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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 2 Hansard (28 February) . . Page.. 424 ..
MR BERRY (continuing):
I have read them to the Assembly-
that the ACT Government takes to advertising on this internal Government publication. These guidelines advise that potential non government advertisers; their products and their advertising material will be carefully vetted to ensure that the material is appropriate and there is no conflict with Government policies, programs or activities.
At this time, and because of the contentious-
and this is the point that I think we need to focus on-
position the Australian Nurses Federation has taken in relation to the current Government pay offer I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to agree to the message you have proposed.
So the government is saying, "If you don't agree with us you don't get a fair go." It is as clear as that. When I go to the list of conditions I cannot see one that says, "Must agree with Mr Moore, must not upset the government." None of those conditions are included. "Must not be a unionist, a union member"-none of those conditions are set out in the list. But, reading between the lines, that is exactly what the chief executive was saying when he wrote to the union rejecting their proposition to put advertising in these publications.
Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, this is a quite outrageous position. Let me read some of the advertisements that appear on public service pay slips. One reads, "Do you suffer from headaches, stiff necks, sore arms?" It goes on to say, "Massage can help." You can join Community Aid Abroad. There is a men mentoring men program on Triple M. Another says, "Thinking about buying a house or investment property-which bank? Commonwealth Bank loan packages for ACT government employees are now available." We are told that "commemorative birth certificates are now available from the registrar".
There is one for leasing and business finance and "the solutions for you". Another tells us that "some women are born leaders-liberate your leadership skills". There are advertisements relating to Rostrum, the Snowy scheme, SouthCare, the 2001 Woman of the Year Award, Penguin News, and quality, self-contained apartments and townhouses at Merimbula. This is a quite comprehensive list of where the government has been quite open to advertisers when it comes to advertising on the pay slips of ACT government workers.
But when a union makes an application, particularly a union which has been negative towards the government in relation to a pay offer, the government decides, "No, because of the contentious position the Australian Nursing Federation has taken in relation to the current government pay offer, I do not believe it would be appropriate for us to agree." It is all right for Mr Moore to adopt the Peter Reith dogma, howling at the trade union movement, accusing them of being undemocratic and misrepresenting the issues which are concerning unions. Mr Moore did not go into all of the details of the dispute with the unions because his case starts to fall apart very quickly when you do that.
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