Senator O'BRIEN(4.42 p.m.) —I want to follow up that point briefly. I am sure that Senator Sherry will deal with the question of the timetable of this debate. I will not purport to do that. This question of international competitiveness through higher productivity concerns me. I think it touches on a matter that Senator Hogg was raising, and I do not think there was really an answer to it.

How relevant to the achievement of the objective of international competitiveness through higher productivity is the cost of labour? How much of that focus does this principal object of the act direct to the Industrial Relations Commission and the parties by the passage of this bill, as it may well be amended?