Page 152 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 9 February 2022

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The government has high expectations of those that we do business with because the community has high expectations of us. It is our duty as a government to ensure that public funds for government contracts are being spent ethically; and this is why we have a secure local jobs code. We need to make sure that the registrar is empowered to take action against noncompliance. This was one of the key recommendations from the Secure Local Jobs Code Advisory Council when it reviewed the code. To balance this power, the clause states that any action or sanction from the registrar must be reasonable.

There are several steps available to the registrar, including imposing extra conditions or changing the conditions of a certificate. Where there are serious concerns about the conduct of a business, the registrar will have the option to pause the secure local jobs code certificate. We do not want businesses with unsafe and unfair work practices to be awarded government contracts. It is no secret that the Canberra Liberals have hated the secure local jobs code since it was introduced in 2019. At every opportunity they have tried to stop it; sometimes it has been because they do not like the requirements that it puts on businesses, and other times because it talks about collective bargaining. Today, it seems that it is because they do not want unfair and unsafe work practices to be stopped.

Today shows just how conservative and right wing the Canberra Liberals remain. Like the federal Liberals, the Canberra Liberals remain rooted to a laissez faire approach to industrial relations and worker safety—the same approach taken by the Prime Minister, which has wrecked our economy. Our economy is built on healthy and secure workers. This clause supports this. So, no wordsmithing from Mr Cain will hide the fact that the Canberra Liberals remain anti worker and anti safety. Even a global pandemic has not changed their minds about the importance of a safe and healthy workforce. How disappointing.

Question put:

That clause 11 be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Clause 11 agreed to.

Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole and agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

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