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EAMT AR3. G0O 0E DP . AGMAINST DELIVERY tCHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
PROME F10 N ESTER
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR BOB HAWKE, TO THE CMM4ITTEE FOR DEVELOPMENT
OF YOtYIH EPLOYMENT, MELBOURNE, 19 JANUARY 1983
I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO JOIN IN THE
OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT. I AM AWARE THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS FOR SOME TIME
NOW BEEN WORKING QUIETLY BLHIND THE SCENES AND HAS ALREADY
MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN VICTORIA IN OPENING UP
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. WHEN I LOOK AT
THF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMITTEE'S MEMBERS, I
AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GO ON AND ACHIEVE A GREAT
DEAL MORE IN THIS MOSTIMPORTANT AREA.
WHEN MY GOVERNMENT CAME TO OFFICE SOME 10 MONTHS AGO
WE FACED A NUMBER OF SERIOUS ECONOMIC PROBLEMS NONE WORSE
THAN THE DISASTROUS UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION, PARTICULARLY THAT
FACING YOUNG AUSTRALIANS, WE PLACED THE HIGHEST PRIORITY ON
TACKLING THIS PROBLEM, l'E BELIEVED THEN, AS WE DO NOW, THAT LEVELS
OF UNEMPLOYMENT ' ANYTHING LIKE THOSE OF THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS
CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.
IN CONSEQUENCE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED
POLICIES DIRECTED AT THE PROMOTION OF SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH,
WHICH WILL LEAD TO INCREASED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
AUSTRALIANS, INCLUDING YOUNG PEOPLE,
THE AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM HAS BEEN OF SUCH
MAGNITUDE THAT ONLY SUSTAINED GROWTH IN EMPLOYMENT OVER LONG PERIODS
CAN MAKE REAL HEADWAY AGAINST IT,
WE ARE MAKING SOME HEADWAY, BUT THERE IS A LONG
ROAD AHEAD. THE POLICIES BASED ON CO-OPERATION BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT, WORKERS AND BUSINESS THAT WE BEGAN TO PUT IN PLACE
AT THE SUMMIT LAST APRIL HAVE ALLOWED US TO CAPITALISE ON THE GOO[
FORTUNE OF THE BREAKING OF THE DROUGHT AND IMPROVED OVERSEAS
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. -IN THE EIGHT MONTHS FROM APRIL TO
DECEMBER 1983, EMPLOYMENT ROSE BY OVER 158,000 JOBS -A SHARP
REVERSAL FROM THE SITUATION IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 3MONTHS, WHIEN
OVER 14.. 6000 JOBS WERE LOST. THIS GROWTH IN EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTED
SOME REDUCTION OF UNEMPLOYMENT ON A SEASONALLY ADJUSTED BASIS,
FROM 10.3 PER CENT IN APRIL TO 9.2 PER CENT OF THE LABOUR FORCE.
BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNISED THAT EVEN WITH EXTRAORDINARILY
RAPID AND SUSTAINED EMPLOYMENT GROWTH, ANY RETURN TO
THE FULL EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS OF THE POST-WAR GENERATION WILL
BE A LONG, SLOW. AND. DIFFICULT PROCESS.
AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS, UNEMPLOYMENT WILL AFFECT
OUR YOUTH MOST SEVERELY-. UNEMPLOYMENT AMONGST TEENAGERS HAD
BEEN INCREASING STEADILY UNTIL IT REACHED HISTORICALLY HIGH
LEVELS IN 1982-83.. IN JANUARY 1983 THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR
TEENAGERS SEEKING FULL TIME WORK PEAKED AT 29 PER CENT. THERE
HAS BEEN A SLIGHT DECLINE SINCE THEN, BUT THE RATE REMAINS
UNACCEPTABLY HIGH.' THIS SITUATION IS BEING AGGRAVATED BY THE
ARRIVAL OF THE CURRENT-ROUND OF SCHOOL LEAVERS LAST MONTH AND
THIS MONTH.
3.
NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE ARE THOUGHT TO
HAVE LEFT SCHOOL AT THE END OF LAST YEAR OF THESE AROJND
1415,00 ARE NOW BEGINNING TO LOOK FOR WORK. THESE SCHOOL
LEAVERS WILL FIND THEIR SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT MADE MORE
DIFFICULT BY COMPETITION FROM THE ABNORMALLY HIGH PROPORTION
OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S SCHOOL LEAVERS WHO ARE STILL UNEMPLOYED,
AS AT OCTOBER 1983 SOME 60,000 TEENAGERS WERE STILL LOOKING
FOR THEIR FIRST JOB.
As I MENTIONED, SOUND ECONOMIC POLICIES ARE AN
ESSENTIAL PART OF THE LONGER TERM RESPONSE TO YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT.
BUT MANY HAVE USED THIS REALITY AS AN EXCUSE FOR TURNING THEIR
BACKS ON THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AFFECTED.
SPECIAL MEASURES ARE NECESSARY TO ALLEVIATE THE PERSONAL AND
COMMUNITY IMPACT OF UNEMPLOYMENT, BOTH BY GOVERNMENT, AND THROUGH
PRIVATE INITIATIVES, OF WHICH THE WORK OF YOUR COMMITTEE IS AN
OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE,
FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S PART, OUR MOST IMPORTANT INITIATIVE
is THE COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, WE HAVE ALLOCATED $ 300
MILLION TO THIS PROGRAM IN 1983-84 -THIS SHOULD RESULT IN THE
CREATION OF UP To 40,000 JOBS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA THIS FINANCIAL
YEAR, WITH UP To 70,000 JOBS PER YEAR BEING CREATED WHEN THE
PROGRAM IS FULLY OPERATIONAL. THESE JOBS WILL BE IN PROJECTS
SPONSORED By FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY
ORGANISATIONS. FUNDS FOR THESE PROJECTS HAVE STARTED TO FLOW,
THE CEP GIVES SPECIAL PRIORITY FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE MOST
DISADVANTAGED JOB SEEKERS AND THOSE WHO ARE LEAST LIKELY TO
BENEFIT FROM A GENERAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY, ESPECIALLY THE . LONG
TERM UNEMPLOYMENT. IT IS A SAD FACT THAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE
NOW FIT INTO THIS CATEGORY.
COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM JOBS HAVE A VITAL
FUNCTION TO PERFORM, THAT OF PROVIDING PARTICIPANTS WITH
SKILLS AND WORK EXPERIENCE. WE SEE THESE AS BEING NECESSARY
FOR PEOPLE TO BREAK OUT OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT CYCLE INTO
PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT IN THE OPEN LABOUR MARKET.
WE INHERITED A MISCELLANY OF LABOUR MARKET AND TRAINING
PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAMS WERE GENERALLY UNCO-ORDINATED AND
MANY DEVELOPED UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT LABOUR MARKET
CONDITIONS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT THERE IS A NEED
FOR A MAJOR REVIEW OF THE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT THEY FULLY
MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S LABOUR MARKET POLICY OBJECTIVES. AN
EXTERNAL COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY HEADED BY PETER KIRBY, CHAIRMAN
OF THE TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION BOARD OF VICTORIA
HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT THE PROGRAMS,
THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE AIMED AT YOUNG PEOPLE, SHOULD BE
BOTH COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED. ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN WE
HOPE TO PROVIDE THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT
TO THE MORE DISADVANTAGED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY WHO FIND IT
DIFFICULT TO COMPETE IN THE OPEN MARKET WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY WILL BE MAKING AN INTERIM
REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT IN TIME FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE NEXT
BUDGET -AND A FINAL REPORT BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO STRENGTHEN
SUBSTANTIALLY EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE HAVE EXPANDED THE COMMUNITY YOUTH SUPPORT SCHEME
WITH A 27% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR THIS FINANCIAL
YEAR. CYSS AIMS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITIES TO ASSIST LOCAL YOUNG
PEOPLE THROUGH PERIODS O F UNEMPLOYMENT BY DEVELOPING THEIR
SKILLS AND INCREASING THEIR~ SELF-RELIANCE. THE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING HAS ALLOWED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 31 NEW PROJECTS IN AREAS
OF HIGH NEED. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CYSS PROJECTS NOWI FUNDED
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA is 306. FUNDING FOR EXISTING PROGRAMS
HAS ALSO BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED:
j GRANT LEVELS HAVE BEEN INCREASED BY UP To 21% TO
TAKE ACCOUNT OF INCREASED PROJECT OPERATING COSTS;
-38 EXISTING PROJECTS IN AREAS OF HIGH NEED HAVE HAD
THEIR GRANT LEVELS UPGRADED.
