8
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1981
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ANOTHER $369 MILLION IS BEING SOUGHT FOR OFFICES, $156 MILLION FOR QUARTERS, AND $25 MILLION FOR MINOR FITTING-OUT WORKS.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THAT IT WAS PREFERABLE TO LOCATE ITS OFFICES WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN GOVERNMENT-OWNED BUILDINGS.
SIR JACK SAID PLANS HAD BEEN DRAWN UP FOR OVER HALF A MILLION SQUARE METRES OF GENERAL PURPOSE OFFICES TO BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
ALLOWING FOR MORE OFFICE REQUIREMENTS OVER THE PERIOD, AND FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 51 000 SQUARE METRES OF EXISTING OFFICES FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR FOR SALE OF THE SITES, THE BUILDING PROGRAMME WOULD REDUCE THE PROPORTION OF LEASED OFFICES FROM THE PRESENT HIGH FIGURE OF 66 PER CENT TO 21 PER CENT BY THE END OF THE 1986-87 YEAR, HE ADDED.
SIR JACK SAID THERE WERE CURRENTLY 1 640 GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND 758 LEASED DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS AND THAT A BUILDING AND REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HAD STARTED UNDER WHICH OVER 1 600 NEW QUARTERS WOULD BE BUILT BY THE END OF 1985-86 AND SOME 460 DEMOLISHED. THESE PROJECTS WOULD PROCEED AS JOINT-VENTURES WITH PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPERS.
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TASK FORCE SET UP FOR MFA NEGOTIATIONS
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A SPECIAL TASK FORCE WHOSE PRIMARY FUNCTION, FROM NEXT SEPTEMBER, WILL BE CONDUCTING NEGOTIATIONS THIS YEAR ON THE RENEWAL OF THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT (MFA) AND ON BI-LATERAL AGREEMENTS IN 1982 IS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN THE TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT.
THE DIRECTOR, THE HON BILL DORWARD, MADE THIS DISCLOSURE DURING THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY) WHILE RESPONDING TO COMMENTS BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ON THE FUTURE OF THE MFA.
→I CONSIDER THAT WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT A GROUP OF EXPERIENCED AND CAPABLE NEGOTIATORS, BOTH LOCALLY IN THE DEPARTMENT AND IN OUR OVERSEAS OFFICES, AND IT IS MY INTENTION TO FORM FROM IT A TASK FORCE WHOSE PRIMARY FUNCTION FROM, SAY, SEPTEMBER ONWARDS WILL BE THE CONDUCT OF THESE FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WE FACE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR MORE, HE SAID.
+THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE AT THE COST OF SOME LOSS OF EFFECTIVE- NESS ELSEWHERE, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT ALLOW OF ANY OTHER SOLUTION. I KNOW I CAN COUNT ON MY COLLEAGUES OUTSIDE THE TASK FORCE TO MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO MAINTAIN A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND KEEP UP MOMENTUM ON SUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES AS CONSUMER PROTECTION, TRADE CONTROLS AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, + SAID MR DORWARD.
IT IS WIDELY CONCEDED THAT THE ILLS WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY ARE AFFLICTING SOME OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES OF THE WEST, NOTABLY IN EUROPE, ARE NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO IMPORTS FROM THE THIRD WORLD.
/BUT BECAUSE