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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 3 Hansard (8 March) . . Page.. 680 ..

MR SPEAKER: It is being answered. Sit down, Mr Berry.

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: Since Mr Berry has raised the question, of course, it is hypothetical: Why is there a vote of no confidence? It is a hypothetical question. If he wants to play black and white with the standing orders, the question will be out of order.

MR SPEAKER: Then we will rule it out of order. I accept that. Mr Humphries, do you wish to add any more?

MR HUMPHRIES: Only to say that if members consider what it is that we are trying to do they will appreciate that, unless we are extremely stupid, which I suppose those opposite would probably assert, we have very little in this other than to position ACTEW in its marketplace in a more sustainable way. We have not done that because any of us on this side of the chamber are experts in the way that power utilities operate in a particular marketplace. We have taken that position in large part because we have heard the concerns of the people charged with the good management of ACTEW. Those people have come to us, pursuant to their statutory obligations to manage that corporation well, and have said to us, "You must act to protect the viability of this business and the value of this asset". We have decided to heed that call, Mr Speaker.

In other circumstances, if we had been told as insistently as we have by the board of ACTEW that we should do certain things and had ignored it and something disastrous had happened, Mr Speaker, what would be happening in this place right now? We would be getting motions of censure and motions of no confidence and all sorts of attacks by the Opposition. We, in fact, are choosing to accept the advice given to us by our board and, unfortunately, on this occasion this does not fit with the ideological position which those opposite have already taken on such issues.

MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister, Mrs Carnell, who has responsibility for industrial relations. Can the Chief Minister advise the parliament what the current level of union membership is in the ACT?

MS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Hird, for the question because it has raised an important issue. I am sure that everyone except those opposite, who are a bit embarrassed, would believe it is an important issue, particularly when you look at the dynamics of the modern workplace in Canberra today, a workplace which has changed dramatically over the past decade, and continues to change even today.

As members would know, there is an increasing trend towards part time work, more flexible working hours and more flexible working arrangements between employers and employees, something that those opposite, and Mr Berry, absolutely abhor, obviously. This has led to developments in areas such as working from home, new maternity and paternity leave arrangements, the increasing use of contract employment for - - -

Mr Berry: Outworking.

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