PM Transcripts

3
F77/ 285
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 2 DECEMBER 1977
PROTECTING EMPLOYMENT
People used to believe that if there was one thing you could
count on the Labor party for, it was protecting the jobs of
Australian workers. Well, that idea went out like the baby with
the bathwater under Mr. Whitlam and the Labor Government.
In one year, no less than 190,000 Australians lost their jobs,
but in this election the Labor party is asking us to believe
that it is back in the business of creating jobs, that it will
cure unemployment--the unemployment caused by its own policies.
Events this week have seen the end of that particular myth.
On Tuesday, the clothing industry met the Labor party in
Melbourne. They asked them to match the commitment which the
Liberal Government has already announced of much needed protection
against rising imports.
My Government has said it will not allow these to destroy
120,000 jobs in the clothing, footwear and textile industries
in cities and country towns right across Australia.
We have promised to extend protection for another three years
until conditions improve.
Mr. Hawke told the clothing industry on Tuesday that Labor would
do the same he put it in writing, but then there was a telephonehook-
up between Mr. Whitlam, Mr. Hayden and Mr. Young, and they
said No commitment to protection for these 120,000 workers
will be given at the present time.
Th * is is simply another way of saying that Labor's latest export
to low cost countries will be Australian jobs.
My advice to people working in these industries is to support the
attitude of their employers, the Liberal Government, and many of
their own union leaders. Labor has now given them a clear warning.
It has said under Labor, beware of your job. On the jobs issue,
Labor is disastrously split.