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Hawke Government: 1989

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1989 newspaper collage [Image Source: unknown]The year began with Prime Minister Hawke travelling overseas to South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and India and concluded with the Prime Minister announcing he would convene a ministerial summit on child poverty in January 1990. Bill Hayden became Governor-General, unemployment rose to 6.9%, the current account deficit continued to climb, exports rose by 4% and imports fell by 5% (ABS 1989).

In 1989 Prime Minister Bob Hawke asked Dick Smith to chair the Civil Aviation Authority which controlled both the air traffic control system and safety regulation. The pilots dispute achieved reforms and efficiencies in staffing and scheduling of flights and during the next two years with substantial reforms managed to save over $100 million per annum.

A code of national standards in schools was endorsed by the Minister of Employment, Education and Training, John Dawkins. The scheme was to provide for all Australian schools a national curriculum, assessment system, handwriting style and starting age in an attempt to reduce the burden on the 500,000 children who moved school each year. In March, John Dawkins also announced that the Government would establish a task force on the amalgamation of tertiary educational institutions.

JANUARY

The Prime Minister visited South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan and India on a major overseas visit that included extensive discussions with the leaders of each country. In South Korea the discussions centred on trade, with the Prime Minister suggesting that it could be beneficial to establish an Asia-Pacific version of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

'PM's trip off to slow start' by Bronwyn Young

Australian Financial Review, January 20, 1989.

'Hawke pushes trade links in India' by Michelle Grattan

The Age, February 10, 1989.

FEBRUARY

Aboriginal Deaths Report

The first four case reports of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody were released.

'Justice Muirhead's report on the first four deaths

The Australian, February 3, 1989.

'Muirhead report criticises police' by Lenore Taylor

Canberra Times, February 3, 1989.

Hawke Lecture

The Prime Minister, delivered the Third Indira Gandhi Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, and identified the United States trade deficit, the continuing trade war and the slow pace of nuclear disarmament as the major problems facing the world. However, in a generally optimistic view of the world, he said that the world was on the verge of a new era, caused mainly by the rapid transformation in relations between the super powers. He listed four developments which would sustain his confidence in the future.

'US standing at risk' by Peter Logue

Canberra Times, February 10, 1989.

'Cold war is dead, Hawke says'

Canberra Times, February 11, 1989.

MARCH

Justice Jim Staples

The Prime Minister publicly defended for the first time the Government�s decision not to appoint Justice Jim Staples to the new Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Hawke gave three reasons for not including him in the new Commission.

'PM defends Staples decision' by Peter Logue

The Australian, March 1, 1989.

'Staples had little to do says Hawke' by Milton Cockburn

Sydney Morning Herald, March 2, 1989.

Living Standards Report

The Prime Minister, reacting to a report on declining living standards for Australian families, pledged to deliver a social welfare package which would 'surpass anything done by any other government in the history of the country'. The report, by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, found that the average Australian family needed taxation cuts of $29 per week and other payments to help compensate for the $30 extra weekly tax paid over the previous 12 years. The study found that high earners were in fact paying less tax then in 1977. The Institute recommended that a $5.6 billion package be implemented.

'$5.2bn tax cuts urged for middle Australia' by Paul Cleary

Sydney Morning Herald, March 3, 1989.

'Hawke pledges historic welfare package for families' by Ewin Hannon

The Australian, March 3, 1989.

Mini Budget

The Prime Minister confirmed that the wage-tax statement in April would be broadened to include a range of other economic policy initiatives. The Government had first planned to restrict the April statement to the wage-tax package and had stated that it would not bring down a mini-budget in May as in previous years.

'Hawke confirms April mini-Budget' by Robert Hadler

Weekend Australian, March 4 - 5, 1989.

