THE CHOICE:  March 24 will see the start of a new era for this great country .The direction of the past seven years will be obliterated.  The appalling records of the Hawke/Keating combination will be wound back.  The National Party, in Government with the Liberals, will  begin putting into place policies that will once again make this  country great and give it real hope for prosperity in the future.  The choice is absolutely clear. It can be summed up in 10 words: more of the same or a change for the better.  Australians are literally crying out for a change from Labor's politics of despair. More than that, they are demanding change.  We will give it to them.  THE DIRECTION OFHOPE:  We'll give a direction that will  - increase personal prosperity and incentive to work, to contribute to the country, and save for the future '  - turn around the national economy and rebuild private sector confidence, growth and development - '  - reinvigorate our great export industries and international competitiveness - <5?  - give ail Australians confidence and a feeling of hope and safety for their future -  Mr. Hawke is barnstorming the country on his record.  He's promising more ofthe same. Nothing new; no change oîsos direction. No change ofpoiïcy.  LABOR'S RECORD OFHARDSHIP AND MISERY:  Let's look at bis record.  Tragically, it is not the record that Australians want. Neither is it the record ofwhich any Prime Minister should be proud.  We ail know what it is, because we ail feel the misery of it:  • record interest rates and mortgages scus-  • record taxes Sos  • record debt 3oS  • record poverty Sos  • record trade deficits 3osr  • record bankruptcies 3CLff  • record long-term high inflation 3a>£-  • record family breakdowns sos  • record broken promises 5o5  • record cynicism and political expediency.  The list is endiess and the results are tragic. Bob Hawke and 30 Paul Keating have brought Australia to its knees.  Our foreign debt is on a par with that of Brazil and Mexico; our ses rating as a safe place to invest is ranked with the Sudan, Bolivia 3°s and Peru.  We're at the bottom of the barrel of world esteem.  We've never been there before. It will be to this Government's undying shame that we're there now.  That's not ail. The greatest resource any country has - its people - have also been driven down by this shameless, dis-credited Government.  Hard working Australians and their families today are literally i struggling to exist? Their hard earned money is being ripped away by rising costs and prices, record interest and mortgage rates and a whole raft of new or higher taxes.  Families are collapsing, breaking apart. Divorce rates are at ail time records. The second mortgage has replaced the second child.  Ail of this has happened because of the policies of the Federal Labor Government.  Hawke and Keating have delivered a record which is nothing short of a national scandal.  They must pay the ultimate penalty of these 'crimes of Government.  They will - on March 24, when they're overwhelmingly thrown out of office.  THE NATIONALS' COMMITMENT AND CONTRIBUTION:  In looking towards our new direction, let me say that the Na-505 tional Party, without qualification, is totally committed to y-5\ taking its place as a strong, reliable and influential partner in the Coalition Goveriunent.  The stability of our Government will be beyond question.  We completely support the joint policies that are now before the people - the most comprehensive set of policies everao -presented to the Australian electorate.  Our influence in the development of those policies is undeniably reflected in the emphasis they place on increasing the competitive capacity of our great agricultural and mining industries and on improving the quality of life for people living in country and regional Australia.  The National Party bas always stood for the interests of people who live and work beyond the major capitals.  Today, that emphasis is as strong as ever. That's why Coalition 3o' Governments produce the most balanced policies that are best for ail Austrahans.  That's why there will always be a need for a strong and independent National Party.  REASONS FOROUR ECONOMIC CRISIS:  The fîrst and foremost priority for Australia is a dramatic change in economic strategy.  For the past seven years, Labor bas basically conned the Australian people.A  Keating and Hawke have told us tune and again that their policies will fix the balance ofpayroents deûcit will reduce iv . foreign detipwul ultimately eradicate inflation and will eut interest rateU  That's what they have told the Australian people but they have never, ever, delivered on those commitments.  The Current Account Deficit is increasing by around $1,000' million every month.  Net foreign debt is more than four tunes greater than it was seven years ago. As a percentage of GDP, it bas increased from4 5.7 to over 32 percent.  Inflation bas been consistently and substantially higher than  that of our major trading partners for the past five yearsjp and r-  it is not coming down.  Hawke now says inflation will be 6 percent next financial year. should anyone believe hun? In the 1988 budget he  promised it would be around 3 to 4 percent in 1990. It isn't, be-cause his policies failed then, just as they are failing now.  As for interest rates, what really can be saidJ The promises of cuts have turned into a nightmare of record mcreases that have wrecked the hopes and aspirations ofjust about every Australian.  The prospect of home ownership, once an achievable goal for - most Australians, bas become an increasing impossibiÏity.  Hardty anybody is unaffected by the interest rates crisis that has been deliberately created by the policies of the Hawke/Keating Govenunent.  Nobody should ever forget that - interest rates in this country have hit their record levels because of the Labor Government. '' No-one eise is to blame.  Hawke and Keating have created a tragedy of monumental proportions. have ruined hundreds of thousands of lives. They have stagnated the growth of the private sector and the ¥-potential of our great export industries.  At the same time, they have increased Government interference into people's lives.  There's virtually nothing you do today that doesn't involve the Government somewhere down the track.  Individualism is rapidiy becoming a thing of the past. dividual incentive to succeed and excel is going the same way.  That's the situation we're in today and that's the situation we in the National Party are detennined to break, once and for all.  