A deregulated labour market vital for agriculture

18/3/93

A deregulated labour market producing competitive labour costs and increased productivity, along with more aggressive marketing overseas, was the key to ensuring Western Australian agriculture products remained internationally competitive, Premier Richard Court said today.

The Premier told the annual conference of the Western Australian Farmers' Federation that the current centralised industrial system was coping less and less successfully with international demands for increased efficiency and productivity.

"The Coalition's industrial relations reforms will retain elements of the present award system, while at the same time allowing employers and employees to enter into their own enterprise arrangements," Mr Court said.

"The end result is that industry will become more competitive and value adding processes will be encouraged.

"The importance of reform in the agricultural sector should not be underestimated, especially when the total employment impact of agriculture - direct and indirect - is up to 27 per cent of the national workforce.

"A deregulated labour market would increase flexibility and competitiveness by removing excessive regulation while at the same time providing rewards to both employers and employees."

Mr Court said that international competitiveness was particularly important to Western Australia where there was an unrivalled opportunity to take advantage of burgeoning new markets within Asia.

He said it was estimated that processed food exports to the Asian region from Australia could increase from the current $2 billion to $7 billion a year by the year 2000.

The expansion of trading opportunities was critical to rural sector which exported 70 per cent of its product.

"The Coalition Government will spearhead a renewed trade push into Asia with visits to our key trading partners during the next year," the Premier said.

"New trading opportunities can only be developed by selling Western Australia to the region and by letting our trading partners know that the recent change in government has heralded a new era of optimism.

"By developing new overseas markets, the Coalition will restore the confidence of the Western Australian rural sector.

"Farmers need to plan well in advance and we want to create an environment in which they feel confident about investing in the future."