We today congratulate Dave Oliver on his election as Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and pay tribute to outgoing Secretary Jeff Lawrence.
They are both tremendously committed Labor men.
Mr Oliver was elected to the position unopposed at the ACTU Congress in Sydney today and we applaud the choice of the delegates.
He has been advocating on behalf of Australian workers for over 25 years and has put his shoulder to the wheel on improving workplace safety, particularly in relation to asbestos, and protecting workers' rights in the event of corporate collapse.
Mr Oliver's five years as National Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union gives him a deep understanding of the pressures facing many sectors of the Australian economy, particularly those sectors under pressure by the high Australian dollar such as manufacturing, primary industries, tertiary education and tourism.
The Government will work with Mr Oliver to progress reforms to strengthen the rules governing the transparency and accountability of registered organisations, including trade unions.
We look forward to continuing to work with the ACTU to protect the rights and conditions of working Australians and to spread the benefits of the mining boom across the entire Australian economy.
The entire Government also pays tribute to outgoing ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence and warmly thanks him for his years of dedicated service to Australian workers and the labour movement.
Jeff Lawrence has been a giant of the trade union movement and has spent 30 years tirelessly advocating for improved rights and conditions in Australian workplaces.
He leaves a lasting legacy for Australian workers. We wish him and his family all the best.