makes a bid to manage industry training.

The current situation is unsatisfactory, according to Peter Lane, national president, Printing Industries. In a meeting with Gary Hardgrave Federal Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, he said the Association had identified a shortage of skilled printing machinists within the industry.

"We believe the printing industry is in the best position to identify and manage its future training and education needs and should have the opportunity to do so," he said.

His case was backed up by Philip Andersen, Acting CEO, who said the Federal Government was also briefed on Printing Industries' support for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposal to establish an institute of trade skills excellence.

"We believe that this has an important role to play fostering innovative skills across all industries including the printing industry," he said.

The Association's delegation to Canberra, which also included Greg Parkes, National Employee Relations Director, expressed its support to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews, for the current IR legislation going through Parliament.

"We told Minister Andrews that we welcomed the reforms already undertaken by the Federal Government to lessen the burden of workplace relations on our industry," said Andersen.