Wages conflict in Australia

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32542, 27 February 1971, Page 17

Wages conflict in Australia

(NZ. Press Association—Copyright)

CANBERRA, February 26.

The Australian Government, in conflict with the country’s Conciliation and Arbitration Commission over inflation measures, has intensified its campaign to force the commission to link wage increases with productivity.

In the Federal Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) questioned the responsibility of the commission’s rejection of productivity as a basis for wage-fixing. Outside Parliament, the Minister of Labour (Mr Billy Snedden) confirmed for the first time that the Government was considering possible changes in the Arbitration Act He would give no details of likely changes, however. Government sources said last night that early legislative action to change the role of responsibilities of the commission was not likely at present, but a strong effort would be kept up to encourage voluntary change. If this

failed, amendments to the act would probably be inevitable. On Wednesday, the President of the Arbitration Commission (Sir Richard Kirby) tabled a report in Parliament rejecting productivity as a basis for wage-fixing. In it, he made it plain that the commission would not be influenced by anyone, “whether Prime Ministers, Opposition Leaders, presidents of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, or organised employers and so on.” Mf Gorton said yesterday that he and members of the Government would continue to make public announcements on matters they believed to be of critical importance to the economy.