SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON. E. G. WHITLAM,
TO THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE FEDERAL
COUNCIL OF THE TRANSPORT WORKERS' UNION OF
AUSTRALIA, CANDERRA, 12 JUNE 197L4
IN NO AREA OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY IS THERE A
GREATER NEED FOR MODERNISATION AND REFORM THAN IN PUBLIC
TRANSPORT. IN NO AREA ARE THERE GREATER CONSTITUTIONAL AND
ADMINISTRATIVE OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF SUCH REFORM, IN NO AREA
IS THE COST TO THE PUBLIC OF OUR PRESENT ADMlINISTRATIVE
CONFUSION AND PHYSICAL D'ILAPIDATION GREATER AND MORE ENTRENCHED.
OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEMS ARE OUTDATED, INEFFICIENT AND UNECONOMICAL.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM IS FRAGMENTED AND VAGUELY DEFINED.
TRANSPORT IS THE CINDERELLA SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IT
WILL-REMAIN SO UNTIL FAR-REACHING REFORMS ARE ACHIEVED.
LOOK AT THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEM. WE ALL KNOW
THE NOTOROUS BURDEN THAT OUR RAILWAYS HAVE INHERITED FROM A
COL0141AL PAST. THE NATION IS STILL PAYING A HEAVY PRICE FOR
RAILWAY SYSTEMS CENTRALISED ON STATE CAPITALS AND CONSTRUCTED
ON INCOMPATIBLE GAUGES. THE POWER OF THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT
TO LEGISLATE ON TRANSPORT IS ILL-DEFINED. APART FROM A GENERAL
POWER TO LEGISLATE IN RESPECT OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TERRITORIES,
THERE IS NO SPECIFIC PROVISION IN THE CONSTITUTION GIVIN4G THE
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT POWER IN RELATION TO ROADS OR ROAD
TRANSPORT. OUR POWERS IN RESPECT OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND
EXPORT ROADS IN FACT DERIVE FROM OUR POWERS OVER TRADE AND
COMMERCE.
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FOR MANY YEARS THE STATE RAILWAYS HAVE BEEN AN
INSUPPORTABLE BURDEN ON STATE GOVERNMENTS, DISTORTING THEIR
BUDGETS AND DEPLETING THEIR RESOURCES AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER
ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES, ALL'FORMS OF TRANSPORT URBANI
RURAL AND INTERSTATE HAVE FALLEN DEEPER AND DEEPER IN DEBT
AND OBSOLESCENCE, THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THAT WHILE THE
STATES HAVE LACKED THE FUNDS TO PROVIDE MODERN TRANSPORT, THE
COMMONWEALTH-IN GENERAL HAS LACKED THE POWERS, ON TOP OF
THAT WE HAVE A MULTIPLICITY OF TRANSPORT UNIONS, ORGANISED ON
A FRAGMENTED FEDERAL BASIS, TENDING TO REINFORCE AND PERPETUATE
THE INEFFICIENCIES ENGENDERED BY INTERSTATE RIVALRY,
THE GOVERNMENTS AIM IS TO PROVIDE A NATIONAL
TRANSPORT POLICY WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT EACH FORM OF TRANSPORT
FULFILS THE ROLE TO WHICH IT IS BEST SUITED WHETHER ROAD,
RAIL, SEA OR AIR, WE HAVE TAKEN A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT STEPS,
WE AMALGAMATED THE OLD DEPARTMENTS OF SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT
AND CIVIL AVIATION, WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS, AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT ACTIVITIES ARE NOW CONDUCTED WITHIN ONE
TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, THIS ENSURES OPTIMUM CO-ORDINATION
AND A TRANSPORT SYSTEM CAPABLE OF COPING EFFECTIVELY WITH
DEMANDS AT MINIMUM COST TO THE NATION, THIS POLICY IS IN
DIRECT CONTRAST TO THE COMPLETE LACK OF CO-ORDINATION UNDER
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, I REMIND YOU THAT IT IS THE POLICY
OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY TO SEEK A REFERENDUM TO GIVE THE
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT COMPLETE POWERS TO MAKE LAWS WITH RESPECT