POLICÏES FOR A SAFE FUTURE  THE ECONOMY:  Our entire policy framework is designed to get the private sec-tor economy rolîing agamJ to boost competitiveness and oppor- tunity, to strip Government interference down to the bare minimum, and to get taxation down to the bare minimum so that 15'1 people once again have incentive to work harder and save for / the future.  We will provide consistency in policy and direction so that industries and people will be able to plan ahead with confidence.  Our policies will guarantee a safe future.  Before I go into some ofthe details, I want to make one point, and make it beyond any doubt.  Every one of the policy commitments and undertakings that I and Andrew Peacock make to the Australian people will be met by the Coalition in Government.  That is a firm, unequivocal guarantee.  So far as the economy is concerned, and bearing in mind what I have just said, I now tell you that under a National/Liberal Government, starting immediately and improving throughout the fïrst term: 3c>5  • inflation wiiï corne down   • interest rates will therefore corne down  • the growth in international debt will be controlled  • export competitiveness, especially for major agricul-tural and mineral conunodities, will increase   • the tax burden for ail Australians, particulariy families with young chiidren will be eut  • the personal tax System will be simplified to a two-rate level and flattenedjOur objective is that the top rate wz will be brought down from 47% to 39% by the end of z our first term  • inflation-related tax increases - so-called 'bracket creep' which this financial year will be worth around $2.5BillionJ- will be returned to taxpayers at the end of each year oz.  • the indirect tax System - that area which Labor con- wz, stantly abuses in its quest for more revenue - will be totally reviewed.  Once our policies take effect, you will never again see the massive monthly current account deficits that you have seen under Labor.  You will never again see the massive increase in foreign debt that you see today.  The 'banana republic' image will be demolished.  Our economic performance will corne into Une with and ul-timately surpass that of major overseas comparisons.  As the worid sees thèse positive developments, we will regain our top-level international credit rating.  We'll be back on the worid stage as a reputable, stable country and as one ofthe worid's greatest trading nations.  CUTTING INTEREST RATES:  Interest rates will corne down because we will  - eut Government spending and waste WS  - provide maximum flexibility in the labour rnarket   - get rid of unwanted regulation and intervention a'  - use revenue raised from the sale of public assets to repay debt  - streamiine the public sector and open it to more competition  - increase efficiencies m areas such as communications, transport and the waterfront, and  - have far less reliance on monetary policy, thereby let-ting the dollar find its troe international value.  If you have thèse policies then interest rates must corne down -as must inflation and debt.  INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND WAGES;  Hand in hand with a massive change in economic direction, we will give far greater opportumty and freedom of choice in the "' labour market and wages System - and reduce Government in-f-o' terference in the private sector.  If they wish to, employers and employees can reach their own - agreements on wages and conditions.  They can implement innovative work structure and training ' package sueh as junior wages, training wages and flexible / ° working weeks, especially in the tourist industry.  Altematively, they can stay with a wages System arbitrated through theïndustrial Relations Commission.  Within that System, the Commission will have to take account of productivitv capacity to pay and the potential impact on Uemployment, inflation and competitiveness in making wage ad-J'ustmentsJ '2  The bottom Une is greater flexibility and freedom of choice.  Labor's mandatory centralised and rigid wage fixing system will be gone forever. It's out of date and out of fashion.  It has done nothing for Australia or Australians/except perpetuate uncompetitively high inflation, which in turn has eaten away at living standards and reduced our competitiveness on world markets.  If ever you wanted proof of how the System has failed, you've omy got to look at the history of the past seven years.  Wage/tax deals have been developed by the unions for theAa5 unions and rubber stamped by Hawke and Keating. They have been drawn up with total disregard of their impact on employers, the economy or competitiveness.  They have not helped workers) because they have stifled potential job growth and increased costs.  They have created a dog chasing its tail situation - wage/tax packages have been developed to allow workers to catch up on the falls in living standards and the increases in costs that were directly created by previous packages.  The latest accord announced last week with ail the fanfare of a budget in the middle of an election campaign is no different.  The ACTU has once again masterfully dominated Government policy with its demands.  The vast bulk of the extra money that will supposedly go to workers will have to be funded by employers. The Government will only be footing an extra $7 a week in tax cuts.  Once again it is the productive sector, the creators of real jobs, who are having to bear an even further cost burden.  Under the Hawke /Keating leadership the Government of Australia is dictated to by big union interests not the national interest.  We in the National Party are not dominated by big unions or big business.  We can therefore develop and deliver policies that people want and that are in the interests of the nation as a whole.  That's why we will abolish compulsory unionism and the closed shop.  We'll support voluntary employment agreements and we won't let agencies, like the Commonwealth Employment Service put bans on employers who practice such agreements.  We'll require secret ballots before strike actions and for union elections.  We'll ensure the availability of common law remedies in civil courts for illegal industrial action.  We'll strengthen, if necessary, the secondary boycott provisions of the Trade Practices Act.  We'll implement Commonwealth legislation to protect essential services against unwarranted industrial action especially in our export industries.  