; PA
PRESS STATEMENT NO. 470
17 March' 1975
AUSTRALIAN BEEF EXPORTS WITH JAPAN
The Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, announced today
that the Japanese Government had allocated an im~ port
quota of 2,400 tonnes of beef for the Okinawa market.
Mr. Whitlam said the-Japanese Government had
made a simultaneous announcement of its decision in Tokyo
this afternoon. Commenting on the reopen-ing of the Japanese beef
market Mr. Whitlam, said:" The amount is not significant
compared with our peak exports tc Japan of 115,000 tonnes

A HAL jA,
PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 469
12 March 1975
APPOINTMENT OF MR POWELL TO POSITION OF CHAIRMAN
OF DARWIN RECONSTRUCTION COMMISSION
The Prime Minister announced today that
Mr A. J. W. Powell, aged 41, the Commissioner of the National
Capital Development Commission, has also been chosen by
the Government as Chairman of the Darwin Reconstruction
Commission following the resignation of Sir Leslie Thiess.
In announcing the appointment, which will take
effect as from 13 March 1975, the Prime Minister said he

PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 468
12 March 1975
OIL AND URANIUM EXPLORATION
GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES
The Government reaffirms that it seeks Australian
participation in oil exploration, but has decided that
foreign companies undertaking oil exploration in
Australia need not necessarily seek Australian participation
at the initial or ' grass roots' level of their exploration
activities i. e. up to the detailed proving stage, but that
in exploitation and development beyond these stages, the
Australian Government expects such companies to offer

PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 467
11 March 1975
ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FRUIT JUICE
PROCESSORS
The Government has decided to pay structural
adjustment assistance to fruit juice processors
affected by the removal of the exemption'from sales tax
of aerated waters containing less than 5 per cent
Australian fruit juice.
The exemption had encouraged soft drink
producers to include 5 per cent of fruit juice in
their products to escape sales tax.
The compensation will cover plant made redundant,

PRIME MINISTERPres StaNeo m4e6t
Press Statement No. 466
11 March 1975
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL LINE SHIPS
The Government has authorised the preparation and
introduction df legislation authorising Australian
Government borrowing overseas on behalf of the Australian
National Line. The loan is to assist the ANL to buy two bulk
ore carriers from the Gotaverken shipyards in Sweden.
The amount involved is $ US68 million.
CANBERRA. A. C. T. 29?

PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 465
11 March 1975
PENS IONS
Cabinet agreed today to a further step in the
abolition of the means test for age pensions, and on
an increase in all pension rates.
As promised in the September 1974 Budget,
the means test will be abolished for people aged 70 to 74.
There will be a three months period of grace in which
claims may be lodged without loss of arrears. People
and over were granted exemption from a means test
by my Government in 1973.
In accordance with its policy of increasing

L: rhrI 197r
R. E. D. (; RANTS TVEf-RiOOT,
The Prime fli-D; ister a'i cmbiro cr-ivwa
MrC-c-. h : dti lam to'iay arno 4-ncnc:-' morr w~' r oc
T:-: ce First i nvolve c~ . l j, F Qflc,,
around Amafia Dark ( cstabli shc'' I i 3 -J 71 t,
o s t c 1 7, i1 Austra ii~ a af-s\' rfh'rC~ flr
Vvi8 r1 I '' rnploy 6 people :. or .: 0c n ou r
' he other Projeoct i s II comrn; Lr l,' e / hCI
pa t 1-W,) y 1 son -dt . t a t o0 2 f
c f wh J:-C h-Aus cr alI ~ an r. 1ov r-, T fli~ l n w i y
' hsw) 1nabl c no3 4 rcv ~ anwr o
four wecl: FS.

i6
I _ I Press Sta'ement No. 464
1.1 March 1975
VISIT OF SOVIET PLANT INDUSTRY DELEGATTON
The Prime Minister and Acting Foreign Minister,
Mr E. G. Whi{-iam, and the Minister for Science, Mr Bill
Morrison, announced today that a party of five Soviet
plaiit scientists will arrive in Porth on Thursday morning,
13 March. The group is visiting Ausurali. a for two weeks
under the auspices of the Australian/ Soviet Science
Agreemert. During its Australian visit the Soviet plant
scientists will have discussions witn Australi. n scientists

PRIME MRAINISTE Press Statement No. 463
March 1975
Appointments to Special Joint Commission on Tasman Bridge
In the joint statement issued by the Australian
Prime Minister, the Hon. E. G. Whitlam, and
the Premier of Tasmania, the Hon. E. E. Reece, M. H. A. regarding
their Agreement to set up a Special Joint Commiission to
superintend and direct the salvage and re-building operations
following on the collapse of portion of the Tasman Bridge
over the Derwent River, it was stated that the names of the

PRIME MINISTER Press Statement No. 462
1~ March 1975
COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO PUBLIC LIBRARIES
The Prime Minister today announced the establishment
of a wide-ranging Committee of Inquiry. into public librrries
in Australia. The Committee will comprise:-
I'r A. 0orton, Librarian, University of r1ew South 7' ales
Chairman
Hr V. L. Brrown, State Librarian, Tasmania
professor D. NcL. Lamberton, Professor of Economics,
University of Queensland
ilr Pickering, Senior Special Education Officer,
Departm: ent of Education, Victoria