Looking at the 1988 Music Master catalogue from the UK, it has the reissued LP (NL 71473) and cassette (NK 71473), and CD (ND 71473, probably the first issue in that format) with an issue date of 1st October 1987, so the Australian issue date might have been soon after that (although Aussie dates for reissues can sometimes be many months - or even years - after the overseas equivalents). Discogs has that CD issue, showing the same back cover layout as this copy, though they have the date as 1993, apparently because it is a later variant pressing showing SID codes. I suggest going with 1987 for now, subject to correction if anyone has earlier Platterlogs than I do.
This was certainly released before August 1988, as it is listed in the Platterlog catalogue then (the earliest issue I have), but the BMG company name would date this to 1987 at the earliest, unless there is an earlier pressing with the same catalogue number showing "RCA Limited, Australia and New Zealand" instead.
Hi,i think this is right,i.e,it has "manufactured for and distributed by BMG Australia limited"around the edge of the Disc,at between 1 and 2 o'clock,and looking at the other issues on Discogs,i can't see this specific Cat.No. issued elsewhere,so it looks like it might be solely Australian.Unfortunately,Discogs has no images to back up this Australian entry,so can't confirm,but the contemporary LP release also uses a "VP" prefix for Austalia/New Zealand,whereas the UK/European releases use in the main either PL (LP)/PD (CD) or NL (LP) / ND (CD) more common prefixes.
As often happens though,the Australian release here uses the European artwork (same as the 1986 artwork in this case)
As for the date,i'm not sure,but agree it looks later than '83 perhaps?(even though Discogs also has it at '83,and also has the LP down as '83),but going by the Disc design/barcode/retail price codes,and what you have already said about the Disc matrix information,then maybe 1997?(although i must admit,my initial gut instinct would have been 1986 (it has a similar Disc design to this Australasian/International release)
Out of interest, I think the sid code on your cd image #1804838 would make the release date approximately 1995-1997.
IFPI numbers from 1994 onwards.
PMI (Pacific Mirror Image) 1995 - 2000.
No Barcode in matrix / runout (PMI releases) 1997 or earlier.
I don't know if a release solely for the Australian market in 1983 exists or not, If it does it would have been manufactured overseas (Japan etc...) and most likely available for other markets also. Having said all that, I'm sure there would be an earlier release than 1995-97 most likely without a barcode on the back of the inlay.