Page 4716 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
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Madam Speaker, at the same time we have to consider whether or not the figure that Mr De Domenico is suggesting is right. My preliminary advice is that it is not the right figure and there may need to be adjustments. Mr Wood mentioned that we may even be able to give industry a better deal as a result of those calculations, but the process is incomplete. This pre-emptive strike by Mr De Domenico - - -
Mr De Domenico: It has been on since June. It is not pre-emptive. It has been there for six months.
MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico interjects that it has been on for six months. He put his Bill on the table yesterday and discovered, after I had addressed this place, that the Government was close to a resolution. He then decided on the pre-emptive strike today. Your pre-emptive strike is not well reasoned. It is only half the package. I do not think it does the Liberal Party or you any good at all to be seen to be dealing with these half-baked, back-of-the-envelope amendments.
MR MOORE (12.28): It is interesting, Madam Speaker, that we should get this comment about half-baked, back-of-the-envelope amendments on a day when the Electoral Bill was tabled. It is also interesting, Madam Speaker, to go back to the Hansard at the time that Mr De Domenico's amendment was moved. I pointed out at that stage that I had spoken to the Minister and that he had said to me that he would do the best he could to have the effect of this amendment delivered by the end of the year. That has not been the case. That was the reason I did not support Mr De Domenico's amendment at that time. I believe that Mr Berry has had enough time and that that time has come to an end, so I am prepared to support this Bill today.
MS SZUTY (12.29): This is a matter which has been ongoing in the Territory for some time. We know that successive actuarial reports have recommended a reduction in the levy for a very long period of time. I note that the matter was debated in the Assembly in June with the expectation that it would be decided by the end of this year. Also the Estimates Committee of the Assembly in 1993 recommended that the Government reduce the rate of the Construction Industry Long Service Leave Board levy as soon as possible, as recommended by successive actuarial reports. I, like my colleague Mr Moore, believe that the Government has had enough time to deal with this issue, and I am prepared to support Mr De Domenico's Bill today.
MR STEVENSON (12.30): I am convinced by the compelling arguments raised by Mr De Domenico on whether or not the levy should be reduced. As has been said, basically everybody is in agreement, including the Government. Mr Berry said that it may be that the levy can be reduced even further than has been proposed by Mr De Domenico. Looking at the rates that exist or do not exist around Australia, one could indeed suggest that the rate could be even lower. However, if it were lower, we would hear the claim that it was too low. So I think it was probably a reasonable compromise. Under the circumstances that Mr Berry and the Government have agreed with a reduction, I think it is fair that it happen this year as Mr Berry intended it to.
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