Labour was in Parliament for the principle of white labour and defence for Australia. In 1903 the Hon. J. C. Watson opposed successfully a proposal to subsidise the home Government for Australian defence. Defence was only effective when the money and the men were found by the country intending to defend itself.
February 10th, 1910
agriculture defence economy federation social securityOur policies have given people the confidence and incentive to invest in Australia’s future. Australia is ready to go with six thousand million dollars of development in coal, iron ore, bauxite, alumina, petroleum and nickel, in manufacturing industry, in construction and retailing.
November 21st, 1977
economy agriculture arts defence education foreign affairs health immigration Indigenous affairs infrastructure social security trade waterI want to say to Australia that if we are to grow to our full strength, we must not sit at home huddling about ourselves the garments of mere safety. We must go out to develop Australia’s resources and increase the national wealth so that there may be available for all our people standards of living and of achievement which seemed impossible a generation ago. We need to avoid a purely defensive conservatism of mind.
August 20th, 1946
agriculture communism defence education immigration industrial relations social securityLiberal policies are designed to enable Australians to live free and independent lives in a secure nation. They are policies to promote the enterprise and initiative which will enable people to secure their own future through the rewards of their own efforts. They are also policies of compassion and concern for those in need.
September 30th, 1980
defence economy industrial relations infrastructure arts communications and technology family foreign affairs health immigration Indigenous affairs social securityHere then is a record of achievement, of purpose, yet it is a record of a government which has been in office a mere 17 months. It is a record of a government which came into office after 23 unbroken years of power held by our opponents, 23 years of decay and neglect. It is a record of a government which had to overcome unparallelled obstruction in a Senate in which it was in a minority. This was our legacy in 1972—23 years of our opponents’ mistakes and a hostile Senate. We have lived with the past; and we have overcome the past, the record shows it.
April 29th, 1974
economy environment government administration health infrastructure arts defence education employment family federal-state relations foreign affairs immigration Indigenous affairs social securityWe believe in the individual, in his freedom, in his ambition, in his dignity. If he becomes submerged in the mass, and loses his personal significance, we have tyranny. And because of this, we believe in free enterprise; not enterprise free of social obligation, but free enterprise in the sense that it embraces free choice, reward for effort and skill, encouragement to grow and be self-reliant, and strong.
May 5th, 1954
communism economy social security agriculture defence employment foreign affairs industrial relations infrastructure socialismDeeply conscious of the grave challenge of the future, Labor presents its well considered programme. We bear the same shield as did Scullin, Curtin and Chifley. We walk in their tradition. We are men of one allegiance only. We have never changed our name. We represent the Australian Labor Party, which is Australian because it is Labor, and Labor because it is Australian. Our flag is the Australian flag which we have never sullied and which we have never raised in an unworthy cause.
November 16th, 1961
agriculture communism defence economy education employment family foreign affairs health immigration infrastructure social securityThis is a vital election. The Menzies Government knows that, if it waits until next year, it will be defeated. The result of its mismanagement of the economy cannot be avoided for much longer. So this Government had decided that the people will be pit to the expense of an early election– the fifth Federal election in six years.
November 9th, 1955
agriculture communism defence economy education employment foreign affairs government administration health immigration industrial relations infrastructure social securityOn July 14th last Professor Oliphant made a plea for the suspension of nuclear tests. He argued that nuclear tests should be stopped because of the possible danger to world health. He emphasised that the full significance of strontium 90 one of the potentially dangerous isotopes from the fall-out of nuclear tests were not yet known. He, therefore, contended that nuclear tests should stop because of the two possible views about the effects of radiation from tests–one that it was harmful and one was that it was not. The decision made should be the one that is on the side of safety.
November 22nd, 1958
agriculture defence economy education employment family federal-state relations foreign affairs health immigration Indigenous affairs industrial relations infrastructure social security trade womenThe great vital problems that confront us in Australia today are principally these:- Industrial unrest; increase cost of living; operations of trusts and combines. They are interactionary both in their relationship and their effect.
July 6th, 1914
defence economy industrial relations social security