CALWELL LISTS MAIN POLL ISSUES  13 KEY POINTS IN POLICY.  The Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, said last night that Labour would fight the November 30 elections "broadly on all homefront issues of great national importance and deep personal concern to the electorate." In his policy speech he listed 13 main issues on which Labour asked the electorate to vote. He placed the need to promote the economic growth of the nation and its defence and foreign affairs first in his list. He said the other issues were: education and science; housing; health; northern development; social services (including child endowment and pensions); full employment; hospital benefits; repatriation; restrictive practices; trade; and the unsatisfactory state of rural industries. Mr Calwell delivered his policy speech in the Royale Ballroom, Exhibition Building, Melbourne. More than 1,000 people at the Exhibition Building heard Mr Calwell’s speech, which was also broadcast and televised throughout Australia. Labour's rural policy will be announced at Grafton tomorrow night by Mr R. T. Pollard, a former Labour Minister for Agriculture.  SUMMARY OF PLEDGES.  Mr Calwell said the most purblind Government supporter could not deny that there was widespread discontent and distrust and boredom with the present Government in every section of the community. He added: Where, for instance is the direction and the drive in government circles needed to expand our industries and to develop our empty north? They just don't exist. The nation does not surge forward with confidence as it should be doing, if we are to survive; it moves along at a jog trot, held back by a Government which swings wildly between complacency and violent panic. What is now needed is a Government that looks like a government that acts like a government and that listens to what the people and is trusted by them in return. Dealing the major issues on which labour would fight the election. Mr Calwell made these promises:  Economy: by economic planning to ensure a national growth rate of at least 51 per cent a yearat least onethird faster than at present. A national planning scheme to coordinate private and public development.  Defence. To increase Navy and Army "frontline" strength and secure the best available replacement for the Canberra bomber and the best available temporary replacement. To renegotiate with the United States, the agreement covering the U.S. naval communications base to provide for joint control, not military control, at Government level. To take the initiative in calling an international conference to discuss the possibility of declaring the southern hemisphere a nuclear-free zone. A foreign policy based firmly on membership the British Commonwealth adherence to the Australia American alliance, and loyalty to the United Nations. To insist that Australia’s voice is fully heard in the councils of its allies and Australia’s national rights and sovereignty are maintained. Seek to negotiate a clear and public treaty to cover the continued presence of Australian troops in Malaysia. Pending a treaty to regard any acts of aggression against Malaysia its breach of the UN Charter and resist them.  Education. Accept the fact that the Commonwealth has a responsibility in to regard to education. An emergency grant of £10m to the states to overcome the immediate education crisis. To double Commonwealth scholarship for university students from 5.000 to 10.000 at a cost of £5m a year. Establish a system of scholarships similar to the university scholarships for students at technical colleges, teachers' colleges and at both State and nonState secondary schools. An inquiry into all aspects of education to provide a "blueprint" which a Labour Government would implement. Wider opportunities for Australia to develop an exercise technical and scientific skills. A national science foundation to expand, organise and coordinate scientific education and research.  Housing. A Homes Finance Commission to provide finance for home building and to guarantee loans from those willing to lend at low interest rates and on low deposits of no more than from five to ten per cent of the capital cost. To provide the States with loans at 3,5 per cent interest to reduce rentals and repayment on Housing Commissions homes. To hold an inquiry into Australia's housing needs, as sought by the states.  Health. A complete national health service, including dental, optical and deaf-aid treatment. A free public medical service, including specialist treatment, based on public hospitals. To abolish the @ charge for prescriptions and extend the free list of drugs. Repeal the requirement that patients must join a registered fund to obtain additional commonwealth benefits.  Social services. To raise child endowment by 6/ to 11/ a week for the first child, by 9/ to 19/ for the second child and by 12/ to 22/ for the third and subsequent children. To double the maternity allowance to £30 for the first child, rising to £35 for the fourth and subsequent children. An extra 10£ a week for married pensioners. To abolish the means test progressively. Increase the pensioner funeral allowance from £10 to £50.  Employment. Full employment, without qualifications. Labour will never permit a repetition of the waste and hardship of the past three years.  Repatriation. Review the Repatriation Act, recognise cancer a war-caused disease, and interpret the onus-of-proof clause to give ex-servicemen the benefit of the doubt.  Trade Practice. To legislate exploitation and wasteful restrictive trade practices by monopoly interests, with protection for small traders.  Trade. To book Australia's trade, establish an overseas shipping line, a Commonwealth export bank to provide export credit, and an overseas trade commission.  