TO ALL FORMS OF TRANSPORT, MEANWHILE WE ARE MAKING GRANTS TO THE STATES
TO UPGRADE THEIR URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT; WE ARE INCREASING
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OUR GRANTS FOR ROADS; AND WE WILL CO-OPERATE WITH THE STATES
IN RESPECT OF ROAD SAFETY, ROADS AND UNIFORM ROAD LAWS,
OUR BASIC AIM IS TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVE SERVICE
TO THE PEOPLE, THE STATE RAILWAY SYSTEMS ARE THE BEST, OR RATHER
THE WORST, EXAMPLE OF THE INADEQUACY OF OUR TRANSPORT SERVICES,
IT WILL HELP IF I EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW WE APPROACH THIS
PROBLEM AND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT FACE US, BRIEFLY, THE
STATE RAILWAYS HAVE BEEN STARVED OF THE CAPITAL RESOURCES
NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THEIR COMPETITIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY, THEY
ARE GEARED TO OPERATE ON A STATE LEVEL RATHER THAN A NATIONAL
LEVEL, FOR THE MOST PART THEY OPERATE WITH ANTIQUATED ROLLING
STOCK AND EQUIPMENT, YET AUSTRALIA NEEDS A MODERN, EFFICIENT
RAILWAY SYSTEM TO PLAY ITS PROPER ROLE IN THE NATION'S
DEVELOPMENT, IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT IN 1972 IN ONE OF THE
FIRST ACTS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT I OFFERED TO ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RAILWAYS OF ANY STATE PREPARED TO
OFFER THEM, VICTORIA AND QUEENSLAND REFUSED EVEN TO DISCUSS THE
OFFER, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE OTHER FOUR STATES HAVE BEEN GOING
ON FOR SOME TIMEI AND IT IS HOPED THAT DECISIONS CAN BE MADE ON
TWO OF THEM SHORTLY, TO ENABLE OUR PROGRAM TO REVITALISE THE
INTERSTATE RAILWAY NETWORKS TO GET UNDER WAY, FOR THIS PURPOSE,
THE BUREAU OF TRANSPORT ECONOMICS, AT THE REQUEST OF THE AUSTRALIAN
AND STATE TRANSPORT MINISTER IS EVALUATING MAINLINE UPGRADING
PROGRAMS TO ENABLE AN ORDER OF PRIORITY FOR WORKS TO BE ESTABLISHED,
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SOME STATES THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS. AGREEMENTS
HAVE BEEN SIGNED WITH SOUTH AUSTRALIA TO BUILD STANDARD-GAUGE
LINES FROM TARCOOLA TO ALICE SPRINGS AND TO CONNECT ADELAIDE
TO THE EAST-WEST STANDARD GAUGE LINE AT CRYSTAL BROOK, THE
COMPLETION OF THE LATTER PROJECT WILL MEAN THAT ALL MAINLAND
CAPITAL CITIES WILL BE FINALLY CONNECTED TO STANDARD GAUGE.
THERE REMAINS, HOWEVER, A SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGE OF ROLLING STOCK
SUITABLE FOR. USE ON THE INTERSTATE RAIL NETWORK, AND THE STATE
RAILWAYS ARE HAVING TO TURN AWAY BUSINESS. THIS SHORTAGE MUST
BE OVERCOME. THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A
PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ROLLING STOCK FOR THE STATES
THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS, DUE TO BE RENAMED THE
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS.
ONE OF OUR GREAT INSTRUMENTS FOR THE REFORM AND
CO-ORDINATION OF NATIONAL TRANSPORT WILL BE THE INTER-STATE
COMMISSION. THE GOVERNMENT WILL INTRODUCE A BILL TO REESTABLISH
THE COMMISSION WHEN PARLIAMENT RESUMES. IN MY 1972
POLICY SPEECH I SAID:
" THE INTER-STATE COMMISSION WAS INTENDED TO END
THE CENTRALISATION FOSTERED BY ALL THE STATE
GOVERNMENTS THROUGH THEIR RAILWAY SYSTEMS. IT
SHOULD NOW PROVIDE NOT ONLY FOR THE CO-ORDINATION
OF OUR SIX MAINLAND RAILWAY SYSTEMS AND OUR MAJOR
PORTS IN THE PERIOD BEFORE THE COMMONWEALTH, LIKE
OTHER FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, INEVITABLY TAKES
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RAILWAYS AND PORTS; IT IS
ALSO THE IDEAL INSTRUMENT FOR CO-ORDINATING OUR
MAJOR ROADS AND SHIPPING LINES AND AIRLINES AND
PIPELINES...
