PRIME MINISTER:
I just want to make a very quick comment about the day of action back in Australia, you have all just witnessed the extraordinary situation of our LNG sales to China and the huge potential that they represent for Australia's economic future. I ask the rhetorical question why put this at risk? Forty-three per cent of all workers in the West Australian resource sector are employed under AWAs and if AWAs are swept away it will affect the competitiveness of the greatest export industry this country has at the present time. In the last ten years, in the whole of the mining industry there has been a dramatic disappearance of industrial disputes.
In the 12 months to March 1996 it was something like 1200 days lost, 100,000.* In the last three months, it has been 10.8. In other words, Labor and the union's industrial relations changes are a dagger at the throat of the successful resource sector in this country and I have no doubt that they are serious about the changes and I have no doubt that the unions will hold them to their word if they were to win the next election and given the importance of the resource sector and the importance of AWAs, I can't for the life of me wonder why Australia would put any of this at risk.
JOURNALIST:
What would be they difference if they were drawn to individual contracts?
PRIME MINISTER:
A huge difference because individual contracts, so-called common law contracts cannot embrace all of the flexibility that AWAs have, that's been said time and time again, if you don't believe me, look at what the leaders of the mining industry in Australia have said.
This is a serious threat to the greatest industry we have at the present time, 43 per cent of employees in the Western Australian resource sector, and you know how important that is, are employed under AWAs.
JOURNALIST:
Didn't we have though a successful mining industry and export industry before the introduction of AWAs?
PRIME MINISTER:
It has been undeniably far more successful over the last decade because of the additional flexibility which AWAs have brought about.
JOURNALIST:
Isn't that success tied to the growth of China?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the success is tied to a lot of things, certainly the growth of China's part of it, but you've got to have a competitive capacity to respond to increased demand and if you reduce the competitiveness of our most successful resource sector, then it's a matter of commonsense that you are going to damage the country's economy.
JOURNALIST:
Prime Minister, have we given the Chinese top-shelf gas at a bargain basement price?
PRIME MINISTER:
I think an agreement was negotiated between the two companies. As you know Greg, I am a helper and a friend of court, but I don't negotiate prices.
JOURNALIST:
Although you did indicate this morning that Australia would deliver at the price that was negotiated at the time...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well of course because Australians don't welch on their contracts.
JOURNALIST:
That's...
PRIME MINISTER:
Well the next contract is the next contract, that's a new deal.
JOURNALIST:
Is there any room for negotiation...
PRIME MINISTER:
But we are, you know, we keep our word, that's the reason why people want to buy from this country, we are reliable, we are safe, we deliver on time, we have a magnificent industrial relations system at the moment that underpins that capacity and I want to keep it that way. As to the price in the market, well that's a matter for the parties to negotiate. One more question.
JOURNALIST:
Mr Howard, what do you plan to say to Premier Wen with regard to North Korea and how would you respond to reports that the US might be entertaining using interception, were a missile fired?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I am not going to speculate about the latter, except to note that all countries are entitled to look after their own position, but as far as North Korea is concerned I will be saying what I have said before and that is no country in the world has a greater influence on North Korea than China has and I will be encouraging the Chinese leadership to encourage the North Koreans to pull back and not to behave in a provocative fashion. Thank you.
[ends]
* days lost per thousand employees