Page 2847 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 21 October 1992
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Mr Connolly: He said that it should go to the commission, which it did, and it ruled against the company.
MR DE DOMENICO: Do you know what he said, though? Mr Berry indicated in the Assembly that prior knowledge of the dispute existed before it became a major issue. What did he do when he knew, prior to the thing becoming a major issue? He did nothing. Flat fingers again. He sat on his hands and did nothing. He gave you the responsibility, Mr Connolly. He said, "It is your baby, Mr Connolly; it is all yours, mate; you go and fix it". You tried to, I must admit, because you are a very reasonable person and a reasonable Minister, coming from a reasonable faction of your political party. They gave you the onerous task of fixing the thing. You tried to. You did not succeed, mind you; but you tried to fix it. That was Mr Berry's reaction. That was the reaction of the Industrial Relations Minister. A second crane drivers dispute is still being sorted out, I believe; it still has not been settled 100 per cent. What have you done about that? You have done nothing, Mr Minister, and you are the Industrial Relations Minister.
Let us have a look at the ACTION bus situation. Remember, Madam Speaker, that it was not so long ago that there was an ACTION bus strike over six workers who played golf on their sick day. They brought in medical certificates and demanded sick pay. The only problem was that some of their bosses were there playing golf on the same golf course and caught them out. Do you think that there were any sackings? Did Mr Berry, the Industrial Relations Minister, do anything? No. He went to Mr Connolly again and said, "Please, Terry, help us out. Mr Minister, help us out, because I do not want to do anything. I am not allowed to, because the unions will prevent me from doing any of that".
Mr Lamont: Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. I am not too sure who it is in the public gallery that Mr De Domenico seems to be so interested in impressing, but there is a standing order which asks him to address the Chair on these matters.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Lamont, I am sure that Mr De Domenico is aware of that.
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, I am delighted to look at you, as always. Thank you, Mr Lamont, for bringing it to my attention. Madam Speaker, quite obviously, the truth hurts, when Mr Lamont stands up and takes silly points of order like he did then.
To get back to the ACTION bus situation, once again Mr Connolly tried to settle the dispute. There were illegal payments, and the former Auditor-General said that. He made it loud and clear that for a number of years there had been illegal payments. What happened there? It went to the Industrial Relations Commission and the Government, behind closed doors, negotiated to have them all backdated. Then they came in here and said that we Liberals do not want to give our staff or the workers lunch-breaks and tea-breaks. Once again there was emotional claptrap, Madam Speaker.
Mr Connolly: We even offered sandwiches to your staff.
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