Leslie Walford, The Sydney Morning Herald, December 17, 1978, p. 102.

Lang Hancock just has to be one the most interesting, straight-shooting, free-thinking, laissez-faire rough diamonds in Australia, if not the world.

The self-made multimillionaire mining magnate from Western Australia is praised as a man who has contributed more wealth to the country than any other man in our history.

I just had to be present at a luncheon arranged by Darby Communications M.B. Pty. Ltd. to hear Mr. Hancock speak on “What would we do without our Government?” The luncheon, for about 400 businessmen, was held at the Sebel Town House.

Rather simplistically Mr. Hancock offers sword-swiping answers for today’s national ills. He proposes that we get rid of trendies, the middle-roaders, the socialists. We should rebuild the Liberal Party, which he insists is now spineless because it compromises on principles.

We need more Bjelke-Petersens, who have faith and strength, he believes.

The Canberra Liberals pay lip-service to freedom but allow economic dictatorship and therefore deserve oblivion.

There should be only a dozen or so trade unions so disputes would be more easily settled, especially among themselves.

To put everything right, Mr Hancock said Western Australia should secede from the Federation, the Constitution should be redrafted to limit the central power, then the Federation should be re-formed.

We should cling to our friendship with Japan — that country needs us for our minerals — because through such friendship, linked to need, lies our national safety.

The same mutual need should be cultivated with the USA, and our defence assured under their atomic umbrella.

Mr Hancock said all our forces could defend only 12 miles of our coastline (“Not on Sundays!” said a wag in the audience) and Western Australia has 4500 miles of coast.

In that State 7.5 per cent of the total Australian population produced 25 per cent of our export earnings, so its voice should be listened to.

Certainly Mr Hancock’s patriotism is true-blue and, though his views may not be adopted in a rush, he is our Socrates, a thorn in the side of established ideas, a philosopher from the mines.

Conservation freaks hold back the benefits of cheap and safe nuclear power he believes. Australia needs freedom from control to forge ahead.

His audience was fascinated, I assure you.