Page 3510 - Week 11 - Thursday, 14 October 1993
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Of course, the reason they are not answering the question in this case is that they do not know the answer. They do not have any plans. What they do have, however, is fairly clear-cut. Rather than look after the maximum benefits to the community - and I fail to see how cutting 80 teachers could possibly be of any benefit, far less maximum benefits to the community - they have, I would suggest to you, targeted service industries while protecting influential union based preselection delegates.
Mr Kaine: They cannot make a decision without asking the union.
MR CORNWELL: Correct. It is very significant, Madam Speaker, that the teachers union, the Australian Education Union, is not affiliated with the ALP, so presumably they are an easy target for this Government. They are not affiliated with the ALP and therefore their influence in the preselection processes that are coming forward in due course will be much less than that of other unions which are obviously being protected and quarantined from this voluntary separation scheme. This Government has no idea what it is doing with this matter. It is creating massive confusion in the community and it should stand condemned on those grounds alone. How we can expect to have any faith and confidence in the future of this Territory with this ham-fisted approach to a simple matter of voluntary separation is beyond me.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.50): I will straighten the record out, as is always necessary once the Liberals have spoken. Mr Cornwell talked about contempt of court. Of course, it was not a court; it was the Industrial Relations Commission. Just finetune it and get it right. There is a difference between the commission and a court. Madam Speaker, it is always interesting to see a challenging debate in this place, but this day we have not seen one.
It has been most interesting to notice the absence of any real inquiries from Mrs Carnell of the Chief Minister in relation to budget matters. I understand why that is. It has become painfully obvious that she does not understand. This budget business is a bit too hard. Mr Kaine is hanging onto that like grim death. There is nobody within the mob who can take it from you, Mr Kaine. You are pretty safe.
Mr Kaine: Have you a vacancy for a Treasurer on your side?
MR BERRY: You would feel more comfortable with us than you would with them because you would probably be safer. At least, you would not have to lie awake. If you were having a little doze, you would not have to keep one eye open if you were on our side. Every time Mrs Carnell and Mr De Domenico hear the hum of a Cessna overhead they dive under the bed because Trevor is out there with his licence and he is about to give them some - the old Blue Baron.
The Chief Minister has already made it clear that the 1993-94 budget and the various reviews associated with it demonstrate a considered approach by the Government to meeting the reductions in funds available to the ACT. Not only has the Government developed a budget and related reviews that will properly target savings measures; it has also put in place an industrial negotiation process which will address restructuring in a strategic and measured fashion. It will not do it with cliches and rhetoric. This is about doing it in a strategic and measured way.
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