AUSTRALIAN POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN POLICY

NO DIRECTIVE FORCE FORGAN SMITH'S VIEW Declaring that throughout Australia grave dissatisfaction existed regarding political policy, and the absence of a reasonable guarantee as to the economic position of industrious people, the Premier of Queensland, Mr. Forgan Smith, said recently that the Federal. Loan Council should be called together before Ministers departed for the Coronation in order that Federal , and State financial relations might be placed on a more equitable basis, reports the Melbourne "Age." He ridiculed the system under which great States were compelled to carry on with financial provision assured for only three months ahead. Mr. Forgan Smith, who was in Melbourne on a combined business and pleasure trip, said uneasiness in regard to prevailing political policy in Australia was manifest in all circles. The people were seeking economic security in their means of livelihood. Such an assurance should be the first and basic right of any industrious people. "The Premiers' Plan," said the Queensland Premier, "has succeeded in rehabilitating the finances of Australia, and of that section of the community in receipt of rent, profit, and interest. TURNING TO "ISMS." "These people are probably in a sounder position today than they have occupied for many years, but it cannot be said that people who work for wages or salary are in the same happy position. Unemployment continues on a widespread basis, and as a consequence people are turning to Communism and other 'isms,' such as Douglas Social Credit, or anything else that appears to offer the security they so anxiously desire." Asserting emphatically that there was no directing force in the public policy of the Commonwealth, Mr. Forgan Smith said that what masqueraded as public policy "would not cause even a tremor at an elderly spinsters' tea i party." Australia had great natural resources, and the, country was en- 1 dowed with an industrious population that was quite capable of exploiting them if given the opportunity that should exist in a young country. Yet little was being done to develop the country, so as to secure a certain means of livelihood for those who were already here, to say nothing of a population largely augmented by immigration. The problem was largely one of finance, but the States could cope with it if resources were at their disposal. Closer and more amicable relations between the Commonwealth and States were essential to bring about the directive force that was so necessary to place the conditions of the people on a more satisfactory basis. RECENT LOAN FAILURE. Expressing the opinion that failure of the recent Federal loan was due largely to a feeling that the Commonwealth desired to apply the brake to State expenditure, Mr. Forgan Smith urged that steps should be taken immediately to arrange for another meeting of the Federal Loan Council to be held before the Federal and State Ministerial delegations left for the Coronation celebrations. He said he did not agree that the Loan Council had outlived its usefulness; all that was necessary was that it should be adapted to modern conditions. In principle there v/as nothing wrong with the council. The trouble arose out of the hand-to-mouth basis on which it made funds available to the various Governments. It was impossible by financing only three months ahead to run great States that had to build developmental railways and great water-conservation schemes to safeguard against drought. Such an arrangement was foolish*. There must be breadth of outlook if the population was to be soundly based, and others were to be attracted from abroad. "If Australia cannot handle effectively 100,000 of its unemployed, who are thoroughly efficient, and are acquainted with the conditions of Australia," added Mr. Forgan Smith, "how can she hope to provide a livelihood for hundreds of thousands from overseas who know nothing of them?"