B.H.P. aid under discussion, says Hawke

Press, 16 June 1983, Page 10

B.H.P. aid under discussion, says Hawke

NZPA Washington Aid of up to sAustloo .million for the ailing steel giant 8.H.P., was among options being considered by the Australian Government, the Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, confirmed yesterday. The matter was still under discussion between the Government, unions, and the steel industry, but a Cabinet decision could be expected fairly soon.

Mr Hawke was commenting on remarks by a senior United States senator, Daniel Moynihan, who appeared to pre-empt the decision after an appearance by Mr Hawke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday. Mr Moynihan, a member of the committee, said afterwards that Mr Hawke, in discussion about protectionism, had made a powerful argument about the need to maintain a steel industry

in Australia. He said that Mr Hawke had told the committee that Australia was going to put ?Austloo million into the steel industry, producing a sAust2.4 billion investment. Mr Hawke said later that while Mr Moynihan might be an expert in a number of areas of the United States political scene, he had not understood the observations the Prime Minister was making.