TrT P rI S
IL i.' D CASINEY
PRIME MINISTER 2 May 1974
NAT4W~ tWAGE ' CASE
The P~ rime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, said today the Governmient
would co-oper-ate fully in the conference to be called by the
President of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission, Mr.
Justice Moore-, to discuss wage fixation measures and automatic
cost of living ad~ usttnents. He welcomed the call by Mr. Justice
Moore in yes'terdayls National Wage Case judgement for a conference
of parties to the case to discuss new wage fixation measures and
wage indexation. Ma-y parties before the National Wage hearing including
the Australian Government had expressed dissatisfaction with the
present wage erivirorartent. A conference as procposed by Mr. Justice
M~ oore could be vAluable in settling this dissatisfaction.
The overall decisions on the total wage and uminimum wage.
for men and women and the first step towards cost of living
adjustments vindicated the positive intervention by the Australian
Government in sharp contrast to the negativism of previous Liberal/
Country P~ arty administrations.
Mr. Whitlam in particular welcomed the increases awarded
to all people men and women on the minimum wage. He regretted
however that subm~ issions seeking the automatic adjustment of wages
in line with the cost of living had not been accepted at the present
time. A positive decision now about indexation would almost
certainly have led to a moderation in futxire trade union demands
for wage increases. JIe said he hoped that the introduction of such
a system would follow the conference.
The decision on the minimum wage was completely in line
with the social priorities of the Labor Government. it recogn~ ised
that there were many cases of genuine need and distress among
many wage earners in the community.
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The decision to bring the mlinimumn wage for women up
to the level determined for men was an historic one. It was
an importan~ t step towards the implementation of the principle
of equal pay for work of equal value, which the Labor Government
has consistently supported. The Government had strongly supported
the A. C. T. U. claim for an equal mtinim'umn wage for women.
The Prime Minister welcomed the vote of confidence in
the strength of the econom~ y which this part of the Commission's
decision indicates.
In their discussions on recent economic trends, the
Commission notes the strong position of the Australian economy
and draws particular attention to the strength of both consumer
demand and private capital expenditure.
While noting the arguments put by all parties, including
the Australian Government# regarding the importance at t-he moment
of inflation, the Commission indicated that none of the parties
to the case had questioned the appropriateness of the government's
counter-inflationary policies.