Minister for the Navy: The Hon. D. J. Killen, MP Minister for Works and under the Minister for Trade and Industry, Minister- LEADER OF OPPOSITION SENATE President: Senator the Hon. Sir Alister McMullin, KCMG HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Speaker: The Hon. Sir William Aston, KCMG, MP JUDICIARY HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA Chief Justice: Rt. Hon. Sir Garfield Barwick, GCMG Justices: Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A. McTiernan, KBE Rt. Hon. Sir William F. L. Owen, KBE Principal Registrar: A. N. Gamble AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONERS IN OTHER Commonwealth COUNTRIES Britain: Hon. Sir Alexander Downer, KBE (High Commissioner); Canada: D. W. McNicol, CBE (High Commissioner); New Zealand: Sir Edwin Hicks, CBE (High Commissioner; India: P. Shaw, CBE (High Commissioner); Pakistan: L. H. Border, MVO (High Commissioner); Ceylon: G. N. Upton (High Commissioner); Fiji: R. N. Birch (Commissioner); Ghana: R. A. Woolcott (High Commissioner); Hong Kong: P. R. Searcy, OBE (Senior Trade Commissioner); Malaysia: J. R. Rowland (High Commissioner); Malta G.C.: Hon. Sir Hubert Opperman, OBE (High Commissioner); Nigeria: P. Hutton (High Commissioner); Tanzania: H. W. Bullock (High Commissioner); Uganda: R. N. Hamilton (resident in Nairobi) (High Commissioner); Kenya: R. N. Hamilton (High Commissioner); Singapore: A. R. Parsons (High Commissioner); Trinidad and Tobago: T. N. Cronin (Trade Commissioner); Nauru: J. C. B. Jackson (Representative). COMMONWEALTH HIGH COMMISSIONERS Britain: Sir Charles Johnston, KCMG; Head Office in Melbourne AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATION IN Afghanistan (Ambassador) (resident in Rawalpindi); Argentina: (Ambassador); Austria: (Ambassador); Belgium: (Ambassador); Brazil: (Ambassador); Burma: (Ambassador); Cambodia: (Ambassador); Chile (Ambassador); China (Ambassador); Denmark: (Consul); Ethiopia: (Ambassador) (resident in Nairobi); Finland (Ambassador) (resident in Stockholm); France (Ambassador); Germany: (Ambassador); Greece: (Ambassador); Indonesia: (Ambassador); Iran (Ambassador); Israel: (Ambassador); Italy: (Ambassador); Japan: (Ambassador); Korea: (Ambassador); Laos: (Ambassador); Lebanon: (Ambassador); Mexico: (Ambassador): Nepal: (Ambassador) (resident in New Delhi); Netherlands: (Ambassador); New Caledonia: (Consul); Peru (Ambassador) (resident in Buenos Aires); Philippines: (Ambassador); Portugal (Ambassador) (resident in Paris): Portuguese Timor: (Consul); Republic of Ireland: (Ambassador); Republic of South Africa: (Ambassador); Romania (Ambassador) (resident in Belgrade); Spain: (Ambassador); Sweden: (Ambassador); Switzerland (Ambassador) (Resident in Vienna); Thailand: (Ambassador); Turkey: (Ambassador); U.S.S.R.: (Ambassador); United Arab Republic: (Ambassador); United Nations: (Ambassador, New York); (Permanent Representative in Europe, Geneva); United States: (Ambassador); Uruguay: (Ambassador) (resident in Buenos Aires); Viet Nam: (Ambassador); Yugoslavia: (Ambassador). STATES OF THE COMMONWEALTH NEW SOUTH WALES The State of New South Wales lies on the eastern (Pacific) coast of Australia, almost entirely between the 29th and 36th parallels of south latitude. To the south it is separated from Victoria by the Murray River, but the boundary with South Australia to the west and the greater part of that with Queensland to the north is merely a straight line on the map. The area of New South Wales (inclusive of a dependency, Lord Howe Island, five square miles, but exclusive of the Australian Capital Territory, 910 square miles) is 309,433 square miles, a little over two and a half times that of Great Britain and Ireland. The estimated population as at 30th June 1969 was 4,474,800 of whom an estimated 2,712,610 lived in Sydney, the State capital. HISTORY The name New South Wales was given to the eastern part of Australia on its discovery by Captain Cook in 1770, but the first settlement was not formed until 1788, at Sydney under Captain Phillip. Settlement for a time was slow, because a passage over the Blue Mountains, giving access to the interior plains, was not discovered until 1813. In 1828 the total population was only 36,598, but the discovery of gold in 1851 attracted many settlers. Responsible Government was established in 1856. In 1901 the