National Country Party of Australia.  Policy Speech by Rt Hon. J. D. Anthony, M. P. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade and Resources and Leader of the National Country Party of Australia.  Keeping Australia strong.  The challenge to Australians as we go into the last twenty years of the century is to keep Australia strong. Only a strong Australia is a safe Australia. Only a strong Australia can give its people a good and satisfying life.  Australia needs to be strong…  - strong in defence, in security  - economically  - industrially  - technologically  - educationally  - morally  - strong in development, in trade  - speaking with a strong voice in world affairs. And the key to all these things is strong leadership ...  - stable leadership in times of crisis  - leadership with the courage and resolution to stick to policies that are right  - the fight against the inflation that eats into the family budget.  - the attack on unemployment.  - the creation of new, permanent jobs - over 200,000 of them last year.  - building strong growing industry- and employing more people - safeguarding our energy and fuel security.  We do live in an uncertain world, a tense world. There’s conflict in the Middle East in Asia: a threat to oil supplies. The Soviet Union seeks to expand its influence wherever it can. These things are important. They do concern us. We can't put them aside and say they don’t matter, because they do matter. In this vital question of security, and in all the other important issues, you must ask yourself which policy, which party, which Government, which man is more likely to give Australia the strong leadership it needs.  Persons and Family Security.  But ifs not just national security that's important. Personal security, family security -they’re important too. And the personal security and help that many Australians need can come only from a strong and growing economy. We’re providing a lot of help for Australian families, for pensioners, for the handicapped, for those in need. Half the budget, in fact, is spent on social security, education, health, housing and other ordinary, everyday needs of the Australian people. We can do it because this is a productive, growing, strong country. Our living standards are high. They can be improved, and more jobs created, only by a strong, productive, growing nation. We must keep Australia strong. There’s no other way.  Fuel Supply Security.  And one of the areas in which we must be strong is in security of fuel supplies. You'll hear a lot about fuel prices in the weeks to come. No one likes paying more for fuel, yet ours is amongst the cheapest in the developed world. In New Zealand, costs 64% more than it does in Australia. In Germany, it costs 79% more. In Britain 88% more. In Japan 109% more. In France 121 % more. And in Italy, at 77 cents a litre, petrol costs 133% more than it does in Australia. But the real issue isn’t price – it’s supply. The Labor Party never mentions that. The fact is, if we don't pay a realistic price now, we just don’t have enough fuel. That would make Australia a beggar for fuel- scrambling for oil and paying through the neck for it. Realistic prices are saving fuel. Fuel use is changing, exploration expanding, more being got out of the ground - all became of price. But that's not enough. It’s absolutely vital that we develop new fuels. We can get oil from coal. We can get oil out of our shale. You need a lot of it and it costs big money. You can get fuel from sugar cane, and other crops. In fact, we could make ourselves independent of foreign oil supplies. But none of this will happen without a realistic oil price. And without these alternative fuels, we’re in real trouble.  There is no Cheap Fuel.  Labor wants you to believe it would really cut petrol Prices, abandon import parity. It’s own policy says so. Labor members of he Senate National Resources Committee unanimously supported import parity pricing only a couple of weeks no. So don't be fooled by Labors propaganda. There's no cheap fuel. There’s no cheap way to get guaranteed supply. Anyone can promise you cheap fuel. But if they do that, they can't say you'll have fuel when you need it. And I for one don't want you coming to me in five years time saying, "Why didn't you do something to safeguard our fuel supplies?'  NEW HELP FOR RURAL AUSTRALIA.  One practical step we can take immediately to increase fuel supply security is to put more storage capacity on farms, in country towns and generally throughout the country. To encourage this, we will make fully tax deductible expenditure on the purchase and installation of storage facilities for fuel to be used in carrying on a business. This concession will be available to farmers, small businessmen, transport operators - in fact to anyone who needs security of fuel supply. It is important that we build up the nation’s fuel storage, and that we have storage capacity widely spread throughout the country. This measure will help achieve that objective. Additionally, it means that where people can arrange direct supply by an oil company, they will have the chance to negotiate with the company on bulk delivery prices. As a fuel and cost saving measure, we will assist conversion from diesel-powered electricity generation mains supply. We will make fully tax deductible the capital costs incurred by consumers on rural properties in connecting to mains electricity supply. Further we will seek the co-operation of the States in requesting States Grants Commissions to give special consideration to the needs of local government authorities in remote areas that have to generate electricity from diesel fuel because there is no alternative fuel supply. And in a further measure to help farmers, we will provide, in consultation with the States, additional extension grants funds to improve the availability of information on fuel-saying equipment and technology. The National Country Party has always had a special concern for country people and their problems - problems that are often unique and certainly different horn those experienced by other Australians.  Promises made- and kept!  At the last election, in 1977, we undertook to do a number of things, and we've done them. Probate and gift duty.. we abolished them. The primary Industry Bank.. it’s in business. The fuel freight subsidy ... $123 million this year. Local government ... 