AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1949, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ELECTIONS

(N.Z.P.A,

— Reuter.

- — Quieter Radio Campaign

Covyriaht)

Received Friday, 8.50 p.m. SYDNEY, Oct. 21. This year's Australian eiections, - both Federal and State, v/ill be iought in an atmosphere and under conditions differing from those of any previous political clash in Commonwealth history. I11 the Federal tussle no huge election posters will blazen the names of candidates across .the. "sky — -for the largest permissible poster wrhich can be used in the campaign is a discreet card not exeeeding 60 square inches in area. For shortsighted vo'ters at ieast the campaign will be fraught with anxiety, but others have shbwn their dissatisfaction with this ruling by the use of epithets such as ' ' Fascist ' ' and ' ' intolerable repression. " The new Broadeasting Control Board is eiigaged in drawing up a table of election procedure designed to ensure that all stations both national and commercial aceord equal time to the dissemination of the policy speeches of the main parties. In its early form this was found to give the Communist Party, which is still a legal political entity, the privilege of free time on the air in which to expound its views. The I Broadeasting Board hastily altered this I section after publie opinion manifested | itself. . | As matters stand, however, the radio" election campaign js expected to be much quieter and more dignified than in previous years. In Australia the ! eommereial radio stations are pnvate enterprises which until now have had few eheeks placed upon their operations. They could support political parties according to the policy of their owners or could sell radio time at their discretion. j The quality and tone of the material ' broadcast were governed only by the ! laws generally relating to publications. 1 Now a rigid code is laid down where by | many electioneering programmes will have to be scrapped. In New South Wales no election propaganda or 1 speeches will be permitted on the air for three days before polling. This week xiie Federal Gpposition staged a demonstration on a Bill designed to exiend the period within which eleetoral posters in excess of 60 square inches may not be exhibited. Poster sizes were restricted as an economy measure by the Wartime Beeurity Regulations 1943, and the need to conBerve materials was again suceessfully pleaded in 1946, but this is the first indication of Government intention to malce the limitatioii permanent. The Minister, speaking in the House of Represefitatives, made it plain that the idea was to cramp the electioneering style of opponents who were allegeci to have more money to spend. In- reply Mr. Menzies said: ".This Bill is principally aimed at us. The Government itself is using more paper for pureiy partisan publications coming from departments than all .the posters issued by all the political ,sp.qrties in the past ten years. ' ' ! The Labour Party maintains that the legislation which has now passed the Lower House is fai}- beeause it imposes the sarae restrietions on all parties.