Says Aluminium Bill “Tainted By Politics”

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1944, Page 4

Says Aluminium Bill “Tainted By Politics”

(2 p.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Complaints that the Federal Government’s Aluminium Bill was “heavily tainted by politics” were made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Menzies) in the House of Representatives.

The Bill, which passed its second reading by 38 votes to 16, ratifies an agreement between the Commonwealth and the Tasmanian Government for the establishment of a £3,000,000 aluminium ingot industry in Tasmania. An amendment by the leader of the Country Party (Mr. Fadden) that the Bill should be referred to the Tariff Board, was defeated by 34 votes to 20. Vitally important details of aluminium costs were omitted from an expert’s report, alleged Mi - . Anthony (Country Party), at whose .request the report was tabled. Mainly of a technical nature, a report released for the first time was by A. J. Keast and H. Hey, two Australian metallurgists commissioned by the Government to investigate aluminium production during a world tour in 1943. Letter to Experts Attached to the report was a letter to the experts from the chairman of the British Aluminium Company Limited, Mr. Boex, purporting to give information regarding costs of producing aluminium. Mr. Anthony alleged that parts of the letter had been excised in the report. Earlier, the Acting-Minister of Supply (Dr. Evatt) said its importance for the future defence of Australia was the main reason for establishing the Tasmanian aluminium industry. Its price would be comparable with that imported from overseas. Decision to establish the industry in Tasmania was not “a bribe” to that State, but was based mainly on the low cost of electric power in that State. Each penny per . unit of electricity meant the addition of about £lO per ton to the cost of aluminium produced. The plant would have an early capacity of about 6000 tons a year. Passes All Stages

An allegation that the world aluminium combine was trying to soli a lot of useless plant to the Commonwealth was made in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr Anthony (County Party, N.S.W.fi He moved an amendment to the Aluminium Bill for the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate the establishment of the Government’s aluminium industry in Tasmania which, he said, “smelt-to high Heaven.” The amendment was . defeated on the voices and the bill passed all stages. Replying to Mr Anthony, the Minister for External Affairs (Dr Evatt) said there was no evidence of anything smelling to high Heaven. The establishment of the industry would be detrimental to the interests of the combine and cartels.