Page 2024 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 28 May 1991
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MR SPEAKER: You are, Mr Moore. Order! Mr Moore, it does not require clarification. Your question is easily understood by the members in the house.
MR MOORE: I have not quite got to the supplementary part of the question.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Please proceed to your supplementary question straightaway.
MR MOORE: The supplementary question really is: Why did the Chief Minister choose to ignore the recommendation - recommendation 3 - which suggested the opposite to what was in his speech to CARD, which I have read?
MR KAINE: I would have thought that the answer to that question was inherent in what I said, Mr Speaker. We went through three rounds of public consultation and we received literally hundreds of submissions on the matter. To argue that Professor Neutze, or even John Langmore's committee, is the sole source and the fount of knowledge on this matter is absurd. Professor Neutze happens to be a very competent academic, but he does not speak for the community. I took the advice of the community over a long period of time and over three rounds of public consultation.
Trading Hours
MRS NOLAN: Mr Speaker, my question is also to the Chief Minister. What is the Government's position toward the relaxation of trading hours in the ACT?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, the Government's policy generally is to relax trading hours, but only after consultation with the business community and particularly the trade unions, which, of course, have very strong views about the working conditions under which they might agree to increase their working hours. In particular, I have recently announced extended trading hours for the Queen's Birthday public holiday on 10 June, and also for the Labour Day public holiday on 7 October.
Mr Wood: Have you consulted the unions on that?
MR KAINE: In both cases that approval was given subject to the conditions that all work is on a voluntary basis; that a roster of voluntary workers be prepared at least seven days before the work day; that employees may withdraw from the roster at any time; and that appropriate overtime and award conditions apply. I would think that that would satisfy even the most fastidious trade unionist, Mr Wood.
Mr Wood: Was it in negotiation with the unions, however?
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