Page 3340 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 24 November 1992
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Mr Lamont: There is a question of relevance.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. Maintain relevance to the matter before the Chair, Mr De Domenico.
MR DE DOMENICO: I was bringing to your attention, Mr Deputy Speaker, that the Chief Minister, although not smiling when she said so, said on radio on Sunday that she was in sympathy with the people of the ACT who wanted to go out on strike on 30 November in sympathy with their Victorian colleagues. The relevance, Mr Deputy Speaker, I submit to you, is in the fact that the Chief Minister herself - - -
Mr Lamont: I raise a point of order once again, Mr Deputy Speaker. He is actually debating your ruling. That is a reflection on the Chair and is absolutely outrageous.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not regard this as debating my ruling. You are suggesting that it could be interpreted as a reflection on the Chair, Mr Lamont. I think that what we will do is ask Mr De Domenico to return to the matter before the chamber, which is - - -
Mr Lamont: I was concerned with your well-being, Mr Deputy Speaker.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Lamont. Please continue, Mr De Domenico, on a relevant topic.
MR DE DOMENICO: I always do that, Mr Deputy Speaker. A lot has been said about what is lacking in what this Government has done. A lot has also been said by Mr Berry in particular, who is not here at the moment. The Liberal Party, on the other hand, has gone out into the community and listened to the businesses which create wealth in our community. These businesses are crying out for a reasonable approach from the Follett Government to allow them to get on with their jobs of making money and providing jobs. The Liberal Party, Mr Deputy Speaker, has gone to those people in the ACT and listened to their needs. The result is policy which is reasonable, balanced and logical and will encourage employers to employ people, allow growth and prosperity and bring back vitality into the Canberra community.
Mr Deputy Speaker, in summary, the Liberals' industrial relations policy does not abolish the award system. It sets up an alternative system that sits side by side with the existing Federal system. It does not cut wages and conditions, but encourages a system of remuneration tied to productivity. It does not destroy unions; it acknowledges unions' right to exist. In essence, the Liberal Party policy on industrial relations, Mr Deputy Speaker, is about choice in negotiating the most suitable employment relationship between employer and employee. It is about employment growth through flexibility as opposed to restrictive work practices, which even the Deputy Chief Minister this afternoon conceded. It is about sensible industrial relations practices.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the policy recognises the peculiar legislative and work force requirements of the ACT and encourages the creation of an industrial relations system that is both adaptable and flexible to meet the needs of ACT industry and its work force. Ironically, Mr Deputy Speaker, it behoves me to say that the business community, after six months of consultation with the Liberal Party, has agreed to the industrial relations policy doing all the things that I have said it will do. In comparison to that, we have a lack of activity, a sitting on the hands
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