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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 136 ..
Suspension of Standing Orders
Motion (by Mr Berry) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Berry from moving a motion relating to payroll deductions for union membership.
MR BERRY (4.07): Mr Speaker, I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes that all union members currently using payroll deductions for union dues have provided the ACT Government with a signed authorisation for the deduction of such dues from their pay;
(2) notes that the threat by the Chief Executive of the Chief Minister's Department contained in his Staff Circulars of 2 and 12 February 1996 means that, if staff do not complete a duplicate authority by 23 February 1996, their payroll deductions will be cancelled on 7 March 1996;
(3) notes that the Government has withdrawn this threat in a CC Mail message received on 21 February at 10.56 a.m.; and
(4) expresses the view that the Government's action on payroll deduction is unacceptable particularly during the course of an industrial dispute.
By way of explanation, this is a motion which was part considered in the course of private members business this morning. We were unable to debate the matter to a conclusion as a result of the sitting being suspended for some time. Therefore, I have moved that the matter be brought on again this afternoon.
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (4.08): Mr Speaker, there are some issues that I wanted to raise in relation to the comments made by Mrs Carnell in the earlier debate on payroll deductions for union membership. It is my view that many of the issues that were raised by Mrs Carnell were raised in a quite fraudulent fashion. Mrs Carnell would have the Assembly believe that the action that was taken by her in government and conveyed to the work force in the staff circulars of 2 February and 12 February 1996 was taken in the interests of choice.
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