Page 2001 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 24 October 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
of the industrial relations scene in the ACT over the last few years would entirely agree with the proposition that the role of unions and employers and their relationships need to be examined.
We need to ensure that a better system than the confrontationist one we have inherited is developed. We need to ensure that we provide for a more efficient system of achieving common industrial relations goals, common work practices and other desirable goals, including occupational health and safety goals. I believe that in many respects this Bill falls short of that, and for that reason the Opposition will be moving a number of amendments to, in our view, improve the operation of that Bill and ensure that it provides a realistic and workable environment in which to pursue these very important goals.
Let me emphasise that the Opposition does not for one moment believe that occupational health and safety is a minor or trivial or second-rate issue in industrial relations. It, of course, is absolutely vital. It is a matter of shame, I think, to all of us that the ACT should have lagged so far behind for such a long time in this area. It is also a matter of some shame that, although this was, as I said, the first Bill introduced into the Assembly, it is only now, five months after the swearing in of the Assembly, that we come to consider this Bill, and I have to ask why.
As members are well aware, Mr Speaker, it is not the Assembly generally or the Opposition in particular that determines the order of government business; it is, of course, the Government. The Government, we have all noticed, has been steadily shunting this piece of legislation further and further towards the back of the queue. It has not been interested in debating it until very recently, and we have to ask ourselves why.
Mr Berry: We will tell you.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am sure you will. When it comes to your turn to speak, Minister, I am sure you will tell us.
Mr Stefaniak: They didn't like the committee's recommendations.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have my own views. I think, as Mr Stefaniak says, you were not particularly happy with the outcome of the consultation that you initiated and, as a result, were not prepared to sit down and listen to the views that were expressed by that committee. However, you are now stuck with them to some extent and the fate of the amendments that you have moved and those that we have moved will be determined at some later time; I assume on Thursday.
Many of the comments that were made by members of the public, in particular by employer organisations, have been
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .