Sweeping Array Of Wartime Controls

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1944, Page 3

Sweeping Array Of Wartime Controls

(Special.) SYDNEY. This Day. The insertion in the commonwealth Wider Powers Bill of guarantees of freedom of speech and religion and freedom from bureaucracy are considered by Australian political observers to have increased the Federal Government's chances of success at the referendum. Earlier success for the referendum had been regarded as a dismal hope. A declaration of the Government’s attitude towards post-war continuation. of wartime restrictions and regulations is now being sought. It is widely believed that an acceptable declaration of Government policy on this issue would ensure the referendum's success. The Powers Bill will be before the Federal Parliament again this week. “Government supporters’ fears of defeat at the referendum have sprung not from doubt that the public will realise the need for the 14 powers sought, but from evidence of the public’s distrust of policies and ambitions of some of the bureaucrats who might administer the new powers,” writes the “Sydney Morning Herald’s” political correspondent. “It is becoming clear that only a clearcut pronouncement of the Government's attitude to continuance after the war of wartime controls and restrictions can improve the prospects of the Commonwealth obtaining postwar powers that are needed. There has been mounting evidence from all over Australia that all major classes of public opinion regard the sweeping away of wartime control and restrictions as a primary obligation on whatever Commonwealth Government is in power when peace returns.” Experts Differ The correspondent points out that there have been sharp diversions in recent public statements made by such Government authorities is the economic consultant to the Prime Minister (Professor Copland) and by the Minister for War Organisation (Mr Dedman). While Mr Dedman emphasised that the Government wished to end wartime restrictions as speedily as possible, and to give scone to individual enterprise, Professor Copland suggested that many permanent controls would have to be established. These included: (1) Continuing high taxation. (2) Rationing. (3) Maximum as well as minimum wages. (4) Government control of some materials and their distribution. (5) Government control of land values. (6) Nationalisatiin of such “monopolies” as coal, banking, insurance, broadcasting, airways, and shipping. Favourable Indications Such confusing and contradictory statements, says the “Herald” writer, demand a clear declaration of Government policy. Other political observers believe that Mr Curtin’s immense political prestige, plus the growing unpopularity of certain State Governments, will ensure success for the referendum. The political correspondent of the “Sydney Daily Telegraph” assesses the present line-up of States in favour of transfer of additional powers to the Commonwealth as: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, certain supporters; South Australia, Western Australia, probable supporters: Tasmania, possible supporter.