Broadcast 10 April 3HA
14 April 3YB
PRIME.' MINISTER . w
FOR PRESS 10 APRIL 1977
S* ELECTORATE TALK 1
. The fundamental rights of men and women will be strengl: hened
and.. rinot weakenrd or eroded through the-setting up of the
Industrial Relations. Bureau. . S
The Bureau will protect peopleagainst-the wrong actions
of either employer. or union. It will work in the best interests
of. Australians and the community at. large and not against those
interests Despite what some critics may.. say, the Industrial Relations
Bureau will not be'an industrial policeman. In fact, the
Government sees the Bureau as a type of industrial ombudsman.
: It will help ensure the general supervision and observance of
Federal industrial law. It will be a focal point for individual's
complaints. It will be required to investigate individual's
complaints and if the complaint is justified the Bureau will
seek to have the matter rectified.
I wantto make an important point clear here. The lelgislation
which sets up this Bureau ' will introduce into industrial
relations precisely the -same principles of civil. liberty
and' equality: before the '. law that, we take . for granted in every
other-area of human behaviour...
' I . am absolutely certain thatth i gislationhas strong ' and
widespread support throughout Australia for it is legislation
based on our policy that was.. endorsed overwhelmingly at the last
election. There has . been some emotional, ill-informed and sometimes
deliberately misleading attacks on" the broad thrust of this
legislation. We have heard repeated talk of . industrial. confronta-
S tion and even of threats to bring Australia-to its knees. I: think
' it -is worth asking' a simple question. What sort of industrial.
Srelations policy would it be if it got the applause of extremist
union leaders?
Surely, . if the only industrial relations policy that may be
implemented is that acceptable only to a few, but influential,
ext: cemist-union leaders, then that says something. very disturbing
about the -way our society is heading. / If some
.2 -ii 21. j
'. If some-people still believe the policy is unreasonable, they
should think back-to the . times when certain trade union leaders,
defied the. Arbitration Commission and set out to inconvenience
the. nation.*:,
: IThe pointioften. missed here is that the people, they inconvenience
most are the working men and women they claim to represent. It
" is. thew orking man. and his family . that are most affected by
stoppages, strikes, ' bans and go-slows just before a holiday
. weekend or before. a ' Christmas holiday period.
men.,, ih are' min ,-ou
The men who are climing or policies are unreasonable -ar e those-.
who refused to accept the iu mpire ' s verdic t Th. ey refused to abide
by the Arbitration Commission's -decision' Soie have refused
' because their political philosophy is. directed to the destruction
of our system of . Government. Their. central' concern is their'own
power. That is why they attack the Industrial Bureau. They-do
not want any coritrol that could threaten the exercise of their
. own power
The -Governnfnt is not on. a confrontation course with the trade
-union leadership over the Industrial Relations Bureau. It is
not the Government that talks confrdntation. It is others
including. Mr. Hawke.-who. seem determined to set a firm
corrontation course.
The. proper place to decide these issues is in the Parliament.
That. is why the . legislation'will lie on the table of-the House
to give every opportunity for constructive and. reasoned' debate.
The Government will -be -arguing . that the legislation simply seeks
to protect the-rights of inidividuals and the community in a
fair and. reasonable way. We . are seeking to give Australians a
ettero...
I believe -thet h eegiislla ation is very fair .: s: ey and jut. I also believe
that it is infinitely important to the future of' Australia that it
be supported......... j'