U.S. offers C.I.A. evidence about Whitlam sacking

Press, 17 June 1983, Page 6

U.S. offers C.I.A. evidence about Whitlam sacking

NZPA Washington The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee has offered to provide its findings on alleged Central Intelligence Agency complicity in the downfall of the Whitlam Labour Government to the Hope Royal Commission investigating •Australia’s intelligence services.

The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Bob Hawke, told a National Press Club luncheon in Washington yesterday that the offer had been made by Senator Daniel Moynihan, a member of the committee and a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Mr Hawke said that the allegations of C.I.A. political interference in Australia had been raised during discussions with the committee by Mr Moynihan, who had said that his committee had investigated the matter very closely and had concluded that there was no substance to the allegations.

“He indicated that if our Royal Commissin wished to visit with and discuss with his committee they would make available all the evi-

dence available to them in respect of these allegations,” Mr Hawke said.

“It is not for me of course as Prime Minister in any way to try and direct Royal Commissioner Hope as to how he should conduct his affairs.

“But it is quite conceivable that the Royal Commissioner may regard it as appropriate to take up that invitation of Senator Moynihan.

“May I say that I would regard it as a sensible thing to do, because I think continuation of allegations like that only help to poison relations to some extent.” Mr Hawke said that he had not been presented with any proof of the allegations. “The events that occurred in Australia on November 11, 1975, were amongst the most traumatic, if not the most traumatic, in Australia’s history. “They broke all the conventions of our country and they imposed deep wounds on the Australian psyche.

“It was inevitable in those circumstances, I believe, that there would be a preparedness to believe the worst,” he said. “All I can say is that I

have raised here, unequivocally, this issue and I have from a number of sources been given unequivocal denials in respect of these allegations.” ©Mr Hawke’s former prowess as a "boozer” appears to have grabbed the imagination of Americans as much as his present position. Of particular interest to them is his feat, while a student at Oxford University, of drinking 2% pints of beer in 12 seconds, earning him a place in the “Guinness Book of Records.” It was almost inevitable, therefore, that he should be questioned on the subject at the luncheon.

Referring to the Oxford feat, a questioner wanted to know whether Mr Hawke regarded that, or his elevation to Prime Minister, as his greatest achievement. Mr Hawke’s reply won laughter and applause. “Although I am working very very long hours, this job has the advantage that however long hours I work, I wake up in the morning feeling always significantly better than I often did when I was the holder of that dubious distinction.”