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VA PRIME MINISTER 17/ 94
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P. J. KEATING, MP
MEETING OF EPAC AND THE EMPLOYMENT WHITE PAPER
Today's meeting of the Economic Planning Advisory Council ( EPAC)
provided timely input to the Government's deliberations on its forthcoming
employment White Paper.
The White Paper will be released on 28 April and will incorporate policies to
encourage job growth and to address the particular difficulties faced by the
long-term unemployed. The White Paper will also address the two related
areas of Industy policy and regional development.
The Prime Minister will chair a special committee of Cabinet to develop
policies and programs for the White Paper. The committee will include the
Deputy Prime Minister, Brian Howe, the Treasurer, Ralph Willis, the Minister
for Finance, Kim Beazley, the Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional
Development, Senator Peter Cook, the Minister for Employment, Education
and Training, Simon Crean, the Minister for Social Security, Peter Baldwin,
and the Minister for Industrial Relations, Laurie Brereton.
The meeting of EPAC today was devoted to issues central to the White
Paper. Discussion focussed on two major reports that were released last
December as well as presentations on two studies commissioned by the
Government that are in the process of being finalised.
The Report of the Committee on Employment Opportunities, Restoring Full
Employment. was introduced by Committee members Professor Bob Gregory
and Mary Ann O'Loughlin and the head of the associated task force, Meredith
Edwards. The Chairman of the Task Force on Regional Development, Bill Kelty,
introduced the report of his task force.
The issue of regional development is also being addressed in the McKinsey
and Co study of Firms' Regional Location Decisions. Michael Rennie and
Rob Mallick from McKinseys presented some of their preliminary findings to
the meeting.
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Timothy Sims presented preliminary results from the L. E. K. Partnership study
on Services Exports. This study highlights the fact that in the same way that
exports of manufactures have been growing rapidly in recent years, services
exports have also demonstrated rapid growth and it identifies some of the
driving forces behind that growth.
The Government is pleased to have had this opportunity to discuss these
reports with their authors and the representatives of State and local
governments, business, trade unions, the rural sector, welfare and other
community organisations.
CANBERRA
4 March 1994