Page 2384 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 16 September 1992
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ADJOURNMENT
Motion (by Mr Berry) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Employee Relations
MR WESTENDE (4.21): Madam Speaker, I would like to clarify a few things in this adjournment debate. First, Ms Ellis made a statement this morning on the York Park development. Ms Ellis accused the Opposition, including me, of not caring for workers. I take that as a personal affront. I have been managing and employing people for some 40 years, and I know that you cannot run a successful business or manage people unless you care for your workers. Your business will be only as good as those who are left, if you do not care for them.
For Ms Ellis's information, the company I am associated with employs some 32 people, five of whom have commenced since 1 January. We have done our bit to assist workers and to provide jobs. I further tell Ms Ellis that the company I am associated with had a superannuation scheme in place for all workers two years before that became compulsory. Ms Ellis should check her facts before she accuses us or makes a broad statement about our not caring for workers. I speak to practically every one of my employees at least once a week. I like getting up early in the morning, and fortunately they start a bit earlier than this place does. I manage to have some time in the morning to go there and see them.
I would appreciate it if in future Ms Ellis, before she makes such a sweeping statement, would check her facts and make sure that what she is saying can be applied. I did not want to take the time this morning during the debate to raise a point of order. I would rather use the adjournment debate, where we are not wasting the time of the Assembly. I took personal affront at that statement, Madam Speaker, and I wish Ms Ellis to take that into consideration.
National Carers Awareness Week
MS ELLIS (4.24): Madam Speaker, members may not be aware, although as I have this badge on they may now be, that this is the first National Carers Awareness Week. Carers are those people who provide care and support for a parent, partner, brother, sister, child or friend who has a disability, is frail, or suffers from dementia or a chronic illness. They make an extremely important contribution to our society in ways that the rest of us sometimes take for granted or are not aware of at all. There are so many carers within our community that most of us will at some point in our lives either give care or need care. In fact, one in four people will be faced with this situation at some time.
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