iJj AUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 29 APRIL 1977
ADDRESS AT OPENING OF SEBEL PLANT, BANKSTOWN
It is a great pleasure for me to be invited officially to
open the plastics moulding division factory of Sebel Limited.
I understand that pre-tax profits of Sebel Limited rose
by six percent last year, and that there is to be a bonus
share issue, I congratulate you on that performance.
I should also say I am a bit envious it would be a happy
day for politicians if we got a bonus everytime we got
satisfactory results. We did in fact receive a. type of
bonus yesterday when the latest C. P. I. figure was released
only 2.3 percent for the March quarter.
This figure was far below that which some learned commentators
forecast. It shows that the annual inflation rate, after
adjusting for Medibank is only 10.2 percent.
Inflation is coming down, and that is most satisfying. But of
course there is still much to be done. Inflation must be
reduced further, and unemployment greatly reduced.
Our objectives are to reduce inflation and unemployment and
have a full economic recovery. If this is to happen, we need
increased capital investment. New investment, like this new
plant, is vital to the future prosperity of this country,
and there is an increasing amount of capital investment. To
ensure that this occurred, one of our first actions as a government
was to institute a 40 percent investment allowance.
This action triggered off Sebel's decision to go ahead with
this plant. This new Sebel's factory is a good reminder that
Australian industry can compete effectively on international
markets. We can only compete when a number of factors are present:
good industrial relations; effective management; sound
product development; good design work; and sympathetic government
policy. First on my list is' industrial relations, and I particularly
noted your comment, Mr Sebel, that without employees' goodwill
and cooperation you would not have been able to raise production
as much as you have done.
Good communications between employers and employees benefits everyone
Management, unions and every employee have a responsibility in
bringing it about. Good industrial relations depend on.
consultation on issues such as the working environment and industrial
safety. The Government believes employees and employers should
establish consultative machinery of their own choosing, which
will improve communication and an understanding of the common
interests of employers and employees.
A company's actions are vitally important to its employees.
I see no reason why employees should be th6 last to learn of
decisions vitally affecting their future. And company management
should give a great deal more attention to taking employees into
their confidence on the company's performance, its investment
opportunities, and the possibility of creating new jobs.
Management should make every endeavour to encourage employees
to look on the company they work for as their company, and
be proud of that fact.
Sebel's policy of sharing the benefits of increased efficiency with
employees and the special share issue to fifty nine Sebel
employees are good examples of this philosophy in practice.
Another important factor in competing successfully in export
markets is a commitment to product development and design.
Sebels caln be justly proud of their record in this respect.
One of the company's designs recently received the
Australian Design Award. It is largely due to.. product
development and design that Sebels has competed successfully
in the South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore and elsewhere.
The Government actively encourages such development by supporting
the Design Council. And this year we are providing $ 15 million
for industrial research and development grants.
There are, as all television addicts know, Australian inventors
of great talent and ingenuity. It is up to industry to harness
their inventiveness and to develop new Australian products
which are the equal, if not superior, to any similar products
in th6. world.
Ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate you on this fine new factory
and have pleasure in declaring it officially open.
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