Page 2005 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 8 September 1992
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MR BERRY: If you want to ask Mr Connolly questions about his portfolio, you ought to do that; but, if you want to talk about the general principles of dealing with these matters, you are talking to the right bloke. What you have to understand is that we are not going to adopt the confrontational approach that the Liberals always seem to favour but have never got the guts to adopt.
Mr Humphries: Do you agree or don't you?
MR BERRY: I will run through again what our approach will be. Managers are employed to manage the implementation of awards. Where there are disputes about payments, one would expect that most of them can be sorted out in consultation between the relevant unions and management. Where there is a dispute, the Government will promote that dispute being settled in the Industrial Relations Commission, where it ought to be settled.
MR DE DOMENICO: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Will the Minister for Industrial Relations, Mr Berry, make sure that any outdated over-award payments are stamped out in the ACT?
MR BERRY: You try to introduce emotive terminology into the question. I will tell you again what happens where there is a dispute.
Mr Kaine: This is questions without notice, Minister; or had you forgotten?
MR BERRY: It seems to me that we have - - -
Mr De Domenico: If there are bodgie claims will you stamp them out?
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MR BERRY: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will explain it to you again. Awards in the ACT are paid rates awards. Now listen: Page 1, paid rates awards; payments under those awards are managed by the management in various areas within the administration.
Mr Humphries: We have heard this already. You have said this already.
MR BERRY: I know. It does not seem to be sinking in; so I am going to tell Tony again. Where there is a dispute with management in relation to any payments under those awards, it is a matter that ought to be settled in the Industrial Relations Commission.
Mr Humphries: What about fraudulent payments?
Mr De Domenico: What about shonky payments?
MR BERRY: If you want to put up issues, we will deal with it. You tell us - - -
Mr Humphries: Deal with it now. Tell us.
Mr De Domenico: What about some of the ones at ACTEW, for example?
MR BERRY: Here we go again. Mr Humphries asked me a question a little while ago about - - -
Mr De Domenico: So you are going to wash your hands?
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