Aust. union company to fight Government

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33964, 3 October 1975, Page 9

Aust. union company to fight Government

(New Zealand Press Association—Copyright)

MELBOURNE, Octo.ber 2. The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Mr Robert Hawke, will lead a fight to keep A.C.T.U.-Solo Enterprises Proprietary, Ltd, afloat: he said last night that he would talk to the Prime Minister (Mr Whitlam) and other Ministers in an effort to obtain further allocations of Australian crude oil for the unions’ company.

He criticised the acting Minister for Minerals and Energy (Mr Lionel Bowmen) I for having said that A.C.T.U.Solo would not receive another allocation because an interim report of the Royal Commission into Petroleum had said that the company has deceived the Government over an oil deal. “I think he has treated us very precipitously—he should, at least, have said in Parliament that talks would be held with the A.C.T.U.,” Mr Hawke said. “It seems inconceivable that anybody should oppose an operation which keeps petrol prices down. If we can’t operate properly, then the Government will have to battle inflation while netrol prices go up. It is to the benefit of Australia that we keep prices down. “A.C.T.U.-Solo sells a gallon of super for 56c in Melbourne while the main com-

panies are selling it for 62c in Melbourne and more than 70c in Sydney. Melbourne’s discount prices continue to exist only because we are in business.

“Our company will continue, regardless, even if it does not receive more Australian crude oil, but jt would mean a cut back on discounts and a reduction in the area of operation.” Mr Hawke rebutted a statement by Mr Bowen that the company would seek a special deal with the Government for further crude oil allocations, and he added: ‘ I quite understand the decision by the A.C.T.U. secretary, Mr H. J. Souter, to resign today from five Government committees. It is ridiculous to suggest that he deceived the Government. He resigned becat there were conflicts between Government policy and the interpretation of that policy.”