None of these determinations mean that we're anti-union We are What we do expect and demand, however, is that unions, like everyone else in society, be responsible and act I within the Manipulation of the nation's affairs and  manipulation of the views of ordinary workers by big union bosses will not be tolerated.  CUTTING THE TAX BURDEN  The next area of absolute priority is taxation. Labor is the highest taxing Government in Australia's history.  Every Commonweaith tax source has been increased by Hawke and Keating, despite their claims that they have brought taxes down.  Total Commonwealth tax revenue and total individual tax revenue in the last seven years have each increased by nearly 125 percent.  Indirect taxes and particulary the indexation of excise on such things aspetrol, beer and tobacco, has been increased by steath. These are Labor's hidden taxes.  The overall tax burden, coupled with high inflation and record interest rates is causing enorroous personal and family financial problems.  If something isn't done, and done urgently more and more people will sink below the poverty, more and more enterprises will go to the waiï, more and more families will break down and more and more kids will corne from broken homes.  That's an horrendous scenario. Tragically, it's the only scenario people can look forward to under Labor.  We will not tolerate such a situation. Taxes will be brought down, beginning first and foremost with taxes for families with young children.  They will immediately benefit from our increased child tax rebate, new child care rebate and increased threshold for the dependent spouse rebate.  Families are the foundation of our society. Unlike Labor, the National Party will never forget that. We make no apology for such a priority. Furthermore, we'll abolish any Government programmes that undermine that priority.  ADDITIONAL TAX BENEFITS:  Our tax changes will go much further than this and will help not oniy workers and their families, but the whole range of business and industry.  The return to taxpayers of inflation-related revenue in other words 'bracket creep', at the end of each financial year will be a major and ongoing benefit to keep the tax burden down.  The commitment to simplify and flatten the tax System is revolutionary.  The National Party was the first in Australia to promote the flatter tax concept. I am proud to be able to say today that it is no longer just a concept. From March 24, work will begin to bring it into reality within three years.  By the end of that time, there will be a simple two-tier tax system objective is to bring the top rate down from the present 47 percent to 39 percent.  Our total review of the indirect tax System will be aimed at giving even more relief At the very least, as a result of that review, the indirect tax'system will be made fairer than it is today.  The abolition ofLabor's capital gains tax - effectively a de facto death duty - will be a major benefit especially to family farms and small business. It will be replaced by a speculative gains tax, levied at a reducmg rate, on assets heïd for less than five years.  Changes to Labor's assets test will lift a major and unfair burden from many people.  The test will be completely abolished for people retiring or from family farm in certain instances. It will also be abolished, for those who remain on small holding on which they cannot generate income beyond age pension limits and for those who are unable to subdivide and their land due to government restrictions.  All other applications of the test will be thoroughly examined and reasonable cases of hardship will be fully and fairly considered.  The fringe benefits tax will be reviewed, especially in its application to remote area farming and mining.  THE FAMILY;  In his November 1984 election policy speech, the Prime Minister said, without equivocation: "This Government sets the welfare of the Australian family as its top priority.  Given his record, that was an outrageous statement, as was his promise in the last election that by now no Australian child would be living in poverty.  -  The truth is that under Labor, families have come under massive attack and traditional values and standards have been ignored and eroded.  If Mr. Hawke's concern for the family and for poverty is so great, then why is it that an estimated 2.5 million people - one in every eight families - is living in poverty about 440,000 children are in families living in poverty.  the number of marriages ending in divorce between i a. 1981 and 1986 increased from 14 percent to 35 percent.  Mr. Hawke's priority for the welfare of families is a cruel sham, a tragic farce, and a disgraceful deception.  Families can rest assured that the National Party will rigorously protect their interests as a major priority.  In the immediate sense, they know that after March 24, they will have tax benefits and will no longer have to bear the bur-den of Labor's capital gains tax.  They can also be totally assured that under our Government, there will be no reintroduced Commonwealth death or gift duties. There will be no national ID card. There will be no Bill of Rights.  PRIVATISATION:  The sale of appropriate assets to the private sector is a vital area in terms of cutting the size of Government and increasing efficiency.  It is aiso another classic area where the Hawke/Keating Government is under the thumb of the big unions.  In 1987, both Mr. Hawke and Mr. Keating were talking very favourably about a substantial programme of privatisation. They were going to sell international airport terminals and a host of other instrumentalities.  As Paul Keating said, on April 5,1987, the Commonwealth picks up a lot of things over the years and should not necessarily keep them. that is. But what's happened. Under this Government just about everything that has been picked up over the years is still with it.  Privatisation was stopped dead in its tracks after a couple of one-off fire sales in the 1987 budget It was stopped dead in its tracks by the left wing of the Labor Party and the big trade unions.  We will not be hampered in this way. A responsible programme of selling assets, with the revenue raised being used specifically to reduce debt, will be an ongoing part and parcel of our programme.  It will further ensure that the Commonwealth administration is streamlined, modem and efficien3 It will help to keep the cost of Government to a minimum]! It will help to get the Commonwealth out of areas in which it should not be involved.  