Page 1205 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 11 May 1993
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consultation and consensus is giving effect to the philosophy of one nation, not a divided nation as was attempted by the Liberals. Australia as a nation stands to make significant economic and social advances from a measured approach to labour market reform, supported by protection for workers in terms of appropriate standards of pay, conditions and their working environment. It is gratifying that labour Ministers are prepared to work constructively to meet that challenge. I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
MR DE DOMENICO (3.41): Madam Speaker, I rise very briefly to note the paper that Mr Berry just presented to the Assembly. A lot of what Mr Berry said, I think, is exactly the same as what he said when he came back from the Industrial Relations Ministers meeting last year. There are a couple of things that need noting, Madam Speaker. We all knew what happened at the Industrial Relations Ministers conference because Mr Keating and Mr Brereton stood up, and Mr Keating in particular uttered fantastic platitudes about the enterprise bargaining system. He went a step further, in fact, and said that perhaps the enterprise bargaining concept would overtake awards. As soon as he said that, or implied that, of course Mr Ferguson stood up and said, "You cannot say that, Mr Keating. The union movement would not agree to that".
Mr Berry, there was nothing in your paper to say whether you agreed with Mr Keating's and Mr Brereton's attitude towards enterprise bargaining or not. One needs to be reminded about the ACTEW dispute, for example. You said, and I quote you again:
... on the one hand, to improve productivity and efficiency and, on the other hand, to give workers real input into the decision making processes at the level of the individual plant or firm.
What happened in the recent ACTEW dispute? Workers, ETU members, at their individual plant or firm, ACTEW, agreed to certain conditions, which were signed off by the Minister for Urban Services, Mr Connolly - exactly what you have espoused here in this philosophy - but then, what happened? You interfered and stopped it going to the Industrial Relations Commission. While you are saying all these things, you are doing the opposite, Mr Minister. I wonder whether the ACTEW dispute came up for discussion when you were away.
You talk about occupational health and safety standards. I think you have copied exactly the same thing that you said last time. You said:
As regards occupational health and safety, the labour Ministers renewed their commitment to achieving uniformity ...
We all know about designated work groups. Dare I repeat it again.
Mr Berry: That is not one of the standards.
MR DE DOMENICO: Well, it should be, Mr Minister.
Mr Berry: The standards are put out by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
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