Basic HTML Version
December 1971
The
PLAIN TRUTH
11
Mother has married again
...
and the
family will never be the same again.
11
-J.
T.
Kane, Senator of
New
South Wales
Sydney, Australia -
Gene Hughes
In Australia, opinion regarding Brit–
ain's acceptancc of EEC terms ranges
from a blunt "This is purely a British
matter," and "This decision is inevi–
table," to "A great readjustment in our
relations with the mother country will
be necessary." These comments by lead–
ing politicians and economists are
reAected in the answers given by Aus–
tralians polled in Sydney and its sub–
urbs by PtAIN TRUTH staff members.
Sixty-one percent of those questioned
were pleased at Parliament's decision.
At the same time, 52 percent expect
serious economic consequences for Aus–
tralia. Thirty-six percent were not con–
cerned about the economic problem, and
1
2 percent didn't know.
One nationally respected economist,
Dr. Harold Bell
1
Economic
~dvisor
to
the Australian Mutual Provident Soci–
ety, pointed out that there has already
been a decline in Australia's trade with
Britain, and that only a few districts
would be badly atfected - those that
produce dai ry products, wheat, sugar
and fruit. These arcas, he told us, will
need special help, perhaps in readjust–
ing their patterns of production and in
finding new markets. "At worst," he
said, "only 7% of the export market
will be atfected ."
The finding of new markets is gener–
ally hailed as the obvious solution to
the loss of the country's preferred Com–
monwealth status.
"There is a danger of the Common
Market competing with us in selling
such agricultura! products as wheat and
dairy products -
of France, for
example, dumping into our markets,"
commented Mr. Peter Robinson, Editor
of the inAuential
Financia/ Review.
He
warned that Australia must diversi fy
her interests.
Me.
Robinson feels that most Austra–
lians shoulcl be sympathetic to the
move. "This could be very favourable
since it will give us a friend within the
Market," he told us looking at the
favorable side of the issue. "It could
provide us with a big market for Aus–
tralian products, iron ore and coa!, for
example."
Pointing out that "They're not in
yct,"
Me.
Robinson feels that there will
be no great immediate impact, especially
since a }'ear of enabling legislation is
required before Britain will be " in."
Many Australians feel, along with
Senator J. T . Kane of New South
Wales, that the " Pacific trade bloc is a
natural home for Australia." In fact, it
is the apparent division of the world
into great trading blocs that seems to
present a simple answer to many Aus–
tralians. Seventy-two percent of those
questioned on the street said they think
that the trading partnership between
Japan and Austral ia will be streng–
thened by Britain's move.
Australia and Japan have been forg–
ing close trading links. In fact, Aus–
tralia has becorne a veritable "mining
field" for the Japanese, providing
many essential raw materials which
Japan lacks. Opinion in Australia is
divided on whether such a trading
relationship is beneficia] for Australia.
Most of the informed people who
were questioned expressed concern over
the possibility of trade wars developing
as major political and economic blocs
try to squeeze each other out of markets.
Mr. Robinson, who believes that "the
trend of nations getting together is a
good thing," said he realizes the danger
of a confrontation between major eco–
nomic blocs - "especially if a couple
of large countries are outside of the
blocs ...
A11stralia is faced with this
danger since she is not in any bloc."
Senator Kane was equally aware of
these implications:
"If
the world is
going to divide itself into great trading
blocs, then Australia must be in some
47
bloc and be in early," he told us; "The
consti tutional and political implications
of Britain's entering Europe are
enormous. Britain is entering not merely
a customs union, but is to become
an
integral par/ of a
netv
poJitica/ 11nit.
"The EEC," he continued, "may ulti–
mately become a superstate. That is
what is, in fact, contemplated by the
Trcaty of Rome."
The senator is convinced that it will
be difficult for Britain to reconcile her
position in such a state "with her
prescnt legal and political relationships
with Australia" - given the existing
constitutional principies.
Dr. Bell sees a special danger to Aus–
tralia because of its manufacturing in–
dustry and feels that the nation will
have to re-examine her taritf position in
rclation to other countries.
There is a strong feeling that Britam
has a perfect right to act in her own
best interests and that Australia must
come of age and fend for herself in a
rapidly changing wocld.
The Rt. Hon. J. D. Anthony, Acting
Prime Minister, feels that Australia is
strong enough to cope with the neces–
sary adjustments. Others feel that the
multiplicity of changes now taking
place - the new U.$. money policy,
the change in Chinese representation in
the U.N., Britain's withdrawal from
Southeast Asia - will force Australia
to grow up and to make her own way as
an international power. But should
London become the financia! capital of
the EEC, as Dr. Bell thioks might in–
deed happen, Australia would again
have a
f
riend at the head bank, giving
her the protective umbrella she has so
long enjoyed.
Our poli showed that only
491)'o
have
a sentimental attachment to Britain or
feel abandoned. But many in the older
generation might well agree with Sena–
toe Kane, who drew this sad analogy:
"The fact is that Mother has married
again, and
her children, whilst
acknowledging her perfect right to do
so and even the wisdom of her actions
so far as she is concerned,
the family ever being
again." O
cannot see
the samc