1 EMBARGO: 5:00PM

4u A U S T R A L I A  ./A-

PRIME MINISTER

FOR MEDIA SUNDAY, AUGUST 15 1982

' Ife?

ELECTORATE TALK

A groundswell of opinion is building up throughout the community  that Australians need to work together in the face of world ’   recession which is now hitting Australia hard. Industry and  trade unions as well as governments are recognising that the -  path of co-operation and moderation is the best way to achieve :

our common objectives as a nation,  the best way to help insulate  all Australians from the impact of world recession, and the ‘   best way to be ready to take advantage of world economic ; recovery when it finally comes.  .  ~~

.  The_growing recognition that we need to co-operate and work  together as one people is a hopeful development indeed. It  provides a foundation for increasing moderation in wage demands, .   for restoring Australia's ability to compete in overseas markets,

for improving our reputation as a reliable supplier, and it will  help in the continuing fight against inflation.

The signs of a greater willingness to work together can be seen “  in several areas. There has been a substantial fall in. the ““ "   number of working days lost through strikes and industrial .  ‘ disputes. In the. three months to May 1981, 640,000 days were

lost in industrial disputes; in the three months to May of  this year, 380,000 working days were lost - a fall of about --^Â·  forty per cent against last year. .  *

Another recent sign of willingness to work together is the -co-operation between unions, management and governments, based  on the Crawford Report to make shipping flow more smoothly  through our ports. Governments, both State and Federal, have

also been getting together with the coal industry to find  ways out of the very great difficulties which have plagued  this major export industry - and which were at the same time  jeopardising vital future contracts, particularly in Asia,

because supply has been too unreliable.

The recent meeting between the CAI, the ACTU and the Commonwealth  to analyse our economic problems and to see to what extent there  is a common understanding about them, is a further important  example of how we have begun to work together. At that meeting,  all parties agreed that Australia was facing serious economic  problems, and with varying emphasis, there was agreement that

there is a link between excessive wage increases and a loss  of jobs.

.../2

2

,  -Â·.' In Ã¢ÂÂ   the last few days, the Government has accepted' salary .  .  .  Â· -  recommendations well below the current inflation rate for .  .  -"Parliamentarians and senior public servants, and I have been "  . .  pleased to note that the Academic Salaries Tribunal has also Â·  . .  .  recommended a salary increase substantially below the rate -  Â· :  *  Ã¢ÂÂ Â· 2. Â·  .  r t.  Ã¢ÂÂ   of inflation.  An important example to the' community has been rr Â·  ÃÂÃÂ¯..ÃÂ¹;_

set by these actions and I have written to a number of companies,  to State Premiers and to the ACTU and the CAI explaining ;  ' Â·  "  r " “  -t'---- Â· Ã¢ÂÂ   -  the importance of these decisions.  Several notable- companies fÂ·  ; i.  ~. .  have announced a freeze or very small salary increases, and- Â·.Â·-Ã¢ÂÂ ; z . . . r ""  - a" number of leading figures in the trade, union movement' '  '  r  "  '

including the PresidentÂ·and the Secretary of the ACTU have  . .  both spoken out strongly in support of wage moderation.  Mr Dolan, the President of the ACTU, was reported last week as saying  .  that more people would have to accept less pay to keep their jobs.

. Â·  Â·  .  These are. examples of Australians recognising that we have -  : to work together and that if we act in this way rather than : 1 pursuing sectional interests in a selfish and shortsighted Â·  -

way, then we will be able to work our way through the present  difficulties and continue to build the kind of economic strength  . . . .  .  -  and .prosperity that- we all want for Australia. . .  - -  -......  .  — -

--- 0 O 0 ----

