G.F. 82
File No.
CONFIDENTIAL
NOTE FOR FILE
Page
Minister
Governor's Visit to Australia
8 to 15 May 1991
Meeting with Senator Nick Bolkus, Minister for Administrative Services
on 13 May 1991
The Governor called on Senator Nick Bolkus, for Administrative Services on 13 May. Mr Noel Tanzer, Secretary, DAS and Mr Harvey Jacka, Executive General Manager, Property Services, DAS were also present. The following points were raised :
(a)
(b)
(c)
Senator Bolkus referred to Hong Kong's brain drain. The Governor said that Hong Kong had a confidence problem as 1997 approached but there were similar levels of uncertainty in most countries in the region. Senator Bolkus agreed that there was tremendous vitality in Hong Kong.
Senator Bolkus said that the ACS was looking seriously at
the PADS project. He said that it had put
in an expression of interest in port works. The ACS would be putting its own people into Hong Kong to look more actively for opportunities.
!
proposal.
a
The number of
Senator Bolkus referred to television coverage of Gordon Wu's alternative Governor said that Mr Wu had successful projects to his name including a power station in Guangdong and a road project between Hong Kong and Guangdong. However his plan for the airport was still very general and was simply a modification of HKG's plans. It envisaged a slightly different location for the bridge. It was not clear how Mr Wu could achieve any significant savings. The Governor said that if we failed in our talks with the Chinese
have to look alternatives.
Chinese were involvement
we
greater degree
accept.
concerns
might The
at
a
seeking than we could could probably meet Chinese
of
We
about
the effect of the project on
Hong Kong's financial reserves but could not agree to their having a veto power.
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