I welcome the sensible and constructive contribution to the industrial relations debate by the former Prime Minister and President of the ACTU, the Honourable Bob Hawke.
He has made it quite clear that in his mind individual contracts do not in themselves undermine the rights of individual workers.
It must be recalled that when he was Prime Minister, Mr Hawke was personally responsible for a process that led to the vast majority of Australia's airline pilots being placed on individual contracts.
Most importantly, Mr Hawke has strongly endorsed the fact that the Coalition has a clear mandate to implement its industrial relations reforms.
I urge his Labor colleagues and the minor parties in the Senate to take heed of the ex-Prime Minister's views in relation to the democratic process.
Political parties which go to the people in an election with clearly enunciated and detailed policies in an area as vital to the nation's fuature as industrial relations reform have the right to have those policies implemented without obstruction.
The supportive comments by a former Labor Prime Minister and leader of the trade union movement clearly demonstrate the folly of those who would seek to undermine the Coalition's right to govern in the national interest.
That Mr Hawke has seen fit to make such a positive contribution to the industrial relations debate at this point in time is an unambiguous demonstration that Mr Reith's Workplace Relation Bill deserves the support of all fair-minded Australians.
31 May 1996