Page 2426 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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WAGES POLICY - GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Ministerial Statement
MR BERRY (Minister for Health and Minister for Sport) (4.42): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement in relation to wages policy to apply in the ACT Government Service.
Leave granted.
MR BERRY: I wish to inform members of the Assembly of the approach this Government is taking to the setting of wages for employees of the ACT Government Service. It is timely that the Government puts its policy approach on this matter on the public record. Officials from the ACT Trades and Labour Council and from unions covering our employees have sought clarification of the Government's position, and members of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission have also raised the matter in recent proceedings.
Mr Speaker, before I enunciate the Government's wages policy, it is important that Assembly members understand the composition of the ACT Government Service. In short, about half of the staff of the ACT Government Service continue to be employed under the Public Service Act. Because of this, the wages policy which applies to half our public service is what is applied to the area of Commonwealth employment by the Federal Government. For as long as these employment arrangements remain in place - the Follett Labor Government presently sees no reason for changing them, and certainly not in the short term - the arguments are compelling for this Government to adopt the same approach for the balance of the ACT Government Service, that is, for those who are employed under territorial legislation.
It should be noted that a significant number of territorial employees are in categories and salary structures which directly reflect those which apply in the Australian Public Service. Even where there are classification structures that are unique to the ACT Government Service, equity and efficiency in overall public administration dictate that, to the extent practicable, there be consistency of treatment and benefits for all staff of the ACT Government Service.
Mr Speaker, let me now turn to what is happening with the wages policy which applies to the Australian Public Service. The Federal Government has decided to honour the agreement it has with the ACTU and to apply that agreement, known as Accord Mark VI, to the area of Commonwealth employment. I should remind Assembly members that the Accord Mark VI agreement provides for $12 payable from 16 May in return for a commitment to continue the process of award restructuring; three wage increases from September 1991 and March and September 1992 - these increases will be
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