MAY

UN Speech

The Prime Minister criticised a speech made at the United National by Australia's Ambassador Peter Wilenski, saying its treatment of the Israel-Palestine Liberation Organisation issue was unbalanced and inadequate. The speech, made two weeks previously been criticised by Australia's Jewish community. Hawke told Parliament he regretted the lack of balance in the speech. 'I have not only expressed that view to the Foreign Minister and he accepts it but that view has been conveyed to the ambassador.' He said the 'absence of balance will be rectified' at the next opportunity.

'Hawke rebuke as UN speech angst Jewish community' by Bronwyn Young

Australian Financial Review, May 3, 1989.

'PM's man approved speech to UN-Evans' by Roy Eccleston

Australian, May 3, 1989.

JUNE

Hawke's Overseas Visit

Prime Minister Hawke visited France, Great Britain, the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany and Hungary. Major achievements and issues of substance on the trip included

'Aust-France unity on Antarctica' by Paul Grigson

Sydney Morning Herald, June 16, 1989.

'Hawke-Bush accord on China' by Milton Cockburn

Sydney Morning Herald, June 17, 1989.

'Hawke wins concession on US subsidies' by Glenn Milne

Australian, June 28, 1989.

US Dinner Toast

Toasts were given at the State Dinner for Prime Minister Robert Hawke of Australia during his meeting with George Bush, June 27.

The President. Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Hawke -- Bob and Hazel to us, to all of you -- we are just delighted to have this opportunity to welcome you back to Washington. Sir, I would once more reminisce about the fondness with which I remember our visit to Australia a few years ago, and then, of course, your own previous visits to Washington, DC, as Prime Minister. And now we have been delighted with your gracious company during this all-too-brief stay.

JULY

Asia Pacific Trade Group

Hawke announced that Australia would host a ministerial meeting in November to explore the creation of a new body for Asia-Pacific economic co-operation. A core group of members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand would attend and other countries would be invited. The Prime Minister had raised the concept of such a body during a visit to South Korea in January 1989 but many countries had expressed reservation s about the idea. The agreement to meet was seen as a diplomatic coup for the Prime Minister.

'Hawke's Asia-Pacific scheme gathers pace' by Warren Osmond

Sydney Morning Herald, July 6, 1989.

'Coup for PM on trade group' by Cameron Forbes

Age, July 7, 1989.

'ASEAN likely to back trade forum' by Roy Eccleston

Australian, July 7, 1989.

PNG Helicopters

The Prime Minister announced that Australia would speed up supply of four helicopters to Papua New Guinea to allow them to be used in strife-torn Bougainville. The helicopters, promised in late-1990, would be used for troop transport but not as gunships.

'Four military choppers for PNG' by Paul Austin

Canberra Times, July 7, 1989.

South Pacific Forum

The Prime Minister, attended the South Pacific Forum in Tarawa, Kiribati, pledged $6.25 million to establish a network of climate monitoring stations throughout the region to assess the impact of the greenhouse effect. He also said Australia would accept an influx of thousands of Pacific islanders if atoll countries were swamped as a result of the greenhouse effect.

'Australia set to fund sea study' by Craig Skehan

Canberra Times, July 11, 1989.

'Hawke offers home if the islands drown' by Paul Austin

Australian, July 12, 1989.

Environment Policy

The Prime Minister made a major statement on Government policy on the environment. Hawke said the most serious environmental problem facing Australia was soil degradation and announced funding of $320 million to tackle the issue. He also designated 1990 as the 'Year of Land Care'. Tthe government also planned to plant one billion trees over the following ten years to restore 'some of the 50 per cent of tree cover removed in 200 years of Europeans' settlement'. The total $520 million package also included:

Other initiatives included the promise to legislate to exempt paper products from wholesale tax, funding of research on industrial waste and sewage treatment.

'Hawke's $100 million aid for greenies' by Beale, Bob

Sydney Morning Herald, July 20, 1989.

'Hawke and the environment' editorial

Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 1989.

'Hawke to highlight environment's problems' by Peake, Ross

The Age, July 20, 1989.

