I STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTEI_, THE RT.
HON. R. G. MENZIES, X. P. RECORDED
FOR THE CELEBR TION PARTY TO MARK
FIRST TEN YEARS OF FEDLEPAL GOVERNMENT
HELD IN SYDNEY, THURSDAY, 10TH DECEMBER,
1959
I am very proud that you should have drunk my health
( in my absence from Australia) and given me so much credit, undeserved
though it may be, for the events of the last 10 years.
On the other hand, I am very sorry that I should not be with
you on so happy an occasion. My wife, who has done so much, has
the same emotions. As you know, our relationships with South-East Asia are
of tremendous importance to us. It would be a misfortune if we
uere always to consider them in military terms. I therefore
accepted invitations to go to Indonesia and to Malaya for a brief
visit of goodwill and of understanding. It is of the greatest
importance that in our dealings vrith our Asian neighbours we
should emphasise our points of unity and not dwell too heavily
upon our possible points of difference. Thus, it is that one
of the main things to say to the Indonesians is that, apart from
our difference of opinion about dest New Guinea, we both have all
the reasons in the world for getting to understand each other and
establishing positive friendship.
In the case of Malaya, re already have considerable
historical and current reasons for being friends. Australian
capital and skill were many years ago invested in Malaya, particularly
in tin and in rubber. Through the former Governor-
General of Australia, Sir ; Jilliam McKell, we played an active and
constructive part in the devising of the Malayan constition after
the achievement of Malayan self-government.
The Prime Ministei, Tunka Abdul Rahman, recently visited
Australia and was, I am sure, delighted at his reception and
at the instinctive friendliness of our people.
As part of the British Commonwealth reserve of forces,
we have been and are represented, in all arms, with the willing
co-operation of the Malayan people.
To return to Indonesia, it is, of course, w½ ell-known
that we recognise Dutch sovereignty in West New Guinea and that
on this matter we have, so to speak, agreed to disagree with the
Indonesian administration.
As we are in no sense anxious to piomote hostility we
have, in the first places strongly supported the reference ol the
Indonesian territorial claim to the Permanent Court of International
Justice. The Government of Indonesia has, for its own
reasons, not thought this to be a suitable tribunal. We have
made it clear that, as we recognise Dutch sovereignty, so equally,
do we recognise the right of the Dutch to co4duct negotiations
with Indonesia so long as those negotiations are not conducted
under either threat or duress. On this matter you will recall,
as I do, that the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Dr. Subandrio, on
his recent visit to Australia entered upon a joint declaration to
the effect that Indonesia did not intend to solve those differences
of opinion by force of arms. This, you will agree, is a
civilised attitude and, as your government, 9 we , rill do our best
to preserve it.
It seems to me that the truth is that the great problEms
before the new nation of Indonesia are those of civil administration
and economic develop ent. Ue will do all in our power to
help to solve these poblems.
2.
Indeed, it may be said about both-of these neighbouring
countries Indonesia and Malaya that Australia has a
genuine interest in seeing them develop as free, well-administered
and self-governing communities, with rising standards of
living and that pride in democracy which is the best assurance
of resistance to Communism.
Looking back over these 10 years, we feel proud of the
economic and social development of our own country. ' e have
experienced unpopularity and popularity, but at all times we
have tried to maintain a steady course; a c0ourse which in the
result has, I believe, as you do contributed powerfully to the
g-reatest period of national deveiopment within living memory.
But we have not confined ourselves to domesiic and economic affairs.
* We have set about the task of build1ing up these friendships
and associations abroad which mean so much to our national
security and our national future.
It may occasionally be forgotten that the Colombo Plan
originated with Australian initiative; that we played an active
and I think, a determining part in the creation of the ANZUS
Pact with the United States and New Zealand;, and that we were one
of the founders of the South-East Asian Treaty which has done so
much to stabilise those freedom-loving countries in South and
South-East Asia who are determined not to paiss within Communist
control. In short, we have had a positive, constructive and
fruitful foreign policy. Our association with Great Britain and
the other nations of the British Commonwealth has never been
stronger or more genuine. Our association with the United States
of America has never been so happy or so helpful. Thus it is
that I think we may say at the end of a decadie of government that
both at home and abroad we have served our country with integrity
and with success. It is a good thing that ~ Ve should be able to
say this to ourselves at this time.
That I should say it to you is not an expression of
personal self-satisfaction, because nobody kriows half so well as
I do how much the progress of events has depbnded upon the intense
loyalty and co-operation which has beep received from
Ministei-s, Parliamentary Members and the manyr thousands of Party
Members in the field of organisation whose names are perhaps not
well known but without whose sacrificial work we could never hope
to achieve success.
Ten years seems a long time lookiing forward. it
seems an astonishingly short time looking back. But I see no
reason to doubt that so long as we provide s~ rvice to the Australian
people, a sound character rhich inspires that service,
and a patriotism which prefers the interests of the nation to the
interests of the individual, we should be able to look forw. ard to
another decade of which wve may be as proud a$ we are of the
years just ended.