Legislative Programme

Chronicle (Levin), 7 November 1946, Page 9

Legislative Programme

i Press Ass

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT'S PLANS

By Telegrapl

n.-Copyrighc

. iieeeived Wednesday 10.15 p.m. CANBERiiA, Nov. 6. Tlie legislative programme for the 18th Eederal Parliament, was announced by the GovernorGeneral, Duke of Gloucester, at the official opening' today. The iegislation will cover eontrol of prices, interest rates and land values, and other "anti-intiation" measures. The Governor-General said a committee representing both parties would be appointed to report on aspects of the basie wage and other measures to be introduced, ineluding Iegislation to expedite, simplify and make less expensive, approaches to industrial tribunals and encourage eoneiliation. / A complete national medieal selieme embracing the provision of clinical, pathologieal, X-ray, specialist, research, pharmaeeutieal, dental and hospital benehts tliroughout Australia is to be initiated as soon as possible. . The f'uture defenee p.olicy, said the Governor-General, tvould be governed by the forces to be plaeed at the disposal of United Nations for international peaee and security. The Government intended that the organisation and strength of postwar defence forces would proceed on a basis that reeognised that Australia would make a larger contribution towards the defence of the British Commonwealth.' It was the Government 's view that this could best be done in the Paeific and that the approach to Ihe common scheme of defence of this area, should be by agreement between United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the British .Commonwealth plans being related to those of United States and other nations with possessions in this area. In accordanec with the Government policy of taking an active part in all measures aimed at international and eeonomie Avelfare, full employnient and a higher standard of living tliroughout the world, Australia and New Zealand had convened a conferenee of Governments with interests in the Bouthwest Paeific, to meet in Canberra early next year to establish a permanent South Seas regional advisory commission.