XN000022-1976-12-16 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1976

+OR IN A FEW CASES. THEY MAY BE SENT AFTER THE BOARD'S INITIAL DISCUSSIONS. IN ANY EVENT ALL THESE ORGANISATIONS WILL BE WELL AWARE OF PROPOSALS LONG BEFORE A BILL IS PUT BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+NOW WHAT IS NOT ALWAYS REALISED IS THAT THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF COMMENT AND CONSULTATION, BUT PART OF THE POLICY FORMULATION PROCESS IN THAT IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE ADVICE GIVEN. VIEWS OFFERED, AND ARROWS OF CRITICISM FIRED, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WILL THEN SUBMIT HIS PROPOSALS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, MODIFIED AS HE MAY THINK NECESSARY TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF CRITICISM.

+HE WILL ALSO INDICATE TO THE COUNCIL THE MAIN POINTS OF CRITICISM AND DISAGREEMENT, SO THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IS APPRAISED NOT ONLY OF OFFICIAL VIEWS ON THE MATTER.

+ON EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ADVICE -- THEN A FORMAL BILL IS PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE AND A WHOLE NEW ROUND OF COMMENT AND CONSULTATION MAY TAKE PLACE, DEPENDING ON THE IMPORTANCE AND DEGREE OF CONTROVERSIALITY OF THE ISSUE.

+ANY PERSON OR BODY MAY THEN TAKE PART IN THIS PROCESS BY PUTTING THEIR VIEWS TO US, OR THE PRESS OR UMELCO,+ MR. HENDERSON SAID.

+WHILE OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL VIEWS, COMMENTS AND OBJECTIONS MAY AFFECT THE OUTCOME, I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY ARE ALL HEARD AND CONSIDERED.+

MR. HENDERSON SAID THERE WAS SOME EXPECTATION THAT DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR HEADS SHOULD CONTINUOUSLY ENTER INTO PUBLIC DEBATES IN THE PRESS AND ELSEWHERE DURING THESE CONSULTATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

HE SAID: +1 THINK RATHER IT IS OUR DUTY TO LISTEN, CLARIFY WHERE NECESSARY, BUT NOT PERSISTENTLY TO INTERVENE.+

+AS A PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR SAID IN 1968 IT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO GENERAL PUBLIC AND DEROGATORY TO (LEGISLATIVE) COUNCIL IF A BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT OF PROGRESS WAS TO BE MADE PUBLIC. +

MR. HENDERSON POINTED OUT THAT OCCASIONALLY, ON A MAJOR SOCIAL POLICY ISSUE SUCH AS SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE, THE ADVICE OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WAS SOUGHT OR GIVEN BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER PUT THE MATTER FORWARD FOR DEBATE IN THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLICLY.

+THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT CONSULTATION IS PRE-EMPTED, AND THAT THE FORM AND DETAIL OF THE PROPOSAL WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL MODIFICATION BEFORE A BILL IS GAZETTED, + HE SAID.

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