2% of income tax, $300 million this year. Country industry development .. $27 million so far. Better telephones and television services, the two-year wool floor price, dairy underwriting, help for isolated children, and a lot of other things ... they've all been done. So much for broken promises! Now, in line with our general approach of responding to areas of greatest need, we will introduce some further measures. Our first priority is, and must remain, control of inflation - and that will continue to require responsible restraints on spending. But there are areas in which we believe it is necessary to act, in a responsible way, and we will act.  Relief from drought. Large parts of Australia tonight are ravaged by drought. There is already in operation a long-standing system of drought relief provided by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments for natural disasters such as this. To help ease the effects of drought we introduced this year a full tax write-off of the cost of water supplies and the equipping of bores, wells and earth tanks. The investment allowance also to eligible items. A few days ago we called urgent meetings with State and Territory Governments to review existing drought relief, to see if it's adequate, and whether more should and can be done. No one should under-estimate the seriousness of this drought---no its effects not only on those farmers directly involved, but on country towns and, indeed, on city consumers. This is a national problem, and the nation must respond to it.  Help with farm costs. The National Country Party, and the Government, are very much aware of the impact of higher fuel prices on farmers. It would be unwise and irresponsible to try to delay the adjustments that must be made as fuel prices rise - but we want to do what we can to help farmers cope with generally rising costs. Therefore we will introduce a special depreciation allowance of 20% a year on a prime cost basis over five years, applicable to new machinery used wholly and exclusively in agricultural, pastoral and forest operations, and to new commercial fishing vessels. In country areas where mains supply is not available, we will provide assistance through the tax system to help compensate for the cost of private electricity generation, at the principal place of residence or business. Full tax deductibility will be applied to capital expenditure by primary producers on soil conservation. And as a first step towards a national soil conservation program, we will provide an initial sum of $2 million in 1981/82. We will extend to traditional users of LPG in decentralised industry the subsidy already available to household consumers. In all these measures, we are trying to help country people cope with rising costs -costs which they have to near themselves without, like so many other people, being able to pass them on to others.  Aid for Isolated children.  To-further help people in remote areas, we recently decided to increase the basic boarding allowance for isolated children from $500 to $600 from 1981. We have now decided, at the request of parents that this allowance should rise to $780. To help isolated students with their education, we will set up a pilot program to lend video units and tapes to students in areas without regular television.  Better communications.  In communications, we promised better telephone and television services, and cheaper call charges. We’ve done better than we promised. We’ve accelerated conversion to automatic service, we’ve cut call charges by up to 60%, and we’ve given every telephone subscriber access to the nearest service town at no more than the local call fee for three minutes. We're providing 56 TV transmitters in remote areas by the end of this financial year, with 20 more approved. And now we’re embarking on an exciting new program to put a communications satellite in the sky to ensure that all Australians have a good telephone service, good television, mid a good radio service of all kinds.  New funding basis for wool, PIBA.  To provide a better operational and planning basis, we will introduce three-year funding arrangements for wool promotion and for the Primary Industry Bank of Australia. We will maintain the wool reserve price scheme and guarantee that the floor price in 1981/82 season will not fall below this season's reserve price. To further assist primary producers to take advantage of income Equalisation Deposits we will provide for withdrawals from IEDs to be made up to 31 August each year for the previous financial year.  Industry stabilisation. New dairy industry stabilisation arrangements will be negotiated with the industry, with a view to introducing a long-term scheme. The new arrangements will provide dairy farmers with security against sharp falls in world prices and will enable them to plan their future operations with confidence. New underwriting arrangements will be introduced for the apple and pear industry. Proposals are being developed for new support arrangements for the dried vine fruits industry.  Meat industry. We will continue our commitment to fund the development of a beef carcass classification system. We will continue to encourage the development of sheepmeat exports, both through the important live sheep trade and the carcass trade. The Government will continue its active programs of pest and disease control. Additionally, we will initiate a co-ordinated program with the States to eradicate feral pigs. Country people of course will benefit from many of the more general policy measures already announced by the Prime Minister:  - the increased home savings grant and the higher house values under the scheme.  - a new measure which will not only help first-home buyers, but also contribute to energy-conservation - full tax write-off of the cost of insulating a first home.  - expanded training programs for young people to better equip them to find employment.  - an increase in the personal care subsidy for people in hostels for the aged.  - expanded help for families in special need.  - an expanded environmental health program for aboriginal people.  - an additional $25 million in 1981-83 for provision of new places in non-government schools.  - additional funds to bring Level 6 schools to 40% of government school costs over the life of the next Parliament.  - more funds for the education of severely handicapped children.  - an increase in nursing home benefits to maintain 70% coverage in 1981.  Small business aid.  Small business in the country has already benefited from our efforts to improve the availability of finance trough the Development Bank counseling services and so on. The easing of the private company retention allowance has also helped, and we will ease it further during the life of the next Parliament.  Secret ballot on strikes  A matter of continuing concern to Australians is the economic damage caused by irresponsible union action. At the last election we promised to introduce secret ballots for union elections and we have done that. We will now bring in a new provision under which union members themselves can ask the court to allow them to vote in secret on whether or not they believe a strike should take place.  National transport system. We undertook in 1977 to begin upgrading the national rail network, and that's happening. The new standard-gauge rail link from Adelaide to Alice Springs has been completed, and regular services will operate in December. To complete the north-south continental railway link, we will undertake construction of the Alice Springs-Darwin line. I see this as a great national project of immense importance. Just as the Indian-Pacific line has brought the two sides of our continent closer together, a north-south link will open up great new prospects and opportunities for Australians. The development potential of the Northern Territory is enormous: a quarter of the world's uranium is there, huge amounts of bauxite, manganese, copper, gold, lead and zinc. There are large reserves of oil and gas. The pastoral industries need and will benefit from better transport. The Northern Territory has some of Australia’s most exciting tourist attractions, and the tourist industry must grow. And of course a good rail link is an part of the development of a strong defence capability. As the world oil situation worsens and fuel becomes dearer, we must rely increasingly on public transport to move people around his large continent. Completion of the north-south rail link will make an important contribution to that objective. We must of course, maintain our commitment to continuous improvement of the nation’s road system, both in national and local terms. We will be providing $628 million for roads this year, and $3,650 million over five years. This five-year guaranteed contribution by the Commonwealth to the States and local government will help with the overall upgrading of the national roads system. We will be giving special consideration to the local government roads and to remote area development roads that are so vital to the people of the outback. We will be pressing ahead vigorously with the national highways program.  Export incentives. Our export incentives program has been a very important factor in achieving an outstanding export performance. We will continue the export incentives program beyond its currently-scheduled expiry date to allow time for it to be reviewed, for consultation with industry and for any necessary legislative action that might be required. We understand the need for exporters and potential exporters to know what the government’s policy will be well in advance.  Water resources. One of the things we talked about last election was a program to develop Australia's water resources. We’ve committed $76 million to it so far, and we'll meet the full cost of the Burdekin Dam in North Queensland. But frankly, I'm disappointed that we haven't been able to go a lot further in the first three years of this five-year program. Our first priority has had to be inflation control, and that's meant very tight control of spending. But this bad drought reminds us again how dry this country is, and how vital water is. The Burdekin Dam - a national project - symbolises the way we must think about water. A significant water development program is absolutely essential if we’re going to give this country some security against drought, and reach our full production potential. You'll never, of course, be able to give complete protection against drought. But a lot can be done, and must be done. It will be my objective, and my party’s objective to see that it is.  Australia - an envied land. We live in a country that's envied by people all around the world. People envy us for our way of life.  - for our prosperity.  - our economic and political stability.  - our great natural resources.  - our vast reserves of energy.  - our relatively low inflation.  - our cheap petrol - and it is cheap by world standards, very cheap, people envy us for the fuel security our policy is bringing.  We’re envied for our high standard of living, for the way we’re creating new jobs - more last year than in any of the last 10 years. And we’re certainly envied for the tremendous development prospects that lie ahead of us. Australia goes into the eighties in better shape, and with better prospects, than any country in the world  • inflation checked  • employmwt growing  • investment at record levels  • development gathering momentum  • exports soaring.  Our primary industries, despite cost and drought problems, have better markets and prices than they've had for years. Our energy and minerals are eagerly sought by the world. The world, in fact, is giving Australia a massive vote of confidence.  Questions that must be answered. Now you have to vote.  And I want you to ask yourself these questions:  Which party is most likely to provide sound and responsible economic management?  - to have the strongest commitment to controlling inflation?  - keep the tax burden lowest by keeping spending down?  - Protect your real standard of living?  - give you secure fuel supplies?  Which approach to unemployment makes more sense: creating real, permanent jobs - or artificial, temporary ones? Which party is most willing to work, with our allies, to keep Australia safe for you and your children? People on the land, in the country towns and cities - look back to the last Labor Government and ask yourselves who best understands and responds to your needs. And finally look at the party leadership, at the people who must take the tough decisions, who must face up to the hard questions and the challenges with firmness and resolution. Ask yourself those questions, and answer them honestly, and there’ll be no doubt about your response.  The decision to be made. I ask you to make sure that a Coalition Government, our Government, is re-elected, and decisively re-elected, in the House of Representatives and in the Senate - to keep Australia strong!  Authorised by B. G. Osmond, Federal Director, National  Country Party of Australia, Canberra. 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