Aust. P.M. warns of legal move on dam

Press, 31 March 1983, Page 6

Aust. P.M. warns of legal move on dam

NZPA Canberra It seemed it would now be necessary for the Federal Government to "follow legal avenues open to it” to stop construction of the Gordon-below-Franklin dam in Tasmania’s south-west wilderness, the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, said yesterday. If the Federal Government legislates to stop the dam, the Tasmanian Government is expected to challenge the constitutionality of the legislation in the High Court The Tasminian Premier, Mr Robin Gray, said that he had it on good advice that Tasmania would win the case. Mr Gray has unequivocally rejected the Ist-

est request by Mr Hawke for talks on alternative power and employment schemes for Tasmania. "There is no alternative to the hydro power scheme to provide the electricity Tasmania is going to need in the 19905,” Mr Gray toM a press conference in Sydney. The request for talks was made in a letter on Monday, in which Mr Hawke suggested a moratorium on the works at the dam site. Mr Hawke said that during the period of a moratorium and discussions the Federal Government would guarantee the income of those directly affected by the transfer of empioyaMot. a ■

the scheme had already been started, lAust2s million had been spent on works, and people were dependent en it for empteyMr Hawke remanded to this rejection by saying that the Tasmanian Prettier tad now dosed off all options for jus jatssedtate negotiated eettfeaseag The Fbderai AttoraeyGeweral, Bonatee Gareth Evans, it understood to have already begun preparing legHamn to haK the dam. ■. • Ths legMatien weald ratify foe Worid Heritage Hstim of the ma |ato last year, and allow «e Federal Guven-