Other subjects. After speaking for more than half an hour, Mr, Callwell realised he could not complete the whole of his prepared speech within an hour. He then omitted large sections dealing with overseas investment, manufacturing industries, restrictive trade practices, industrial matters, northern development decentralisation and local government. He told the meeting that these matters would be dealt with in detail as the campaign progressed.  1,000 At Ballroom Hear Labour Election Policy.  MELBOURNE Wednesday. A crowd of more than 1000 in the Royale Ballroom heard the leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, deliver his policy speech tonight.  More than 30 Federal and State Labour members were on the platform with Mr Calwell, in addition to the 23 candidates for the Victorian Federal @ held by the Liberal or County Party. Mr Calwell was flanked by his deputy Leader, Mr E.G. Whitlam, and the Opposition Leader in the Senate, senator N.E. McKenna. The chairman was the president of the Victorian branch of the ALP, Mr R.W. Holt. The audience stood @ attention while the National Anthem and Advance Australia Fair were played. Mr Holt then called on the audience to observe a brief silence as a mark of respect for the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Daniel Mannix, who died this afternoon. Mr Calwell’s speech was frequently interrupted by applause, which on one occasion continued for about half a minute. After speaking for half an hour, Mr Calwell had @ only one-third of his prepared policy speech. However, he realised that he was behind schedule and @ large sections of the prepared text. This enabled him to get on to defence and foreign affairs before his commercial television time ended at 8.45, but he omitted the detailed references to the A.L.P. plans for the Army contained in his prepared speech, and also to taxation. Mr Calwell raced through the final paragraphs of his speech as the Federal secretary of the ALP, Mr C. Wyndham, stood in the front of the platform at 9 o’clock to signal that all television and radio broadcasts had ended. At no time did Mr Calwell appear disturbed by the fact that a live telecast was being made of his speech, but the @ of the @ @ @ obviously affected him.  ALP leader’s Melbourne speech. Calwell gives details on labour policy.  The Australian Labour Party welcomed the opportunity to place its policy before the people, the Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr A. A. Calwell, said in his election policy speech last night.  Speaking in the Royale Ballroom, Melbourne, Mr Calwell said there was no pressing national need for the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, and treasurer, Mr H.E. Holt, to precipitate the election and throw the House of Representatives and the Senate out of electoral alignment. There could be no justification for the waste of £500,000 in having two elections where one alone next year would suffice.  Statement of Poll Issues.  Mr Calwell said: But now hat elections for the House of Representatives only are to be held, let me state the position of the Labour Party on the issues that will decide the result of the elections, in order that they may be clearly understood and appreciated. In other words, let me separate the Labour Party’s grain from the Liberal and Country parties chaff. We welcome the chance to do so. Even more, we can congratulate the Australian people on the chance which is theirs to destroy the Menzies Government. It is time for a change. It is more than time for a change: it is time to give  Australia a chance. Mr Calwell said Labour’s policy on defence was sound, realistic and inspired by the spirit of Australian nationalism. Consequently, it would appeal to all Australians who loved their country and wanted to see its security guaranteed. On the question of economic growth we most remember two things," Mr Calwell said. We are a young nation, not only in terms of our history but in terms of the age of our present population. Half of our present population is under the age of 30 and onethird of it is in the age group between five and 24. In this dramatic and significant trend in our population lies, at one and the same time, our greatest challenge and our greatest chance. If we meet the challenge now, we can make the youthfulness of our population our springboard to future greatness. If we neglect it will cause almost irremediable harm.  Growth of work force. Mr Calwell said Australia must plan for rapid growth to absorb a work force which was growing at the rate of 2 per cent every year. The numbers needing education would rise rapidly. And the glowing numbers in the marriageable age group means that more and more houses must be built to give a decent start to those seeking to marry and found families, he said. These are the basic facts of Australian life today, and in those facts lies the hard core of Labour’s economic policy, a policy which stands for spectacular economic growth, a revolution in education, and vigorous housing drive. These are the first things on which we set our sights. We are setting our sights on a great tomorrow. Labour stands firmly on its policy of full employment full employment without qualifications. That means that every Australian willing and able to work must have the opportunity to work. We will never permit a repetition of the waste and hardship of the past three years. Mr Calwell said that at the very moment unemployment had fallen below the intolerable figure of from 10.000 to 100000 the Government sought a renewal of its mandate. He went on: "Now, just as the economy emerges from the worst effects of the worst slump since the thirties, there is already speculation about the timing of the next credit squeeze if this government should remain in office. There is a simple reason for this: the credit squeeze