4~ j, A U) ST X A L IA(
PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA TUESDAY, J~ r NO) VEMPER 1982
A PROGRAM FOR JOBS
Normally I would not be making a statement at this time
especially since recuperation from this operation takes
some weeks. But the proposal for a special Premiers'
Conference which Mr. Anthony has announced is vital to
our economic future. It is vital to creating more jobs.
I simply want to emphasise how important it is for
people in jobs to be willing to give up something to
help those people who cannot get jobs or who are in
danger of losing them.
Very large sums will be provided for constructive
capital works to provide jobs for the unemployed as a
result of a total wage pause across the nation. Such
actions would provide a massive blow against inflation
and a great help to Australians in difficulty.
What fairer way to redress the ills of Australia? Many
people in this nation are being hurt. inflation is
high, unemployment is high, there are worse dangers
ahead, and the Government is determined that they be
avoided.
There has been deepening of world recession, a recession
which has gone on longer than anyone expected. This
recession has hurt more people than anyone would have
believed possible even a few years ago. In many
countries, unemployment is much higher than in
Australia. It is over 12% in Canada, nearly 13% in the
U. K. Under the pressures of recession and of massive
unemployment overseas wage increases have been very low,
and as a result their inflation rates are in many cases
falling and much below Australia's.
Up to the best part of a year ago, many Australians
thought we had it made and hundreds of thousands of
new jobs had been created. But world recession was
starting to hit Australia hard even then and the wage
settlements and reductions in hours that were forced or
negotiated through last year p~ roved a certain kind of
madness.
Average weekly earnings for males have risen at an
annual rate of nearly 17% in the year to the September
quarter. Yet profits were down, our export incomes were
down, our income as a nation was down. Too many felt
that they could pay themselves more and work even less.
It is not possible to have high, rising incomes with
national productivity falling.
Our own madness came at the worst possible time. Last
year's wage decisions and shorter hours came at the very
time when the cold hard world of trade and of recession
was making it harder than ever to sell Australian goods,
to enlarge Australian markets. If our industries can't
sell, they can't employ.
The nation is now divided between the great majority
who have jobs, and the growing minority who do not.
Those working have generally higher wages and better
conditions than ever before.
The cost, however, is high unemployment. The wages that
are paid to those in work are paid partly at the expense
of those out of work. The inequality, the unfairness is
obvious. This is a time when those Australians in work
need to give up something to assist those out of work,
or who may become out of work if nothing is done.
Reasons of common humanity demand it.
There are critical and challenging problems ahead of us.
We must shake off the attitudes, the prejudices that
have led to too much division in the past. We must
reunite this nation in one cause based on the dignity
and on the rights of all Australians, based on our
feelings and our duties to each other as Australians.
The plan of action and assistance which Mr. Anthony has
announced will be asking for some sacrifices from all
Australians who are in work, to assist those who are out
of work. This plan will strengthen and greatly enlarge
the impact of the decisions already taken through this
year, especially-in the budget, to improve the position
of families and taxpayers, to help home buyers and needy
groups, to increase capital works, and to encourage
Australian industry to be modern and efficient so it can
compete and provide jobs in a difficult world.
Many of the budget measures are starting to take effect
in this month of November, because that is when they
become operative, but more is required.
In this plan of action which has been announced, we are
asking for the co-operation of all Governments, of all
States, of local government, of industry, of the great
body of the union movement. There is a role for each
3.
and every Australian in what we propose, in what we
intend. And much more obviously can and will be done if
the States are prepared to join with us in a
full-blooded partnership.
if all governments divert the funds that would otherwise
go into wage increases into constructive capital works,
much additional employment will be created. We would be
suggesting the funds should go into employment-creating
programs that could be started as soon as possible, and
would achieve a permanent benefit to the nation.
I place the highest possible importance on the
implementation of this program of action. I place the
highest importance on other people following this lead
from the Commonwealth.
The wage pause would assist industry to restore its
profitability and thus help renew employment growth
for while government can ease the problem temporarily
the great bulk of new jobs must be provided by private
enterprise. We must get our costs back into line, we must make
ourselves competitive, we must enter the real world
again, we must sell Australian goods no matter how hard
and how difficult the competitive world outside may be.
We must help ourselves.
In Australia we have the best country in the world.
We have the best people. We have more resources than
most. With wrong and foolish policies it is possible to
fritter them all away. If that happens the world will
sit by and wonder. We cannot reach for shallow and
false solutions. None of that is Australia's way. It
is not the Government's way.
I ask you all to rise to support this program. I ask
you all to work for Australian recovery. I ask you all
to be prepared to forego future wage increases to help
other people and to help this nation. I call on
management and labour to produce efficiently and
economically, and to preserve jobs.
By pulling together Australians have beaten depressions
and won wars.
There is no doubt that using the funds that would
otherwise go to paying increased wages for constructive
capital works for the provision of more jobs, will be a
vital step in reversing the trend towards more and more
people being out of work.
4.
It is time we remembered that no one owes us a living.
It is our own effort, as Australians, our own work, our
own determination that will decide Australia's future.
By recognising that we are all part of one nation, we
can build and rebuild the kind of Australia that our
hearts desire. ooo000ooo---