Fast site inquiry sought

Press, 28 August 1984, Page 4

Fast site inquiry sought

PA Wellington The Government intends moving “as rapidly as possible” to set up the Commission of Inquiry into work at Marsden Point, said the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, yesterday. The Cabinet yesterday discussed the terms of reference and membership for the inquiry, but no decisions had been made, he told reporters. Asked if the commissioning of the inquiry would be hastened in light of industrial trouble at the site over the last few days, Mr Palmer said, “It is the Government’s intention to get on with that as rapidly as possible.” The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, announced during the election campaign that

the Government would hold an inquiry into all aspects of work at the troubled Marsden Point oil refinery expansion site near Whangarei. The General manager of Marsden Refinery Constructors (M.R.C.), Mr David Beldotti, said yesterday that any inquiry into industrial relations on the site should also investigate problems on other sites north of Taupo. If his company was consulted on the terms of reference for the inquiry it would urge the inquiry have a wider scope, and look into problems on sites such as the Glenbrook Steel mill and the Huntly power project. No decisions were made at a meeting yesterday afternoon between site union representatives and of

the company, according to a company spokesman. He said that the meeting discussed emergency procedures the company was taking during bomb scares on the site. The company said before the meeting that it would not be prepared to discuss its sacking on Friday of twd union delegates who, it said, instigated an unauthorised stop-work meeting to discuss bomb scare procedures. However, the company will take legal action against the two delegates. Mr Beldotti, said the legal action against the riggers’ delegate, Mr Danny Bradley, and the chairman of the unions’ site committee, Mr Nelson Kelly, would take the form of civil action under the Whangarei Refin-

ery Expansion Disputes Act, 1984. The two men could be liable for fines of up to $3OOO. A spokesman said yesterday that the company was also still looking at prosecuting union representatives and workers under the' act for attending the meeting. Site riggers may go ahead with a stop-work meeting in spite of the sacking. The riggers, who belong to the Labourers’ Union, gave 14 days notice of industrial action which expired yesterday. The Whangarei Labourers’ Union organiser, Mr Buster Wihongi, said yesterday they still hoped to hold a meeting, to discuss a number of grievances, including foremen doing labourers’ work.