Mr Minogue has ‘grave doubts’

Press, 9 July 1983, Page 1

Mr Minogue has ‘grave doubts’

Parliamentary reporter

Most of the Government caucus were on a philosophical high over the abolition of compulsory unionism, said the independentminded member of Parliament for Hamilton West, Mr M. K. Minogue, yesterday. Mr Minogue said that he had very grave doubts about the move, which would make unionism voluntary.

“Someone has to illustrate that the net gains exceed the losses,” he said. “It’s very easy to agree with the Prime Minister that voluntary unionism is philosophically acceptable to us, but philosophical satisfac-

tion is pretty nebulous and pretty expensive if it produces more losses than gains.” Some members of caucus had to come down to earth and become more interested in the practicalities, he said. “You have only bought yourself a pack of trouble if it produces a great deal of confusion, aggravates the mood of confrontation and prejudices serious discussion in the wage policy talks.

“You have to ask yourself the question: What positive advantages do we gain for a certain amount of strife, and how long will they last?”

The powerful waterfront, meat workers’, and seamen’s unions would still remain powerful, Mr Minogue said. “We will gain nothing on that front.”

Mr Minogue, who has forced changes to legislation by threatening to withhold his crucial vote, said he would support the legislation if hard-headed analysis showed a net gain, but he was not sure it would.

The unions would be very wise to “keep their heads down” over the issue, because the cynical view was that unrest would play into the Government’s hands politically, Mr Minogue said.