PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA TUESDAY, 15 DECEMBER 1981
STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
The Federal Executive Council has today approved the appointment
of Mr M. Codd as Secretary to the Department of Industrial
Relations. The appointment will date from 1 February 1982.
Until then, Mr Codd will be Acting Secretary to the Department.
Mr Codd was formerly Under Secretary of the Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet and has served in a variety of
capacities in that'Department for the past 12 years.
The Administrative Arrangements Order is to be amended-to
define more clearly the role of the Department of Industrial
Relations in promoting better industrial relations and in
the co-ordination of policies on wages and labour costs and
in relation to disputes involving Commonwealth employees.
The Government believes that sound industrial relations
policies in all sectors of industry and employment are central
to national growth and prosperity. Immediate steps are to
be taken to transf er the Central Of fice of the Department of
Industrial Relations to Canberra in recognition of the
Department's importance as a source of policy advice in an
area of significant Government interest. This re-location
will enable enhanced communication and interchange between
the Department of Industrial Relations and the Government
and other elements of Commonwealth administration.
The Department of Industrial Relations will retain a significant
presence in Melbourne to ensure maintenance of close liaison
between the Department and representative employee and
employer bodies-located in Melbourne.
Transfer of the Central Office of the Department of Industrial
Relations to Canberra will be accompanied by strengthening
. of the Department's capacity to advise and assist the Government
in presenting its view at arbitration hearings of major
national importance. -The Government will also be looking
to the Department for advice on ways to improve industrial
relations practices and institutions, and on wages and labour
costs and the co-ordination of Government industrial relations
policies. The Department will give greater emphasis to its
industrial relations research functions, including arrangements
f or consultation with employer and-employee bodies and
machinery for dealing with industrial disputes.
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