Fill Crash Raises Questions In Aust.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31783, 13 September 1968, Page 15

Fill Crash Raises Questions In Aust.

IN Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, September 12. The crash of another United States Fill fighter-bomber off the Californian coast today brought a swift reaction in Australia’s House of Representatives, where the Government already faces Opposition attacks over its 8266 m order for the plane.

Wlthin minutes of the news of the latest Fill crash reaching Australia, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Opposition (Mr Lance Barnard) was questioning the Minister of Defence (Mr Allen Fairhall) about it. The Minister said he had no other information than that contained in a news flash. Earlier today, the Prime Minister (Mr John Gorton) had refused to make public, on the grounds of security, the original documents covering the purchase of 24 Fill planes from the United States.

Mr Gorton claimed this privilege in the House of Representatives after a question from the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Gough Whitlam). The documents, the Prime Minister said, gave details of the performance of the aircraft and other matters confidential to the two Governments concerned. The remainder of the documents in

the files were being examined by the Attorney-General (Mr Nigel Bowen). Mr Gorton said that if security and the question of confidential exchanges between the two Governments were not involved, he would make a report later to the House on these other documents. Political observers believe that next Tuesday the Opposition will move an urgency motion to force the production of all the Fill documents. An FIIIB, the United States Navy’s version of the controversial swing-wing jet fighter-bomber, crashed into the sea today 90 miles west of Point Mugu, California. The FIIIB, similar to the United States Air Force’s FIIIA, which was grounded for a time after several had crashed in Nevada and in Vietnam, crashed during a weapons system test. No trace of the crew of two has been found.