Calwell Charges Govt. With Failure On E.E.C.

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 15

Calwell Charges Govt. With Failure On E.E.C.

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

MELBOURNE, November 16. The Federal Government had failed Australia and its primary producers on the European Common Market problem, the Federal Opposition Leader, Mr Arthur Calwell, said today. The Government had known for four years that the United Kingdom would be obliged to seek membership of the Common Market, but it had done nothing to find new markets or discuss the matter openly with the United Kingdom or the countries of the European Economic Community, he said, delivering the Australian Labour Party’s election policy speech in Melbourne.

The Opposition leader said the Labour Party would reimpose selective import controls if it became the Government at the December 9 Federal election. The Labour Party has been in Opposition for the last 12 years. Mr Calwell attacked the Liberal-Country Party coali-

tion for what he described as Australia’s self-inflicted economic wounds. “No external forces, no national disaster, no economic breakdown forced us into having at least 150,000 unemployed,” he said “It was panic legislation based on ignorance and miscalculation of an inept, tired Government that did it.

“It was a piece of highhanded, economic bungling, which only a reckless, powerdrunk Government could conceive and carry out against the warnings of people, industry and the press,” he said, referring to the credit squeeze restrictions which the Federal Government imposed early this year and only recently lifted. Turning to external trade, Mr Calwell said: “In spite of the apparent and growing difficulties which Australia faces in external trade, the Menzies Government has relied on foreign investment to maintain overseas funds. “It has allowed our external trade to come more and more under the control of foreign commercial shipping, financial and insurance companies which exercise monopolistic controls and which operate only through traditional channels in Europe and Asia.” Mr Calwell said: “Australia’s future is being greatly harmed by the Government’s fiscal policies. Overseas investment in Australian enterprises as a junior partner can be helpful, but with 100 per cent, ownership of the share capital domiciled overseas, it is a menace, just as it has been in the case of Canada. "Only by overseas borrowing and overseas investment can the Menzies Government stave off an immediate economic collapse in Australia, even though what it does in this regard makes such a collapse more or less inevitable ultimately.” On external policy, Mr Calwell said the Labour Party believed in summit meetings

to help solve immediate, compelling problems of disarmament and banning of nuclear weapons He said: “If War should be forced on the free world, Australia whether we wish it or not, will be involved. In those circumstances, we who belong to the free world, will stand with the free world and will give wholehearted support to its causes.” Mr Calwell said the Labour Party wanted to replan the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation on a cultural,, educational, medical and technical aid basis and not on a military basis. "It believes S.E.A.T.O. should include all the peoples of South-east Asia.

“Now that Malaya has said the Singapore base is no longer welcome because of Britain’s commitment to 5.E.A.T.0., Australian troops should be withdrawn from Malaya. “We are opposed to conscription of Australian youth to serve under Asian commanders in a new Pacific Ocean treaty organisation," he said. On West New Guinea. Mr Calwell said that the only people who had a right to determine the future of the whole island of New Guinea were its indigenous people and Labour believed that the West New Guinea dispute should be resolved by the United Nations. Mr Calwell promised that the Labour Government would restore full employment within 12 months. He also promised that a Labour Government would:

an inswinger. Both Motz and Cameron were moving the ball in the breeze, but Armstrong, who took most of the strike, carefully chose the right ball to hit. With the total at 21, Oost-huizen,-playing forward to Motz, was beaten and clean bowled by a ball which kept low. NEW ZEALAND First Innings Total for six wickets dec. 325 TRANSVAAL COUNTRY DISTRICTS First Innings .. ..115 Second Innings P. Armstrong, c Dick, b Cameron .. 15 D. Rutter, lbw. b Motz .. 1 J. Oosthuizen, b Motz .. 4 G. Schubach. c Dick, b Cameron .. .. 1 P. Levy, lbw, b Alabaster 0 A. Vorser, not out .. 22 R. Lindsay, st Dick, b Alabaster .. .. 28 Extras 6 Totail for six wickets 77 Fall of wickets: one for 7, two for 21, three for 22, four for 27, five for 33. six for 77. Bowling

O. M. R. W. R. Matz .. 10 4 10 2 F. Caimeaxxn .. 12 6 17 2 J. AUaibaster .. 12 4 36 2 B. Yuile ..41 80