AUSTRALIA’S ATTITUDE TO THE DUTCH IS STATED BY DR. EVATT

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S ATTITUDE TO THE DUTCH IS STATED BY DR. EVATT

CANBERRA, February 18.

Far from trying to throw the Dutch out of Indonesia, Australia had done exactly the opposite, said the Minister of External Affairs, Dr Evatt, in the House of Representatives. He added that Australia's foreign policy was not a question of party politics, and that it was incorrect to suggest that Parliament was not consulted. The Government had put the broad outlines of its policy to the House and was arranging for his department to make information available on those matters to every member.

The basis of Australia’s foreign policy was not new. There had been unwavering support for the United Nations and the closest co-operation with the United Kingdom and other members of the British Commonwealth. Regional arrangements had been developed in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, and, in relation to the Pacific in particular, there had been very close co-opera-tion with the United States. The Australian Government’s attitude towards Indonesia had been the attitude compelled by membership of the United Nations. Australia wished the Dutch 'to remain on the basis of co-operation freely sought by the Indonesians. rather than on the earlier basis of mere power. Action of the kind the Dutch took on December 19 in attacking the republic was calculated to upset the whole area from Australia to Pakistan. DUTCH PROPAGANDA IN AUSTRALIA CANBERRA, Feb 17. ‘Certain foreign legations in Australia are publishing and circulating propaganda of a controversial nature which is likely to cause a certain amount of unnecessary discord in Australia,’ said Mr H. B. Gullett (Liberal) in the House of Representatives this afternoon. "Is this correct procedure for any foreign legation? Can steps be taken to discourage the practice?” The Minister of External Affairs (Dr. H. V. Evatt) said: “I will investigate. It is possible that the use of legations as centres of propaganda might be embarrassing both to the Government concerned and to the Autralian Government.” Later, outside the House, Mr Gullett said: “There are several offenders from my point of view, with the Dutch probably the worst.”