" A FEDERAL LABOR GOVERNMENT WILL PROMPTLY
RESTORE THE MACHINERY THE CONSTITUTION INTENDED
AND VEST IT WITH THE COMMONWEALTH'S FULL
CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS TO PLAN AND PROVIDE
MODERN MEANS OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE
STATES,"
THE PLANNING NECESSARY FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE COMMISSION IS BEING CARRIED OUT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT.
As I UNDERTOOK IN MY POLICY SPEECH LAST APRIL, WE WILL
INTRODUCE LEGISLATION FOR THE COMMISSION THIS YEAR, ,/ 6
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I WANT TO DEAL IN A MOMENT WITH SOME ISSUES OF SPECIAL
CONCERN TO YOUR UNION, FIRST LET ME TOUCH BRIEFLY ON THREE
AREAS WHERE THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN PROMPT ACTION TO IMPROVE
OUR TRANSPORT SYSTEM,
URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE 1973-74 BUDGET THE TREASURER
ANNOUNCED AN ALLOCATION OF $ 32,1 MILLION FOR ASSISTANCE TO THE
STATES FOR URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT PROJECTS IN 1973-74 ( INCLUDING
$ 1 MILLION FOR RESEARCH AND PLANNING), A FURTHER $ 1140. MILLION
IS TO BE PROVIDED IN FUTURE YEARS FOR PROJECTS COMMENCED IN
1973-74, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS FINANCING
OF THE COST OF APPROVED PROJECTS ON A GRANTS BASIS, THREE
STATES VICTORIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA
HAVE SO FAR SIGNED THE AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH FUNDS ARE TO BE
PROVIDED, THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT ADVISED LAST WEEK
THAT IT IS WILLING TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT IN ITS PRESENT FORM,
AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT
TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT THIS WEEK, TASMANIA HAS ALSO ACCEPTED
THE AGREEMENT, ,/ 7
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INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND EXPORT ROADS AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS
HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO THE STATES FOR ROADS SINCE 1926, THE
CURRENT COMMONWEALTH AID ROADS LEGISLATION WILL EXPIRE ON
JUNE, IN MY ELECTION POLICY SPEECH ON 29 APRIL, I ANNOUNCED
THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NATIONAL ROADS SYSTEM IN THOSE AREAS WHICH
FALL WITHIN ITS OWN CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, IN PARTICULAR,
IT WOULD IN FUTURE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WHOLE COST OF
CONSTRUCTING AND MAINTAINING THE PRINCIPAL ROAD BETWEEN STATE
CAPITALS, AND OF EXPORT ROADS OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE,
INCLUDING NORTHERN BEEF ROADS, OTHER RURAL ROADS JOINING MINES
TO SEAPORTS, AND URBAN ROADS TO MAJOR SEA AND AIR TERMINALS,
AT THE PREMIERS' CONFERENCE LAST FRIDAY I ANNOUNCED
THAT THE NEW ROADS ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION WOULD APPROPRIATE
A TOTAL OF $ 1,120 MILLION IN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS FOR ROADS IN THE STATES, OF THIS
SUM, $ 400 MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS
FOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND EXPORT ROADS, THE NEW ROADS
ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE FIRST SESSION
OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT, ,/ 8
SAFETY STANDARDS THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED
WITH THE STATES IN FORMULATING MOTOR VEHICLE STANDARDS AND
TRAFFIC LAWS ON A NATIONAL BASIS, THIS IS BEING DONE THROUGH
THE AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH HAS A SERIES
OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THE Tll, U PARTICIPATES IN THOSE CONCERNED
WITH VEHICLE PERFORMANCE, TRAFFIC CODES AND TRANSPORT OF
DANGEROUS GOODS, THE COUNCIL HAS ENDORSED THE AUSTRALIAN DESIGN
RULES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, WHICH INITIALLY APPLIED TO
CARS BUT ARE BEING EXTENDED TO TRUCKS AND BUSES, THE COUNCIL
IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH SAFETY OF INTERSTATE BUSES AND HAS
ENDORSED A UNIFORM SCHEME OF COMPULSORY INSPECTIONS, THE
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO LEGISLATE TO COVER
INTERSTATE OPERATORS NOT CONTROLLED BY STATES, FOLLOWING
A RECOMMENDATION BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ROAD SAFETY, THE
GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO DECIDED TO SET UP A IATIONAL AUTHORITY ON
ROAD SAFETY AND STANDARDS TO ADVISE THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT
ON ROAD SAFETY, INCLUDING PROPOSALS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO
THE STATES FOR THIS PURPOSE,
THE CREATION OF A MODERN EFFICIENT TRANSPORT SYSTEM
REQUIRES THE CO-OPERATION OF TRANSPORT WORKERS AND THEIR UNIONS,
YOUR INDUSTRY DEMANDS A STRONG, MODERN, UNITED UNION, THE
DIFFICULTIES OF DEALING WITH DIFFERENT STATES AND TRANSPORT
AUTHORITIES ARE GREAT ENOUGH, SUCH DIFFICULTIES ARE INCREASED
IF THE TRANSPORT UNIONS THEMSELVES ARE INEFFICIENTLY ORGANISED
OR WASTE THEIR ENERGIES IN INTERNAL CONFLICTS, IN SHORT, WE
NEED A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH FROM YOU TO HELP US IMPLEMENT
OUR IMPORTANT PROGRAMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NATION AND THE
INDUSTRY, TRANSPORT UNIONS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO HELP US
COMPLETE OUR TASK,
THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE NEED TO KEEP UNIONS
FULLY INFORMED AND INVOLVED IN MATTERS THAT AFFECT YOU, WE
HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO DO SO. lIE INVITED A UNION REPRESENTATIVE
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF STATE
RAILWAYS TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, IF
A DECISION TO TRANSFER IS MADE A CONFERENCE WILL BE CALLED OF
AUSTRALIAN AND STATE GOVERNMENT. OFFICERS, AC, TU, AND UNION
REPRESENTATIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE TRANSITION PERIOD IS
SMOOTHLY CARRIED OUT,
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UNION GOODWILL
WILL BE ESSENTIAL IN FORMULATING A NATIONAL TRANSPORT POLICY,
YOU HAVE AN INDUSTRY WITH MANY DIFFERENT AND SOMETIMES
COMPETING UNIONS, IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, FOR EXAMPLE, ENGINEDRIVERS
AND MEN SERVICING ROLLING STOCK BELONG TO A STATE UNION
DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS EMPLOYEES,
THIS SITUATION HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED OUR NEGOTIATIONS TO
TAKE OVER THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS, MY POINT IS SIMPLY
THAT DEMARCATION DISPUTES ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO A NATIONAL
TRANSPORT POLICY, THEY MUST BE REDUCED, IF A NATIONAL RAILWAY
SYSTEM BECOMES A REALITY, THEN A NATIONAL UNION REPRESENTING
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES WILL BE NEEDED TO LOOK AFTER INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,
WAGES AND CONDITIONS'OF SERVICE ON A NATIONAL SCALE, I HOPE
YOU WILL WORK TOWARDS IT, / 11
THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO A POLICY OF ENCOURAGING
THE AMALGAMATION OF TRADE UNIONS, ITS ATTEMPTS LAST YEAR
TO AMEND THE CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT TO MAKE
