Conference on ‘Anzac Connection’

Press, 12 May 1984, Page 13

Conference on ‘Anzac Connection’

From

STUART McMILLAN

in Canberra Representatives from one of Australia’s top intelligence agencies—the Office of National Assessments—and, more curiously, a representative of the Hungarian Embassy, are among those attending a conference at the Australian National University dealing with Australian and New Zealand defence. The conference, which began on Wednesday evening, is called “The Anzac Connection” and its scope is defined in a passage from the New Zealand “Defence Review 1983” about Australia being New Zealand’s closest and oldest ally. Predictably enough, the Australian Defence Department is very well represented and the New Zealand Ministry of Defence has some very senior representation, including the Secretary of Defence, Mr D. B. G. McLean The listed

participants number about 130. It is a heavily official, conference, with other government departments, notably the Foreign Affairs establishments on both sides of the Tasman, having people there. Also attending are a few aircraft makers, a number from the Australian National University itself, and some from other universities as well as a few journalists. The prospect of the immediate establishment of extensive defence industries in New Zealand and Australia is not so strong that Australian and New Zealand defence officials ignored a large range of defence equipment made in China which has been on display in Canberra and which the Chinese are trying to sell. The list of participants at the conference does not include any official representatives of the Chinese Government or any Chinese arms manufacturers.