Colony of New South Wales federated with the Colonies of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania to form the Commonwealth of Australia. CONSTITUTION The Constitution Act of 1902 (No. 32 of 1902) provides that the Legislature of New South Wales 'shall, subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, have power to make laws for the peace, welfare and good government of New South Wales in all cases whatsoever'. The Legislature consists of the Crown and two Houses; the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The Governor is the local representative of the Crown. His functions are defined partly by statutes and partly by Letters Patent and Instructions to the Governor issued under the Royal Sign Manual. He acts on the advice of the Executive Council or of a Minister of the Crown, except in limited spheres where he possesses discretionary power, e.g. in regard to the dissolution of Parliament. The Executive Council consists of members of the Ministry formed by the leader of the dominant party in the Legislative Assembly, and the Governor presides over its deliberations. In compliance with a referendum assented to in May 1933, the Legislative Council was reconstituted on 23rd April 1934. The new House consisted of sixty members, elected by the combined vote of members of the existing Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, provision being made for the retirement of fifteen members in rotation every three years, and the members being therefore initially elected in groups for three, six, nine and twelve years respectively. The Legislative Assembly consists of ninety-four members elected under a system of universal adult suffrage for up to three years. By Act No. 33 of 1950 For further information about New South Wales see the Official Year Book of New South Wales any bill prolonging the life of the Assembly beyond the period of three years cannot be presented for the Royal Assent until it has been approved by a referendum. The Act also provides that any bill repealing or amending its provisions similarly requires approval by referendum. Any person enrolled as an elector may be elected to the Assembly, except members of the Legislative Council or of the Federal Legislature. Bills appropriating money or imposing taxation and bills affecting the Assembly itself must originate in the Assembly, and by its power over supply this House controls the Executive. Adult British subjects, men and women, are qualified for enrolment as electors when they have resided in the Commonwealth for a period of six months, in the State for three months, and in any sub-division of an electoral district for one month preceding the date of claim for enrolment. Since 1894 each elector has been entitled to one vote only, and voting has been compulsory since 1928. The electoral law provides that electorates are to be redistributed whenever directed by the Governor. In the event of there being no direction by the Governor, a distribution must take place on the expiration of five years from the date of the last redistribution. The redistribution is made by the Electoral Districts Commissioners, who may make use of the services of any of the officers and employees of the Public Service. GOVERNMENT At the Legislative Assembly election in February 1968 the Liberal Party secured 36 seats, the Country Party 17, the Labour Party 39, and seats were gained by two Independents. The Government was formed by a coalition of the Liberal and Country Parties. The Legislative Council comprised in April 1970: 16 Liberal Party members; 11 Country Party; 27 Labour Party; 4 Independents; and 2 vacant seats. GOVERNOR His Excellency Sir Arthur Roden Cutler, VC, KCMG, CBE, K St J THE MINISTRY Premier and Treasurer: The Hon. Robin William Askin, MLA Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Minister for Science: The Hon. Charles Benjamin Cutler, ED, MLA Minister for Labour and Industry, Chief Secretary and Minister for Tourism: The Hon. Eric Archibald Willis, BA, MLA Minister for Decentralisation and Development and Vice-President of the Executive Council: Minister for Public Works: The Hon. Davis Hughes, MLA Minister for Transport: The Hon. Milton Arthur Morris, MLA Minister of Justice: The Hon. John Clarkson Maddison, BA, LLB, MLA Assistant Minister: The Hon. John Lloyd Waddy, OBE, DFC, MLA |