is the one economic weapon this Government knows how to wield, and they have wielded it three times in a decade with disastrous results on each occasion. To secure the proper use of credit resources, the Labour Party would use existing banking powers to control hire purchase and to ensure that credit was available for all legitimate business purposes. We will plan Australia’s way out of the disastrous cycle of stop and go, he said. Labour in office will aim at a rate of national growth, that is, in the increase of all the goods and services produced, of at least 51 per cent annually. The governor of the Reserve Bank (Dr H. Coombs) pointed out this year that this rate can be achieved without placing undue strain on our resources, and without producing inflation. The rate of growth of 5,5 per cent annually could be achieved by a suitable working partnership between the Commonwealth and private enterprise, but the Commonwealth will have to play the leading part. Mr Calwell said a growth rate of 51 per cent was at east one third faster than the rate of growth achieved by the present Government. In the slump years @ by this government there was, in fact a fall of the rate of growth, he said. A labour Government would  - Institute a national planning scheme to co-ordinate private and public development to determine the amount of Commonwealth expenditure and required and, generally, to ensure the best of our resources.  - Establish a works planning council to plan public works in co-operation with the States over at least a five-year period.  - Establish regional development authorities to provide service and co-ordinate development within their own regions.  Plans For Economic Growth  Mr Calwell said that through sound planning, countries like France and Japan had achieved spectacular postwar growth. By setting targets, by ending the confusion caused by contradictory Government policies and by taking industry into our confidence and letting it know exactly what is expected of it, we will achieve similar results, he added.  Proposals on education.  On education. Mr Calwell said: we unhesitatingly accept the fact that the Commonwealth has a responsibility in regard to education. We will not, as the Menzies Government has done, seek to evade or avoid that responsibility. We propose. therefore, to establish a Commonwealth  Ministry for Education and Science to act as the instrument of our national policy. We make further propose to make an emergency grant of £10m to the State, to overcome the immediate crisis caused by teacher and accommodation shortages. We will enlarge the Commonwealth Scholarships Scheme so that students of ability are not debarred of their parents' financial position. The scheme will also be extended to encourage more students to take degrees at honours standards, and to encourage post-graduate studies by graduates. We will increase the number of Commonwealth scholarships from 5000 to 10000 at an estimated annual charge or rather invest of 5£m. we will however not be content to deal with education at the top of the pyramid alone, as the Menzies Government has done. We propose therefor to establish a system of scholarships on lines similar to the university scholarships for students at technical colleges, teachers, colleges and at secondary schools. When fully implemented the secondary schools scholarships system will be limited in number only by the ability of the pupils to meet the qualifying standards applicable in his or her state. The scholarships subject to a means test, will be tenable at the schools of the parents’ choice and will be open to students from government and nonGovernment schools.  Inquiry on education. Mr Calwell said a Labour government would set up an inquiry into all aspects of education in Australia and implement its findings. He said Labour equally determined that Australia should play its full part in the revolution in science, technology and automation. He said: our objective is clear: in human terms, we want wider opportunities for Australia to develop and exercise technical and scientific skills. On the economic side, we want to improve the efficiency of Australian industry. Mr Calwell said a Labour Government would:  - Establish a National Science Foundation to expand, organise and co-ordinate scientific education and research.  - Encourage, by concessions, Australian industry to undertake research.  - Arrange for and finance at least 1000 young men and women to go overseas each year for technical training.  - Encourage both by tax concession and subsidy, Australian industry to expand its training facilities for technicians and scientific workers.  Unless me take urgent steps now to place Australia in the forefront of the scientific revolution, we are doomed to be a nation of  Borrowers and imitators, living precariously on the fruits of foreign research, he said. This program, in its early stages, would cost at least £10m annually.  Housing scheme outlined.  Mr Calwell said one of the Government’s greatest failures was in housing. Labour would establish a homes finance commission to finance home construction, and guarantee loans at low interest rates, and on low deposits amounting to no more than 10 per cent of the capital cost.  - Provide loans to the States at @ per cent interest to enable them to reduce rentals and repayment on Housing Commission Homes.  - Increase grants to the states by £20m for public housing with emphasis on slum clearance and development projects.  - @ a steady and adequate flow of private finance for home building.  - Hold an inquiry into Australia’s housing needs as requested by the states ministers for housing.  