There is one very important consideration about privatisation, which the National Party will always ensure is taken into total account.  There must be no threat to the quality, or increase in the cost, of services provided especially in country areas Also, transfers. private sector must fully consider job security of workers and be of positive benefit to consumers and/or taxpayers.  Because of that criteria there will be no sale of Telecom or Australia Post. They will continue to provide their core services to ail Australians They will, nonetheless, be open to increased competition in the supply of equipment, technology and innovative service from the private sector.  UNSHACKLING SMALL BUSINESS:  Cutting unnecessary regulation and intervention into the private sector will also be a major priority as will getting rid of unnecessary duplication between Governments and Government bodies.  This will be a particular benefit to the small business sector. ludicrous that small business owners and managers today have to waste so much time in the unproductive task of filling in Government forms.  We want them to devote as much of their time as possible to getting on with their respective enterprises.  As a matter of priority in Government we'll convene a meeting of Federal, State and Local Government representatives to precisely define areas of unwanted duplication. When those areas are identified, they will be removed.  We'll have ongoing monitoring at Parliamentary and departmental level of all business regulations and processes, w •s. One Minister will have a specific responsibility for this area.  Right from day one in Government we'll begin stripping away y the bureaucratic complications and hindrances that complicate y private enterprise.  To further boost small business growth, we'll increase contracting out by the Commonwealth to that we will pay within 30 days of receipt ail undisputed accounts due to small business.  Our labour market reforms and abolition of Labor's capital gains tax, together with our economic policies, will, of course, ail have a major beneficial impact on the capacity of small business and industry to expand.  We will give this vital area of the economy, the direction and confidence it needs for development in the future.  AGRICULTURE:  The right economic settings, the right labour market settings 'i and the right tax settings - our policies - will do more than any-thing else to boost our great export trades and therefore the wealth of the country.  The fact that our export industries have fared reasonably well in recent times is in no way due to the Hawke/Keating Government.  It bas one nothing positive for agriculture and mining.  success that those industries have enjoyed has been totally due • to the tenacity and efficiency of the producers themselves.  Because of Labor's economic policies, banks are foreclosing on an increasing number of farms and total farm debt has risen t "r1 from $7 Billion in 1985 to $9.5 Billion today.  The cost/price squeeze is very real m the bush and is daily threatening the capacity of agriculture to contribute to the national economy.  It is absolutely essential that agriculture - and mining - are given the right conditions to invest, compete, develop and expand with confidence.  Labor has denied them those vital requirements.  Yet it is in the interests of ail Australians - city and country -that thèse industries are as competitive as possible.  Agriculture and mining still account for the vast bulk of our total foreign earnings. Whiïe we should aiways strive for maximum value adding and diversification of export products, the simple truth is that we remain dependent - and at this time more so than ever - on our commodity exports.  Our economic policies have been developed with that very much in mind. They will guarantee increased export competitiveness.  In addition, in our first term we will further assist agricultural industries  • implementing a programme of steady reductions in tariffs, including the abolition of tariffs on imported farm machinery and spare parts U E.  • reinstating a proper Commonwealth involvement in drought aid.  • reducing agricultural export inspection charges to no more than 50 percent of the actual cost of service  • continuing the export market development grants  scheme.  • urgently reforming coastal shipping, the waterfront and transport industries.  • re-establishing rural research as the major part of the CSIRO's effort.  AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION;  There is growing public interest in conservation and animal welfare aspects of agriculture and forestry.  The vast majority of people directly involved in the industries are more than interested - they are vitally concerned, because these issues are central to their existence.  Livestock producers know very well that animals in poor condition do not fetch top prices at the saleyards. They therefore have a vested interest in maximising the condition of their product by treating their stock properly.  It is, however, important that high animal welfare standards are maintained and we will support the establishment of self-regulatory codes of practice.  We will continue and try to rebuild the live sheep export trade with the Middle East — again, ensuring proper standards are maintained.  SOIL AND WATER:  Soil and water conservation are imperative to a continuing strong agricultural sector. Until the Prime Minister's 'worîd's greatest environment statement' last July, Labor's record was pathetic.  Even with the new Land Care Programme, we don't believe it is good enough.  The Programme will be maintained but funding for the soil conservation element will be doubled to $46.4 million in the first year. ensure proper concentration is placed on tackling the major problem of salinity. It will also provide for the expansion of works eligible for deductability under section 75D of the Tax Act to specifically include expenditure on the establishment of trees, shrubs or pasture species designed to combat or repair erosion.  We will maintain the Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Strategy.  We will maintain tax deductability in the year of expenditure for on-farm water and soil conservation and salinity control.  Our commitment to national soil and water conservation puts real meaning into the Decade of Land Care.  