Press Statement No. 578
19 October 1975
COMMONWEALTH LABOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Commonwealth Labor Advisory Committee which
comprises the four Federal Parliamentary leaders, the National
officers of the Australian Labor Party, the officers of the
represe~ ntatives of the Australian Council of Salaried
and Professional Associations, and representatives of the
Council of Australian Government Employee organisations met
tonight at the request of the Prime Minister.
The Committee gave strong support for the principle
which is being correctly fought for by the Government, namely
that a Government which has a majority in the House of
Representatives should be able to complete the term for which
it was elected. There was agreement with the assertion of the
Prime Minister that no election for the House of Representatives
should ever be held at the behest of the Senate. The peak
organisations of the Trade Union movement pledged unqualified
support to the Government in pursuit of these democratic
principles. The Committee called on opposition Senators to cease
obstruction and to exercise their constitutional responsibility
to pass the Budget. While not conceding the right of the Senate
to reject Money Bills and while noting that no Senate has ever
done so the Committee called upon Opposition Senators to desist
from their cowardly course of voting only to defer the
Xppropriation Bills, and demanded instead, that they vote to
pass or reject them. It believes that Mr Fraser should be
prepared to test whether he has the support of all his Senate
colleagues. The representatives of the Trade Union organisations
pledged organisational, physical, and financial assistance to
the Government in its fight for the future of democracy in*
accordance with the above mentioned principles. The Trade Union
representatives urged that those of their members participating
in rallies for democracy should do so peacefully. They deplored
the provocative and inflammatory statements of Opposition
spokesmen such as Mr Fraser, Mr Anthony and Senator Greenwood,
statements whi4ch can lead only to that same violence they
profess to deplore. The Committee after hearing a report from the CAGEO
representatives, called upon Public Servants throughout Australia
to exercise loyalty, patience and restraint in the face of
provocation by Mr Fraser and his colleagues who seek power by
any means, no matter what the cost to Austr-' lia.
CANBERRA, A. C. T.
ATTACHMENT ATTENDANCE AT MEETING OF C. L. A. C.
KIRRIBILLI HOUSE, 19 OCTOBER, 1975
Prime Minister
The Hon. F. Crean, M. P.
The Hon. Senator K. Wriedt
The Hon. Senator D. Willesee
A. L. P.
Mr R. Hawke
Mr J. Egerton
Mr J. Ducker
Mr D. Combe
Mr K. Bennett
A. C. T. U.
Mr H. Souter
Mr J. Roulston
Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations
Mr B. Richardson
Mr P. Riley
Mr S. Crabb
Mr J. O'Neil
Council of Australian Government Employee Organisations
Mr B. Gradwell
Mr B. Smith
Mr K. Turbett