'Plant early and plant often ... '

Greening Australia's Daryl Walters with the plaque at Wentworth, where it all began.

Mr Hawke in 1989 with the first sapling of the billion-tree program.

The Prime Minister released the Government's statement on multiculturalism promising to spend approximately $50 million over the following three years in multicultural area, and $70 million in the long term. The major part pf the funds approximately $30 million would be spent on improving English teaching for children and adults and $10 million allocated for restoring money for the English as a Second Language program. Ethnic schools would have their funding increased and the Government would launch a $5.7 million campaign over three years that would 'tackle personal prejudice and intolerant behaviour'. Another part of the program involved a major expansion of the services of the Special Broadcasting Service.

'SBS given go ahead to seek private funds' by Cockburn, Milton

Sydney Morning Herald, July 20, 1989.

AUGUST

Child Care Report

The Prime Minister released a report on child care by the Office of the Status of Women which concluded that work-based child care centres would be cheaper to provide for employees than private child care centres. The Office estimated employer costs of establishing a centre and found that they were significantly lower than the rates charged by commercial centres.

'Child care brings benefits to employees' by McCauley, Carmel

Canberra Times, August 8, 1989.

'PM launches child care campaign' by Tingle, Laura

Australian, August 8, 1989.

Rocard Visit

The French Prime Minister, Michel Rocard, visited Australia, the first French Prime Minister to do so. In talks with the Australian Prime Minister Rocard supported Australia's move to have Antarctica declared a wilderness reserve. Rocard defended French nuclear tests in the Pacific and Australia were in agreement over New Caledonia.

'Rocard apologises for Rainbow Warrior sinking' by Eccleston, Roy

Weekend Australian, August 18-19, 1989.

'Rocard talks may help preserve the Antarctica' by Young, Bronwyn

Australian Financial review, August 18, 1989.

Pilots' Dispute

The Prime Minister warned airline pilots that the Government would back any legal action taken by the airlines to sue pilots individually or collectively over their industrial action in support of a 29 per cent wage increase. Hawke said he was prepared for 'war' with the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, including the prospect of closing the domestic airline system for a couple of weeks.

'Pilots threaten indefinite national strike over pay' by Thieberg, Victoria

The Age, August 15, 1989.

'Pilots warned of drastic fines' by Kelly, Hugo

The Age, August 21, 1989.

'Hawke threat to sue pilots' by Towie, Margaret

Australian, August 21, 1989.

'Hawke gambles on busting pilots union' by Williams, Pamela

Australian Financial Review, August 21, 1989.

SEPTEMBER

Pilots' Dispute

The Prime Minister announced that he had established a ministerial committee, chaired by the Minister for Transport and Communications (Ralph Willis) to co-ordinate the Government's response to the dispute and oversight longer-term contingency planning. the Prime Minister also announced that the Government would compensate the airlines for not standing down all employees during the dispute. The compensation would take the form of the waiving of landing and other charges until the cost of retaining the staff been met.

'Show down: pilots quit as airlines sack and sue' by Hannan, Ewin

Australian, August 25, 1989.

'Pilots open door on wages and hours' by Hanna, Ewin

Australian, September 5, 1989.

Pilots' Dispute

In the continuing industrial dispute involving Australia's domestic airline pilots, the Prime Minister wrote individually to all 1640 pilots who had resigned urging them to seek individual contracts with the airlines. The three-page letter, in which Hawke said he was writing 'as an Australian to an Australian', was an attempt to persuade the pilots to abandon their trade union, the Australian Federation of Air Pilots.

'Airline vows to resume some flights' by Kelly, Hugo

The Age, September 15, 1989.

'PM risks all for total victory over the pilots' by Aubin, Tracy

Australian, September 15, 1989.

Economic Policy

The Prime Minister and the Treasurer (Paul Keating) agreed that there was no need to further tighten monetary policy and made no move to remove the 13.5 per cent ceiling on home mortgages obtained before April 1986. Poor balance of payments results had led some banks to warn that they would have to raise interest rates and some called for removal of the 13.5 per cent ceiling.