FORESTRY AND TIMBER:  , Our forests provide a renewable resource which is vital to so much of our daily lives With proper management programmes, the forest industry can be maintained, as can the responsible aspirations of the majority of Australians with regard to conservation.  The responsibility for commercial forestry will remain with primary industry.  We will work cooperatively with the States to ensure that environmentally-sound rotational logging practices maintain a sustainable timber and pulp industry This will mean, from the Federal point of view, that the industry will have a guaranteed timber supply .  We will also, as a matter of priority, negotiate an expanded forest industry research programme on a dollar for dollar basis with the industry, similar to programmes in place for other primary industries.  We will encourage the maximum development of new plantation forests to reduce our dependence on imported timber. 409 Our trade deficit in timber products is currently running at over $1.5 Billion a year and must be brought down.  QUARANTINE:  It is imperative that we protect Australia's relative disease free status with regard to agriculture, and we will tighten import requirements for food, plants and animals as necessary.  As an example, we will not accept the current protocol for the import of apples from New Zealand because of the serious risk of introducing fireblight disease into Australia.  COMMODITIES:  Ail of our commodity industries ranging from wool, wheat and beef, through to dried fruits, cotton and grapes will always have sympathetic and responsible support from the National Party.  We will ensure ongoing and close consultation with farm organisations and specific industry bodies so that quick consideration can be given to specific problems or initiatives.  Our great wool industry, which bas done more to help our balance of payments and the standard of living of ail Australians than any other single industry, currently faces the difficulty of over supply and low world demand.  We will maintain the present level of the reserve price scheme/ s for the wool industry.  Our great wheat industry was seriously threatened by Labor's initial proposals to change wheat marketing arrangements.  Labor would have thrown the industry to the vagaries of a corrupted worid market by abolishing the sole export power of the Australian Wheat Board. We successfully prevented that from happening.  In Government, we will provide a 95 percent underwriting guarantee of the harvest price. We will never threaten the sole export power of the Board. We will ensure there is a grower chairman of the Board and a majority of grower representation on the Board.  In the domestic industry, if there is a need to change the Trade Practices Act to protect the Board's inter-State operations, those changes will be made.  „ The beef industry is on the threshold of potentially dynamic growth. It has pioneered new and innovative markets, especial-Ïy in the Asian region This will be further encouraged. The value of beef exports could double to $4 Billion by 1995   HELPING FAMILY FARMS:  To further enhance the viability of the family farm, and help to people in remote areas we will  • abolish Labor's capital gains tax and replace it with a speculative gains tax on assets held for less than five "a years  • provide tax write-off in the year of expenditure for mains electricity connections or upgrading to farm businesses  • abotish Labor's assets test for people retiring on or from family farms in certain cases, and review the assets test in general with special consideration for hardship.  • review the application of fringe benefits tax and assets test for remote area farm and mining industries .  • replace the assets test for isolated children's education assistance with an income test .  • ensure the assets test for Austudy properly considers hardship .  • ensure access to untimed local telephone calls for ail  Australians .  • review remote area zone allowances to ensure they are adequate.  Improving the quality of life for those great people who are prepared to work and live in the regional and remote areas of Australia bas always been a fundamental objective of the National Party.  It will always remain so - and the initiatives I have just out-lined demonstrate our success in ensuring that proper policies and proper consideration is given by the Coalition to those needs.  DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT:  The mining and resource industries have been hamstrung by Labor, because of inconsistent policies, especially those regarding the environment.  We will of course be mindful of environmental concerns - as in-deed are the vast majority of industries themselves.  We will, however, not use the environment for politically expedient decisions, as the Labor Party has done time and time again.  The issue is far too important for such a cynical approach.  Our concern for the environment and for conservation is genuine. Labor's is totally shallow.  What we want and what our policies will attract, is the support of those millions of Australians who, like us, share a deep concern to guarantee a responsible balance between conservation and sustained development.  Such a balance can only be struck and maintained with proper consultation and through the consideration of detailed arguments from ail sides concerned.  Therefore, we will ensure that a proper consultative system is established so that Federal Government and relevant State and Local Government, as well as industry, conservation and community views on potential developments are known and fully considered.  All proposed developments will be the subject of combined economic and environmental impact studies — as opposed to two separate studies, which can be unnecessarily costly and which may not be considered jointly, or at the same time.  We will support the inclusion of sites on worid heritage listings - but only if they are also supported by the relevant State Government. will not use of the Commonwealth's external affairs power to override State sovereignty in this, or any other regard.  Apart from knowing precisely where we stand on environmental issues, the mining industry also needs certainty in other areas.  We will give it to them.  abolish Labor's discriminatory three-mine uranium policy .  • allow the Coronation Hill gold project to go ahead .  • support the establishment of a uranium enrichment industry for Australia.  • abolish the coal export levy.  • review Labor's resource rent tax .  • review remote area zone allowances to ensure they are adequate.  