Aust. may invite blacks

Press, 7 August 1985, Page 1

Aust. may invite blacks

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney The Australian Government wants to invite black African leaders to Australia to help draft a co-ordinated Commonwealth drive against South Africa’s emergency laws. The plan, which will be taken to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in the Bahamas in October for its blessing, will be among a range of measures considered by the Australian Cabinet next week to increase the effectiveness of protests against South Africa’s emergency laws and apartheid in general. According to reports this week, the Australian Cabinet will also consider shutting Australia’s nine-mem-ber trade mission in Johannesburg, a move believed to have found favour with a number of Ministers including the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Hayden, and the Trade Minister, Mr Dawkins. The planned African working party, which would include members of the African Commonwealth nations, would investigate ways for a peaceful transition to a multi-racial society based on universal suffrage. Its membership could also include black South African leaders such as Bishop Desmond Tutu, some of whom would risk not being allowed back into their home country after the visit to Australia. The group would recommend a timetable df practical steps for South African reforms, with a series of economic sanctions drawn up for the Commonwealth nations to impose if the reforms were not forthcoming. The Australian Government is also expected to consider setting up a group of international experts to consider ways in which investment in South Africa could be suspended without harm to blacks. That proposal is also expected to go to the Bahamas meeting with recommendations that would form the basis of a unified Commonwealth approach to the South African issue.