91lOA 3fRE
000 NQ DATE
M/ 9 18 December 1972
AMBASSADOR APPOINTED TO THE INTMTATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATICN
Australia would strengthen its labour representation in Europe and
its relations with the International Labour Orpnisation and with other
organisations concerned with manpower and social affairs in Europe, by
appointing in Europe a Special Labour Adviser with the personal rank of
Ambassador, to handle all labour questions, the Prime Minister and Minister
for Foreign Affairs, Mr Whitlam, announced today.
This representative would be Dr P. H. Cook, at present Secretary of
the Department of Labour and National Service. He has had great experience
in the work of the I. L. O. and has participated on many occasions as Australia's
representative at I. L. O. conferences.
Dr Cook would be attached for administrative purposes to the
Australian Mission to the United Nations in Geneva but would have wide-ranging
responsibilities covering the whole of Europe. As well as carrying out
representation and continuing relations with the major organs of the I. L. O.
and its Office, Dr Cook would assist the Australian Ambassador to the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as Australia's
principal representative for manpower and social affairs questions with the
Organisation. The OECD, of which Australia became a member in June 1971, has an
important Manpower and Social Affairs Directorate within its secretariat and
conducts meetings of Government representatives through its Manpower and
Social Affairs Committee, as well as through seminars and other specialist
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meetings of experts from Wiestern European and North American countries and
Japan. For a number of' years, OECD has urged Member governments to adopt
an active manpower policy, particularly through measures to facilitate and
stimulate mutually beneficial adaptation between the labour force and the
needs of a rapidly changing economy.
Dr Cook would generally keep in touch with manpower developments
in Western Europe, especially those which may be of direct interest to the
Australia situation. He would, inter alia, maintain regular contact with
such organisations as the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
Mr Whitlan emphasised the importance he attached to Australia's
active participation in I. L. O. and to ratification of I. L. 0. Conventions.
He said that Australia had, at one time, led the world with some of the most
progressive labour legislation but, during the last twenty years, had fallen
far behind many of the countries in Western Europe. It was now time to catch
up. In many instances conditions of work, social security, retirement
benefits and many other things vital, both to the individual worker and to
the economy as a whole were now much more favourable to workers in European
countries than in Australia. We must learn in depth and in detail just what
European countries had managed to achieve while we had been standing still.
The appointment in Europe of a scnior representative with a great background
of experience and expertise in labour matters would go a long way to help
remedy the lack of progress in Australia in recent years.