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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 3 Hansard (7 March) . . Page.. 759 ..

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, this man of the past is still harbouring the old hatreds of the greedy 1980s.

Mr Wood: He thinks they are under the bed still.

MR BERRY: Yes, the Reds are still under the bed. Mr Speaker, this about real people who deserve real compassion. The motion that I put forward recognises that there is change happening in the workplace, but it demands compassion for workers who have made a contribution to the community.

The amendment which has been put forward by Mr Smyth is merely a diversion. The industrial relations powers have been limited by Mr Smyth's mentor, Mr Reith. Maybe Mr Smyth forgot that during his time up there the industrial relations powers were so watered down that the commission has hardly any power to do anything, let alone arbitrate. The powers of arbitration are just about done for. The approval of the Industrial Relations Commission these days is quite different. The Industrial Relations Commission's powers are quite different from what they were when Labor was in office. Mr Humphries, in the course of his contribution to the debate, said, "Let's parallel ourselves with Labor." Well, industrial relations powers when Labor was in office were quite different from what they are now, so that was a nonsensical contribution to the debate.

Mr Speaker, the amendment moved by Mr Smyth should be defeated. This Assembly is the instrument of the people of the ACT. It makes the decisions about what happens to people in the ACT. Let's not try to flick-pass it to somewhere else as Mr Smyth is intending to do. Ditch the amendment. It is an attempt to undermine the process of this Assembly. Support the motion, members, and these workers will get just a little of the compassion that they deserve.

Question put:

The Assembly voted-

 		Ayes 9  		Noes 8

 Mrs Burke  	Mr Moore  	Mr Berry  	Mr Stanhope
 Mr Cornwell  	Mr Rugendyke  	Mr Corbell  	Ms Tucker
 Mr Hird  	Mr Smyth  	Mr Hargreaves  	Mr Wood
 Mr Humphries  	Mr Stefaniak  	Mr Osborne
 Mr Kaine    			Mr Quinlan

Amendment agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

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