INCREASING EXPORTS:  Coupled with increased competitive capacity, our export industries can also look forward to more aggressive international marketing under our Government.  We will ensure maximum concentration of effort on increasing our access in existing markets, on developing new exports for WV existing markets, and on cracking new markets.  Under our Government, the Commonwealth will pursue, at o every opportunity, and in every appropriate forum, a free and4" open international trading System, particularly for agricultural commodities.  Australian agriculture is increasingly having to compete in world markets that are corrupted by both production and export subsidies.  We will not only continue to fight such practices, we will also publish in the countries concerned the cost of them to tax payers and consumers.  We will vehemently pursue Australia's interests with countries and trading blocs that deliberately protect their markets iwf against Australian exports, l+<i -  The National Farmers' Federation will be closely involved our ongoing agricultural and related trade policy development and will be represented agricultural trade negotiations.  ROADS:  The maintenance and continued development of our national ' -infrastructure, especially roads, is vital to our economic development as well as people generally.  Labor's record on road funding is a monumental scandal.  While it bas increased federal fuel excise revenue by almost 500 percent over the last seven years - from $970 million to more than $5,000 million -- it has drastically cut funding for - roads. Over the past five years, funding has been cut in real terms by nearly 30 percent.  The situation is so critical that many local countils are turning bitumen roads back to gravel because they cannot afford any other form of maintenance.  Virtually ail research from every part of the world shows that bad roads are a major cause of accidents and fatality.  3o 5 The National Party has always regarded the national road network as a matter of the highest priority.  , No matter whether they are local roads or national highways, they are the communication lifeblood for the vast majority of people and for the vast majority of freight that is moved around the country and to and from our ports.  Because of the importance of roads, it was our initiative in 1982 that brought about the Bicentennial Roads Development Programme. times during the last Coalition Government, road funding was given its proper and rightful priority.  But ail of that effort, ail of that financial input by Australia's motorists and taxpayers, is amounting to nothing as Labor simply lets roads fall apart.  Mr. Hawke might announce increased funding in his election policy. say to him that it's too late, it won't wash.  Australians know what he has done to their roads over seven years and they won't accept a desperation increase in funding  just because there's an election campaign. They will, with total justification, question why funding was not adequate, consistently, each and every year over the past five years.  After March 24, we will be left with the massive problem of Labor's record of neglect. We will act to rectify the situation as a matter of utmost urgency.  We will immediately begin rebuilding the nation's road net-work.  Our programme will be undertaken without any increase in petrol taxes.  Each State, Territory and Local Government will be guaranteed its fair share of our increased funding programme.  y JI We will place emphasis on road that are vital to our economic growth and development.  We will also make certain that a fair percentage of road funding goes back to country roads — which is totally justifiable, given that country people travel greater distances and there- fore pay more in fuel taxes.  PACIFIC HIGHWAY:  One of our first priorities will be the implementation of a major upgrading programme for the Pacific Highway, to be completed by the year 2000.  By that time, over 50 percent of the highway between Sydney ' and Brisbane will be a four-lane dual carriage way with the remaining half upgraded to a high standard two lane road, with overtaking lanes every five kilometers - in other words, about every four to five minutes of driving time.  All existing road works on the Pacific Highway will be continued.  This particular project will be the first cab off the rank of a major road rebuilding programme which, thanks only to Hawke Labor, will take many years to complete.  want to stress that no other State will have any of its allocations diverted to the Pacific Highway programme.  AVIATION;  Aviation is a vital link for both passengers and freight.  Once again, under Labor, country people have been the most y disadvantaged in terms of passenger services.  The continued deregulation of the aviation industry will open new challenges and we will encourage maximum innovation and participation in the industry, while ensuring Australia's rigid safety record is maintained.  We will immediately begin development of a third runway at Sydney airport, to relieve the present chrome congestion and let planes arrive and depart on time.  The third runway for Sydney is an immediate and essential requirement.  TOURISM:  The Prime Minister's appalling handing of the pilots' dispute -which is still in reality going on - will have immeasurable adverse affects for a long time to come.  We will continue Labor's promotion and assistance package for the tourist industry, as it is clearly needed because of the immediate problems.  We will also closely monitor any further problems flowing on from the pilots' dispute so that quick action can be considered if necessary.  Tourism is an industry with enormous potential for Australia. create thousands of new jobs and become an even more substantial earner of foreign income.  its potential to develop more of Australia's country regional and remote areas is wide open.  What it needs to meet that potential is the right economic policies from Government, coupled with appropriate development programmes and an industrial relations system that al-lows the sort of flexibility required of a seven day a week, 24 hours a day industry.  Our policies will meet those requirements. We will provide an opportunity for the elimination of penalty rates in the tourist in-dustry.  The maintenance of internationally competitive standards and prices is very much a key to the success of future growth in this industry.  RURAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  Ail of the policy initiatives I have outlined will help to rebuild 8 confidence in the future and regenerate renewed progress and development.  From the National Party's point of view, it is essential that such confidence and growth takes place in rural and regional areas.  Labor bas seriously undermined the viability of these great centres.  Its neglect of roads bas hurt the country most.  Its high inflation bas added more to the freight costs of goods in country areas.  - Increased postal and telephone charges hit country people the hardest.  The viability of country chemists bas been seriously threatened.  Funding for local ownership of aerodromes has been virtually abolished.  Local Government grants have been savagely eut, leaving local authorities with no alternative but to increase rates or eut services.  30 S - Isolated patients' travel and accommodation has been eut, as has funding for isolated children's education.  All of these things have discriminated against country people -'v-ï i the very people who are most closely involved, either directly or indirectly, with the industries that produce the bulk of the nation's wealth.  Not only is such discrimination not fair, it will not be tolerated by the National Party.  We will always ensure that proper consideration is given to the needs, hopes and aspirations of country Australians. We will al-ways fight to make sure that priority consideration is given to equality of opportunity and services provided outside the capital cities, especially in areas such as roads, health, education and communications.  FOREIGN INVESTMENT:  Foreign investment is an issue of considerable concern. The National Party shares this concern.  We will ensure that there is a more effective review and monitoring of foreign investment in Australian enterprises. This will be done through the Federal Treasury rather than by a costly Foreign Investment Review Board.  We will require foreign investment to promote Australian interests by:  - providing for the maximum employment of Australians, use of Australian materials, processing of raw materials within Australia, and use of Australian science and technology in research and development.  - reciprocating investment opportunity in the country wishing to invest in Australia .  - maximising the potential for joint ventures in Australia and the investing country .  - ensuring that overseas investors pay a full and proper Australian tax liability .  - requiring investing countries as far as possible to open their markets to Australian products.  RETIREMENT INCOMES:  Australia's elderly population has been very shabbily treated .  Way back in 1983 they were promised that age pensions would be brought to 25 percent of average weekly earnings.  They will finally get a pension of 25 percent of average weekly earnings in April this year - seven years later.  On top of that insult, they've had to bear the worry of uncertainty and the pain of such impositions as the assets test, applied in a blanket, sweep-all manner.  We in the National Party believe our older citizens deserve better. older people still want to work and contribute to the nation. society should acknowledge their contribution and learn from their experience.  Under our policies, that experience will be tapped.  Compulsory age retirement will be abolished for ail tune.  People wishing to work beyond normal retirement age will be able to defer their pension entitlements and so receive higher pensions when they ultimately do retire.  We will also encourage greater savings for retirement, by providing tax deduction for investment in Retirement Savings Accounts and lifting the tax free threshold for lump sum super-annuation from $60. $125,000.  HEALTH:  Despite what Labor has tried to portray, we have a clear health policy for Australia-.s  Medicare will be retained and improved especially to provide a better service to pensioners and the disadvantaged.  The whole Medicare System will be totally reviewed by a Medicare and Health insurance Advisory Council.  As a result we will dramatically improve health services, reduce costs, cut hospital waiting lists and give people maximum freedom of choice.  Let nobody be under any illusion about Labor's position.  There's no doubt in the world that Labor, if given another term, would increase the Medicare levy, no matter what it tells you today. greater cost to Australians, Labor would let the present Medicare shambles get even worse.  BREAST CANCER SCREENING:  Over and above our Medicare review and the determination to improve the nation's health services, we will act immediately on an area of major concern to women in Australia - breast cancer.  Nearly 2,500 women a year die from breast cancer/and it is estimated that at least one third of these tragedies could have been prevented by early detection.  We will provide the facilities for that detection/Mobile testing a units will visit country centres on a regular basis to give women easy access to checks.  PHARMACIES:  We guarantee the continued viability of the pharmacy profession.  Anybody who's been into their local pharmacy over the past few months would undoubtedly know of the threat to pharmacies of the Labor Governments policies.  Hawke and Keating have shown a shameful disregard for the viability of the pharmacy profession - and, as a result, for the heaith of people.  Pharmacies provide an enormous community and public service that goes way beyond prescriptions and cough medicineT  They are local health counsellors who give an enormous amount of advice free of charge to anyone who asks. Their role is essential everywhere, and imperative in country and remoter areas. We in the National Party totally support the pharmacy profession and will never again allow it to be brought into the parlous situation of uncertainty that it faces today.  We will maintain a viable Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.  We reject the August 1989 determination of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Remuneration Tribunal, to slash dispensing fees by 25 percent.  After discussions with the profession we will establish a new body to determine remuneration issues.  Determinations must take into consideration mark-up, dispensing costs and professional services.  EDUCATION:  Ail Australians should have the right to freedom of choice in education for their children. The National Party totally supports that fundamental priority.  