Page 6270 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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I determined, after seeking advice and after reading an article in the financial pages of the Canberra Times, that we should relook at this issue. Mr Kaine said that I did not raise it in government. I wish to say that it was not my portfolio responsibility. I was aware of it and I did raise it. I want to say to Mr Kaine that I did, indeed, raise it in a meeting with business representatives on 16 May. I still have the document issued on that, on 16 May. Indeed, I wrote to the Chief Minister on 20 May. I have that correspondence, but it is not my purpose here to take any points on the issue. The realisation that we had a serious problem in payroll tax came to me late in our term as the Alliance Government, in May. My letter to the Chief Minister happens to be dated 20 May. Of course, we went out of government shortly after that.
The Chief Minister has to hand the detailed brief from this firm. I have made several attempts to have a meeting with her in the last couple of days. I accept that she is extremely busy, but I have managed to pass a few words to her in passing. In no way, shape or form have I taken this Government by surprise. I do not know what the Chief Minister is telling her colleagues; but in no way, shape or form have I taken the Government by surprise.
I delivered a Bill in the house a week ago and I indicated that we should at least talk about it. When I moved to suspend standing orders a few minutes ago, I said that we should at least clarify the issues. I said that we should at least have this debate because I had been asking questions without notice of the Chief Minister, as she knows, consistently about the effects of this. I am indebted to her; I got a detailed response today about what she believes is the employment impact of it, and last week we received advice from her that the impact is $1m.
In my presentation speech I indicated that the housing and building industry is prepared to accept the licensing of subcontractors. In New South Wales and Victoria people like bobcat drivers, ceramic tilers and others who do work that has occupational health and safety aspects are licensed. Any licensing scheme that was introduced and lined up with New South Wales or Victoria would return, on my advice, $800,000 at least. I said that a week ago.
I believe that some cheap points have been taken on my genuine attempt to have this matter ventilated. No press release was issued by me when I moved the Bill. No publicity was sought and there was no attempt to score a point on the Liberals. I made that clear. If members want to look at my file, they can. I made that clear to the industry representatives and the others who have been writing to us all - that I did not see this as a matter for point-scoring off the Liberal Party. I lent the file to Mr Humphries earlier on. I do not know whether he had time to read it, however.
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