PM Transcripts

13
APRILP 1979
PJT FINDING ON SHELL AUSTRALIA APPLICATION FOR PRICE INCREASES
I am concerned at the statement issued by Shell Australia to
the effect that they are considering their position following
the decision of the Prices Justification Tribunal to grant
smaller price-increases than had been sought by the company.
It is the public duty of companies to accept and abide by
decisions of the Prices Justification Tribunal, which is the
arbitral authority in these matters, even when companies
privately disagree with its decisions.
The Prices Justification Tribunal's role in determining prices
is comparable to that of the Conciliation and Arbitration
Commission in relation to wages. Companies quite rightly condemn
unions for their failure to abide by the Commission's decisions
when they do not receive the wage increases they seek. Such
condemnation sounds hollow when companies behave in a similar
fashion in respect to Prices Justification Tribunal findings.
In this instance the Prices Justification Tribunal's inquiry had
been thorough and wide-ranging. The Tribunal had reached its findings
after carefully considering all the evidence submitted by Shell
concerning its costs and profitability, and the submissions which
the company made on the various issues raised at the inquiry. The
Prices Justification Tribunal also considered evidence and
submissions from other interested parties including State
Governments, the oil industry, the transport industry, consumer
groups, farmers and trade unions.
The Government's fight against inflation needs the support and
co-operation of all sections of the community.
Accordingly, I expect Shell Australia and other oil companies
to behave in a responsible fashion and to accept the decision of the
Tribunal. The Government frequently calls on unions to abide by the umpire'is
decision.-This is an occasion when we-call on. a company to do just tha
0000000