'Keating and PM meet over rates squeeze' by Howard, Patricia

The Age, September 26, 1989.

'No reason for mortgage rate rise banks told' by Howard, Patricia

Age, September 27, 1989.

'No relief so loan rates set to rise' by Burton, Tom

Sydney Morning Herald, September 27, 1989.

Child Poverty

The Prime Minister said that the Government had wiped out child poverty, six months ahead of the Government�s own schedule. Opening the national congress of the Australian Council of Social Service, Hawke said that his Government's welfare policies had eliminated the financial need for any Australian child to live in poverty.

'Child poverty wiped out, PM' by McDonnell, Suzanne

Australian, September 29, 1989.

'Poverty pledge fulfilled, says PM' by Nolan, Sybil

Age, September 29, 1989.

OCTOBER

Research Scholarships

The Prime Minister announced the establishment of 150 new research fellowships worth $5 million a year over the following 5 years. The new Australian Research Fellowships and Australian Senior Research Fellowship Schemes, announced after the first meeting of the Prime Minister's Science Council, were designed to improve the career structures of tertiary education researchers and thus help alleviate the 'brain drain'.

'$5 million to halt brain drain'

Canberra Times, October 7, 1989.

Aboriginal Education

The Prime Minister launched a new Aboriginal Education Policy which provided for increased Aboriginal involvement in decision making, improved school buildings, curriculum development, additional tutoring and attention to teacher training. The policy was based on an agreement between State and Territory governments to co-operate through a three-year program backed by $266 million in Commonwealth funding.

'Aboriginal education gets boost' by Metherall, Mark

Canberra Times, October 26, 1989.

'Education policy for aborigines'

Canberra Times, October 26, 1989.

CHOGM

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) closed in Kuala Lumpur with a public dispute between the Australian Prime Minister and the British Prime Minister (Margaret Thatcher) over sanctions on South Africa. The meeting had agreed on a proposal from the Prime Minister Hawke to tighten sanctions. Although Thatcher did not support the move she did agree that existing sanctions should remain in place. This was a major concession.

'Issues of focus at CHOGM'

Canberra Times, October 18, 1989.

'Defiant Thatcher hits back at Hawke' by Cockburn, Milton

Canberra Times, October 25, 1989.

'Hawke has CHOGM win on sanctions' by Wright, Tony

Canberra Times, October 23, 1989.

NOVEMBER

Cabinet Unity

The Prime Minister took the unusual step of calling a press conference to announce that he had called on Cabinet to stop its public bickering and to keep 'in house' any further criticism of the Government's performance. Hawke, who admitted his Government had been 'less than glorious' in the previous week, said many of his Ministers were reaching the end of a hard year and looking forward to the Christmas break. Hawke's action followed a number of embarrassing incidents for the Government.

'Hawke to cabinet: keep quiet' by Wright, Tony

Canberra Times, Nov 7, 1989.

'Labor looks to Keating magic' by Oakes, Laurie

Bulletin, November 11, 1989.

Hawke Forth Term

In what amounted to the launch of the yet-to-be declared 1990 election, the Minister started that the ideological gulf between the Australian Labor Party and the Opposition on industrial relation and social Party and the Opposition on industrial relations and social and environmental policies, made the 1990 election the most important since World War II. At a time when Labor's re-election prospects were reported to be poor. Hawke outlined his vision for Australia under Labor in the 1990s and pledged himself to fight for 1990 election harder than any in his political career.

Delivering an impassioned speech to the Evatt Foundation in Sydney, Hawke gave notice that a plan to address the social problems of people living in outer urban regions would be a central part of Labor's election platform; and warned that the return of a Coalition government would trigger the biggest redistribution of income from the poor to the rich in Australia's history.

'Cabinet to iron out strategies' by Milne, Glen

Australian, November 16, 1989.

