EMBARGO: 2. OOPM MONDAY 6 MAY 1974
. J ,, AUSTRALI( At&-
RATIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANISATION CONVENTION
ON EQUAL PAY
The Australian Government in its submission in the 1974 National
Wage Case argued for an extension of the minimum wage to adult females.
As a result of the successful outcome of this submission and of the
submissions of the Women's Electoral Lobby, the Union of Australian
Women and the National Council of Women of Australia, the Australian
Government has now fulfilled its obligations under the I. L. O. Equal
Remuneration Convention of 1951. Before Australia ratifies the
Convention, however, the defaulting States have to agree to
ratification. The Prime Minister has sent telegrams to the Premiers of New South
Wales, Queensland and Western Australia urging that their governments
take the necessary action to enable Australia to ratify the Convention
as soon as possible. The governments of Victoria, South Australia and
Tasmania have already done this.
The Australian Government attaches the utmost importance to
ratifying this Convention. In June 1901 the federal Parliamentary
Labor Party resolved to " support the equal payment of females with
males when work of a similar character was performed and the hours of
work were the same."
Immediately upon taking office the Whitlam. Government successfully
applied to re-open the 1972 National Wage Case in support of this
principle. Women employed in the Australian Public Service were granted
equal pay without a phasing-in period.
The Prime Minister said today that for their 21 years of office,
after the Convention was adopted, Liberal and Country Party governments
had failed to press for the ratification of this important Convention.
Nowhbre in the latest Liberal/ Country Party policy for women is this
principle supported and at no time have the leaders of those parties
stated their intention to ratify this Convention. Worse still, last
December, Mr. Snedden publicly stated that he did not think that women
would be advantaged by passing legislation guaranteeing them equal pay,
for this would affect their job opportunities.
The Prime Minister today reiterated the reply he then gave to
Mr. Snedden. He said that he wanted to make it quite clear that he did
not accept that women should only get jobs if they do them more cheaply:
if they are doing the same job they should be paid the same money. / 2
The Equal Pay Convention is the only I. L. O. human rights
convention which the Australian Government has not yet ratified.
The Whitlam Government has ratified all the remaining ones.
Ratification of this Convention will clearly indicate the
significance which Australia attaches to removing all forms of
discrimination against women in our society. The Government's
industrial policy places human rights and values first.
It decrees that a proper share in the nation's productivity
is the right of all persons male and female who are ready,
willing and able to work.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.