Quick fix needed for pilot dispute—Minister

Press, 4 September 1989, Page 10

Quick fix needed for pilot dispute—Minister

NZPA-AAP Canberra A Federal Minister yesterday called on the Australian Government to look at a quick resolution to the domestic pilots’ dispute, warning that the tourism industry could be virtually wiped out if it dragged on. Senior sources said the Tourism Minister, Clyde Holding, was under increasing pressure from the industry to urge the Government to bring together the Federation of Airline Pilots and the airlines to hammer out a solution. But in a media interview yesterday, the Industrial Relations Minister, Peter. Morris, continued to maintain that the federation was not a party to the dispute because all domestic pilots had resigned from their employment. In another develop-

ment, the Australian Tourism Industry Association (A.T.1.A.) yesterday called on the GovernorGeneral, Bill Hayden, to intervene in the dispute by invoking the 1914 Crimes Act providing for one year prison sentences. . Mr Holding also indicated yesterday that he would ask a meeting of Cabinet today to consider paying compensation to tourist operators as they were losing more money than the domestic airlines, already being tipped to receive Government compensation of up to sAust2o million a week. “... I think perhaps the Government has now got to look very seriously at getting this issue resolved,” Mr Holding said yesterday on the Nine Network’s “Sunday” programme. “I think that is what the tourist industry wants and

that is what the Australian people want” He confirmed there were “aspects of .this” he wanted to take up in Cabinet. He did not make the point stressed by Mr Morris that the federation had no role to play and that it should be left to individual pilots to deal with the airlines. A spokesman for Mr Hayden said last evening that any recommendation for a proclamation under the Crimes Act would have to come through the Attorney-General, Lionel Bowen. Senior Government sources said such action was unlikely at this stage as the situation would be aggravated and there were legal complications. He said his association stood willing to act as an independent mediator.