Australia's Future

A Blueprint For Australia's Future

The word “development” is a much bandied about in Australi as in Papua-New Guinea, where for years, it has been regards

as a political cure-all, althoug]

few who have used it have hai much idea of putting theory int

practice.

LATEST on the subject, as far i Australia is concerned, is th report of the Stanford Researc Institute of California which, throug Dr. J. B. Condliffe, made an on-th< spot survey in the early months c 1963.

The report, published now und< the title of The Development of Au, tralia, produces a blue-print for tt future. It is unlikely, however, thi its fate will be different from simih studies that have been made c similar subjects; or that it will pr< duce more than a dent in tt complacency of Mr. Average Ay tralia who is currently riding hig on a wave of great prosperity.

The report was made at the instig: tion of the Australian Developmei Research Foundation, which privately endowed. The terms < reference were to “investigate tl possibilities of attracting settleme: to the undeveloped areas of Austral and to suggest a programme of actic directed towards realising the

possibilities”.

Enterprise Lacking

One of the author’s interestii observations is what he calls An tralia’s “subtle lack of busine enterprise”. There is, he says, reluctance to take the risks ai responsibilities of mobilising capit and hiring technical services, at as a result it is estimated that foreij interests already own 25 per cent, ai control 40 per cent, of Australis manufacturing enterprises.

The plain message of Dr. Con liffe’s report, of course, is that An tralians are going to have to g off their tails and do more—ai risk more —if they are to face tl future with confidence.

He puts the deadline at 1970 ai suggests a crash programme development from both Govemme and private enterprise,—JT.

(The Development Op Austral]

Ure Smith. 39/6.)