Page 3731 - Week 12 - Thursday, 21 October 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR CONNOLLY: Why is it inefficient, in an organisation of 23,000-odd - take into account ACTEW, which is off budget, to make it 24,000-odd - to have 20 different legal bases of employment? Of course it is inefficient. As to the issue, though, of the legal basis of employment, under what statute you are employed, as opposed to the structure of an off-budget statutory authority, they are very different questions.
Mr Kaine: Exactly, and to say that it is inefficient because people are employed under a different statute - - -
MR CONNOLLY: Mr Kaine understands uniquely. Therefore, you can continue your off-budget statutory authority structure as opposed to a corporatised or privatised structure, whether you have your work force employed under a single public service Act or under an Act that is specific for that authority. ACTEW is not the only organisation that has its own separate statutory basis of employment and I suspect that it is not the only organisation whose workers have some views on this issue. I am aware that some ACTEW unions are expressing concern over this issue. Like all issues, this Labor Government approaches it with a view to consulting with the work force, and the final outcome of those consultations will be the final Government position.
Madam Speaker, the Opposition are, as usual, ill informed, or misinformed, if they cannot understand the distinction between having a separate statutory authority running our electricity and water operations and the question of what is the legal basis of employment for persons working in that organisation. Many State governments have structures where you have independent statutory authorities and you have workers who are employed on a single basis of employment. Mr Moore asked a similar question the other week in relation to the Legal Aid Office, where there are very proper, strong concerns at the management level about the independence of legal professionals working in the Legal Aid Office. That can be dealt with in the ACT, as in other States, by having people employed under a single public service Act and giving them guarantees for their statutory independence. So the question of a single basis of employment really is irrelevant to the continuing efficient performance of ACTEW under this Labor Government.
Banking Code of Conduct
MRS GRASSBY: My question is also to the Attorney-General, but in his capacity as Minister for consumer affairs. Can the Minister inform the Assembly of progress with the establishment of a banking code of conduct?
MR CONNOLLY: This Government has a very strong track record of protecting consumer rights and advocating consumer rights. Members would be aware that there has been a lot of work going on at the Federal level recently in relation to a banking code of conduct, and the Australian Bankers Association has recently released a draft code of banking conduct. I have written to the Federal Treasurer expressing very strong concerns at the way this draft code of conduct would leave the consumer extraordinarily exposed.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .