P-Ng Produces

Development

Budget

From a Stall Writer in Port Mon There was little but favour reaction to the P-NG Budge 1962-63 that gives the Terr

something like £30,000

spending money, two-thiro which is contributed by the tralian taxpayer. It had expected that income tat Customs duty rates woull raised.

MOST of the debate that fot the Budget speech in Legislative Council in Sept* covered the same old ground! need for development.

Mr. lan Downs, elected Eui member for the NG Highland! the Administration Treasury t a new approach to budgetim that this Budget, like everyi since the war, was a Health, tion and Welfare Budget. All this was admirable, it had beei; done. P-NG should be offerii concessions and other inducemr encourage new capital and df ment, he added.

Most of the native memU the September meeting wern vinced that “something shoe done” about development of 5 new industries and encouragii capital, although on how thi to be done they were clueless Figures quoted during the m in various speeches, were into Mr. B. Fairfax-Ross calculate the native people were resp; for no more than £500,000 total revenue.

The £20,000,000 grant fro* Commonwealth, stemmed on* from private enterprise mono is, it was raised from the Auj taxpayer. The local revenue o £9,000,000 also comes frep efforts of European indivh largely from receipts from 0 from duty assessed on goods iii for European residents and f enterprise. Income tax was raised almost exclusively the non-indigenous population* Figures like these, plus t'J elusion of an Australian I University researcher in the e

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i district that the local native man ks 3i hours a week when he’s taring for a specific project and otherwise, shows how unrealistic economy of this Territory has easingly become. he record budget, keeping taxa at the present levels, was intro id by Mr. A. P. J. Newman, taking up the total were the :kbone” Australian Common -Ith grant of £2O million, a ritory loans total of £900,000 and estimated internal revenue of

>Bo,Ooo.

Ir. Newman said that although it sought to raise internally almost )00,000 in addition to the actual re for 1961-62, it was not pro ed to introduce any new measures revenue raising. dr. Newman said that in fact ling before the Council session ild be a bill to provide for in ased allowable deductions for ication costs, and for better leave i deductions for self employed sons. n looking back, Mr. Newman i: “The year just concluded saw continuation of price troubles for • primary products. ‘Copra, coffee, cocoa and rubber were sold at low price levels, tiough fortunately we did not ex •ience a marketing failure.”

Mr. Newman said his Budget had its target the ultimate achievement the announced objectives of the e-year development plan outlined the Federal Parliament by the rritories Minister, Mr. Paul isluck.

“Obviously, success or otherwise 11 depend upon manpower and the lerewithal available within financial nitations,” Mr. Newman said.

He listed “as high in major depart ental aspirations” the functions of e Department of Information and Services.

He added: “The problem of communication, with the indigenous population in particular, is all important in the current situation.

“The Government must speak with one voice to avoid the possibility of contradiction.

“It is for this purpose that publications, broadcasting, films, photography, visual aids and public relations generally must be co-ordinated and vigorously pursued.

“Not only is the education of the indigene in current affairs important but internationally we must keep our supporters and critics accurately informed.”

Health and education came in for major mention.

Mr. Newman said: “The training of indigenous people for responsible positions of assistant medical officer,

medical assistant and as^ lsta "i^ e f lth inspector . . . will gather impetu .

“A medical college will proceed as a capital project.”

On education, he said: “Whilst it [ s not intended to open many new schools, manpower and other re sources will be used mainly to expand schools already operating, “Emphasis will be placed on secondary education facilities, as a stage has been reached where such expansion is vital.”

Mr. Newman said P-NG did not possess the natural resources per mining economic independence “and for that matter nowhere in the world today is there a country with a closed economy. . .

“However, he added, there is room for economic expansion ana that objective will be pursued.