Page 251 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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I think by that time you could easily assess - and Mr Collaery in particular could easily assess - the behaviour of the BWIU. I think that would give you the opportunity to implement the legislation with the 10 employees rather than the 20, so that it does cover a reasonable number of people within the ACT. As you will recall, the difference between the number of people covered by occupational health and safety, with these two figures, is really very significant. The appropriate figure, as indeed you argued yourself at the time.
Mr Jensen: Did not you want 12?
MR MOORE: As you will recall from that debate, if you check the debate, Mr Jensen, I explained why my move was 12, and why I had then accepted that 10 was appropriate. If you read back through the Hansard, you will find out exactly why.
Mr Kaine: Twenty is just fine.
MR STEFANIAK (5.07): Twenty is just fine, thank you, Chief Minister. Mr Speaker, I think it is interesting to note that during private members' business that there are only two members of the formal Opposition present, and Mr Moore is sitting on the cross benches. In relation to this, as most of you are probably aware, after long and careful consideration, the Occupational Health and Safety Act was passed by this Assembly on 31 October 1989, and the Act was proclaimed on 14 November 1989. It may well have been the first piece of legislation the former Government introduced, but when it did not like the report that the Select Committee handed down, it went on the backburner for some months, before it was finally debated in this Assembly. This piece of legislation on which they place so much store, they themselves and their union mates placed on the backburner for some months. But at least it was introduced and proclaimed on 14 November 1989, and I think all parties in this Assembly at least maintained that it was important and essential legislation.
On that date, the Chief Minister gazetted clauses 1 and 2 of the Act, and those clauses cover the title and commencement of the Act only. The remainder of the Act is still ungazetted, and so does not yet apply. In order for the Act to become fully operative, as passed in the Assembly, the Minister will proceed to gazette and implement the legislation. Arising from the debate in the Assembly there is no doubt that there is an expectation in some sections of the community that the Act should and will be reviewed after a period of operation.
The main points of contention foreshadowed during debate on the Bill by various parties went to the number of employees in a designated work group. As the Chief Minister said, 20 was a fine number, and indeed virtually all the employer groups certainly wanted that as a minimum figure. The size of penalties under the legislation was also another point
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