AMALGAMATION. PROCEDURES SIMPLER WERE FRUSTRATED TWICE BY THE
SENATE, WHILE THE NUMBER OF UNIONS IN AUSTRALIA HAS DECLINED
SLOWLY OVER THE YEARS FROM 375 IN 1956 TO 305 IN 1972 THIS
LARGE NUMBER OF SEPARATE UNIONS REPRESENTS A TOTAL MEMBERSHIP
OF A LITTLE OVER 2 MILLION, SUCH A DISPERSAL OF PEOPLE
AMONG SO MANY SEPARATE UNIONS HAS SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS, THERE IS
THE INEVITABLE DUPLICATION OF WORK AND RESOURCES WHICH PRODUCES
WASTED EFFORT, THE FRAGMENTATION OF UNION RESOURCES IN TERMS
OF STAFF, FINANCE AND FACILITIES IMPOSES GRAVE LIMITATIONS ON
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR WORK, RESEARCH RESOURCES OF UNIONS
LIBRARIES AND RESEARCH STAFF ARE MEAGRE AND SUFFER BADLY IN
ANY COMPARISON WITH HIGHLY ORGANISED EMPLOYER ORGANISATIONS, AND
AS WE KNOW, THE LARGE NUMBER OF UNIONS GIVES RISE TO DEMARCATION
DISPUTES WHICH ARE A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THIS COUNTRY,
AT PRESENT, FOR AN AMALGAMATION PROPOSAL TO BE ADOPTED,
TWO CONDITIONS MUST BE SATISFIED: AT LEAST HALF THE MEMBERS MUST
VOTE AND MORE THAN A HALF OF THE FORMAL VOTES MUST EE IN FAVOUR
OF THE AMALGAMATION, UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS IT WOULD
BE NECESSARY MERELY FOR A MAJORITY OF THOSE VOTING TO APPROVE OF
THE PROPOSALS: IT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY FOR 50 PER CENT OF
THE MEMBERS TO VOTE IN AN AMALGAMATION,
THE KEY TO INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY IS EFFICIENt EMPLOYEE
ORGANISATION, WHILE OUR OPPONENTS HAVE OBSTRUCTED OUR EFFORTS
TO MODERNISE AND DEMOCRATISE AUSTRALIAN TRADE UNIONS, UNION
CAN STILL WORK FOR MORE RESPONSIBLE AND EFFICIENT ORGANISATION
IN THEIR OWN WAY, I COMPLEMENT THE TWU, ON THE AWARD
RECENTLY NEGOTIATED FOR YOUR MEMBERS IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY
AND THOSE EMPLOYED BY GENERAL CARTAGE FIRMS UNDER THE FEDERAL
TRANSPORT WORKS AWARD A KEY AWARD WITH A BEARING ON THE WHOLE
TRANSPORT INDUSTRY, THIS AWARD WAS NEGOTIATED BY DIRECT AND
FREE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE PARTIES, IT INCLUDES A SETTLEMENT
OF DISPUTES PROCEDURE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT REGARDS AS ESSENTIAL
TO GOOD INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, ADHERENCE TO THE SPIRIT OF SUCH
A PROCEDURE BY ALL PARTIES SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE PRODUCTIVE
CAPACITY OF THE INDUSTRY AND THE REAL INCOME OF EMPLOYEES ARE
NOT IMPAIRED BY INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES, ,/ 13
THERE IS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN YOUR INDUSTRY WHICH
TYPIFIES THE ARCHAIC CONDITION OF OUR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS,
WE HAVE FIVE INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION REGISTRATION SYSTEMS IN
THIS COUNTRY, THE CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT REQUIRES
AN EMPLOYER OR EMPLOYEE ORGANISATION TO BE REGISTERED UNDER
THE ACT BEFORE IT CAN REPRESENT ITS MEMBERS IN THE AUSTRALIAN
CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION SYSTEM, THERE IS A SIMILAR
REQUIREMENT IN.-THE INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION LEGISLATION OF
HEW SOUTH WALES, QUEENSLAND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND WESTERN
AUSTRALIA. IN ORDER TO REPRESENT ITS MEMBERS IN AUSTRALIAN
AND STATE SYSTEMS IT IS NECESSARY FOR A FEDERAL UNION TO
HAVE ITS MEMBERS IN EACH OF THE FOUR STATES IN A UNION
REGISTERED UNDER THE STATE LEGISLATION,
THE RESULT IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE
BRANCH OF A FEDERAL UNION AND A STATE UNION ARE OFTEN