THESE MEASURES WILL ENSURE THAT CYSS PROJECTS CAN
1CONTINUE TO PR OVIDE SUPPORT AND ASSIST IN MEETING THE NEEDS
I OF UNEMPLOYED YOUNG PEOPLE IN-THEIR LOCAL AREA.
-6-
WE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED THE FUNDING FOR THE
VOLUNTEER YOUTH PROGRAM, THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO
ASSIST UNEMPLOYED YOUNG PERSONS MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP THEIR
CAPACITY FOR OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT THROUGH PARTICIPATION
IN VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES, WHILE THIS
PROGRAM AT PRESENT INVOLVES ONLY 10 PROJECTS, SOME TWO
AND A HALF THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE PROGRAM THIS
YEAR. WE ARE PROVIDING MORE ASSISTANCE THAN EVER BEFORE
UNDER THE SPECIAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM. THIS
PROGRAM HELPS EMPLOYERS TAKE ON YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
UNABLE TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN THE LABOUR FORCE. IT PROVIDES
NECESSARY WORK EXPERIENCE TO BRING THEM UP TO A LEVEL WHERE
THEY ARE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY COMPETE FOR JOBS. THIS YEAR
WE HOPE THAT SOME 90,000 YOUNG UNEMPLOYED WILL GAIN THE BENEFIT
OF WORK EXPERIENCE UNDER THE PROGRAM,
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THE YOUTH. EMPLOYMENT
SITUATION HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY A SERIOUS FALL IN THE NUMBER.
OF APPRENTICESHIPS BECOMING AVAILABLE. THIS HAS AFFECTED BOTH
SCHOOL LEAVERS SEEKING APPRENTICESHIPS AND THOSE WHO HAVE
PARTIALLY COMPLETED THEIR APPRENTICESHIP BEFORE BEING LAID OFF.
,17
7.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS SITUATION THE GOVERNMENT HAS
ADOPTED A FLEXIBLE. APPROACH, ATTEMPTING AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
TO TAILOR ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. ON THE ONE HAND
WE PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE EMPLOYERS TO
ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE ON AND RETAIN APPRENTICES. ON THE
OTHER, WE ARE PROV-IDING ASSISTANCE TO-THE STATES TO UNDERTAKE
PRELIMINARY TRADE TRAINING COURSES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UNABLE TO
FIND AN APPRENTICESHIP. THE COURSES WILL GIVE PARTICIPANTS
BASIC TRAINING IN THEIR CHOSEN TRADE AND MAKE THEM MORE
ATTRACTIVE AS EMPLOYEES, AS THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO BE
TIRAINED FROM SCRATCH.
THESE PRACTICAL MEASURES ARE BEING REINFORCED BY A
MAJOR PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN FOCUSED ON INCREASING APPRENTICESHIP
OPPORTUNITES FOR GRADUATES OF PRE-EMPLOYMENT COURSES AND
THOSE WHO HAVE PARTLY COMPLETED THEIR APPRENTICESHIP. YOU
MAY HAVE SEEN THE A: DVERTISEMENTS IN THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL
PRESS ENCOURAGING EMPLOYERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES
FOR EMPLOYING PARTLY TRAINED APPRENTICES.
TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON MANPOWER AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
IN 1983-84 IS EXPECTED TO BE $ 958 MILLION AN OVERALL
INCREASE IN FUNDING OF 80% WHEN COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS
YEAR.
THESE PROGPAMS ARE ALL CONCERNED WITH ASSISTING YOUNG
PEOPLE AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT SCHOOL, I BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT
WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS BEING FACED BY AUSTRALIA'S
YOUNG PEOPLE IN RELATION TO THE COMPARATIVELY LOW RETENTION
RATES AT AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS.
IN TODAY'S WORLD, YOUNG PEOPLE NEED A BROAD,
DURABLE BASE OF SKILLS SO THAT THEY CAN PLAY A FULL PART IN
SOCIETY AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE
EMPLOYMENT MARKET IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE WORLD ECONOMY,
To TAKE MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES BEING MADE
AVAILABLE THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY
NEED MORE THAN THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY.
