PRIME MINISTER-THURSDAY, 18 OCTOBER 1979
From the Press Office
SUMMARY OF ABC'S 12: 30 pm NEWS
Full transcript of item:
The Federal Government is not changing its position over
amendments to industrial law. The Federal Minister for
Industrial Relations, Mr. Tony Street, has issued a statement
about his talks on the matter last night with the President
of the Arbitration Commission, Sir John Moore. Mr. Street's
statement said the Federal Government would make no changes
to the Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. Mr. Street
said he told Sir John Moore that the object of the consultative
procedures was to get the maximum possible consistency in
Commission decisions. Sir John had pointed out that the
Consultative procedures could result in delays in getting
decisions and asked whether the requirement to consult might be
limited. Mr. Street said he replied that any qualification on
the need to consult would obviously carry an increased risk
of inconsis * tency and Sir John had acknowledged this point.
The Minister said Sir John had told him of concern within the
Arbitration Commission about the autonomy of the Commissioners
and asked specifically whether the consultative proposals would
enable a Deputy President to direct a Commissioner. Mr. Street
said he assured Sir John that Commissioners retained the right
to make a final decision on their cases. They would not be
subject to direction by a Deputy President nor would their
decision be subject to approval by a Deputy President. Sir John Moore
had said the requirements would put an extra workload on the
Commission and it would require more people if there-were not
to be delays. Mr. Street said the Government would await advice
from the President of the Arbitration Commission on the need for
more people. Mr. Street has also rejected a request by the
ACTU leader, Mr. Bob Hawke, for further talks on the amendments.
Mr. Street said Mr. Hawke had contacted him seeking further
consultation before the legislation passed through Parliament.
Legislation will be introduced in the N. S. W. Parliament next
week requiring all MPs to declare their pecuniary interests.
In Parliament today, the Premier Mr. Wran announced that
registers will be set up in both the Legislative Assembly and
the Legislative Council, in which Members would have to record
their financial interests and those of their spouses and
dependent children. Failure to comply with the regulations
would be regarded as contempt of Parliament, leaving Members
open to expulsion.
In a show of American military power, more than 2,000 Marines
have begun a month of exercises at the U. S. military base in
Cuba. The Air Force is gearing up for Australia's biggest military
airlift since the Cyclone Tracy relief effort to Darwin. It is
part of Kangaroo III, the military exercise in Queensland.
2
South Korea's second biggest city has been put under
emergency martial law after students took part in one of
the biggest anti-government demonstrations in 19 years.
The front line States confronting Zimbabwe Rhodesia have blamed
Britain for the hold-up in the constitutional conference in
London. The Presidents of Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana and
Mozambique levelled the blame after a meeting. A statement
said the Patriotic Front guerillas were correct in seeking
assurances that money used to compensate white farmers who might
lose their land in an independent Zimbabwe should not come from
the pockets of the people there. It also said that while the
Presidents were happy about-progress in the London talks
no workable solution could possible emerge from negotiations
which continued to exclude the Patriotic Front.
A Federal Judge in Washington has ruled that President Carter
had no authority on his own to end the mutual defence treaty
with Taiwan. Judge Oliver Gash said the President, before
breaking a defence treaty must gain approval from either two
thirds of the Senate or a majority of both Houses of Congress.
Two prominent East German dissidents have arrived in West Germany
after their release from prison last week under an amnesty
to mark East Germany's 30th anniversary.
Japan cancelled more than 100 domestic air services today as a
typhoon rolled across the Pacific towards Japan.
Part of Australia's most famous fence is to be electrified.
The Queensland Land Minister told State Parliament today he had
approved a pilot scheme to electrify 68 kms of the main
Dingo Barrier Fence which extends hundreds of kilometres
across Queensland. 000---