FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

Aerial tracks across Papua New Guinean southern highlands, grainy WS river systems and aerial tracks over dense forests in misty cloud. Aerial tracks over isolated mountain villages. VS clan members in villages with man chopping timber with family members sitting with him and WS women tending food garden amidst banana plants and ferns. VS women tending taro, sweet potato, sugar cane and bananas and CU loading vegetables in net bag.

VS tribal Papua New Guinean head men leading ceremonial procession in ornate traditional dress, head dresses and face paint. CU face of village elder with flowers behind ears. CU head men holding hands during procession. VS village life with elders leading debates. MS elders inside basic hut holding heated meeting with CUs of them seated around smoking fire shouting at each other.

VS Local Government Councils building and tilt from picture of Queen Elizabeth II to Papua New Guinean councillors seated around conference table listening to non-indigenous District Administration Officer standing at head of table using blocks as he speaks to group. WS pan from boy sitting on end of canoe on beach to group of woman seated outside hut. VS of the first female Local Government Assistant standing in front of the group using chart to explain the women's right to vote. VS village elder carving totem-like artefact watched by two other village men. GS Parents & Citizen's group seated in large room with non-indigenous man sitting at the front with locals leading discussions. GS local parents gold sluicing in river with MS to man panning.

Local council meeting and CU pan across faces then badges worn by indigenous council office bearers. MS Papuan narrator, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Simon Kaumi addressing camera in his office, introducing himself then the non-indigenous Chief Electoral Officer Bob Brian who then addresses camera discussing the establishment of the 1961 Electoral Council. VS 1961 Legislative Council with GS Papuan councillors in suits as well as Europeans. VS traditional village life with GS group outside grass hut and CU villagers making ornamental headdress. VS villagers with their pigs gathered around speakers listening to electoral information for the 1968 House of Assembly election.

Tilt down from decorative patterning on outer wall of hall to non-indigenous Returning Officer for House of Assembly election on porch with Papua New Guineans. CUs of him tying off wires on ballot boxes. Tilt down from the apex of the local spirit house to meeting with European Presiding Officer addressing locals. VS villagers and Presiding Officer demonstrating how the ballot box works. VS of election day with VS Presiding Officers, local voters, ballot paper being filled out etc. high angle shot of locals queuing to vote and walking to ballot box to lodge vote. VS ballot boxes being opened at Counting Centre with VS of votes being counted, put into boxes and tally board. GS Returning Officer publicly announcing successful candidates and shaking hands with both Papua New Guinean and European candidates.

CU badges of office laid out on table and VS of them being presented to new members of Council by the District Commissioner watched by crowd of villagers. MS speech to camera by Chief Electoral Officer Bob Brian talking about the compilation of the first ever common (electoral) roll. VS local District Administration Field Officers trekking through mountains by foot with ballot boxes carried on sticks between their shoulder, walking through mud to reach remote villages. VS Officers sitting at table in village recording names, shaking hands with villagers, CU writing in book and good shots of villagers in elaborate headdresses lining up with other villagers in western dress.

VS office scenes in Papuan Government Printers in production of the Common Roll. GS women typing in rows, CU labels being typed, photographic and printing processes and copies of electoral rolls coming off press. VS inside Administration radio station studio with CUs of man at microphone reading Government message from script. CU Simon Kaumi speaking to camera about being appointed as Deputy Chief Political Officer and the preparations for the 1968 election. MS Kaumi interviewing various candidates for the 1968 House of Assembly. GS Kaumi with Electoral Officers standing at front of room with information on blackboard instructing them on their duties on polling day. VS non-indigenous Field Officer talking to group of villagers showing them photographs of election candidates ensuring familiarisation with them for those who may be illiterate.

High angle children in crowd wearing head bands with election candidate's name on them. VS crowded campaign scenes, candidates making outdoor speeches with speakers suspended from trees and campaign literature being handed out. VS both Papua New Guinean and non-indigenous people speaking or listening. GS room with electoral material packed ready for transportation. GS men packing them into plane, LS plane in air and aerial shots over misty forests and flat river plains. VS polling team transporting equipment by motorised longboat. Tilt to helicopter then helicopter landing in remote village greeted by children. VS men unpacking voting equipment from aeroplane, WS boat being unloaded and truck arriving in village. Man unloading voting boxes.

Polling station being set up in village. VS visit by United Nations Trusteeship Council during build up to 1968 House of Assembly election in remote village. Deputy Chief Political Officer Simon Kaumi shaking hands with delegates and VS of them taking photographs and looking at polling preparations in villages. MS delegate taking home movie. WS pan from bus leaving on dirt road to CU campaign poster. VS candidate flyers being handed out to voters and CU official list of candidates poster including photographs. VS people voting and CUs names being marked off electoral rolls. VS male and female, indigenous and non-indigenous voters and polling officials. VS voters in polling booths. CUs voters casting votes into ballot boxes.

High angle shot over central tally room in Port Moresby. VS people's faces and CU face of announcer in headphones giving running commentary of results as votes are being counted. MS women seated at telex machines typing. CUs Papua New Guinean announcers speaking in indigenous dialect. Voice-over of Pidgin translation of tally. MS men looking at tally board. CU young non-indigenous woman in modern 1960s dress. MS Papuan woman changing numbers on tally board. Zoom in to Returning Officer for the Moresby Electorate announcing declaring successful candidates' entry into House of Assembly and shaking their hands. VS of Officers from various electorates doing similar.

Police escort for the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Casey arriving to open the second house of Assembly in June, 1968. VS of locals as the decorated Lord Casey walks past military lining street. VS newly elected members with newly elected speaker entering the Papua and New Guinean House of Assembly. MS new speaker in traditional cloak with bird of paradise feathers and wig standing to make welcome speech in English. MS Lord Casey giving opening speech seated at bench. VS Papua New Guineans in industry roles including using electric saw, linesmen, telephonist, machinist, surgeon and medical staff with voice-over as Casey reads speech. Aerial view over flat river plains and southern highlands.

Track along men standing in flat-bottomed canoe on lake hauling in fishing net. MS farmer driving tractor, men watching tree pruning, GS grain factory with men filling sacks and track along factory floor with men operating machinery. Track past men sitting in rows of booths each with tape recorders and wearing sets of headphones. GS woman accepting present at prize giving in front of class. WS track across Papuans working on construction site around formwork. MS dockside worker supervising sacks on crane and WS container ship at wharf. Zoom out to wharf buildings and surrounding streets and town. Tilt up from feet of workers, some in shoes and others barefoot walking along street. GS Papua New Guineans.