ÃÂÃÂÃÂ LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

NEWS R E L E A SE :

FEDERAL PRESIDENT: MR. R.J. SOUTHEY, C.M.G.  DIRECTOR:

MR. B.G. HARTCHER, O.B.E.  1 2 3

FEDERAL SECRETARIAT BLACKALL & MACQUARIE STS., BARTON. A.C.T.  G.P.O. BOX 13, CANBERRA, A.C.T. 2600  TELEPHONE 73 2564  TELEGRAMS "FEDLIB" CANBERRA

FO R IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM  THE HON. D .E . FAIRBAIRN, D FC , MP  OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN ON NATIONAL D EV ELO PM EN T.

The r e p o r t of W ood sid e-B u rm ah  which d is c lo s e s  th a t M r. C onnor h a s in fo rm e d

th e C om pany th a t it is  th e  G o v e rn m e n t's in ten tio n  to  ta k e  o v e r a ll oil and gas

p ro d u ctio n  a t w ellhead show s th e extent to which th e G o v ern m en t is  p re p a re d  to

go to  s o c ia lis e  in d u stry  p ro d u ctio n , d istrib u tio n  and exchange.

T h is m ak e s one w onder how m uch c re d e n c e  c a n  be p lac ed  on M r. W h itla m 's

sta te m e n t in  Q ueensland l a s t  night th a t b u sin e ss is the G o v e rn m e n t's 'in d isp e n sib le

a lly ’.

One w onders if the P r im e  M in iste r and h is M in is te r fo r M in e ra ls and E n e rg y

a r e  speaking about th e sa m e  G o v ern m en t.

M r. C o n n o r's d ictu m  w ill have an a d v e rs e  e ffe ct on th e s e a r c h  fo r o il a t a  tim e

when we should be doing ev ery th in g  p o ssib le  to e n co u rag e  th is  s e a rc h .

Once again, M r. C onnor h a s shown th a t in  th e in te r e s ts  of the n atio n  he should

b e  re p la c e d .

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D E F:F S:5 OCTOBER 2, 1973.

