Arbitration Law Amendment

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1947, Page 8

Arbitration Law Amendment

CANBERRA, May 2. The Arbitration Act Amendment Bill has been passed by the House of Representatives. The main provision is the appointment of a number of additional conciliation commissioners whose powers are considerably extended to enable them to deal with industrial disputes in all stages. Government amendments went through in block without debate, as the guillotine was used, but the Opposition “gagged” the Attorney-Gen-eral (Dr. H. V. Evatt). Five minutes before the debate was due to end, Mr H. E. Holt (Liberal) moved that Dr. Evatt be no longer heard. As the House was dividing on Mr Holt’s motion the time allowed for debate under a guillotine motion, passed last week, expired. During the division Mr Holt said: “We have reached page 17 of a 25-page bill. Good government is no more”. Other Opposition members complained that the Government, after limiting debate, had put up as many Labour speakers as possible to prevent Opposition amendments.