Calwell On Peril Of Indonesia

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 18

Calwell On Peril Of Indonesia

(NZPA-ltevter-CopvTipht)

SYDNEY, January 28.

Indonesia’s Air Force could give 24 hours’ notice and then destroy any city in Australia, the Leader of Australia’s Federal Opposition (Mr Arthur Calwell) told a television audience last night.

“We’ve <ot no Army, practically no Air Force, and our Navy to very weak,” he said. Mr Calwell, who was being interviewed, said he thought Australia’s three fighting services were much weaker than Indonesia’s. He believed Indonesia’s Air Force was so strong that Indonesia could give Australia 24 hours* notice and destroy any city—even although Australia would be given the chance to concentrate her entire Air Force in the defence of that city.

Australia, he said, was to get French Mirage jetfighters. British Oberon-class submarines, and American guided-missfle destroyers “some time. . . ." Australia’s Army was strong in leadership, but not big enough, he said. Most of Australia’s £l6om

defence vote was absorbed in wages and salaries. Mr Calwell said Indonesia’s attitude to Portuguese Timor was most important to Australia. Last year, Indonesia, after taking over Dutch possessions, bad announced she had no more territorial ambitions, he said. But now, only a year later, he was worried about Just what would happen.