OUR YOUTH NEEDS FLEXIBILITY AND BROAD UNDERSTANDING SO THAT THEY
ARE ABLE TO ADAPT READILY TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE RAPID
PACE OF CHANGE. EDUCATION AND TRAINING MUST BE SEEN AS A LIFE-LONG
PROCESS AS IT IS CERTAIN THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE WILL
HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR OCCUPATION DURING THEIR WORKING LIFE.
INCREASED SCHOOLING AND TRAINING ARE VITAL IF YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE TO ACQUIRE THESE SKILLS AND REALISE THEIR FULL
POTENTIAL AND IF AUSTRALIA IS TO HAVE THE SKILLED WORKFORCE
WE NEED. GOVERNMENT POLICY AIMS TO ENCOURAGE INCREASED
SCHOOLING AND TRAINING AFTER THE LEGAL SCHOOL LEAVING AGE.
IN PARTICULAR WE WANT TO ASSIST THE DISADVANTAGED
AND OTHERS WHO LEAVE SCHOOL LACKING THE SKILL NECE3SARY TO
OBTAIN JOBS, TO STAY ON.
ACCORDINGLY, WE HAVE ALLOCATED $ 75.3 MILLION TO
THE PARTICIPATION AND EQUITY PROGRAM IN 1984, THIS PROGRAM
IS DIRECTLY AIMED AT REDUCING THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS LEAVING
FULL-TIME EDUCATION PREMATURELY WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS
ON THOSE SCHOOLS WHERE MANY DO LEAVE EARLY. THE PROGRAM
WILL BUILD UPON ACTIVITIES ALREADY UNDERWAY IN SCHOOLS
AROUND AUSTRALIA, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR INITIATIVES AND
NEW IDEAS IN AREAS SUCH AS CURRICULUM CHANGE, ASSESSMENT, AND
CO-OPERATION WITH THE TAFE SECTION. AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE
PROGRAM WILL BE MEASURES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF GROUPS SUCH AS
GIRLS, ABORIGINALS AND THOSE FROM NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING
BACKGROUNDS, WHO HAVE TENDED TO BE DISADVANTAGED WITHIN THE
EDUCATION SYSTEM,
ALONG WITH THE NEED FOR -INCREASING PARTICIPATION
AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL THERE IS A NEED FOR IMPROVED ACCESS TO
TERTIARY EDUCATION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED A FURTHER
MILLION IN 1984 FOR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF ADVANCED
EDUCATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL 3000 PLACES IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
WE SEE IT AS IMPORTANT ALSO THAT SCHOOLS PROVIDE
VOCATIONALLY RELEVANT TRAINING. IN THE PRESENT DAY AND AGE
COMPUTER LITERACY IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY ESSENTIAL
PREREQUISITE TC A WIDE RANGE OF JOBS. ACCORDINGLY THE
GOVERNMENT HAS INITIATED A NATIONAL COMPUTER EDUCATION PROGRAM
OF $ 18M OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS
PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE USES OF NEW
TECHNOLOGY, ITS IMPACT ON THE NATURE OF WORK, JOB OPPORTUNITIES
AND TO REMEDY BASIC DEFICIENCIES IN COMPUTER LITERACY.
THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION
AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE NOT THE ONLY WAYS OF APPROACHING
THE YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM OR INDEED UNEMPLOYMENT
GENERALLY. WE SEE MERIT IN EXAMINING A RANGE OF POSSIBLE
ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING CHANGES TO EXISTING WORK PATTERNS,
AND SUPPORT FOR WORKER CO-OPERATIVES OR SMALL BUSINESSES
ESTABLISHED BY THE UNEMPLOYED AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT OF
APPROACHES OUTSIDE THE CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM.
AS A RESULT WE HAVE EMBARKED UPON SOME EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATIONS
INTO SUCH INNOVATIVE APPROACHES.
