PRIME MINISTER 17 OCTOBER 1979
from the Press Office Summary of* 1" P. M." 1
The President of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission,
Sir John Moore, is seeking a meeting with Mr Street to discuss
the Government's changes to the Conciliation and Arbitration
Act. It appears that the main concern, which camne out of a
meeting today between Sir John, senior presidential members
of the Commission, and the Commissioners Association Executive,
centres on the consultative provisions of the new legislation.
It now seems that the Commissioners objections are based on
a belief that thi. 1 provision will slow down proceedings,
discourage trade unions from bringing industrial disputes
before the Commission, and create new and unnecessary legal
technicalities. They believe that such consultative provisions
conflict with the objects of the Conciliation and Arbitration
Act. Mr Street was accused today by Lionel Bowen-of misleading
the Parliament on the circumstances leading up to the release
by his Department of Mr Justice Staples letter, which sparked
off today's meeting of the Arbitration Commissioners. Mr Street
was closely questioned during Question Time on statements he
made on last night. Report on this afternoon's events
in Parliament.
The Australian Government and the Japanese Government today
signed the first bilateral fishing agreement between'the
two countries, despite widespread opposition from game
fishermen in North Queensland and who say that the
Japanese long-line operators will wipe out the black Marlin
in waters off the Queensland coast. The Minister for
Transport and Primary Industry, Mr. Nixon, met with representatives
of the Game Fishing Association last night. But as he told
Parliament today, he was not able to delay the signing of the
agreement. Mr. Nixon has assured the fishermen that proper
monitoring controls will be enforced-and that he will ask
permission from Cabinet to go to Japan to ask the Japanese to
use voluntary restraint. Mr. Nixon interviewed.
The Marlin controversy in Queensland has led to an unexpected
move by the Queensland Premier, Mr. Bjelke Petsersen, to bring
to the attention of the Commissioner for Community Relations,
Al Grassby, comments made by the ALP member for Cairns, Mr. Ray Jones,
which Mr. Bjelke Petersen says are racist. Mr. Jones is against
the agreement to allow the Japanese to fish in North Queensland
waters and says the only reason the Federal Government is allowing
the Japanese is to protect their major trading agreements.
Mr. Bjelke Peters~ en in Parliament said today that Mr. Jones'
statement could damage the livelihood of North Queensland because
the economy of the region depended heavily on exports of beef
and sugar to Japan. Mr. Ray Jones interviewed. / 2
2
Three Adelaide academics have accused the Federal Government
of silent collaboration with the Indonesian Government over
the delay in distributing Australian aid to East Timor.
About $ 200,000 worth of aid in the form of vegetable oil
and high protein biscuits was authorised by the Government
six weeks ago, but it is yet to reach the East Timorese.
The Government has admitted the delay which a spokesman for
the group, Lecturer in Politics at Adelaide University,
Mr. Pat Flanagan, says is: the lastest scandal in the
East Timor affair: interviewed.
Returning to comments made by Mr. Ray Jones, ALP Member for
Cairns, in the Queensland Parliament about the Australia-Japan
fishing agreement and allegations that the Federal Government
may have bowed to pressure to preserve our beef and sugar sales
to Japan.--Queensland Premier, Mr. Bjelke Petersen interviewed.
Some children in Sydney are spending up to $ 6.00 a day on
pinball machines, according to the N. S. W. Minister for
Consumer Affairs, Mr. Einfield. The Minister told State Parliament
he was disturbed about where the children were getting the
money and about the possiblity that undesirable people were
running pinball parlours: interviewed. 000----f t; 8~