Page 2711 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 1994
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I think Mr Cornwell needs to take that into account, and I would also make that observation to the Estimates Committee. The other point is that Laurens and Co. have no control over the number of tenants who vacate with rent in arrears.
In relation to paragraphs 4.98 to 4.102, which refer to wilful damage, as I have indicated to the committee, steps are being taken to recover that debt. That debt has a total value of about $335,547, as outlined previously. In relation to some of that debt, where the persons concerned may still be clients of the Housing Trust, we have been able to transfer it to their current payment obligations. That is another way in which we are able to reduce that amount of outstanding debt.
I wish to talk about a number of other points that have been raised in the report. In relation to days lost through industrial disputes, the Estimates Committee report notes that during the course of the hearing I said this:
In 1993, the ABS Industrial Disputes in Australia statistics indicated that there were nine recorded disputes in that year, with twelve the previous year. They mostly occurred in public administration and defence. This was the lowest number of disputes for more than a decade ...
The report goes on to record that subsequently, in response to a question from Mr Westende about the numbers of days lost relative to national indicators, I said this:
My understanding is that it is amongst the lowest in Australia during that period.
Further figures were provided to the committee after its hearings. The committee's report says:
The Committee further notes that these figures could be subject to different interpretation, the ACT recording the fourth highest number of working days lost per thousand employees in 1993.
Madam Speaker, it remains the case that the ABS publication 1993 - Industrial Disputes - Australia shows that for the 1993 calendar year there were just nine recorded industrial disputes. These mostly occurred in the public administration and defence areas of employment. This was the lowest number of disputes for more than a decade. While it is true that, at 76 working days lost per 1,000 employees, in 1993 the ACT had the fourth highest rate, this was significantly lower than the Australia-wide average of 108 days lost per 1,000 employees.
Madam Speaker, I also wish to refer to ACTION, and in particular the question of patronage levels, for there was some observation in the Estimates Committee report about a declining patronage level for ACTION. There were two comments made, by Mr Turner, the Secretary of the Department of Urban Services, and Mr Flutter,
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