directly affect the well-being of Tasmania, not least the

4AUS flL IA PRESS STATEMENT NO. 522
23 June 1975
APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR TO SWEDEN, FINLAND AND NORWAY
The Prime Minister and Acting Foreign minister,
Mr Whitlam, today announced the appointment of the
Hon. Lance H. Barnard as Australian Ambassador to Sweden,
Finland and Norway.
Mr Barnard is to take up his appointment in Stockholm
in September. He will succeed Mr J. D. Petherbridge,
who has been Ambassador in Stockholm since 1972, and who
is to proceed to another. post. Mr Barnard will reside in

EMBARGO: 7 mlSL 1
QUEENSLAND BROADCAST NO. 1/ 4
MEDIBANK ( 2)
SUNDAY 22 JUNE 1975
I SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT MEDIBANK IN THE VERY
FIRST OF THESE BROADCASTS I GAVE THREE MONTHS AGO.
I WANT TO RETURN TO THE SUBJECT THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF
THE INCREDIBLE MUDDLE IN WHICH THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT
NOW FINDS ITSELF THROUGH ITS EFFORTS TO SABOTAGE THE
SCHEME. IT'S NOW LIKELY THAT QUEENSLAND WILL BE THE ONLY
STATE PREPARED TO DENY ITS CITIZENS THE BENEFITS OF THE
HOSPITAL SIDE OF MEDIBANK -THE ONLY STATE TO HOLD OUT.

j.. p, 0 7
. t t. C
NO DATE
D 38 20 June 1975
PAPUA NEW GUINEA INDEPENDENCE:
EXCHANGE OF IMESSAGES
The following are the texts of messages exchanged.
yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam, and the Chief
iinister of Papua New Guinea, Mr Somare, agreeing that arrangements
be made for Papua New Guinea to become independent on
16 September 1975:
CHIEF MINISTER'S MESSAGE TO THE PRIME MINISTER
" Ily Dear Prime Minister,
On 18th June 1975 the House of Assembly passed the

ljj> A U S TRA L IA
PRIME MMI4STER Press Statement No. 521
June 1975
TRANSFER OF TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS
TO AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
( Joint statement by the Prime Minister the Honourable
E. G. Whitlam., Q. C. and the Pr~ mier of Tasmania,
the Honourable W. A. Neilson, M. H. A.)
The Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam. and the Tasmanian
Premier Mr Neilson announced today that they had signed a.
certificate required to bring into force the transfer of
the Tasmanian Railways to the Australian Government on

J ) A US THA1
PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 520
June 1975
EMBARGO: 6 p. m.
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE
PREMIER OF TASMANIA
The Prime Minister' ( Mr Whitlan) and the Premier of
Tasmania ( Mr Neilson) announced their general agreement
with the recommendations of the Joint Expert Advisory
Committee on the second Derwent River crossing at Hobart.
They also announced that an immediate start would
be made on detailed investigation and design for a second
bridge and road approaches at Dowsings Point. The bridge,

31
ZbTKLA Press Statement No. 519
June 1975
JOINT PRESS STATEM4ENT ON WAGE FIXATION
The Premiers' Conference discussed future approaches
to wage fixation in Australia in the light of the existing high
levels of inflation. In a statement issued after the
Conference, the Prime Minister and Premiers said that,
following the historic National Wage Case decision of April
when the Australian-Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
conditionally accepted the principle of wage indexation,
there is a definite opportunity for the recent explosion in

PREMIERS' CONFERENCE 19 JUNE 1975
OPENING STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HON. E. G. WHITLAM, M. P.
THERE HAS BEEN MORE PREPARATION FOR THIS THAN FOR
OTHER MEETINGS OF AUSTRALIAN HEADS OF GOVERNMENT. THE
PREPARATION MUST BE HELPFULJ. OUR OFFICIALS HAVE MET. YOU
HAVE PROVIDED US WITH BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND) WITH A JOINT
STATEMENT OF YOUR PROPOSALS. WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THOSE
PROPOSALS AND HAVE INDICATED MATTERS WHICH WE SEE AS OPEN FOR
DISCUSSION TODAY. THIS MEETING WILL NOT REMOVE ALL THE

JAUSTRtALIA L PRESS STATEMENT NO. 518
19 June 1975
PREMIERS 2CONFERENCE
Following discussions at today's Premiers' Conference/
Loan Council meeting the Australian Government has agreed
to introduce into the Australian Parliament legislation
amend the StatesGrants Act so as:-
to increase the financial assistance grants
otherwise payable in 1975-76 by $ 220 million
to be built into the base for calculating the
g7rants in subsequent years.
2 to add an amount of $ 5 million to the baso
awount on which Western Australia's financial