We will ensure in education policies that proper priority is given to the education needs of people outside the capitals, especially those m remote areas.  It is essential that children have assured access to primary and secondary education subjects, no matter where they live.  We are concerned to ensure that tertiary education is equally available to ail Australians.  We will replace the assets test for isolated children's education assistance with a test on income and ensure that the assets test on Austudy bas a realistic asset limit and provision for cases of hardship.  Ail tertiary students will benefit more under our policies.  At least 25 percent will have their tertiary education costs entirely paid by scholarships. Ail other students will pay less than they do at present.  Labor's tertiary tax of $1800 a year, indexed to the CP will be replaced with a flat annual fee of $1200 per student.  Aborigines:  One of the fundamental tenets of the National Party is that all people should be equal under the law and have equal opportunity free from discrimination on any grounds, especially race, colour or sex.  We also firmly believe that in the development of policies, the needs and considerations of ail people should be taken into ac-count.  Nonetheless, there will always be the need for special considerations and policies in certain instances. Aboriginal Affairs is an important example.  We don't believe that Labor's approach to Aboriginal Affairs is the best approach by any means. Labor likes to tell people what's best for them, rather than let people decide for themselves.  It bas imposed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission on to that population, against the will of the majority of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders that I have met and spoken with over recent months.  We will not proceed with this Commission.  Our fundamental objective in Aboriginal Affairs is to provide facilities and services on a cost-efficient basis and according to the priorities that Aborigines themselves see as important.'70 5 Those areas are basically housing, health and education.  That's where Aborigines want to see greater priority.  The majority of Aborigines also do not want any so-called treaty will effectively mean nothing and will do nothing to improve their quality of life or opportunity.  We recognise Aborigines and Islanders as equal Australians and as such they have precisely the same rights and obligations as everyone else. Any sort of treaty would therefore not only be meaningless, but potentially divisive.  We will work closely with Aborigines for Aborigines -just as we will work with all Australians for all Australians.  WELFARE:  Welfare assistance programmes will be fairly and readily avail-able to those in genuine need.  The programmes will be administered efficiently and will al-ways have the objective of helping people get back into a position where they can again reach self-satisfaction and contribute to the country.  At the same time, those who fund welfare programmes - namely taxpayers - have a right to expect that their national Government will protect their interests. Their money must be used wisely.  Under our Government that will be the case.  No one in genuine need has anything to fear from our programme.  However, we will not tolerate blatant fraud and abuse of the system. Quite apart from being unlawful, it's unfair, indecent and immoral.  The Labor Government last week acknowledged in the most blatant manner that its administration of the social welfare System has been a total failure.  Until last week, we were told time and time again that the System was working effîciently and that ail avenues of abuse had been removed.  Then, all of a sudden, Mr. Keating unveils a programme claiming that over $150 million can be saved in the social welfare budget next year. In other words, he has effectively acknowledged that the System is sloppy and wide open to rorts.  Our social welfare programme will tighten the System, stream-line it, make it fairer and more equitable than Labor's belated and hastily conceived concept.  - thoroughly examine ail of Labor's programmes to en-sure their relevance, cost-efficiency, and reduce fraud.  - end unemployment benefits after nine months with a strictiy monitored special benefit after that time available for those truly m need.  - not allow unemployment benefits to be given to those who have not previousiyworked.  - not allow migrants to qualify for unemployment benefit;  until they've been in the country at least 12 months.  - require more frequent medical assessment for sickness -:  benefit recipients.  CRIME:  There is growing concern in the community about increasing  crime, and particularly international drug trafficking and terrorism.  OUR policies will take an appropriately tough stand on these serious issues.  Nobody can have confidence for the future, for his or her safety, if such major crimes continue to grow unchecked.  In cooperation with the States, we will support substantially in-creased jail terms for international drug traffickers and terrorists, as well as for major crimes, such as murder and child molesting. We will also support substantially increased non-parole periods  In our view, the time when dangerous criminals can be out on the streets, sometimes after only a few months, must be ended.  The vast majority of law abiding Australians are entitled to expect safety and security in their society. We will make certain that the law meets that expectation.  CONCLUSION:  The National Party has outlined a totally comprehensive set of policies that are right for ail Australians, and especially those m country and regional centres.  The emphasis they place on bringing interest rates, debt, inflation and taxes down, will benefit ail Australians.  It will particular benefit our great agriculture and mining industries, and through them, the wealth of the nation  The policies demonstrate that the National Party has done its job in ensuring the needs of these great industries, and the needs of people living beyond the major capitals, have been recognised and acted upon.  These policies will see ail of Australia grow and prosper with confidence for the future.  They will see that regional and country areas can look forward to a new era of growth and expansion.  They offer real and positive hope for the future - something that has been lost under Labor.  They offer security for people to plan their lives with confidence.  They offer a safe future.