50 years ago

AUSTRALIA’S first Labor budget for 24 years has come in for scathing criticism from rural industry leaders and politicians. National vice-president of the Australian Wool and Meat Producers’ Federation, Mr. John Silcock, described the Government’s balance sheet as “an anti-rural budget”. Even stronger was the reaction of Mr. Bruce Chamberlain (Lib., Dundas) who said the budget was a “savage and callous attack on country people”. Both men attacked the areas of the budget which they said would affect all people in country areas – the higher petrol and telephone charges, and increased charges for air services. Mr. Chamberlain said no-one was unhappy with the increased budget allocations to areas such as education and health. “However, many aspects of the budget constitute a savage and callous attack on country people,” he said.