AMALGAMATED, WITH THE SAME OFFICERS, BOOKS, THE ONE SYSTEM
OF MEETINGS, ONE MEMBER REGISTER AND ONE ELECTION OF OFFICERS,
SOMETIMES THE RULES OF EITHER THE STATE OR FEDERAL UNION ARE
ADHERED TO, THE OTHER SET BEING IGNORED, SOMETIMES A MIXTURE
OF RULES IS ADOPTED, THE WHOLE SYSTEM CAUSES INDUSTRIAL STRIFE
THROUGH DEMARCATION DISPUTES AND COMPETITION FOR UNION
MEMBERSHIP WITHIN THE SAME INDUSTRY, s/ 1/ 4
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WE HAVE TRIED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. THE INDUSTRIAL
COURT IN FEBRUARY 19F-9 DREW ATTENTION TO THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION
AFTER HEARING AN APPLICATION INVOLVING YOUR UNION AND ITS NEW SOUTH
WALES BRANCH. AT THE CONCLUSION OF ITS JUDGEMENT IN MOORE v DOYLE,
THE INDUSTRIAL COURT SAID:
" A SYSTEM OF TRADE UNION ORGANISATION IS URGENTLY NEEDED
W'JHICH WOULD ENABLE THE ONE BODY TO REPRESENT ITS RELEVANT
MEMBERS IN BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE ARBITRATION SYSTEMS
AND IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AUTHORITIES
TO EXAMINE THE QUESTION WHETHER ORGANISATIONS AND TRADE
UNIONS CAN BE PROVIDED WITH SUCH A SYSTEM.
". WE HAVE DECIDED TO REFER OUR JUDGMENT IN THIS MATTER AND
THESE REMARKS TO THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR THE COMMONWEALTH
IN THE HOPE THAT IT MAY BE POSSIBLE, AFTER CONSULTATION
BETWEEN COMMONWEALTH AND STATE ATTORNEYS-GENERAL, THE TRADE
UNIONS, BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE, AND OTHER INTERESTED GOVERNMENT
AUTHORITIES TO ARRANGE FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE IMPORTANT
ORGANISATIONAL MATTERS TO WHICH WE HAVE REFERRED." I
DESPITE THIS URGENT APPEAL THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT AND
THE ANTI-LABOR STATE GOVERNMENTS DID NOTHING. SO IN JANUARY LAST
YEAR I WROTE TO THE PREMIERS OF N'EW SOUTH WALES, QUEENSLAND AND
WESTERN AUSTRALIA SUGGESTING THAT THEY CONSIDER ADOPTING A SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN PROPOSAL AIMED AT PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.
THE PROPOSAL PROVIDED FOR THE "/ RECOGNITION" I OF A STATE BRANCH OF
A FEDERAL UNION UNDER STATE INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION LEGISLATION.
A " RECOGNISED" STATh BRANCH WOULD NOT HAVE A LEGAL IDENTITY
DISTINCT FROM THE FEDERAL UNION BUT WOULD EXIST AS PORTION OF
THE FEDERAL UNION AND ACT AS THE FEDERAL UNION WITHIN THE STATE
INDUSTRIAL JURISDICTION. OUEENSLAND REFUSED TO C07OPERATE AND
WE HAD NO RESPONSE AT ALL FROM 14EW SOUTH WALES, THE STATE WHERE
THE PROBLEM IS MOST ACUTE.
[ EVERTHELESS, THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ITSELF PASSED
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT TO DEAL
WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS RAISED BY THIS CASE. IN ADDITION
THE GOVERNMENT APPOINTED MR JUSTICE J. B. SWEENEY, ASSISTED
BY MR [ fCGARVIE, AND MRK. D. MARKS, TO CONDUCT
THE INQUIRY INTO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE CASE. HIS HONOUR'S
REPORT IS EXPECTED ABOUT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE RECOGNISED FROM THE START THAT MODERN AND
EFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT DEPENDS ON MODERN AND EFFICIENT
ADMINISTRATION AND MODERN AND EFFICIENT UNIONS. THE AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS PLAYED ITS PART. ' IE HAVE BEEN GENEROUS WITH
FUNDS AND GENEROUS WITH IDEAS AND INITIATIVES. WE LOOK
CONFIDENTLY TO THE CO-OPERATION OF THE STATES AND YOUR GREAT
UNION IN BRINGING ABOUT A NEW DEAL, LONG OVERDUE AND LONG
AWAITED, FOR TRANSPORT IN OUR COUNTRY.