THESE IDEAS ARE BREAKING NEW GROUND IN AUSTRALIA,
AND AS SUCH, WILL NEED TIME AND CAUTION IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, THE COMMONWEALTH IS CONCERNED THAT THIS WORK SHOULD
PROGRESS AND IS GIVING IT PRIORITY, IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE
THE DEVELOPMENTS BY THE STATE GOVERNMENTS IN THIS AREA.
,/ il
-11-
THE PROBLEMS OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ARE NOT ONLY
THOSE THAT CAN BE MEASURED BY STATISTICS ALTHOUGH THEY
ARE ALARMING ENOUGH, THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE WIDESPREAD AND
ARE REACHING DEEP INTO THE NATURE OF OUR SOCIETY,
THIS GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
MUST BE DEALT WITH IN A MANNER THAT BOTH RECOGNISES ITS
IMPORTANCE, IN TERMS OF MAGNITUDE AND IMMEDIACY AND THE
MANY SIDED NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE IS MUCH MORE TO
SOLVING THE PROBLEM THAN GIVING A HAND OUT TOGETHER WITH
SOME GRATUITOUS NAME CALLING, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
NOT UNEMPLOYED THROUGH ANY WISH OR FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
THEY NEED TO BE GIVEN A CHANCE OR AS THE COMMITTEE HAS
SO APTLY PUT IT: " GIVE YOUTH A FAIR Go",
THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES AND PROGRAMS WHICH
I MENTIONED EARLIER ARE NOT ONLY THERE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE UNEMPLOYED; THEY ARE ALSO POSITIVELY
AIMED AT ASSISTING OUR YOUTH ACQUIRE THOSE SKILLS AND
ABILITIES THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN FULL AS
MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT AS WITH OUR MACRO ECONOMIC
POLICIES THE GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK
AND SENSE OF DIRECTION THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE MUST BE
INVOLVED IN MAKING THEM WORK.
13,
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I AM PARTICULARLY
HEARTENED BY THE ACTIONS OF THIS COMMITTEE. WITHOUT WAITING
FOR GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES OR ASSISTANCE YOU HAVE SET OUT TO
MEET THE CHALLENGES OFFERED BY OUR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES
IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE BY GENERATING JOBS FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE. FURTHERMORE THIS IS BEING DONE THROUGH THE RESOURCES
OF LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS, I AM SURE THAT AS THE RECOVERY
GATHERS PACE YOU WILL HAVE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
EXPANDING YOUR WORK,
THE WAY THE COMMITTEE HAS HARNESSED THE TALENTS AND ENERGIES
OF A WIDE SECTION OF THE BUSINESS AND WIDER COMMUNITY IS
ESPECIALLY IMPRESSIVE, YOURS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF
CO-OPERATIVE ENDEAVOUR THAT IS NECESSARY TO COMPLEMENT THE
EFFORTS OF GOVERNMENT, IT IS FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE
VALUE AND STRENGTH OF CO-OPERATION AMONGST AUSTRALIANS TO
ADDRESS A GREAT NATIONAL ISSUE,
I KNOW YOU WILL ALL HAVE BEEN HEARTENED BY THE
ACCUMULATION OF INCREASINGLY UNEQUIVOCAL AND PERSUASIVE EVIDENCE
THAT THE ECONOMY HAS TURNED AROUND AND BROUGHT WITH IT
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LEVELS,
I AM SURE YOU WOULD ALL AGREE, HOWEVER, THAT THIS
IMPROVEMENT OFFERS NO CAUSE FOR COMPLACENCY.
FOR ITS PART, THE GOVERNMENT IS AIMING TO CONSOLIDATE
THIS RESURGENCE IN ACTIVITY BY PUTTING IN PLACE AND MAINTAINING
AN APPROPRIATE MIX OF POLICIES.
14.
THERE IS ALSO A CONTINUING NEED FOR MAXIMISING
OPPORTUNTITIES AND FOR EXTENDING THE TYPE OF WORK AND
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OF THE KIND INITIATED BY THIS
COMMITTEE. I WELCOME THE COMMITMENT YOU HAVE MADE AND PRAISE
THE APPROACH YOU ARE TAKING,
I COMMEND THE COMMITTEE IN THE STRONGEST TERMS
AS AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY,
I CONGRATULATE YOU AND I WISH YOU WELL IN THE
PURSUIT OF YOUR GREAT OBJECTIVES,