MEDIA RELEASE

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NATIONAL ENERGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National  Resources the Rt Hon. J.D. Anthony, M.P. '

The first meeting of the recently established National.  Energy Committee was held in Canberra on Monday 21st March 1977.

The Chairman, Dr. Howard Worner,  and Members of the  Committee were welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister.and Minister  for National Resources, Mr. J.D. Anthony. .

In an introductory address to the Committee, Mr. Anthony  re-affirmed the Government’s recognition of the importance of  a truly national energy policy and stated that he looked forward  to the Committee making an increasingly significant contribution  to the development of energy policy.

Mr. Anthony said that the Government had established  the Committee because it recognised that much of the relevant  expertise and information relating to energy in Australia exists  only in private industry, in State Government authorities, or

in universities, and that the Federal Government cannot establish  a soundly-based energy policy without advice from these quarters.

"I therefore look to the Committee, not only to give  the Government the benefit of the expertise of its own members, .   but to establish close working relationships with experts,  expert groups and representative bodies in the community to ensure.   that, to the greatest extent1  practicable, account is taken of all  appropriate expertise and opinions", Mr. Anthony said.

He said that the National Energy Advisory Committee  should play an important role not only in drawing together  information and opinion on energy and bringing it before  Government, but also in disseminating knowledge about Australia's  energy situation. .  - .

"For this reason," Mr. Anthony said, "it is my .   intention in the normal course of events to authorise the  release of the Committee's reports so that they may stimulate  public awareness and debate on energy issues." .

Mr. Anthony nominated energy research and development  and energy conservation as two important areas upon which the  Government would be pleased to receive the Committee's advice.

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"Concerning energy research and development, it is  obvious that the production and distribution of energy is  these days a highly technical matter.  The production of energy  can be expected in the future to be increasingly characterised  by the use of advanced technologies, many of which have yet to  be developed. If Australia is not to become technologically

backward in this area, we must formulate a coherent approach  to our national energy research and development effort.  We cannot .   afford to waste our resources, and we cannot afford to let the  future take care of itself. We must foresee our needs, establish  our priorities, and apply our limited available resources of money  and manpower in the wisest possible way," Mr. Anthony said. .

"Regarding energy conservation, there is no point in .   developing and investing in highly sophisticated ways of Ã¢ÂÂ  producing, energy, if we do not consider also the obvious alternative  of obviating the need to produce so much energy on more economical  use of the energy we have. I would therefore like the Committee  to pay particular attention to what is feasible in this area,

especially by way of encouraging, voluntary conservation of' energy  by making people and industries realise that this is in their  interests."

Mr. Anthony said that he placed great importance upon  the. independence of the Committee and of its advice, and that  he looked to the Committee to formulate its own overall work ' programme and to initiate advice on those matters which it

felt should be brought to the attention of Government.

(NOTE: In the course of its first working session the Committee decided to divide the range of issues within its terms of .   reference amongst four standingÂ· working groups which would undertake  studies in the areas allocated to them. As well as contributing their

own expertise, the members of these groups will seek advice and'  opinion from a range of sources by conferring with others working  in the relevant fields. A list (set out below) sets out the .   convenors of the various standing groups together with the areas  of special responsibility.) .

Standing Group No.l - Convenor Professor L.A. Endersbee. General energy matters including coal, electricity generation, .   conservation of energy and environmental aspects of.energy.

Standing Group No.2 - Convenor Professor Stuart Harris. Energy resources, trade and forecasting.

Standing Group No. 3 - Convenor Professor F. Bull. All aspects of new energy- technologies for Australia. .

Standing Group No.4 - Convenor Mr. G. Lynch. Production and . utilisation of oil and natural gas in Australia. Matters  relating to transportation.

(Further information may be sought through Mr. Bob Layland, Secretary of the Committee, at the Department of National Resources,   Telephone 496188). .

Canberra, 22nd March, 1977