Free Public medical Service  Mr Calwell said Labour would accept the responsibility of providing a free public medical service based on public hospitals. He said: we will establish a complete national health service to provide general practitioner, specialist, pharmaceutical, hospital, mental health, dental and optical and hearing appliance services, as was originally intended by the Chifley Government. We will repeal the requirement that patients must join a registered society to obtain additional Commonwealth benefits, but voluntary insurance will be encouraged. A Labour Government has no intention of hindering private medical practice, or of limiting freedom of choice of the patient in seeking medical attention. Suggestions that we seek to socialise medicine are so much propaganda. We have no such plans and, in any case. the Constitution would not allow it.  Commonwealth Health Scheme.  Increased health benefits would also include a salaried specialist service at pub hospitals, abolition of the 5/prescription fee and restoration of lifesaving drugs recently removed from the free list. A Labour Government would hold an inquiry in the costs of drugs a its effect on the level of pharmaceutical benefits with a view to ending waste, inefficiency and exploitation.  Social Service Objective. Mr Calwell said Labour’s objective was to restore all social services, without exception at least to the purchasing power they possessed the Chifley Government. He said: We intend to make child endowment of real value to the mothers of Australia. There has been no change in the level of child endowment since 1950, 13 years ago, although the basic wage was then £6/18, compared with £14/8/ now. We propose to increase child endowment by paying the following new rates;  - For first child, 11 a week (6/ rise).  - For the second child, 19/ (9/ rise).  - For the third and subsequent children, 22/ (12/rise).  We propose also to extend the endowment to children up to the age of 18 pursuing fulltime studies at universities. For the same purpose, that of helping the parents of Australia, Labour will double the maternity allowance to £30 for the first child, rising to £35 for the fourth and subsequent children. We will provide a n additional 10/ a week for married pensioners, ending the extraordinary discrimination against marriage established by the Government in its last Budget. We propose to increase the funeral payment made to the person who has paid or is liable to pay the cost of a funeral of an age or invalid pensioner from £10 to £50. We will abolish the means test progressively, and as opportunity offers. Labour would provide these services to enable Australia to trade anywhere in the world:  - An Australian shipping commission to operate overseas and coastal ships to the greatest extent possible.  - A Commonwealth export bank to provide credit facilities for exporters of both primary and secondary goods.  - An overseas trade commission whose functions would include investigation of franchise or licensing agreements which prevented or restricted the export of any commodity and to promote Australian trade generally.  Increase in forces.  Dealing with defence, Mr Calwell said Labour would lift the fighting strength of all three Armed Services. Referring to the Government's decision to buy American TFX bombers, Mr Calwell said: the deal was made, the decision was taken, in less time than the averages family needs decide on the purchase of a new car. So great was the haste, the Prime Minister could not acquaint himself with the full facts in time for the Parliamentary debate on the issue. On this question the Prime Minister did not bother himself or his hearers with the niceties of exact fact.  Bomber Deal Questioned. The decision to purchase a bomber which will not be available until the end of this decade is presumable based on an Assessment of the international situation that no emergency requiring a bomber is likely before that time. And yet we have not been told, has not this election been justified, officially, on the grounds that the emergency is upon us, here and now? To put it in blunt vernacular, either the emergency the Government talks about is phony or the decision to buy a bomber not yet off the drawing board is dangerous and unsound. Mr Calwell said Labour was confident it could renegotiate the treaty with the U.S. to provide for joint control on a government level of the US naval communications station at North-West Cape. He said: our foreign policy will be based firmly on four pillars; membership of the Commonwealth of nations; firm adherence to the AustralianAmerican alliance established by the Curtin Labour Government unswerving loyalty to the United Nations; and insistence that the voice of Australia shall be fully heard in the councils of our allies, and that our national rights and sovereignty will always be maintained. Labour believed that Australia should follow Britain’s lead of recognising Red China. Because of the new situation brought about by the emergence Of Malaysia, the labour Government would seek in negotiate a clear, and public treaty to cover the continued presence of Australian troops there, setting out the rights and obligations of both parties. Mr Calwell said: pending the conclusion of such a treaty, any act of aggression against Malaysia will be treated as a bleach of the Nations Charter, and will be resisted accordingly. We will help to defend Malaysia, but we are not without hope that the present strained relations between Malaysia and certain of her neighbours will soon disappear. The Prime Minister has stated that he wants the election to be fought of the question of Malaysia. In other words, he wants to force the nation to divide on a question on which it is fundamentally divided. He wants to have bandied around the @, in the hot and heady atmosphere of an election campaign, delicate questions affecting the security of nations. This indeed is irresponsibility of an Olympian order.