. ASTPA LI AC 4 L Press Statement No. 525
27 June 1975
AUSTRALIAN ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF ILO
GOVEPJ0ING BODY
The Prime Minist * er, Mr Gough Whitlam, announced today
that Dr P. B. Cook, O-BE, Australian Ambassador and Special
Labour Adviser in Europe and head of Australia's delegation
to the recent Conference of the International Labour
Organisation in Geneva, had been elected as Chairman of the
* Governing Body of the ILO for 1975-76.
Mr Whitlam said " although Australia has been a
foundation member of the ILO since 19* 19 and has been represented
on the Governing Body for most of the past 30 years, this is
the first time that an Australian has been accorded the high
honour of the Chairmanship."
" Over the years Australia has taken an increasingly
active and responsible role in ILO affairs, particularly in
the Asian region", Mr Whitlam said. " My Government has moreover
taken vigorous steps to apply international labour standards
in Australia. It has ratified ILO Conventions dealing with
equal pay, trade union rights and elimination of discrimination
in employment, thereby ensuring Australian accord with all
ILO Conventions in the field of fundamental human rights,
Australia's record, some 42 ratifications in all, compares
favourably with that of other federal states."
The ILO is the senior specialised agency of the
United Nations. It see ' ks to improve the conditions of work
and the general welfare of workers in its 126 Menmber States
throughout the world, operating largely through consultation
and collaboration between governments, employers and workers.
The Governing Body of the ILO is instrumental in
determining the direction and priorities of the ILO's
activities. The Chairman's duties obviously call for considerable
understanding and expertise in regard to the labour and related
social problems that confront both developed and developing
countries. Dr Cook, a former permanent head of the Department
of Labour, has held various important offices in the ILO in
recent years, . serving with distinction as Chairman of a number
of ILO Committees. A biographical note is attached.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.
BIOGRAPHI1CAL NOTE
DR P. D. COOK, O13E
Philip Balford Cook, GDE, is Ambassador and Special
Labour Adviser in Europe, attached to the Australian Permanent
Mission to the. United Nations in Geneva.
He was born in Bonalla, Victoria, and attended the
University of Mel. bourne, University College, London, Colombia
University, and the University of Kansas, where he was awarded
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1941.
Dr Cook joined the then Department of Labour and
National Service in F'ebruary, 1942 and combined his work in
that Department with lecturing at the University of M-1elbourne.
Hie also served as Honorary Psychologist at Prince Henry's
Hospital, Melbourne from 1944 to 1962. He was appointed Head
of the Department in 1968.
For his outstanding services to the Department, and
to industry, he was honoured by -the award of order of the
British Empire in 1965. He is a Fellow of both the British
Psychological Society and the Australian Psychological Society.
In December 1972, the Prime Minister ( 1-r Whitlam) announced
that Australia would strengthen its labour representation in
Europe and its relations with the International Labour
Organisation and other organisations concerned with labour and
social affairs in Europe, notably -the Organisation for Economic
Co-opera-tion and Development, by appointing in Europe a Special
Labour Adviser with the personal rank of Ambassador, to handle
all labour questions.
The appointee to this position was Dr Cook, who,
as the Prime Minister pointed out, had had great experience
and expertise in labour matters generally, and in the work of
the ILO, having participated on many occasions as Australia's
representative at ILO Conferences.
Besides his responsibilities in connection with the
ILO, Dr Cook is Australia's principal representative with the
OECD on issues relating to manpower and social affairs.