PM Transcripts

PRIME INISTE
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON. P. J. KEATING
WORK FOR AUSTRALIA LODGE FUNCTION
I have written to a number of individuals and
organisations who assisted the " Work for Australia" Task
Force, inviting them to an informal gathering at The
Lodge next Sunday.
The task force, initiated by Mr Bill Kelty and Mr Lindsay
Fox,_ was established last year to encourage empl-byers to
take on young Australians and to explore ways of better
co-ordinating employment programs.
I want to take this opportunity to thank those who served
on the task force as well as those from all over
Australia who assisted in its deliberations.
By talking in an informal atmosphere with those involved
I hope to acquaint myself as much as possible with the
ideas which have emerged from their work in the week in
which the Government will receive two major reports on
jobs and regional Australia.
The Government's Discussion Paper Restoring Full
Employment will be delivered on December 15. The
following day the chairman of the Regional Task Force, Mr
Kelty, will deliver his report and I expect many of the
issues raised in that report will be relevant to the
broader task of job c-reation.
The aim of the regional development task force, broadly
speaking, has been to discover how best we can create
jobs and widen opportunity for the people of regional
Australia; how we can strengthen their economies and in
so doing strengthen the national economy; how we can give
the regions of Australia a stake in Australia's future.
The function at The Lodge will be a unique opportunity to
discuss with a wide range of dedicated individuals the
issue which will be the primary focus of Government
attention and policy in the New Year.
CANBhERRA December 5, 1993