FEDERAL POLITICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 24 June 1943, Page 5

FEDERAL POLITICS

NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE “BRISBANE LINE” CONTROVERSY Canberra, June 23. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, to-day repudiated the charge made by the Minister of Labour, Mr Ward, that vital War Cabinet documents relating to the “Brisbane line” were missing. Opposition members, indignant at the charge, had refused to attend further meetings of the War Advisory Council until the matter was cleared up satisfactorily. The Government charges that at the outbreak of the war with Japan Australia had been left defenceless in the air were answered by the former Minister of Air, Mr McEwen. He told members, weary after an all-night sitting, that when the Curtin Government came into power in October, 1941, it inherited about 150 Hudson twin-engined bombers plus more than 1000 second-line aircraft, including 460 Australian-built training planes, 370 Australian-built Wirraways, and 650 bombers, including 200 twinengined aircraft. # INDEPENDENT’S ATTITUDE Mr Coles, a Victorian Independent, whose vote will decide the fate of the no-confidence motion, told the House he would vote against the motion. After a calm review of the facts it is patently absurd that the Curtin Government should be removed from office on a vote of no-confidence,” he said. Faced with the responsibility of defending the country threatened with invasion the Government had immediately proved it was worthy of the trust. It had abandoned party politics and set itself to the task of thoroughly organising Australia to meet this challenge to its safety. Only 24 of the 73 members Of the House were present this morning when the House met after the breakfast adjournment. Interest in the debate lapsed with Mr Coles’s declaration of his support for the Government. However, the motion may not # be put to the vote until to-morrow.

“At the end of the all-night session at 7.30 this morning the chamber was like a Hogarth picture with members strewn about the benches asleep and snoring or cold and miserable,” says the Sydney “Sun” political correspondent. “Chins bristled with beards, collars were loosened, and some members had taken off their shoes. Some of the older members were given pairs and allowed to go home, while others made private compacts and sneaked off to bed.”—P.A.