WAR AND POLITICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 July 1943, Page 3

WAR AND POLITICS

FEDERAL PREMIER’S POLICY SPEECH REMOVAL OF INVASION THREAT. OUTLINE OF POST-WAR AIMS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, July 26. The Labour Government's war achievements formed the keynote of the policy speech of the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, which was broadcast tonight. He declared that when Labour took office it. found that the Menzies and Fadden Governments had left Australia “very much unprepared.” "Whatever the future may hold, credit cannot be denied to the Labour Government for its development of the war effort which has played such a large part in removing the threat of invasion,” Mr Curtain said. He foreshadowed a review of the manpower position, because as the objectives in the war programme were reached surplus manpower and productive capacity were becoming available for reallotment.

Subject to manpower requirements, Labour’s policy would be to maintain the army at sufficient strength to provide an army corps for offensive operations and adequate forces for the deffence of Australia, he said. Mr Curtin outlined the principles on which Labour would develop its postwar policy, and again pledged Labour to provide employment for service men and women and war workers on demobilisation. He announced that the Government had prepared an unemployment and sickness Bill as part of its social security programme. OPPOSITION PROPOSAL.

The Leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr Fadden, has announced that under the Opposition’s taxation scheme post-war refunds would be made over a period of years equal to the duration of the scheme in war time. These refunds would equal one-third of the income tax collected'in 1941-42 and in each subsequent year of the war.

Replying to a query by Mr Curtin as to where the money for taxation refunds would come from, Mr Fadden said that the Labour policy includes a non-contributory national welfare fund scheme estimated to cost £30,000,000 annually. The Opposition did not agree with this plan, but had faith in Australia’s ability to provide the revenue for the taxation refunds extended over the period.

The “Sydney Morning Herald” comments in an editorial that the Fadden-' Menzies quarrel over the post-war credits scheme provides “an excellent example of how not to win an election. Public disagreement on such an issue, says the paper, may be “politically disastrous.”