'Hawke's light on the hill for 1990's' by Austin, Paul

West Australian, November 16-18, 1989.

'Hawke seeks out ideas for poll fight' by Clarke, Pilita

Sydney Morning Herald, November 17, 1989.

Pilots' Dispute

The Australian Council of Trade Unions criticised the Prime Minister over comments he made backing court action against the Australian Federation of Air Pilots. Before the pilots had resigned on 24 August 1989 the Prime Minister had endorsed common law action against the Federation. He had said: 'I say without equivocation that when the airlines decided to issue those legal processes with very drastic financial penalties against individual pilots and their organisation, the airlines will be pursuing those legal processes with full support of my Government'.

The ACTU criticism followed a decision of the Supreme Court of Victoria on 23 November 1989 that the Federation and its officials were liable for substantial damages incurred by the airlines during the dispute. While the Prime Minister said in responding to the decision that he didn't 'get any glee or comfort from it', he said the Federation was responsible for the court action as it had persuaded its members to go outside the conciliation and arbitration system.

'PM pledged help before air row began, says pilot' by Innes, Prue

Age, November 10, 1989.

'Pilots proceed against PM' by Hannan, Brian

West Australian, November 11-12, 1989.

Right to Strike

In a 'confidential' briefing paper to the Ministers the Prime Minister was reported to have rejected a proposal to enshrine the right to strike in legislation. The Prime Minister said the right to take common law action against striking trade unions would remain a position at odds with the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The Prime Minister's edict was in response to a suggestion by the Minister for Industrial Relations (Peter Morris) that the Government would examine enshrining the right to strike in law.

Morris's suggestion followed the ruling of the Supreme Court of Victoria the previous week that the Australian Federation of Air Pilots was responsible for airline losses of up to $ 10 million.

'Right to strike, Labor may act' by Metherall, Mark

Age, November 27, 1989.

'Unions slam PM on pilots' by Hannan, Ewin

West Australian, November 25-26, 1989.

DECEMBER

Prime Minister

In a major speech to the National Press Club on the occasion of his 60th birthday, the Prime Minister describes his vision or Australia. He spoke of what he wanted to see as Australia evolved into the next century.

'First, I want to see us become a modern, growing Australian economy, shaking out of the old complacent dependence on commodity exports, re-equipped and restructured in its attitudes, institutions and technology to be fully competitive in the world,' he said.

'Second, I want an Australia self-confidently and vigorously engaged with the world economy, and in particular enmeshed with the dynamism of Asia and the Pacific � an outward-looking country capable of contributing to and drawing enduring prosperity from the region � a country which others wish to have as a partner because they see that we have got our own act together and are able to contribute'.

PM fights on living standards by Austin, Paul

Australian, December 7, 1989.

'Happy talk on long, hard road' by Kitney, Geoff

Australian Financial Review, December 7, 1989.

Jervis Bay

The Prime Minister announced during a speech at the opening of offices for the Australian Conservation Foundation that the Australian naval fleet would not be moved from its Sydney to Jervis Bay. The Prime Minister said the costs of the move, which had been opposed by conservationists, was high and that investigations had identified a number of serious environmental concerns associated with the move.

'Navy's Jervis move stalls' by Houweling, Suzanne

Australian , December 11, 1989.

'PM sinks Jervis Bay plan' by Young, Bronwyn

Australian Financial Review, December 19, 1989.

Poverty Summit

The Prime Minister announced that he would convene a ministerial summit on child poverty in January 1990 involving state and federal welfare ministers. The announcement came as welfare workers estimated 500,000 children were living below the poverty line and 18 days to go for Hawke to deliver on his 1987 election promise that no child would [need to] live in poverty by 1990. The effectiveness of the services provided to children.

'500,000 and 18 days to go-poverty summit' by Collier, Ian

Canberra Times, December 14, 1989.

'PM calls for drive on child poverty' by Clark, Pilita

Sydney Morning Herald, December 14, 1989.

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