EMPIRE DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25887, 3 September 1946, Page 7

EMPIRE DEFENCE

THE PACIFIC AREA , AUSTRALIA TO SHARE BURDEN ' ___ \ CANBERRA, September 2. Australia must in.'future make a larger contribution towards the defence of the British Commonwealth, Said Mr Chifley, in a broadcast speech to-night,. giving Labour’s election policy. The approach to a common scheme of defence for the Pacific should be by agreement between Britain, Australia, and,New Zealand, and the scheme should, be related to those of the United States and other nations with possessions in this area. The Government had approved the creation of scientific and technical bodies to maintain the closest liaison for Empire co-operation. Labour’s policy was to assure Australia the protection of a virile aerial defence force by maintaining an industrial organisation capable of producing the most modern aircraft from her own resources, and capable of rapid expansion in the event of ‘ a threat. Mr Chifley said legislation would be introduced in the first , session of the new Parliament to establish a defence production commission to administer nine Government munitions factories and a number of annexes, and supervise Government investment in industry for defence purposes. Declaring that Australia was on the threshold of industrial expansion. Mr Chifley said the Commonwealth could look for secondary industry export markets to India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Malaya, and the Netherlands East Indies, where living standards, if they were increased only a fraction, would establish markets for all Australia could manufacture. The Australian steel industry had in hand a £5,000,000 expansion programme involving the opening up of iron ore deposits, shipyards, and coke ovens, and the mechanising of coal mines.